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Star Wars III

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  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: México
Posted by SteelSnail on Sunday, May 29, 2005 2:59 PM
I was so dissappointed with ep. I that ep. II seemed just ok and I actually enjoyed ep. III.
I think the trick is to expect a bad movie and you'll notice the few good parts and dismiss the bad ones. I even liked some of the lines of Obi-Wan. Oh, and remember that, in general, sci-fi movies aren't famous for great acting performances.
I may even wath, oneday, all six movies straight.
Little spoiler:
I liked the camo uniforms of the clones.
I also agree with Larry_Dunn and Lufbery about some of the fx in the movie.
  • Member since
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  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Monday, May 30, 2005 12:03 AM
Well I have just finished watching it here at home.. I watched first last night, and then I watched it again this morning.. I have to say on a whole. I was very very dissapointed..

Firstly, Even with the extra FX that Lucas put in the original trilogy to spark it up a bit. I always found the original series to be more realistic and grounded (if that is posible for a sci fi drama).. I also understand that in 1977 they simply didnt have the technology to do any more.. So in saying that, I have just found that the 3 prequals have dumbed down the whole Star Wars methos with too much of the over the top and comical special FX..

When i think back to that space battle scene in EpVI ROTJ.. I think to myslef "man this is so cool, it is almost believable!" When I was watching Episode III, all I kept thinking for the first 10 minutes was, way over the top. Too busy, and although cool to look at. Whats the point.. Nice ships. But I simply never got why there were a million of them on top of one planet going head to head.. No navy in the world would fight a war like that. SO why should I believe this one? Then we get to the droid fighters!.. They are believable in Battlestar Galactica.. But when these ones are flying around making Jawa sounds, then I am sorry.. Vulture Droids?? Buzz Droids?? WTF? This movie was going great from the opening credits, and then you see the camera pan down to the Star Destroyer.. It lost me as soon as I started watching what was in front of me....

From there on, I started wondering if I was watching a comedy.. Although R2 was cool. It again dumbed down the R2D2 from the original series.. Maybe the R2 in the old movies is too old and cant move like he used to? I dont know..

The Anikan Padme saga is so unbelievable, I thought maybe I could have had a shot at her with this guy being such a dick.. I really couldnt see any chemistry, let alone what she saw in that wally?.. Again, The Padme role was dumbed down from the Episode 1 where she is this tough talking Queen that can kick ass, to this bumbbling fool that listens to that tool Skywalker.. Simply was never gonna happen....

Then we move on to the whole Jedi thing.. For a bunch of smart guys. It took them long enough to work out who the Sith Lord was?.. Even I get bad feelings about people. And I dont have the force flowing through me.. They also knew that there was something not right with Anikan, but they still allowed him to be apart of thier establishment.. I know, I know, its just a movie, but hey!

As for the Emperer. What I liked about him in the original movies is that we knew of him. But we knew nothing about him.. Only at the end do we actually see him.. In these movies I found the guy to be a little more personable, and watching Ian McDermaid (however you spell it) be Palpatine one minute, and then the Emperer the other.. Reminded me of Willem Defoe talking into a mirror in Spiderman???

The Obi-Wan , Anikan fight.. Too long... The most anticipated fight in all of cinema history, and they go lava surfing??.. Ending was how I imagined it.. The choking Padme wasnt, and the lava surfing.. But the Emperer putting him back together at the time of the twins birth was fine.. As someone stated earlier.. The whole Darth Vader hissy fit was comedy at its best. And Now I will never see my favourite villain in the same eyes again.. Thank you George. You just destroyed Darth Vader for me!!!.. He should have just gone down and one knee, and sucked it up!!!!!

The ending was wonderfull.. The final scene with the music from the original Star Wars and Uncle Owen standing as Luke does 18 years later was a great tribute and lead in to the next film....

I had fun with this movie.. But I waited so long for it.. Darth Vader's story is what I have supported all along.. But I am dissapointed.. Although I enjoyed parts of the prequals.. I think I would prefer to remember Star Wars as the original series..

Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 30, 2005 11:08 PM
I have seen the 3rd movie now 2 times. I really enjoy it, has some really good points. I think the acting is really great. I think the reviewers are always hard on sci-fi because they cant think that wide open. One thing that i would like to point out is how the star wars saga is almost a mirror image of whats going on in the real world. With bush attacking for oil and elections rigged its almost hard to watch the movie seeing how that is really going on. And in how history just keeps repeating it self. I know i will get backlash from this but check it out for your self. The special effects ( while i did not see it in a digital screen) do look pretty good but wish they used models instead of CGI even thow i am a 3d modeler.

There is some inconsistent things in terms of shots that they dont do in the other movies which i found old. And some bad cuts with c3po and the queen. They could of zoomed back alot too. I dont like how all movies follow the same types of charactics even if the movie is so called independent. The opening scene felt like a different movie. Overall this movie is great i still perfer the orginal movies.

The ending scenes of the movie dont fit together right at all. This does not feel like lucas work. Mabye they used a different editor or something. The last shot should of been them on the tantivie 4 which is the opening scene of the 4th movie. But that might not give the idea that time has passed.
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  • From: Tennessee
Posted by MartianGundamModeler on Tuesday, May 31, 2005 5:01 PM
Warning! In case you have been in a cave the past two weeks this post Spoilers!LOL











I do agree with Themage in that the end of the movie didn't "fit right". i would have ATLEASt expected Vader to be submerged in a nutrient bath or something, the guy was toasted. Instead they just attach some prosthetic limbs and stick him in the suit. What did Palpatine already have a "Vader Suit" ready. it would have been more beleivable if Anakin had worn an "intermediate" vader out fit and then transitioned his usual Vader attire. What would have been even more interesting was if after donning what ever life support system the medics and/or engineers cobbled we then see Ana kin design and construct his own armor/life suppot system. We already have seen that Anakin had a gift for building machines, they spent most of the first movie driving that home to us. ..
"Some men look at things the way they are and ask ' Why?'. I dream of things that never were and ask "Why not?".--Robert Kennedy taken from George Bernard Shaw's "Back To Methuselah" (Thanks to TomZ2) http://martiangundammodels.50megs.com/index.html
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  • From: Chulak/Jaffa Cree!
Posted by stipp on Tuesday, May 31, 2005 5:15 PM
I felt exactly as you do Anakin shouldve made his own suit! The movie just moved along at a decnt pace, and then it just shot out of a cannon and the movie was over.Sad [:(]
QUOTE: Originally posted by MartianGundamModeler

Warning! In case you have been in a cave the past two weeks this post Spoilers!LOL











I do agree with Themage in that the end of the movie didn't "fit right". i would have ATLEASt expected Vader to be submerged in a nutrient bath or something, the guy was toasted. Instead they just attach some prosthetic limbs and stick him in the suit. What did Palpatine already have a "Vader Suit" ready. it would have been more beleivable if Anakin had worn an "intermediate" vader out fit and then transitioned his usual Vader attire. What would have been even more interesting was if after donning what ever life support system the medics and/or engineers cobbled we then see Ana kin design and construct his own armor/life suppot system. We already have seen that Anakin had a gift for building machines, they spent most of the first movie driving that home to us. ..
  • Member since
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  • From: 37deg 40.13' N 95deg 29.10'W
Posted by scottrc on Wednesday, June 1, 2005 10:20 AM
I read back way back when and understood that Anikan DID make his life support suit and system. I hated these last three movies. WHY? Because that was all they were, just a bunch of gee whiz special effects followed by some bad acting by high profile, overpaid, actors. Nothing gave the chemistry that the old movies had. There was not flow to the storyline, and there was too many suspensful moments followed by long chase scenes.

Was this Star Wars, or some b-rated late night special on the Sci Fi channel.

I saw nothing different that made me want to fork out $20 bucks again.

I went home, popped some popcorn, opened a beer, and watch episode IV, followed by another trilogy classic; Spaceballs.

Scott

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Tennessee
Posted by MartianGundamModeler on Thursday, June 2, 2005 5:18 PM
Yeah Lucas does have an obsession with overly long chase scenes: i.e. pod race in Ep 1, and the chase between Greivous and Obewan in Ep 3. Can't think of one in Ep. 2 aside from Obwan chasing Jango through the asteriod field (but I actually liked that one!lol).

Spoiler.....











No matter what anyone says i think Mace is still alive!
"Some men look at things the way they are and ask ' Why?'. I dream of things that never were and ask "Why not?".--Robert Kennedy taken from George Bernard Shaw's "Back To Methuselah" (Thanks to TomZ2) http://martiangundammodels.50megs.com/index.html
  • Member since
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Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, June 2, 2005 9:46 PM
I think most people miss the point with these movies, and that is they are written for young teenagers and the dialogue and characters are aimed at them. I guess that's why the movies were so good as a ten year old. Now I'm 38 the dialogue seems a tad hokey.
If you read the book you realise the movie has actually simplified the conversations between characters in favour of getting into the action (which is what the kids want) The best way to enjoy these movies is to disengage your brain and enjoy the ride. If you want deep, watch a chick flick.
As to the rest of the movieit was visually stunning and only further enriched the Star Wars universe, which has always been a Sci Fi modelers meca.
I can't wait to get my hands on the models already on offer. I only wish there was more.
  • Member since
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 3, 2005 1:41 AM
I enjoyed the entertainment. Oh, wait I said it was entertainment! The agony! The pain!

Yup, just a movie and I enjoyed every moment of it, even the end. Yes, Vader is seriously boned for the little girly "nooooooooo" where there should have been quiet smoldering rage. Oh well, it's Lucas's baby and without him there never would have been Episodes 1-3.

I throughly enjoyed the actor's renditions of Senator Palpatine and Obi-Wan Kenobi. I thought they made up for Anakin's less than stellar acting, but you gotta admit, Anakin's awesome with a lightsaber! R2-D2 was enjoyable as well, and had me chuckling at his spunky, fighting attitude. I enjoyed this movie and WILL be purchasing on DVD the first day it's available!
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Friday, June 3, 2005 5:45 AM
BLA BLA BLAAAA DEEDDEE BLAAAA.

Come on. This movie and all the Star Wars movies are for the real Star Wars fans. I LOVED IT. Not to mention I loved all the other ones as well. I dont really care about acting quality, if I did I would go see a movie with my WIFE. I went to see STAR WARS, a sci-fi movie about jedi...So what do you want real life...COME ON. This is a movie, an escape from the real world. The million dollar special effects are the reason I love it so much. Like I said if wanted a real life movie with great acting I'll let my wife pick the movie.
.......It's all about the TRUE FANS......Bow [bow]Bow [bow]Bow [bow]Bow [bow] To STAR WARS.....

P.S. I'm not crazy, but you are...Wink [;)]
  • Member since
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  • From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posted by zokissima on Friday, June 3, 2005 6:08 AM
It's not the best movie I've seen, it's not the worst movie I've seen.
QUOTE: i felt that the actual Vader transformation was rushed, as was a coupled other things....

I completely agree.
The whole movie was a visual experience. It's all very interesting, epic, and trully global in size and scope, which is what SW should be. It paints a very vivid picture, one that is a lot of fun to look at. However, that's it. The story is questionable, the acting is just non-existent, lest someone try to pass off the melodramatic dialogue as "acting", and there were quite a few inconsistencies. I've talked to a few people that have had direct dealings with George Lucas, and the general consensus is that he's kind of a pain in the @$$ and clearly not much of a writer. He definitely has the imagination, but it's clear to see that it reallY IS imagination, and not talent, that is responsible for the SW universe. Be that as it may, it's still a good movie to see, as it's two hours of brain-fart entertainment. Not worth full admission price, but I saw it matinee, so it's all good Smile [:)]
  • Member since
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Posted by joewhite on Friday, June 3, 2005 11:37 PM
I also agree. I fell in love with Star Wars back then as a kid because of the ships. Nothing else. However, I do have a few major gripes about the two trilogies (no, not Jar-Jar, lack of ultra-sounds or because "this would have looked cooler). I don't want to sound like I am complaining for petty reasons. I am just looking at it from the angle of a storyteller...something I think Lucas should think about before blabbing about how a good story should be told. In no way am I saying that I am perfect.....I'm just pointing out that what he states and what he does are not always the same.

Here they are in order of priority.

Not even in Lord of the Rings have I seen better character development than Han Solo (pre-Special Editions). Here you have a pirate thug, tougher than nails and doesn't take crap from anyone! He always has something sarcastic to say and only thinks about himself. But he surprises everyone by coming back to cover the hero's back and helps save the day. Next you see that he's still struggling with getting back to his affairs but he seems to be developing feelings for someone. Then he dies! Or so it seems. He is then revived, ready to join his buddies now that his old debt is "paid off". He falls in love and helps save the galaxy. Do you see how he went from one side of the spectrum to the complete opposite? Well get this....it happened in the course of three whole movies!!!! Storytelling at it's best!!!! But wait....all this hard work becomes obsolete because of one action. Greedo shooting first. And why? To show that he Han wasn't really a mean guy and was only shooting in self-defense. The death of not only poor Greedo, but the heart and soul behind one of the coolest characters ever!

Next is the Clone Wars. The fact that the Republic is up against a endless robot army is weak. I feel that living humans and aliens should have made up a larger percentage of the fatalities instead of just Jedi's. As bad as that may sound, I just feel that without a sense of sacrifice on a larger scale (galaxy scale!), the war just seems without cause. Same for the clone army. Granted it is called the Clone Wars...but at least make them look different by ways of several cloning volunteers to make it feel more dramatic, or just dramatic to begin with. Which leads to the third complaint....

The Fetts! How horrible is it to ruin a successful character (background, no less) for the sake of squeezing every penny out of it's popularity! Boba worked because he was mysterious. We didn't have to know everything about him to appreciate him. And that's awesome storytelling! And now for no reason you have Boba and twin Daddy behind the biggest event in the galaxy.....which brings up....

Coincidence. There are way too many closely related events that either don't make sense or are not important at all. For instance, the creation of C-3P0, my biggest pet peeve! How on Earth could you do that to this character, as well as Vader? And then to blame it on a mere memory swipe that he didn't remember anything from the past. What a shame. It seems like someone just ran out of ideas in the midst of worrying about whether CG could make the desert sand seem more grainy. More time could have been spent answering questions like how some Jedi can take the form of ghosts or how the recruitment of regular non-clone humans (such as Tarkin) into the Republic army came about.
Other mentionable pointless, or senseless, coincidences are Chewbacca being in ROTS, the above Boba Clones and the almost Greedo/Anakin scuffle.

I wouldn't mind if just the Prequels sucked in any way but the events I mentioned are, in my opinion, the sole reasons that ruined the feeling of the entire saga. I still very much love Star Wars, regardless. However, I just wish more care had been taking with certain issues instead of being stubborn just because "it is your baby after all". My impression of independent film makers was that they made films to please the audience rather than have corporate big-wigs make decisions that take away from the story. Well, we are that audience that you pleased so long ago, Lucas!!!! I guess your memory was the one erased.

Sorry so long! I know this doesn't really have much to to with the topic of the thread but I just thought I would pour my heart out somewhere. As far as Epi III goes, I really enjoyed it save for Vader's tantrum at the end. Smile [:)]


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  • From: Perth, Western Australia
Posted by madmike on Saturday, June 4, 2005 2:41 AM
I am tending to ignore the 2nd trilogy now, focusing more on the original 3 movies and reading the books based after the Return of the Jedi (X-wing series etc). This is how I visualise Star Wars. Not stupid android armies fighting clones.

I will see Ep3 simply because I have seen the other 5 on the big screen (I saw SW in 1978).

cheers

Mike

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
  • Member since
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Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 4, 2005 4:03 PM
Originally posted by madmike

I am tending to ignore the 2nd trilogy now, focusing more on the original 3 movies and reading the books based after the Return of the Jedi (X-wing series etc). This is how I visualise Star Wars. Not stupid android armies fighting clones.

I will see Ep3 simply because I have seen the other 5 on the big screen (I saw SW in 1978).

...couldn't agree more
  • Member since
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  • From: Utereg
Posted by Borg R3-MC0 on Sunday, June 5, 2005 3:19 PM
I finally saw episode 3 today.

What can I say that hasn't been said already?

Nothing, so just te basics: acting=bad/ok,FX=ok/good,fight scenes=ok/good, styling (ship designes etc) very good!

  • Member since
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  • From: Tennessee
Posted by MartianGundamModeler on Monday, June 6, 2005 3:37 PM
joewhite, I concur as well. madmike and ichirofan2004 I agree with you both as well. Many post Jedi books are far superior to the "new" trilogy, even Tales Of the Bouty Hunters and Tales from Mos isley were more interesting, but still they are books and it would be unfair to compair...
But it is true that the originals in the book form, and the Radio drama, had much better dialog and a much more "fleshed out" story. Has anyone every read the book version of the second trilogy? I have't but I am curious to know if they are any better...
"Some men look at things the way they are and ask ' Why?'. I dream of things that never were and ask "Why not?".--Robert Kennedy taken from George Bernard Shaw's "Back To Methuselah" (Thanks to TomZ2) http://martiangundammodels.50megs.com/index.html
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  • From: Perth, Western Australia
Posted by madmike on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 12:45 AM
I have only read the first novel. It was actually quite good.

The X-wing and Thrawn novels are my favourites!

cheers

Mike
"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
  • Member since
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  • From: Seeing Eye Dog Central
Posted by mpartric on Tuesday, June 7, 2005 8:47 PM
I know that I don't post on the sci fi forum very often, but I saw this thread and thought I'd throw my two cents in. I really enjoyed episode III, mainly because it finally explained Darth Vader. I agree with the above statements about mediocre acting, long fight scenes, etc...but I always felt that there was something to Star Wars that I didn't fully understand. That became much more clear to me after watching episode III. The six movies, taken as a whole, are in my opinion really the story of the Shakespearean tragedy of Darth Vader. That is what all six movies center around, and the rest in my opinion is ancillary. I think that's why Lucas made them in the order he did; we first see Vader in episode IV as the incarnation of evil; his is a very mysterious character for much of the first two movies. However, he realizes his fatal character flaw too late but ultimately redeems himself just as Shakespeare's tragic heros do. In my humble opinion, what makes the movies so great in terms of a tragedy story is the prequel nature to them. He is mysterious in the IV-VI, and the story of why all this happened is told in I-III. I agree that I and II were disappointing in several aspects, but I feel that was definitely made up for in episode III. What a climax for almost thirty years of wondering what happened to anakin to see him almost burned alive, consumed by hate, and eventually completely transformed into Vader. He is literally transformed by his outward change of appearance, and inwardly completes the transformation when he first wonders aloud what happened to his wife. When he realizes she is dead, he has nothing left to live for, thus giving himself completely to evil. Here's a link from a lit professor from Columbus State U that shows a summary of the tragic pattern. Almost all of these events happen to anakin. It's pretty interesting.

http://global.cscc.edu/engl/264/TragedyLex.htm#PATTERN

Two other interesting points. First of all, anakin does eventually fulfill the prophecy of restoring balance to the force. He does defeat the dark side by killing his master and dying himself. Look at the last two parts of the pattern on the link, listed "Death of the tragic hero" and "restoration of order." That can't possibly be a coincidence. Some food for thought.

In my opinion, Vader will go down as the archetypal tragic hero from modern popular culture; he's much more accessible than Othello, King Lear, or Hamlet (and a lot easier to comprehend). The movies are about his rise, fall, and redemption. There's no need to make the last three scripts into movies because they really don't have anything to do with Vader. Just my opinion, mind you.

Lastly, probably the coolest scene in all of the six movies is the three or four seconds of dead silence after the droids put on Vader's helmet. Then, the breathing starts. It's so creepy to me because I remember that as one of the first memories as a kid when I watched episode IV in the theatre (about two years old hahaha.) Anyhoo I realize that this is pretty much completely off topic but post or email me back and let me know what you think of this silly little over-analysis of the movies.
Matthew Morristown, NJ Mediocrity--- it takes a lot less time and most people won't notice until it's too late.
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  • From: México
Posted by SteelSnail on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 1:13 AM
Wow. That`s very intersting and cool to know. Thanks mpartric.
Anyway, between Ep. 3 and Hitchhickers guide my love for Sci-fi movies has renewed. I hadn't realized that for several months I just wanted to watch war/action movies.
In the last couple of weeks I watched Alien vs predator, V: the final battle, star wars ep I, 2 & 5 and aliens.
I don't remember when was the last time a movie, or a pair, moved me so much.
  • Member since
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  • From: Fukuoka Japan / Brisbane AUS.
Posted by Chris_in_Japan on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 6:23 AM
mpartric, I also see where you are comming from.. But I still do believe that after what every one, (even George Lucas) says. And that is that in my honest opinion. The trilogy prequals were in fact an after thought!.. In saying this, I dont believe that the whole 6 movies are centred around Anikan-Darth. Rather the story is based on Luke Skywalker, who is in fact the chosen one, that actually brings balance to the force. Not his father as we are led to believe!. The first 3 movies get us ready for us to see this, thus in my opinion the most important momment in all six movies is actually the birth of Luke and Leia, under the ever watchfull eye's of Yoda and Obi-wan.... For me, that is when the true story is finally revealed.......

This is a story of a boy (Anikan) being thought to be the chosen one. And the Jedi's lack of understanding and mis-calculation that brings apon thier own undoing... As it turns out, he certainly is not the chosen one, and thus the Jedi are all but destroyed.. At a time when he himself has been turned to the dark side. He in all reality has fathered the child that would indeed bring the universe back into sinc...All be it if he feels that he had killed his wife and child in the process. Thus being a great plot bender in order for both Luke and Leia to remain anonamous...Also remembering that Leia herself is a strong and powerfull being. Proving that she is wise and mature, way beyond her years.. We simply dont see her true potential in the original series, but as a young woman, she shows extra-ordinary balls !!!..So in a way, I do believe that she is part of Luke in a way in which rightly or wrongly, they both bring balance to the force..

When you look at Anikans rise from a slave. Although at a rate faster than most he becomes quite powerfull. This is a reason for why the Jedi believed that he might be the chosen one.. But although fast, it still takes him into his early twenties before even the Emporer feels he himself is ready to join him in his endevours.. Luke on the other hand, had no idea of what he was, or how he became, but in a short period of time and training, he was able to become even more powerfull than his father, and proved himself well beyond his years.. I also do believe that Yoda and Obi-wan learned from thier mistakes with Anikan, and were able to show Luke skills in which would be beneficial to Luke and his training.. Along with Leia's obvious nack for kicking the Empires ****** at every turn. This was just the balance they needed to bring down the Sith..

Luke was the head kicker. And Leia was the money man!.. Although I enjoyed watching the turn of Vader in the the 3 films. I was let down at the end with the dummy spit.. Vader is more of a mystery and tough guy than that. And as I stated before, should have been more Vader like, after learning the news of Padme, go down on one knee. Suck it in, and then focus on killing some people.. Not have a hissy fit!!!.........

Luke, will and always will be Star Wars

Chris in Japan

On the bench:

                          1/48 RAAF 3 Sqn F/A-18B

                          1/150 /1/160 N Scale Japanese Rail diorama.

  • Member since
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  • From: Tennessee
Posted by MartianGundamModeler on Wednesday, June 8, 2005 4:08 PM
I have a rather odd view of how "balance was brought to the Force". In my humble opinion Anikin did bring balance to the force by eliminating the Jedi!
A couple of Sith and a Gazillion Jedi cannot be considered a balance by any means. If anything Luke created a void by killing the Emperor and bringing Vader back to the Light. To qoute old Ben Kenobe it's all from "a certain point of view". After Anikin destroyed the Jedi you then had two Sith and Two Jedi [as far as we know based on movie continuity). Looks like balance to me. Before the Light Side "ruled" then the Dark Side ruled...Shy [8)]
"Some men look at things the way they are and ask ' Why?'. I dream of things that never were and ask "Why not?".--Robert Kennedy taken from George Bernard Shaw's "Back To Methuselah" (Thanks to TomZ2) http://martiangundammodels.50megs.com/index.html
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  • From: Seeing Eye Dog Central
Posted by mpartric on Thursday, June 9, 2005 4:31 AM
excellent points by Chris and Martian....I shall have to meditate on these.
Thanks for the interesting dialogue!!
Matthew Morristown, NJ Mediocrity--- it takes a lot less time and most people won't notice until it's too late.
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  • From: Perth, Western Australia
Posted by madmike on Friday, June 10, 2005 12:44 AM
The Star Wars novels tell a lot more to how the Jedi and the Sith formed and interacted. Actually, before Han and Leia's youngest son, Anakin Organa-Solo dies in battle against the Yuuzhan Vong he is regarded as the most promising Jedi.

These books are canon so I tend to relate more to the second trilogy and the subsequent novels set during and after episodes 4-6. Once again, to me the episodes 4-6 are Star Wars, not the newer trilogy.

Mike

"I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
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  • From: Tennessee
Posted by MartianGundamModeler on Friday, June 10, 2005 2:51 PM
I tend to agree with MadMike on that. All Lucas did with the New Tril was "muddle the waters". However it did provide an excellent origin for the Storm Troopers though them all being clones of Fett was a bit of a stretch...
Also how the Jedi were assinated was cool though i still felt an explosive device in the Jedi council building would have been just as effective and would have reflected the terror attacks going on in the real world...
Better saying he slayed the "younglings"?!!!!lol
Any way one big explosion and no more Jedi kids and all and it would have been "understood" that the kids were killed too. I just didn't feel that Anikan's character had devloped enough to slay Jedi children esp considering his wife was pregnant. I know he slaughtered some sand people and their chidren but he was ticked because they killed his mother that is a far cry from killing innocent children who looked up to you...
"Some men look at things the way they are and ask ' Why?'. I dream of things that never were and ask "Why not?".--Robert Kennedy taken from George Bernard Shaw's "Back To Methuselah" (Thanks to TomZ2) http://martiangundammodels.50megs.com/index.html
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    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, June 11, 2005 1:08 AM
Well, I enjoyed the flick and felt it was the best of the prequel trilogy and maybe even the best SW movie since TESB. I felt the dialogue and acting was better than I and II and pretty much on par with the OT. I thought Ewan McGregor as Obi-wan Kenobi and Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine were particularly noteworthy. Remember that the SW series has never really been a bastion of great acting and I accepted that long ago. Frankly, I blame the inadequacies of Ep.III on I and II. It felt rushed because, frankly, some of the stuff that happened in it should've occured in I and II. If we could go back and redo the prequels, I would take what we have now and modify it in some key areas.

Some futile, revisionist, geekly, nut-shell suggestions in no particular order:

I would've started Ep.I with Obi-wan as he appears in Ep. III and Anakin as an adult (either as Kenobi's apprentice or as an established Jedi). I don't think many people really cared how Anakin was "discovered", but maybe it could be briefly mentioned in the opening crawl. Just mention that he was trained later than normal, is restless, and blah. Somehow introduce Padme and start the beginnings of her and Anakin's little forbidden romance. Palpatine is either already in power, or is elected into it. Qui-gon is either a contemporary of Kenobi's or not in it at all. He doesn't really matter. Anakin and Obi-wan defeat Darth Maul, but probably under different circumstances. The Clone Wars are already on (also explained in the opening) and Obi-wan and Anakin have rip-roaring adventures. Jar Jar is nowhere to be seen. Anakin does disturbing things that foreshadow his fate, subtly spurred on by Palpatine.

Ep.II is 2-3 years later and the whole secret romance thing goes into high-swing. Luke and Leia's conception is implied (a sex scene in Star Wars? Yeah right...Big Smile [:D] ) The Clone Wars continue. Anakin and Obi-wan continue to have swashbuckling adventures and ripping good fun. Still unknown to Obi-wan, Anakin does more bad, irrational things and is continued to be manipulated by Palpatine. Anakin completes his turn to the dark side, begun in Ep.I, in a cliffhanger, downer ending similar to TESB. Palpatine also reveals himself for what he is at some point too.

Ep.III is maybe a year or so later and is similar to what we already have in some respects. Luke and Leia are infants, but are hidden at the movie's end. General Grievous shows up (or he could do so in Ep.II, really). Grievous turns out in a plot twist to be a "resurrected" Darth Maul in a final duel with Kenobi. The Clones have turned "bad" and the Jedi have been persecuted since Anakin became Vader. Anakin now wears a "Vader-ish" suit, but without the helmet or the eletronics. The Jedi have greatly suffered and been diminished. Obi-wan spends most of the movie trying to track down Anakin and redeem him. After a few fleeting encounters, the final duel eventually ensues and the rest is history.

There are all kinds of details, subplots, and characters that were left out, but I think if Lucas had followed a similar outline, the Prequels might've been more popular.
  • Member since
    December 2003
Posted by Jorg Sacul on Monday, June 13, 2005 12:35 AM
" the Prequels might've been more popular."

Together, they've made over a billion dollars at the box office alone. I think they qualify as "popular" :)

You can pick at the prequels all you like, but obviously it will have no effect on them or any future modifications they may endure. There are numerous things *I'd* have done different, sure, but I'm not the filmmaker. I just bankroll his hobby.

The important thing that is pertinent to this forum is, IMHO, what models are available, what are desireable/possible for scratchbuilding, and WHEN WILL WE EVER GET A DECENT Y-WING KIT (that doesn't cost hundreds of $$) ??
  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Tennessee
Posted by MartianGundamModeler on Monday, June 13, 2005 11:33 AM
Necrobaron, I see am not the only one to have toyed with the idea of Greivous being Darth maul. Too bad it is quite obvious from the eyes that he is not but hey who knows....
Yes we have been in serious need for a Y-wing. they are my favoite fighers!
"Some men look at things the way they are and ask ' Why?'. I dream of things that never were and ask "Why not?".--Robert Kennedy taken from George Bernard Shaw's "Back To Methuselah" (Thanks to TomZ2) http://martiangundammodels.50megs.com/index.html
  • Member since
    March 2004
  • From: Belgium
Posted by DanCooper on Friday, June 24, 2005 6:50 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Lufbery

Larry,

I agree. The best special effects I've seen, with one or too exceptions, are done with models. One very good exception are the F/A-18s in "Independence Day." For some reason, they had me convinced. I think it was, in part, because the planes didn't look brand new.



Regards,


I think that is just the big difference with the orriginal SW movies. I the orriginal ones we got to see for the very first time OLD spaceships in SF, used, beaten, falling a part (I believe the last one is even a quote from one of those movies), In the new episodes they give us shiny CGI ships that look even more modern then the old ones, which are supposed to be newer.

On the bench : Revell's 1/125 RV Calypso

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Tochigi, Japan
Posted by J-Hulk on Sunday, June 26, 2005 10:11 AM
I finally had a chance to see the film! Special "sneak preview" all-night shows were held here in Japan last night, with general release being July 9th.
In a word, I thought it was magnificent. Call me a know-nothing sentimental fool if you will, but I thought the film was a powerfully moving and emotional ending (well, middle) to 28 years of storytelling. I'll leave the continuity problems and other points of contention (acting, FX, etc) for you more knowlegeable folk to discuss, but as a guy who grew up with Star Wars, I couldn't have been more satisfied with Ep III.

Several more viewings are definitely in order!
~Brian
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, June 27, 2005 8:50 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by J-Hulk

I finally had a chance to see the film!


And meanwhile, J-Hulk, I finally had a chance to see GODZILLA FINAL WARS on the big screen in NYC last week! But I guess that's a topic for another thread...?
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