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Star Wars: In Production [Rumors/SPOILERS for All Films Past, Present, & Future]

I hated the whole political angle in the prequel. Star Wars is supposed to be reminiscent of oldschool sci-fi and adventure films, not conspiracy theories.
 
I hated the whole political angle in the prequel. Star Wars is supposed to be reminiscent of oldschool sci-fi and adventure films, not conspiracy theories.

Those elements were still at the forefront of the prequels and the stuff you're talking about was necessary for the events that transpired that led to the originals. There was plenty of action and adventure elements.
 
Wasn't sure where to post this, but apparently BB-8 is a practical effect and exists in real life: http://www.slashfilm.com/star-wars-mark-hamill-beard-bb-8/2/

Mark Hamill:

They never cease to amaze me with what they’re able to come up with, you know? I said, “How are you ever gonna top R2-D2, the most adorable droid in movie history?” And then they have this new one. I can’t even tell you his name, but you saw it in the trailer. And when they were demonstrating how they did this thing, live on set — because it’s not CGI, that’s a live prop — I was just amazed. They let me play around with it. [Laughs] I was running it all around at the creature shop up in Pinewood. I’m telling you, it’s an absolute delight. And not having thought that I’d ever go back there, to go back into that world, is just – I get the chills. It’s just so much fun.

Yes that's right, the rolling droid is a real thing, not CGI. Incredible.

So this is real:

ztmltaccrs57cyimizok.gif
 

Real Hero

Member
I hated the whole political angle in the prequel. Star Wars is supposed to be reminiscent of oldschool sci-fi and adventure films, not conspiracy theories.
It would have been ok if they went all in on it and made that aspect good. But they didn't and you get this nonsensical trade federation politics stuff crossed with Jar Jar antics plus pointless Darth Vader built C3P0 connections wrapped around a terrible love story and three films worth of terrible dialogue and obvious cgi until it all collapses into nothing and the most iconic star wars character crying NOOOOOO at witnessing the last three films. Fuck the prequels.
 
Yeah the basic story/outline of the prequels is actually pretty damn original and a good story. Just really poorly executed.

I feel like Lucas tried to take those ideas and spread them out longer than they should have been.

Palpatine being in full-on Emperor mode (scarred and all) by the end of EP1 would have been better. In fact, Anakin should have been Luke's age when discovered and much of the Clone Wars and Phantom Menace moved into one movie.

He took a lot of ideas that could have been communicated in 5 to 10 minutes of footage and spread it out over several hours of film.
 
Eyes just rolled out of my head. Didn't realize it was still this cool to hate the prequels. I guess people who enjoyed them to any degree aren't real Star Wars fans?

Man, I didn't like the prequels at all and don't judge those who do. I'm assuming we're all Star Wars nerds 'cause we're all on this board geeking out about these new movies and that practical effect of a droid. *








*
I want that droid really badly.
 
Those elements were still at the forefront of the prequels and the stuff you're talking about was necessary for the events that transpired that led to the originals. There was plenty of action and adventure elements.

It wasn't at all necessary. The Empire could well have been in full swing during the prequels. The Jedi could have already been dwindling and Vader could have just mopped them up in the interval between the films.

All that was necessary was that there were clone wars. Then one character needed to fall from grace and the other needed to fail to save him and had to physically stop him.

Those are the necessary points needed to set up the OT. And even they aren't truly necessary because you can watch the original films without any knowledge of the prequels - as many did for years - because everything you need to know is told to you during those films.
 

Jaeger

Member
My complaints with the prequels are rarely the plot.

We should have seen more of Anakin displaying his massive power. We got very little of this Chosen One's abilities displayed.
 
My complaints with the prequels are rarely the plot.

We should have seen more of Anakin displaying his massive power. We got very little of this Chosen One's abilities displayed.

His "massive power" was only a story point because the prequels told us that Anakin was all powerful. That wasn't originally his deal. In the OT he was just strong with the force. As was Luke. What was the most impressive thing Luke did with the force? Would it have made the films better if Anakin did something crazy with the force? I think not.
 

Jaeger

Member
His "massive power" was only a story point because the prequels told us that Anakin was all powerful. That wasn't originally his deal. In the OT he was just strong with the force. As was Luke. What was the most impressive thing Luke did with the force? Would it have made the films better if Anakin did something crazy with the force? I think not.

I'm getting tired of the internet. What was the purpose of this post? I wanted to see more of what was stated he could do. I don't see what are you arguing or fucking why.
 
I'm getting tired of the internet. What was the purpose of this post? I wanted to see more of what was stated he could do. I don't see what are you arguing or fucking why.

Cool your jets, man. I just don't think that if we saw Anakin do something amazing with the force it would have made the films any better. To that, what would you consider an amazing display of force power?
 
Eyes just rolled out of my head. Didn't realize it was still this cool to hate the prequels. I guess people who enjoyed them to any degree aren't real Star Wars fans?

whoa...calm down, i never said people couldn't like the films i was just giving my opinion.
And my opinion is that any film, good or bad, stays that way.
It's not some fad or cool thing to hate or love.
A good film is good forever and so is a bad one, if you like them then that's fine.
To be honest i'm jealous that you like them, i'd love to have 6 star wars films i can watch.
For me they are simply bad films, 3 of the worst i have ever seen in the cinema and i've seen some shit in my time, believe me.(chain reaction and stuck on you spring to mind)
I never even mentioned that people who like them aren't real star wars fans, are you just trying to troll me or something?
 

Jaeger

Member
Cool your jets, man. I just don't think that if we saw Anakin do something amazing with the force it would have made the films any better. To that, what would you consider an amazing display of force power?

You just came off as super aggressive and I'm like why.

But anyway, that one thing alone wouldn't have fixed the issues with the prequels. It would have just been on instance on my checklist that was never fulfilled. Anakin doing something no one has ever seen or been able to do. A great example of a Force user going crazy with his abilities was what Galen Marik was able to do later on in the Force Unleashed series. Especially considering Anakin's gradual slip to the Dark Side, his aggressive use of the Force would have been perfect. He easily overcame Dooku in a lightsaber duel.
 
You just came off as super aggressive and I'm like why.

But anyway, that one thing alone wouldn't have fixed the issues with the prequels. It would have just been on instance on my checklist that was never fulfilled. Anakin doing something no one has ever seen or been able to do. A great example of a Force user going crazy with his abilities was what Galen Marik was able to do later on in the Force Unleashed series. Especially considering Anakin's gradual slip to the Dark Side, his aggressive use of the Force would have been perfect. He easily overcame Dooku in a lightsaber duel.

It was never my intention to seem aggressive. I didn't write it to be read like that. :/

To me that kind of power - that is showcased in the Force Unleashed games - isn't exactly what I'd have liked to have seen in the films. It's like adolescent badassness, so unlike the idea of the force represented in OT. Above all, very video game-like. Especially when compared to Yoda's raising of the X-wing, which - in Empire - is supposed to be an awe-inspiring show of force. I would have liked more consistency with what the force is and by that have it be as abstract as it was in the OT.

I get what your saying, he's never shown to be powerful, we are just told. And in the end he's basically as strong as Kenobi and loses to him, even though he's supposed to be stronger. But that's the fault of the prequels. He should never have been said to be uber powerful because we know he loses the fight. He should have just been known as an average to impressive Jedi - as it seems he was depicted.

Surely, the fact that these force users can sense things, control people, objects and propel themselves around through use of the force is incredible enough. Or has that kind of power been diminished in the audiences eyes because they have higher expectations?
 
It was never my intention to seem aggressive. I didn't write it to be read like that. :/

To me that kind of power - that is showcased in the Force Unleashed games - isn't exactly what I'd have liked to have seen in the films. It's like adolescent badassness, so unlike the idea of the force represented in OT. Above all, very video game-like. Especially when compared to Yoda's raising of the X-wing, which - in Empire - is supposed to be an awe-inspiring show of force. I would have liked more consistency with what the force is and by that have it be as abstract as it was in the OT.

I get what your saying, he's never shown to be powerful, we are just told. And in the end he's basically as strong as Kenobi and loses to him, even though he's supposed to be stronger. But that's the fault of the prequels. He should never have been said to be uber powerful because we know he loses the fight. He should have just been known as an average to impressive Jedi - as it seems he was depicted.

Surely, the fact that these force users can sense things, control people, objects and propel themselves around through use of the force is incredible enough. Or has that kind of power been demised in the audiences eyes because they have higher expectations?

Pretty much the case, I'm sure. The EU raised the bar all around, and stuff like Force Unleashed (which I did love, btw) sent it into orbit. The stuff in the movies doesn't really compare to all that. While they probably won't have anybody pulling star destroyers out of the sky, we will almost certainly be seeing a much higher level of power than in the OT or prequels.
 

Jaeger

Member
A lot of those small uses of the Force were do to 2 reasons. The main one is technology. There was only so much they could do in the 70's and 80's without it looking silly. Another is something Lucas himself stated, and that was the lack of proper training lessened Luke's knowledge and therefore limited what we was able to do. Most Jedi were dead or hiding by the time Luke came around. He wasn't trained from adolensence like most were. And his training was short and rushed.

But this also shows just how strong Luke was with the Force. Despite his limited training he was able to overcome his Father. But even Vader was severely weakened by the time that battle happened. Which is why Palpatine wanted a replacement.

Also a lot of what Jedi and other Force users were supposed to be able to do was detailed early on in scripts and novels. Well before the Prequel films. Lucas was just doing what he always envisioned. And the fights and proper display of the Force were some of the reasons that I enjoyed the films.
 
I wonder if it works like this, with the head basically driving the sphere. That was from 2010, I imagine a shrunken down version of that could be possible today.

No the head is just a very lightweight prop, there was a leaked description of it days before the trailer arrived.

It sounds like a version of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOT45yWn6mU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkeDk82k9Ts
but with giant wheel radius and hemispherical caps to look as round as possible. The middle is weighted to stay upright and a pole supports the head.
 

prag16

Banned
whoa...calm down, i never said people couldn't like the films i was just giving my opinion.
And my opinion is that any film, good or bad, stays that way.
It's not some fad or cool thing to hate or love.
A good film is good forever and so is a bad one, if you like them then that's fine.
To be honest i'm jealous that you like them, i'd love to have 6 star wars films i can watch.
For me they are simply bad films, 3 of the worst i have ever seen in the cinema and i've seen some shit in my time, believe me.(chain reaction and stuck on you spring to mind)
I never even mentioned that people who like them aren't real star wars fans, are you just trying to troll me or something?

Didn't mean to start a fight; was on another forum elsewhere earlier where somebody was shitting on the prequels also (for reasons probably less valid than yours) so I was still worked up. No worries.

And slow down there... 6 is a little aggressive, haha. The Phantom Menace is no longer really in the rotation. But five out of six ain't bad.

This logic probably doesn't make sense, but in my opinion the Ewoks are worse than anything in any of the films, including amazingly Jar Jar. I can't stand the (almost) that whole Endor sequence. I'd almost prefer it all happened off-screen. So that kind of helps me justify thinking the prequels aren't totally horrific. :)
 
Didn't mean to start a fight; was on another forum elsewhere earlier where somebody was shitting on the prequels also (for reasons probably less valid than yours) so I was still worked up. No worries.

And slow down there... 6 is a little aggressive, haha. The Phantom Menace is no longer really in the rotation. But five out of six ain't bad.

This logic probably doesn't make sense, but in my opinion the Ewoks are worse than anything in any of the films, including amazingly Jar Jar. I can't stand the (almost) that whole Endor sequence. I'd almost prefer it all happened off-screen. So that kind of helps me justify thinking the prequels aren't totally horrific. :)

No problems, as i said people clearly have different tastes.
I was young when jedi came out and i fell in love with the ewoks, i even used to watch the cartoon.
I'm not sure what my problems with the prequels are, i remember i saw phantom menace twice and the other two once and have refused to watch them again purely on the basis that i didn't enjoy watching them and life is way to short to watch a film i didn't enjoy again.
(i realise i watched phantom menance twice, but that doesn't count as i was a stupid teenager that made some dumb decisions, that being one of the worst).
 

prag16

Banned
No problems, as i said people clearly have different tastes.
I was young when jedi came out and i fell in love with the ewoks, i even used to watch the cartoon.
I'm not sure what my problems with the prequels are, i remember i saw phantom menace twice and the other two once and have refused to watch them again purely on the basis that i didn't enjoy watching them and life is way to short to watch a film i didn't enjoy again.
(i realise i watched phantom menance twice, but that doesn't count as i was a stupid teenager that made some dumb decisions, that being one of the worst).

I was born the year after RotJ came to theaters, so I was too young to like ewoks, haha. Then by the time I really got into Star Wars (mid 90s) I was too cool for ewoks. So I guess that explains it...

Your perception of those movies might be permanently tarnished now; I've had that happen to me with other films... expectations being too high, comparing to superior source material, etc. But I find them to be entertaining (even TPM, to a point).

I hope these sequels are worth of the OT. I hated (HATED) what Abrams and co. did to Star Trek, but Wars and Trek are totally different animals, so we'll see...
 
hopefully Star Wars Episode 7 has a Blu ray special edition or collector's edition with lots of behind the scenes and extras.the making of Star Wars Episode 7 from the early production stages to what Lucas had done to what JJ and the other writers came up with after revising the scrpt. Just seeing the transition from nothing to something would be a treat.
 

LastNac

Member
Pretty much the case, I'm sure. The EU raised the bar all around, and stuff like Force Unleashed (which I did love, btw) sent it into orbit. The stuff in the movies doesn't really compare to all that. While they probably won't have anybody pulling star destroyers out of the sky, we will almost certainly be seeing a much higher level of power than in the OT or prequels.

TFU was always a special case. Even Lucasarts said it was an exaggerated look at the Force upon release.
 

prag16

Banned
They do sound great on paper... in the novelizations. Especially RotS.

Yeah, good point. There's a ton of extra stuff in the novelizations. Getting inside Anakin's head a bit in RotS definitely makes the transition from "ohhh Padme" to "whelp, better slaughter me some younglings" a little less absurd.

In the film I actually thought the scene was pretty well done, where Anakin interferes and Palpatine chucks Windu out the window. Anakin sits down... "What have I done??" Chilling.

But then he immediately flips a switch, "Okay I guess I'm evil now, I'll do whatever you want Mr. Sith Lord." -_-
 

Cheebo

Banned
Yeah, good point. There's a ton of extra stuff in the novelizations. Getting inside Anakin's head a bit in RotS definitely makes the transition from "ohhh Padme" to "whelp, better slaughter me some younglings" a little less absurd.

In the film I actually thought the scene was pretty well done, where Anakin interferes and Palpatine chucks Windu out the window. Anakin sits down... "What have I done??" Chilling.

But then he immediately flips a switch, "Okay I guess I'm evil now, I'll do whatever you want Mr. Sith Lord." -_-

Funny part is the what have I done scene was added in reshoots. Lucas in the commentary track said when watching the rough cut he felt the transition happened way too suddenly and added that in there.
 

Cheebo

Banned
Huh. Wasn't it actually canon in the old 'verse? I'd love to see Starkiller make a return at some point, it'd be a bummer if it wasn't even pre-reset official.

I doubt you'll ever see a new Starkiller again. They are doing a pretty dramatically different take on the origin on the Rebel Alliance in 'Rebels. Karan is kinda filling that character void already.
 

Jaeger

Member
Without a doubt, the Force users will be prequel era in power/ability display in The Force Awakens. Starkiller was written out of canon, anyway.
 

prag16

Banned
Funny part is the what have I done scene was added in reshoots. Lucas in the commentary track said when watching the rough cut he felt the transition happened way too suddenly and added that in there.
Damn. I mean, there wasn't even a transition. Even in the final version...

I mostly liked episode 3 but the handling of that "transition" was absolutely terrible. I mean, Anakin turning to the dark side.. that's THE REASON the whole OT played out as it did. And they bungled it horribly. :(
 
I doubt you'll ever see a new Starkiller again. They are doing a pretty dramatically different take on the origin on the Rebel Alliance in 'Rebels. Karan is kinda filling that character void already.

Yeah, I know it's unlikely, but I've always enjoyed the effect a vast power disparity can have on a story, so I'd love for him to make a return in some form, even if they alter his role.
 
Lucas actually had some fantastic story ideas for the prequels that got buried and lost in bad dialogue and weak directing.

I mean Palpatines rise being through political means and embraced by the public in a very Hitler like fashion rather than a typical movie all out war/invasion was a fantastic idea. The idea that Anakin/Vader is a failed Jesus like figure was fantastic as well. The fact the Clone Wars were a sham and just a cover to gain political power as well. I loved the idea that the Jedi were complacent and lazy and it helped lead to the ease of their downfall.

All of these are fantastic ideas and story elements, just poorly accomplished on screen.

Even though I love the Prequels films, I would the tv show does a way better job of showing his ideas.
 
Did anyone catch the behind the scenes thing that aired on Disney XD? I missed it. I tried to DVR it, but apparently my package doesn't include Disney XD HD. Fucking Cox.
 

Blader

Member
Damn. I mean, there wasn't even a transition. Even in the final version...

I mostly liked episode 3 but the handling of that "transition" was absolutely terrible. I mean, Anakin turning to the dark side.. that's THE REASON the whole OT played out as it did. And they bungled it horribly. :(

I don't think there's anything bad about that particular turn, actually. He's just acting without thinking (per usual) and doesn't even kill Mace himself, just lops his hand off. Then the reality of that settles in a few seconds later and he panics.

The more awkward transition is his sudden evil march of the clones into the temple to kill children. But then you have to wonder how much of falling to the dark side involves actual brainwashing.
 

Ophelion

Member
I don't think there's anything bad about that particular turn, actually. He's just acting without thinking (per usual) and doesn't even kill Mace himself, just lops his hand off. Then the reality of that settles in a few seconds later and he panics.

The more awkward transition is his sudden evil march of the clones into the temple to kill children. But then you have to wonder how much of falling to the dark side involves actual brainwashing.

This is something I've always wondered. It seems like for Force Sensitive people, when they cross the moral event horizon, they go from kind of sympathetic to mustache twirling maniacs overnight. Once the Dark Side gets it's hooks in you, is it...like, whispering in your mind or something? Like being the bearer of the One Ring or something? It just I originally thought all that "falling to the Dark Side" stuff was just a tarted up way of saying, "The force is a tool. It's good when good people use it and evil when evil people use it." But it's also alive and it sure seems like the Dark Side wants you to do heinous things...
 
This is something I've always wondered. It seems like for Force Sensitive people, when they cross the moral event horizon, they go from kind of sympathetic to mustache twirling maniacs overnight. Once the Dark Side gets it's hooks in you, is it...like, whispering in your mind or something? Like being the bearer of the One Ring or something? It just I originally thought all that "falling to the Dark Side" stuff was just a tarted up way of saying, "The force is a tool. It's good when good people use it and evil when evil people use it." But it's also alive and it sure seems like the Dark Side wants you to do heinous things...

Dooku is an example of what I thought a normal dark side user would be (and he was a huge missed opportunity): Someone who uses the dark side to further what he thinks is right, even if it might be wrong. He feels justified, but it's more a tool than anything else.
 
Dooku is an example of what I thought a normal dark side user would be (and he was a huge missed opportunity): Someone who uses the dark side to further what he thinks is right, even if it might be wrong. He feels justified, but it's more a tool than anything else.

It's like any other ideology, I always thought. You can devote yourself totally to either side, or there can be many shades of gray. The Jedi and the Sith are two ideological ideals. The only difference here is that embracing the dark side comes with a price, namely physical changes. I can't imagine that there weren't force sensitives running around that didn't care for either side.
 
It's like any other ideology, I always thought. You can devote yourself totally to either side, or there can be many shades of gray. The Jedi and the Sith are two ideological ideals. The only difference here is that embracing the dark side comes with a price, namely physical changes. I can't imagine that there weren't force sensitives running around that didn't care for either side.

Except we've never been shown an example of the physical changes. We all assumed the Emperor looked that way because of his powers, but it turns out he just electroforced his own face. Really Anakin's eyes just turned yellow for a bit.
 
Damn. I mean, there wasn't even a transition. Even in the final version...

I mostly liked episode 3 but the handling of that "transition" was absolutely terrible. I mean, Anakin turning to the dark side.. that's THE REASON the whole OT played out as it did. And they bungled it horribly. :(

How was it bungled though? The entire arc of the prequels establishes Anakin's attachment to family and the rage he flies into if they are threatened or hurt. He will do anything to save his wife. The dark side doesn't make you think rationally. It consumes you and makes you crave power.

I love RotS for the way that was handled and also because it makes The Empire Strikes Back even stronger. Anakin sees the future of his wife in pain and will do anything to stop that future. Luke sees Leia, Han and Chewie in pain on Bespin and like his father makes the choice to go help them. Luke was strong willed enough to fight the temptation for power, Anakin was not, even with the knowledge that Vader was his father. Luke is the better in a similar circumstance.
 

A_Gorilla

Banned
How was it bungled though? The entire arc of the prequels establishes Anakin's attachment to family and the rage he flies into if they are threatened or hurt. He will do anything to save his wife. The dark side doesn't make you think rationally. It consumes you and makes you crave power.

I love RotS for the way that was handled and also because it makes The Empire Strikes Back even stronger. Anakin sees the future of his wife in pain and will do anything to stop that future. Luke sees Leia, Han and Chewie in pain on Bespin and like his father makes the choice to go help them. Luke was strong willed enough to fight the temptation for power, Anakin was not, even with the knowledge that Vader was his father. Luke is the better in a similar circumstance.

The problem for me is that starting with AotC, Anakin is ALREADY an asshole (committing genocide on the Sand People, even the women and children)! There is nothing to suggest in any of the films (no, the novels or the cartoon don't count) that he was anything other than a smug angry jerk with stalkerish tendencies. So then, what is the arc? If Anakin was always an evil jerk, then OF course he will go to the Dark Side the first chance he gets! There is no tragedy involved in Anakin's fall. No sorrow. He is already such an ass that was see his turn coming from a mile away.

This perhaps one of the biggest flaws with the PT: Lucas assumed everyone on the planet has already seen the OT, so he felt no need to inject real drama or suspense, because hey, we already know whats gonna happen.
 

Anjelus_

Junior Member
Are Han and Leia still married? Does Mara Jade exist?

Good god I don't know what I'd do with myself if ALL of the EU is thrown out. Consciously or not, I've come to consider Mara Jade and the Solo twins as equally canonical as the movies.
 
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