Thanks for the info. I'll try it out later tonight and see what it sounds like on the surrounds.

Makes no difference to me either way, I don't mind the "force germ", but that does seem to be a common pitfall of much sci-fi: the more you over-explain the nuts and bolts of technologies, (or in this case, the force), the easier it is for people to pick it apart and say "no, that wouldn't work". It hinders suspension of disbelief.

Wonder when Amazon will have a pre-order up? Should be soon, this will shoot to #1 immediately.

So this is 'confirmed' for 4th Quarter of 2011...... which I doubt it'll be on shelves until 2012, but then again.... I'm just a pessimistic guy....... but let's say for a minute that it actually does hit shelves Q-4 of 2011...... you don't think it's VERY early for pre-orders to show up on Amazon????? if something you pre-order doesn't ship out within 3 months or something like that........ Amazon sends an automated "Do you want to keep waiting" email..... so I doubt they'd offer pre-orders this ridiculously early for this......


If they do, I'll be ready to click my way to "check-out" though :D

For most releases I'd say your right. But I wouldn't be surprised to see this up if not late this year, very early next year. I suspect that there will be such a price war that most people will buy it from a vendor so that they have it day 1.

I don't personally think I will preorder from Amazon cause I think I'm going to take a vacation day and watch all 6 Day 1, so I don't have time to wait and pray for the mail.

I suspect the work on this will be done early-middle 2011 and that it'll just be marinating until Oct or Nov.

Well... I think it makes sense and never minded the inclusion of a more scientific explaination. When you consider one of the themes of the saga is the over-reliance on technology. So on some level you can see it as the Jedi's moving away from the Spiritual nature of things and more towards being corrupted by technology. There is a strong focus especially in the OT about the downfall of technology. What with the Ewoks vs. The Empire especially. Also echoed in the Droid Army of the Trade Federation being severely flawed.

Plus it's logical that the Jedis would have some means of locating force sensitive students. Especially given how early the children are selected and taken for training. And I don't see it as being left behind in the other 2 prequels. In fact, it's one of the chief aspects of Palpatine and Anakin's talk about Darth Plagueis.

It also gave an explaination for why some individuals are stronger in the Force than others. But also made it clear that everyone had some potential in that regard. It also explains how untrained indivuals are still capable of sometimes feeling or manipulating the force. Or how/why Luke and Leia would potentially be as strong in the Force as Anakin was. Otherwise, what did they do.... inherit his energy field? :p

Yeah, Yoda did tell Luke that the force "runs in the family". Since you don't inherit acquired characteristics, midichlorions make perfect sense. Like I said, I don't have a problem with it, I just think it may classify as "over-explaining".

In the books Leia takes forever to get her formal training, and isn't even a Jedi Master. She received the rank of Jedi Knight after her teachings with a Barabel named Saba(who is bad ass).

Luke now holds the rank of Jedi Grand Master.

I also feel that ppl often misinterpret the midichlorians thing. All too often someone says "the force is just microbes!". They aren't the Force; they're more like microscopic angels that serve it. They are the one life form that's most in-tuned with the Force, thus, if you possess a great many of them and control them well, the Force's power becomes yours.

People should also check out the Hardcover version of the 'Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind The Original Film' Book. In the Appendices is is notes for EU writers from 1977.

"It is said that certain creatures are born with a higher awareness of the Force than humans. Their brains are different; they have more midi-chlorians in their cells."

―George Lucas, establishing guidelines for the Expanded Universe in 1977

So it wasn't exactly a new concept. Just one that didn't get fleshed out until Phantom Menace. Though there are some suggestions of a means of measuring Force Ability in a few of the Expanded Universe novels. But naturally it was mostly reserved for Lucas to flesh out. And we have to recall that the Midis arn't themselves The Force.

"Midi-chlorians in The Phantom Menace are part of a recurring theme throughout the movie, that of symbiotic relationships. They were loosely based on mitochondria, organelles that provide energy for cells; like midi-chlorians, mitochondria are believed to have once been separate organisms that inhabited living cells and have since become part of them; even now, mitochondria act in some ways as independent lifeforms, with DNA all their own. Lucas established this relation with mitochondria, in particular the necessity of midi-chlorians for life to exist, as a metaphor for society; namely, he says all parts of society must get along in much the same way the midi-chlorians and their symbiont do."

Also of note:

George Lucas considers the two aspects of the Force separately, treating the midi-chlorians as the practical, biological side, distinct from the spiritual and metaphysical side of the Force.

Don't they need to have some kind of price-point or MSRP before they can start taking pre-orders? I mean, they don't even have a product description yet; they don't know if it's six discs, or twenty, or what comes with it, etc.

That's what I always took it to mean. "Size matters not", apparently the most powerful lifeform is so tiny, that only the most meditative and tuned-in have any ability to communicate with them. Universes within universes, universes within the self; a touch of George's affinity for Eastern philosophies. Isn't the most powerful energy-release known to modern man, that which results from cracking the nucleus of an atom? But the atom is not the energy, the energy is just what holds it together :: the midichlorion is not "the force", it's just the means to work with it.

I also agree with Beast's suggestion that being too mechanistic about the force could be just one more way that the Jedi had fallen out of touch with the more "spiritual" aspect, (I wish I could think of a better word than spiritual).

Natural
Animalistic
Primal
down-to-earth
basic

Yeah, those would work. Another might be "essential".

Since it'll be out in Q4 2011, the pre-order won't be up until Q2 or Q3 of 2011.

What do you guys predict for casing? Single case or seperate? If Fox releases them like the Matrix set I could see seperate cases, even if it is the slim cases.

They'll probably all get 2 disc viva elite releases, can't wait to see all the classic cover art on blu-ray casing. :rock:

I couldn't agree with you more! I think Jake Loyd was perfect for Ep.I. :)

That's exactly what I always said to the midi-chlorian haters, but well, some people just don't get it. :) :p :D :rolleyes: :)

Lots of cases: at least 3, (one for each trilogy, one for supplementals and digital copies), and as many as 7, (each movie with digital copy, and a seventh with supplementals).

I'm thinking 7.

Just saw a clip from that holiday special. Now my eyes hurt.

I know! What were people expecting? Orson Welles?