Holy Crap Holy Crap Holy Crap Star Wars Star Wars Star Wars

[Starshifter]

Either way, we the viewers win because less Amidala means less on-air dead time. Portman is extremely talented, but seems to have an old school mentality regarding props and imagination because she has registered as a fat zero thus far in charisma.

This is exactly the point I was trying to get across concerning Natalie Portman.  You said it much better than I did.  Good Job.

[Starshifter]

I'm no star wars fanboy, but man I'm pumped for this movie.

  :? I'm surprised!  After your reaction to KOTOR2 I expected no less! :wink:

[Starshifter]

I am astounded that anyone who watched and loved Ep. 4,5,6 was not totally in shock by the two young Anakin performances in Ep. 1 and 2.  To me, they were/are simply painful to watch.

I can best explain my reaction this way.  I was 12 years old when the original Star Wars (1977) changed my life.

For both Phantom Menace & Attack of the Clones I was 35 & 38, respectively.  Yet, I was still able to watch both movies through the eyes of that same 12 year old.  Therefore, magical these movies will always be to me.

[Kevin Grey]

Natalie can act, just watch Leon again to see that.  She's being held back by Lucas is all.

 

No one's said Portman can't act.  Pretty much all of the main cast in the prequels are very reputable and good to great actors.  Unfortunately some actors have a very hard time responding to a sitting in front of a blue screen with a director who isn't very actor friendly.  Portman is one.  McGregor and McDiarmid are not.

Gwyneth Paltrow is also a very good actress.  But she had exactly the same difficulties in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (filmed in a very similar environment as the SW films) that Portman has had and consequently she came off very flat in a film where Jude Law and Angelina Jolie came off with a lot of flair.

[gameoverman]

Natalie can act, just watch Leon again to see that.  She's being held back by Lucas is all.

 

No one's said Portman can't act.  Pretty much all of the main cast in the prequels are very reputable and good to great actors.  Unfortunately some actors have a very hard time responding to a sitting in front of a blue screen with a director who isn't very actor friendly.  Portman is one.  McGregor and McDiarmid are not.

Gwyneth Paltrow is also a very good actress.  But she had exactly the same difficulties in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (filmed in a very similar environment as the SW films) that Portman has had and consequently she came off very flat in a film where Jude Law and Angelina Jolie came off with a lot of flair.

But that's why I put it on Lucas, he's the director so it's his job to get her to the place where she CAN respond to the nonexistant sfx.  And looking back, I think Natalie did as well as anyone in the action scenes she was given. I think the reason  McGregor & McDiarmid & Lee come off better is because they weren't saddled with a bunch of scenes where they had to convince us they were falling in love with a petulant little punk.

If you watch TPM again(I know I never will), McGregor gives a performance as flat as anything in all the SW movies. Why? Because he doesn't have much worthwhile to do, not because he's giving a bad performance.  Same with Natalie.

[Dafones]

But that's why I put it on Lucas, he's the director so it's his job to get her to the place where she CAN respond to the nonexistant sfx.

A director can't do sqat if an actor is literally unable to act in a blue screen environment. Portman may simply have been miscast, the wrong choice for this type of film making. It's no wonder that the older stage actors, like McDiarmid, just eat it up, since it's not far from the barren spotlight, the environment fueled by imagination.

[Big Jake]

Yeah, and? You gotta start somewhere... I imagine Hitler was a whiny little brat at some point in his childhood too. You don't just go directly from "nice kid" to "embodiment of pure evil".

Sorry laner, nothing personal against you, but that is one of the biggest loads of bullshit current pop-psychologists try to ascribe to historical figures to allay their own failings.  (See the crappy movie Gladiator for a great example of this stupid bullshit in  action.)  Many normal human beings weren't sterotypical teens, much less legendary heroes.

Was Mozart a normal whiny teen?  HELL NO!, he was writing Don Giovanni at that period of his life.  

Was Alexander moping that daddy didn't understand him? NO! At the age of seventeen he was leading his division against the allied Greeks.

Again, nothing against you, I just hate that idea, 'everyone was as pathetic as me' that some losers try to espouse.

[whiteboyskim]

Maybe it's that Hayden looks far younger than Mark Hamill did at the time of the original trilogy, I don't know. But Hamill aged into the character very well, and the Luke of A New Hope is a far cry from the Luke of Return of the Jedi. Hayden looks like a whiny teen in this one too, and I agree that Vader and Anakin Skywalker have achieved mythic status so much so that anyone other than a 30-year-old badass playing Anakin would have been a disappointment.

Where I have an issue is how Hayden vascillates between snotty brat and psycho, like he's on a standard WB soap. "I just slaughtered a bunch of Tuskens and now we're on One Tree Hill! Whaaaa!!!"

[PaulBot]

Just watched the trailer. HOLY BLEEP!!!

If I didn't have a family and a mortgage, I'd go get in line now  

[Calvin]

GODDAMNIT WHY DID YOU HAVE TO COPY MY AVATAR!!!

You are ruining spiff for me!  :oops:

I am vexed. This vexes me.

[Laner]

Yeah, and? You gotta start somewhere... I imagine Hitler was a whiny little brat at some point in his childhood too. You don't just go directly from "nice kid" to "embodiment of pure evil".

Sorry laner, nothing personal against you, but that is one of the biggest loads of bullshit current pop-psychologists try to ascribe to historical figures to allay their own failings.

Was Mozart a normal whiny teen? HELL NO!, he was writing Don Giovanni at that period of his life.

Was Alexander moping that daddy didn't understand him? NO! At the age of seventeen he was leading his division against the allied Greeks.

Again, nothing against you, I just hate that idea, 'everyone was as pathetic as me' that some losers try to espouse.

Historical figures?  Darth Vader?  Hunh?

Big Jake - here's something to keep in mind:  ***Star Wars isn't real***

Go outside  - get some air.  You might even meet a girl!

[Crowley]

Laner, Big Jake, this is the time for Star Love, not Star Wars.

[Laner]

Laner, Big Jake, this is the time for Star Love, not Star Wars.

Hey, I'm not the one that turned a discussion about Hayden's acting ability (or lack thereof) into an ad-hom attack...  though I did get a chuckle out of his incredible ability to psychoanalyze me and the idetails of my childhood based on a couple of sentences about a fictional character.  (Not to mention his intimate knowledge of Alexander the Great's and Mozart's personalities as teenagers)

[Lockdown]

I can best explain my reaction this way.  I was 12 years old when the original Star Wars (1977) changed my life.

For both Phantom Menace & Attack of the Clones I was 35 & 38, respectively.  Yet, I was still able to watch both movies through the eyes of that same 12 year old.  Therefore, magical these movies will always be to me.

I understand this, as I'm not that much younger than you.  I also feel the "magic" in the movies when I watch them.  I guess I have simply elevated Anakin/Darth to levels that I expected MUCH, MUCH better acting (or better casting) from their on-screen representatives.  Believe me, I wish I had your views on it, as it would make my enjoyment of watching the first two movies exponentially better.  If I could watch them without cringing everytime Jake Lloyd or Hayden opened their mouths to speak, it would be wonderful.

LD

[ATB]

I wonder if, for 'consistency' (a la putting christenson in the final scenes of Jedi) if they'll morph Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamil's faces on the babies portman gives birth to....

As for the sidequest about the acting: let's face it. Ewan McGregor is a fabulous actor.  He's not great in these movies.  

I feel the same way about Samuel Jackson- he's rigid like rigor mortis as Mace Windu.  His 'I don't think so' line is just awful.

And Count Dooku's line (to the effect of): "It's clear we won't win this fight with our force powers...we'll need to use lightsaber combat" is just SO..FAR..off the mark (look at him in LOTR series, he's amazing).

So I don't know what it is, but the acting in these movies is just so forced and opaque.

[morlac]

Well in defense of all the actors playing jedi's, remember that they are supposed to be kinda emotionless.  Of course the awfull scrpit doesn't help.

[Blackadar]

I wonder if, for 'consistency' (a la putting christenson in the final scenes of Jedi) if they'll morph Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamil's faces on the babies portman gives birth to....

As for the sidequest about the acting: let's face it. Ewan McGregor is a fabulous actor.  He's not great in these movies.  

I feel the same way about Samuel Jackson- he's rigid like rigor mortis as Mace Windu.  His 'I don't think so' line is just awful.

And Count Dooku's line (to the effect of): "It's clear we won't win this fight with our force powers...we'll need to use lightsaber combat" is just SO..FAR..off the mark (look at him in LOTR series, he's amazing).

So I don't know what it is, but the acting in these movies is just so forced and opaque.

Dialog has never been one of Lucas' strong suits.  I think it was Harrison Ford who told him "you can write this, but you can't say it" or something along those lines.

I've heard that at the urging of Francis Ford Coppela, Lucas finally hired a dialog coach/writer/director to help in Sith.  That may make all the difference.

[whiteboyskim]

So who wants to start speculating on what things mean and how things will play out?

I'm anxious to see if the lightsaber Anakin uses (recall his last was destroyed in the droid factory on Geonosis) is the exact model Obi Wan presented to Luke on Tattooine. If so, I'm even more excited to see the fight between them because you just know that Obi Wan winds up taking it somehow.

I'm curious to know how much General Grievous is in the flick, though my line of thought on it is that he's used by the Emperor as more of a template for how to rebuild Anakin into Vader. It's possible that Vader was almost entirely cybernetic and basically kept alive by a ventilator and his power in the Force. But where do the Wookies come in? Hmmm....

[Kevin Grey]

I'm curious to know how much General Grievous is in the flick, though my line of thought on it is that he's used by the Emperor as more of a template for how to rebuild Anakin into Vader. It's possible that Vader was almost entirely cybernetic and basically kept alive by a ventilator and his power in the Force. But where do the Wookies come in? Hmmm....

That's exactly what he is.  The Episode III "Prequel" Novel, Labyrinth of Evil, goes pretty heavily into Grievous's background and he was effectively a sort of prototype for Darth Vader.  I don't expect that background to be mentioned in the film itself.  

Excellent novel BTW (for pulp space opera).  Unlike other Expanded Universe stuff, Lucas was heavily involved in its creation ensuring that everything in it meshes well and leads into ROTS.  The novel ends literally minutes before the film will begin.

[Lockdown]

Do we know how Anakin gets all screwed up and even needs all that mechanical stuff?

If it will be answered in the upcoming movie, then please don't tell me.  I'd rather find out from watching.

But if not, I'd love to know.


LD

[Dafones]

You'll find out. You may not see the gory details, but you'll know why he needs to suit. Vader's in both trailers, so Anakin has to become the man in black by the end of the movie.


I always find Star Wars conversations so interesting, as far as what they show about the people talking about it. Whether they enjoyed the prequels or not (unfortunately, I dislike them the more I watch them), it's the interest in SW as a whole that everyone shares. We all want ROTS to be good, but we may have doubts - and that's not an unreasonable feeling, seeing as how the first two prequels have wound up.

Did anyone know Chewie sings "Staying Alive" in TESB? A few friends and I were talking about the new trailer, and a buddy told us Chewie mumbles it right after Leia kisses Luke in the medical room. I checked it out ... and it's totally true. Grab your DVD or tape and check it out, it's so weird.

[Lockdown]

OK.... another question:

Is the Green Female Jedi extremely attractive, or am I just losing it totally?

If you stop the trailer when she is onscreen, and look beyond the Twilek "stuff"  (she is a Twilek, right?) - She looks to be pretty damn hot.

Thoughts on this?

Who is she, anyway?

LD

[whiteboyskim]

You know, I'm starting to think Lucas hasn't watched the original trilogy in a long frickin' time:

CNN Interview

"Obviously, fans would love to see a movie about Darth Vader running around killing people," said Lucas, who also was on hand to receive a "galactic-achievement award" from ShoWest organizers. "I'm not telling that story, and I'm not interested in that. That's not what the movie is.

"This first trilogy is really about the father, the struggles of a father, or a man, basically, to find himself, and at the same time fall into a trap of wanting certain powers, making a pact with the devil and basically spending the rest of his life regretting it."

Regretting it? Vader regrets nothing until possibly the "Obi-Wan once thought as you do..." speech on Endor. He wants order and control and the rabble made to listen, which is what the Emperor essentially does. What the hell?  :?

[leo8877]

OK.... another question:

Is the Green Female Jedi extremely attractive, or am I just losing it totally?

If you stop the trailer when she is onscreen, and look beyond the Twilek "stuff"  (she is a Twilek, right?) - She looks to be pretty damn hot.

Thoughts on this?

Who is she, anyway?

LD

Yes she is a Twilek (Twi'lek?).  The Jedi's name is Aayla Secura, the actress is Amy Allen.  Check it here:  http://imdb.com/name/nm1116989/

IMO, they should have made Mara Jade that hot.

[leo8877]

You know, I'm starting to think Lucas hasn't watched the original trilogy in a long frickin' time:

CNN Interview

"Obviously, fans would love to see a movie about Darth Vader running around killing people," said Lucas, who also was on hand to receive a "galactic-achievement award" from ShoWest organizers. "I'm not telling that story, and I'm not interested in that. That's not what the movie is.

"This first trilogy is really about the father, the struggles of a father, or a man, basically, to find himself, and at the same time fall into a trap of wanting certain powers, making a pact with the devil and basically spending the rest of his life regretting it."

Regretting it? Vader regrets nothing until possibly the "Obi-Wan once thought as you do..." speech on Endor. He wants order and control and the rabble made to listen, which is what the Emperor essentially does. What the hell?  :?

I agree, Vader is one bad mofo.  I don't see him regretting crap until the Endor talk with Luke.  For being a murderous, ruiner of the free world, Vader sure has a soft spot for his kids.  PFFT!

[Dafones]

I dunno ... if you were to watch all six movies at once, I think the entire saga would show that Anakin/Vader is at his worst in ROTS and ANH, but it's in Empire where he begins to show his humanity, and in Jedi where he finds his redemption.

[stiffler]

IMO, they should have made Mara Jade that hot.

Mara Jade is in this movie?  Man, I am out of the loop.

I thought she was about Luke's age.  I've only read the Zahn books (when they were first released at that), so maybe I missed something.

[unbreakable]

yeah, I had always thought she was around Luke's age as well.

[whiteboyskim]

IMO, they should have made Mara Jade that hot.

Mara Jade is in this movie?  Man, I am out of the loop.

I thought she was about Luke's age.  I've only read the Zahn books (when they were first released at that), so maybe I missed something.

No, he's comparing Mara Jade to the Twi'Lek they show in the trailer. Mara Jade was around Luke's age, hence not a factor in ROTS.

[Dafones]

Uh, when the hell was Mara Jade ever on screen, in anything? Or was she just fugly in a run of comics or something?

[leo8877]

Uh, when the hell was Mara Jade ever on screen, in anything? Or was she just fugly in a run of comics or something?

A few years back, they hired a character to pose as Mara Jade for pics.

I did some research and found some interesting things.

http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/marajadeskywalker/?id=eu

That is the starwars.com databank entry for Mara Jade (now Skywalker as she marries him in the books).  Well in the top right is the actress who they originally hired.  In the middle left appears to be an actress cast to play her in the RotK SE that I did not know about.  I know her back story says she was at Jabba's Palace as the Emporer's Hand, but I didn't know that was supposed to be her in the movie.  I actually haven't watched that dance number *shudders* in a while, is she even in the SE?

EDIT: More research, nope, it was for a card game:

One of the most remarkable incarnations of Mara was a live action photo taken for the Enhanced Jabba's Palace expansion set for the Star Wars Customizable Card Game. Decipher Inc. hired model Shannon Baksa to pose as Mara for a number of card images. Many subsequent products have since borne Baksa's likeness to represent Mara.

I can't seem to find more pics of the original actress that was hired for a photo shoot with her....will keep looking.

EDIT:  And here it is:

http://www.fanwars.it/img/wall/wall45.jpg

[Dafones]

Ahh, and here's a picture of the model that they grabbed to portray Mara, not dressed as the character (from her own website).

I get the feeling from some of her convention pics that she kind of regrets signing on for the job, not fully appreciating what being part of the SW lore would do to your regular life.

[ATB]

Who's Mara Skywalker?


Is it just the books or what?


So Luke get's married?

Bah. I don't buy it.

[leo8877]

Mara Jade!  The Emporer's Hand!!  Mysteries of the Sith!!!

C'mon ATB!

Mara's BIO from the model's site ATB:

http://www.shannonmcrandle.com/biography_mara.htm

[unbreakable]

She is from the trilogy by Timothy Zahn, it covers what happened after Return of the Jedi.  I only read those three (they were pretty good).