Bring me the flaming balls of George Lucas!

[NutWrench]

Saw this over at Slashdot: (http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/03/18/1425200&from=rss)

-------------------------------------------------
Lucas To Redo Star Wars In 3-D
Star Wars Prequels
Movies
Technology
Posted by Zonk on Friday March 18, @02:12PM
from the nature-trail-to-hell dept.
Warlock7 writes "You might have thought that it was going to all be over on May 19 with the release of Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. Well, not so fast. It seems that George Lucas is planning to re-re-release the Star Wars films in a new 3-D format. There are also several other directors that are interested in this new technology and they are trying to get theaters to install new technology to allow the showing of their films in the new 3-D format [req free reg]."
----------------------------------------------

This has to be a joke. How do you sleep at night, George? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tinyted.gif

/"On a pile of money with many beautiful ladies" - McBain

[Kronx]

And why is it bad that he's releasing a 3-D version?

[Simon Charles]

Predictable, even if that particular tidbit of info turns out to be a fake. This May will not be the end of Star Wars. With each new technology that comes, Lucas will churn out re-re-re-releases until his cash cow has been milked dry.

New DVD formats? Higher-rez? Supergizmo v1.2 that enhances your viewing pleasure by exostimulating your adriatic neurotendrillions? Whatever it is, there'll be a Star Wars box for it. You'll never own it all.

[Phait]

And in 4049, you can buy a Star Wars logo emblazoned X-Wing!

[NutWrench]

Kronx said:
And why is it bad that he's releasing a 3-D version?



Because it's increasingly obvious that Lucas is not doing this for the sake of "art." Lucas keeps claiming the reason for changing and re-releasing these movies is because he didn't have the time/money/technology to do it right the first time.

Many of the changes strike me as bizarre and gratuitous (i.e. the extra scenes in THX-1138, the song and dance routine in Jabbas Palace in ROTJ, stuff that doesn't nothing to advance the plot and even changes the original plot)

And Jar Jar Binks in 3D is something that I wouldn't wish on anyone. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Wamplet]

NutWrench said:

Because it's increasingly obvious that Lucas is not doing this for the sake of "art." Lucas keeps claiming the reason for changing and re-releasing these movies is because he didn't have the time/money/technology to do it right the first time.

Many of the changes strike me as bizarre and gratuitous (i.e. the extra scenes in THX-1138, the song and dance routine in Jabbas Palace in ROTJ, stuff that doesn't nothing to advance the plot and even changes the original plot)




Word. The wookie-turned-film-director needs to just give up. I'm still waiting for the bullet-time version where Han and Chewie french kiss for the first time, whilst hiding from the smuggling police. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/redface.gif


NutWrench said:
And Jar Jar Binks in 3D is something that I wouldn't wish on anyone. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif



It's funny, because it's true! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Geir]

Bring me the flaming balls of George Lucas!



are you saying that george Lucas has inflamed balls?

[Mountain Man]

The worst part of this, Lucas is going to personally hold a gun to everybody's head and force them to spend their money and watch this damn thing. That's right: he's going to deny everyone the choice to simply not watch it! What is the world coming to?

[NutWrench]

And then after that, he's going to bus Chinese communists and homosexuals into your neighborhoods to kill your fuzzy little puppies!

Yes, I DO have a sense of perspective. Thanks for asking. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Charmplus]

omg if this is true

this is going to be the greatest day in the history of the world

[NutWrench]

Here is one of Lucas's flaming balls. See?

[Viper Knight]

NutWrench said:

Kronx said:
And why is it bad that he's releasing a 3-D version?


Because it's increasingly obvious that Lucas is not doing this for the sake of "art." Lucas keeps claiming the reason for changing and re-releasing these movies is because he didn't have the time/money/technology to do it right the first time.



I wonder if George is aware that film making is not just about money and technology but about the story, which I thought George did superbly in the original films. I see no reason why he has to muck around with his films that were already big blockbusters, and used the resources available at the time to their fullest. If George is going to continue on redoing/remastering/re-releasing his films I don't think he'll ever be satisfied. I reckon he should just leave them be and create new and even better films.

[NutWrench]

Here's the second one I made from ROTJ. That's two, right? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[NutWrench]

Just playing around with GIF animator now . . .

[supermeerkat]

Maybe some of you kids should develop a sense of proportion and not worry about shit like this, when there is more important stuff, like life, to worry about.

[Enragiated]

I have the original trilogy on vhs, but im missing the empire strikes back actually.

[AndOne]

NutWrench said:

Kronx said:
And why is it bad that he's releasing a 3-D version?



Because it's increasingly obvious that Lucas is not doing this for the sake of "art." Lucas keeps claiming the reason for changing and re-releasing these movies is because he didn't have the time/money/technology to do it right the first time.

Many of the changes strike me as bizarre and gratuitous (i.e. the extra scenes in THX-1138, the song and dance routine in Jabbas Palace in ROTJ, stuff that doesn't nothing to advance the plot and even changes the original plot)

And Jar Jar Binks in 3D is something that I wouldn't wish on anyone. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif



Not a poke at you but since you brought this up. How many of you out there know exactly how George wants the story to be told? Honestly none of you. If he decides he wants to re-tell or add to his stories that is his choice. Those ideas could have been in his head from the get go, yet you don't know. You assume the originals were supposed to be the final say all to HIS stories. Obviously they were not. Let the man tell and re-tell his stories how ever he wants. They are his not ours. And besides for every person that will not spend any money on the new stuff i'm sure there are hundreds and thousands that would. It's his world let him do what he wants. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/redface.gif

[LeadBullet]

Its funny that when a directors cut dvd comes out everyone jumps all over it, but with star wars you have a few handfuls of people that go apeshit over it.

In this case with the 3D stuff it doesn't sound any worse than if he was going to release an IMax version of the movies.

[Tedski]

LeadBullet said:
Its funny that when a directors cut dvd comes out everyone jumps all over it, but with star wars you have a few handfuls of people that go apeshit over it.

In this case with the 3D stuff it doesn't sound any worse than if he was going to release an IMax version of the movies.



I think the problem with Lucas is how many 'directors cuts' there are going to be. I seriously doubt that after 25 years, and being as rich as Croesus, that Lucas hasn't had the opportunity to sort out his 'vision' of how Star Wars should be. While it is undeniably his right to mess with Star Wars as he sees fit, the perpertual nature of this merry go round is becoming tedious beyond belief. It strikes me as though the consumers are paying for Lucas' obsession with Star Wars, and funding it.
I hope the last of the prequels is as good as it promises to be - it surely must be better than the other 2 http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif, and then I can maybe gather up a complete box set and watch episodes 3, 4, 5 and 6. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Tetsuro]

LeadBullet said:
Its funny that when a directors cut dvd comes out everyone jumps all over it, but with star wars you have a few handfuls of people that go apeshit over it.


I think the difference here is that OTHER DIRECTORS DON'T DENY THE EXISTENCE OF THE THEATRICAL CUTS AFTER RELEASING THE DC.

Sorry for typing that with caps, but people just need a slap on their wrists sometime. I mean, this is the whole point of this new anti-Lucas ideology: we don't honestly care if he keeps editing the original movies beyond recognition, that's his decision. The problem is that he refuses to give us the originals!

Personally I don't give a shit about SW anymore, Lucas has made sure of that. I just hope he drops dead soon so the estate gets the rights for the movies and release the ORIGINAL versions...though I bet it's Lucas' dying wish that they continue denying their existence. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mryuck.gif

[Mountain Man]

Takeshi said:
The problem is that he refuses to give us the originals!


The word "refuse" implies that there is something that compels Lucas to release the unaltered originals. I don't think this is the case. Rather, Lucas is not releasing the unaltered originals simply because he doesn't want to, not because he is "refusing" to.

I assume you used the word "refuse" because you feel that Lucus is in some way denying your rights, which is obviously ridiculous. Furthermore, anybody who wanted the unaltered originals was given ample opportunity to purchase them over the years (I own a set of VHS tapes myself), so saying that Lucas "refuses to give us the originals" is not correct. What you really mean is, "Lucas doesn't want to release the unaltered originals on DVD" which is true, and he is entirely within his rights to make that decision.


Personally I don't give a shit about SW anymore...


Could've fooled me. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Tetsuro]

Well technically he is refusing to do so, because the fandom has asked him to do so and yet he won't. And in the words of C3PO, "Don't get tactical with me!"

And no, I wasn't fooling you. For me, SW is beginning to drift into the same category as Final Fantasy, I feel hatred for it purely by it's fandom which overrates it and gives it undeserved praise. Though the original trilogy (emphasis on the word 'original') will always have at least some sort of nostalgic value for me.

[Enragiated]

Get it on laserdisc big guy, then if you really want to you can convert it to dvd!


Probably find em on ebay for 500 dollars http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Pansa]

am i the only one who actually LIKES the idea of broaddistribution 3d movies?

i mean , SW set aside, having a major breakthrough in movies shown in 3D just makes me giggle with anticipation...

and for that , i couldnt imagine a more powerfull horse in front of the carrion than star wars , and i DO like the sound of starwars 3d...

actually btw , as far as i read , this process doesnt involve any new cutting , or creating new images , its a way to recalculate imagecontents that its looking 3d..

not shure if i undestand how this is possible , but we`ll see.

i think its a nice thing to happen

[Nacho]

The re-cut Star Wars is what he wanted, it was his original vision of the franchise. I say a job well done to him for carying out his dream.

If you want the original Star Wars films, go get it on VHS. Is it really going to hurt you?

[Ruger]

You know, there are bootlegs (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=41575&item=6379315353&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW) out there. I burned a set myself.

That's what's so funny about this. People are mad not because they can't get the original versions, but because Lucas is denying them the opportunity to give him their money. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

[Tetsuro]

Nacho said:
The re-cut Star Wars is what he wanted, it was his original vision of the franchise. I say a job well done to him for carying out his dream.

If you want the original Star Wars films, go get it on VHS. Is it really going to hurt you?


1) VHS is rarely widescreen.
2) They also have inferior picture quality.
3) If it's his 'original vision', why does he keep revising it?

And as for the buying thing, some of us prefer LEGIT copies you know.

[Ruger]

I too prefer legit copies, but I gave up on Lucas allowing that a long time ago.

[Mountain Man]

Takeshi said:
3) If it's his 'original vision', why does he keep revising it?


I don't think Lucas has ever said or implied that every single change represents his original vision.

[Marcos_Edson]

Nacho said:
The re-cut Star Wars is what he wanted, it was his original vision of the franchise.



I still want a reasonable explanation on how he couldn't get the "Greedo shoots first" scene back in 1977... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

But again, it's "Greedo and Han shoots almost at the same time" on the DVD, right? http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dopefish.gif

This scene must look really great in 3D... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hhg.gif

[NutWrench]

GREEDO DID NOT SHOOT FIRST! DAMMIT! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
This is the extra 1/4 second shot Lucas inserted into the movie.

[thefly]

^Yeah, that's a pretty cool scene. I like the way Han uses his rubber/dislocation powers on his neck to get out of the way.

[Tedski]

NutWrench said:
GREEDO DID NOT SHOOT FIRST! DAMMIT! http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
This is the extra 1/4 second shot Lucas inserted into the movie.


Looking at that image it would appear that greedo did shoot first. I neither care one way or the other about it, but to me it seems obvious that he did from that. His shot is by Hans' left earhole, while Hans' is only halfway to him. Unless I'm missing some serious irony here, the image goes totally against the statement. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

[supermeerkat]

Can anyone explain to me the significance of Han / Greedo shooting first?

[Enragiated]

Lucas is trying to make his films appeal to a "modern" youth audience it seems, while alienating his original fanbase in the process.



Go Lucas!

[Mountain Man]

Marcos_Edson said:
I still want a reasonable explanation on how he couldn't get the "Greedo shoots first" scene back in 1977... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif


This is the story as I understand it:

They tried this shot three different times. The first take, the squibs (small explosive charges used for visual effects) fired really far apart making it look like Greedo shot way before Han. They rerigged the scene and take two had Han firing way before Greedo. They tried one last time, and this time the squibs went off simultaneously. It was the end of the day and with a crew that refused to work overtime, Lucas had to settle for what he had on film.

In the original cut, the actual sequence of events is obscure. There's just a big cloud of smoke and Greedo slumps to the table. For whatever reason, folks just assumed Han shot Greedo before Greedo could get a shot off, but it's really impossible to tell the way it's edited.

The 1997 (and 2004) revisions were done to bring this particular scene in line with Lucas' original intent, which was that Han fired in self-defense.

[NutWrench]

supermeerkat said:
Can anyone explain to me the significance of Han / Greedo shooting first?



Here you go! (http://willow.club.fr/Greedo_Comic/Greedo_Comic_01.htm) This explains the whole thing. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
(It's a "People's Court" parody in comic book form)

Ok, in the original theatrical release of Star Wars, that 1/4 second clip was NOT in the movie. I should know: I saw the movie about 30 times. The original scene simply went like this. Greedo doesn't fire or even attempt to fire.

[Marcos_Edson]

Yeah, just as it is on the script I have. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif
If Greedo shooting were at least on the script, chances are the novelization would have it as it has all the other scenes that didn't make it on the 1977 release (Biggs and Luke on Tatooine, Jabba on the bay, etc.).

[toadsponge]

Mountain Man said:
The 1997 (and 2004) revisions were done to bring this particular scene in line with Lucas' original intent, which was that Han fired in self-defense.



...which makes it gayer than Liberace.

[Logic Bomb]

Han never appeared to be a self defence kind of guy though. Hell the second they get into the trash compactor he's firing his gun all over the goddam place. He's a space pirate, not a goody goody.

- LB

[Scotty]

Bring me the flaming balls of George Lucas!



This is right up there with...


Ka-flush! Is that the sound of Cyrix? (http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=324861&an=0&page=0#324861)



...for best topic name ever... http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Locnor]

I heard this on the news about the movies going to 3d. He is going to do all 6 movies in 3d. Lucas and a number of other directors made a presentation to the movie theater people about how this is the future. James Cameron said that all movies will be done in 3d in the future. James Cameron is going to film Battle Angel in 3d.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/ae/3091515

[Ruger]

Locnor said:
I heard this on the news about the movies going to 3d. He is going to do all 6 movies in 3d. Lucas and a number of other directors made a presentation to the movie theater people about how this is the future. James Cameron said that all movies will be done in 3d in the future. James Cameron is going to film Battle Angel in 3d.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/ae/3091515



Ya know, I don't really care too much if Lucas spends the rest of his days shooting 3d, but it does make me sad to see Cameron become obsessed with such a gimmick. I do believe HD digital cameras might replace film if they ever got the quality up to par, but I don't think for a second that all movies will be shot only in 3d. It's just too absurd to contemplate. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mryuck.gif

[Mountain Man]

Ruger said:
I do believe HD digital cameras might replace film if they ever got the quality up to par...


Actually, the quality is up to par. Attack of the Clones was a completely digital production as will be Revenge of the Sith.

The main reason digital cinema hasn't been accepted by mainstream Hollywood is basically elitest technophobia, the "We've always done it this way, dammit!" mentality. Most arguments against digital are largely irrational and incoherent, something about the "magic" of light hitting the film emulsion and creating an image or some such.

[GrkFire611]

I wouldn't mind if they animated all the Star Wars movies. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dopefish.gif

Sorry, I just picked up the Clone Wars vol. 1 DVD today and got to thinking about it. Damn, but that microseries is exceptional.

[Ruger]

Mountain Man said:

Ruger said:
I do believe HD digital cameras might replace film if they ever got the quality up to par...


Actually, the quality is up to par. Attack of the Clones was a completely digital production as will be Revenge of the Sith.




Yeah, and my point is you can tell that's the case. It's visibly different from film and not in a good way. Same goes for Rodriguez's Once Upon a Time in Mexico. It's not all bad all the time, but the current generation of the tech always seems to have at least a few shots per movie that have a crappy video look to them. If they ever nail that problem, I'd be cool with all movies being done digitally.

[Paroxysm]

Mountain Man said:

Ruger said:
I do believe HD digital cameras might replace film if they ever got the quality up to par...


Actually, the quality is up to par. Attack of the Clones was a completely digital production as will be Revenge of the Sith.

The main reason digital cinema hasn't been accepted by mainstream Hollywood is basically elitest technophobia, the "We've always done it this way, dammit!" mentality. Most arguments against digital are largely irrational and incoherent, something about the "magic" of light hitting the film emulsion and creating an image or some such.



Actually no. Digital cannot yeah match the ammount of data 35mm gauge film can. Let alone 70mm and large format techniques (of course not used for hollywood anyway). It is very good though and will only improve. Digital shooting has so many benifits but it's still different to film. So it comes to a choice of what you're trying to achieve. It's not about elitism (on the whole). As a basic example digital as of yet doen't have the latitude to replicate the look of fire captured on film.

I shoot on both film and digital because they suit different projects.

[Mountain Man]

If a scene is lit and exposed properly, digital can produce a picture every bit as pleasing as celluloid. While film and digital have different qualities, I don't see one as superior to the other. You just have to make allowances for the unique characteristics of each in order to produce the best results.

[Dukefan]

Mountain Man said:

Ruger said:
I do believe HD digital cameras might replace film if they ever got the quality up to par...


The main reason digital cinema hasn't been accepted by mainstream Hollywood is basically elitest technophobia, the "We've always done it this way, dammit!" mentality. Most arguments against digital are largely irrational and incoherent, something about the "magic" of light hitting the film emulsion and creating an image or some such.



Elitism? Excuse me, you have a phone call from Mr. Kettle.

I'm afraid I don't have a cite for this, but I remember reading somewhere that digital projectors (and cameras? Probably not.) project at a resolution of 1024x768. You've seen those numbers elsewhere, I assure you, and I'd call the other main use of those numbers a pretty damn good argument that the quality of digital film sucks.

I'm guessing this doesn't apply to the SW prequels, which while shot digitally, were still later printed onto film. That leads me to believe my source was talking about digital projection in theters only, not shooting movies digitally.

[Paroxysm]

Mountain Man said:
If a scene is lit and exposed properly



But what about my example of fire? Fire itself often has a greater latitude than ditigal is capable of. It's difficult to light fire :P

[Tetsuro]

And still there is no CGI that has managed to reach the sweaty fleshiness of hand-made special effects. Think of the SFX of "The Thing" for example...

[Mountain Man]

Paroxysm said:
But what about my example of fire? Fire itself often has a greater latitude than ditigal is capable of. It's difficult to light fire.


You can still compensate for it using a variety of techniques.

[Paroxysm]

It's filmable but there's no technique that can replicate the look of film... yet http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif But then it just looks different. Nothing wrong with different.

[Nessus]

I heard James Cameron will also be using this 3D technology on some of his old movies.

[Mountain Man]

Paroxysm said:
It's filmable but there's no technique that can replicate the look of film... yet http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif


And why should it? Film is not inherently superior. http://forums.3drealms.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif


But then it just looks different. Nothing wrong with different.


Nothing at all.