Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (USE SPOILER TAGS!)

[Kryptonic]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Guys...Lucas himself wrote the general outlines for the prequels. Michael Arndt fleshed them out. Lucas is working day by day with Abrams and Kasdan and everyone else as a consultant. I don't know if that makes you feel better or worse, but that's the lay of the land.

[Gaius Marius]

Originally Posted by Darkstream

Yeah, but thousands of years? They didn't need to go back that far! I get that it's a fictional universe, but just looking at the history of our own planet, we've evolved greatly in such short span of time. There's a much much greater difference between where we are today from where we were a hundred years ago, let alone a thousand years ago! Then look at the how little has changed between The Old Republic and the Star Wars movies in supposedly 3,500 years. It looks like there was no progression hardly at all! Their past is so advanced that it makes their present appear to be the result of arrested development --- Thousands of years arrested! It just makes the civilizations in the Star Wars universe look dimwitted because they can't get over an almost 4,000 year old hump. I don't think they should have had spaceships or lightsabers at all in The Old Republic period if they were going to set it back that far -- heck, they should've been fighting with sticks and stones instead just to show some degree of evolution. Really, I just think the decision to make The Old Republic game set that far back in time is ridiculous. But I do love the designs and concepts, I just have a hard time buying into how far back it's supposed to take place in relation to the movies.

It's funny, that is actually a pet peeve of mine with a LOT of fantasy You hear of 'thousands' of years of history, but it seems like technology has stagnated. I guess magic (or the Force) is a good suppressor of technology I really like fictional universes where there is a history of technological/societal progression rather than "this is the way things have been for 4000+ years, and it ain't changing any time soon".

That said, I still love Star Wars

[simonynwa]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Guys...Lucas himself wrote the general outlines for the prequels. Michael Arndt fleshed them out. Lucas is working day by day with Abrams and Kasdan and everyone else as a consultant. I don't know if that makes you feel better or worse, but that's the lay of the land.

Thats interesting. I hadn't really heard how much Lucas was actually involved. I mean I recall them saying something about how he was available if they needed him when he signed the deal, but I haven't seen much of his involvement since. Glad to know he is involved at least.

[simonynwa]

Originally Posted by Gaius Marius

It's funny, that is actually a pet peeve of mine with a LOT of fantasy You hear of 'thousands' of years of history, but it seems like technology has stagnated. I guess magic (or the Force) is a good suppressor of technology I really like fictional universes where there is a history of technological/societal progression rather than "this is the way things have been for 4000+ years, and it ain't changing any time soon".

That said, I still love Star Wars

See I start talking about Episode VII possibilities and everyone wants to talk EU or other stuff.

[Gaius Marius]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Guys...Lucas himself wrote the general outlines for the prequels. Michael Arndt fleshed them out. Lucas is working day by day with Abrams and Kasdan and everyone else as a consultant. I don't know if that makes you feel better or worse, but that's the lay of the land.

Not a bad place for Lucas. He gets to do what he does best (be an 'idea man') and lets the others do the stuff he hates (writing/directing). Plus, there will be some checks in case something he comes up with something silly. Overall, I am having high hopes for Episode VII

Originally Posted by simonynwa

See I start talking about Episode VII possibilities and everyone wants to talk EU or other stuff.

It could be worse.... we could go back to the "Everything except the UOT is rubbish" vs "the PTs are the best part of the Saga" debacle

[Ernest Rister]

Originally Posted by simonynwa

Thats interesting. I hadn't really heard how much Lucas was actually involved. I mean I recall them saying something about how he was available if they needed him when he signed the deal, but I haven't seen much of his involvement since. Glad to know he is involved at least.

Daily during the writing. Seriously. He answers questions, gives input. He's not telling anyone how to shoot the movie, but he's giving his input when applicable.

Not a bad place for Lucas. He gets to do what he does best (be an 'idea man') and lets the others do the stuff he hates (writing/directing).

Absolutely. I wonder if he feels relieved he can be more of a sandbox man now.

[simonynwa]

Originally Posted by Gaius Marius

It could be worse.... we could go back to the "Everything except the UOT is rubbish" vs "the PTs are the best part of the Saga" debacle

Don't tempt me!!!

[simonynwa]

Originally Posted by Ernest Rister

Daily during the writing. Seriously. He answers questions, gives input. He's not telling anyone how to shoot the movie, but he's giving his input when applicable.

Good to know. Im glad he is this involved!! He might not be able to write dialogue, but the man sure has had some fantastic ideas in his time

[Elvis]

Well maybe there will not be any lens flares if Lucas is involved. Hopefully George is nowhere near a directors chair.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

Elvis died about 4 months after the original Star Wars was released in the theater. I wonder if the King saw it and what he thought about it.

No he never saw it. He did in fact try to rent the theater for Lisa Marie and her friends to see it but I don't think he was able to before his death. The last film he saw (when he rented the local theater after hours)was MacArthur with Gregory Peck. He also saw The Spy Who Loved Me.

[Darkstream]

Originally Posted by simonynwa

Surely the characters themselves are the bridge. They are an ongoing saga because of them...We don't need the same story beats, homage or not.

The films are getting so self referential sometimes it is almost a parody. I saw some shots in the new Rebels series where they have literally recreated the exact shots of the Tie Fighters attacking the Millennium Falcon. I mean weren't the similarities to the scene already obvious enough ?

"I have a bad feeling about this" is the only bridge they need because despite its over usage, you just know its going to be in there.

Actually, I would say C-3PO and R2-D2 are the bridge -- at least in the sense that they are the only characters that span all the films. That was what I believe Lucas had always intended.

[CinemaBlu]

Originally Posted by Darkstream

Actually, I would say C-3PO and R2-D2 are the bridge -- at least in the sense that they are the only characters that span all the films. That was what I believe Lucas had always intended.

That is exactly what George Lucas intended. The films are sort of from the droids POV.

I think the idea is that when we see "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...", the reason we know the details of what happened is that the droids are the only ones who were there through it all and survived to tell the tale. You even see some of that in Return of the Jedi when C-3PO is telling the story to the ewoks.

Other reasons for the droids have to do with comic relief and putting the events unfolding in perspective.

[Geoff D]

Originally Posted by CinemaBlu

That is exactly what George Lucas intended. The films are sort of from the droids POV.

I think the idea is that when we see "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...", the reason we know the details of what happened is that the droids are the only ones who were there through it all and survived to tell the tale. You even see some of that in Return of the Jedi when C-3PO is telling the story to the ewoks.

Other reasons for the droids have to do with comic relief and putting the events unfolding in perspective.

Star Wars wasn't shot that way though. After the initial opening the movie originally started with Luke seeing the space battle from the ground, then him meeting up with Biggs (in a hilariously stilted and somewhat prequel-esque scene) and getting the whole gang together. It was only when George ran the film for a few of his buddies that they advised him that it was too long, playing like American Graffiti in space, so Lucas threw out the stuff with Luke's friends and concentrated on using the droids as the through line. But if you listen to any of Lucas' interviews on the subject he says that he always intended to use the droids that way, natch.

[simonynwa]

Originally Posted by CinemaBlu

That is exactly what George Lucas intended. The films are sort of from the droids POV.

For Episode IV yes, not for the rest. Wasn't this Lucas' homage to Kurosawa among many others from the Hidden Fortress? After IV they are largely comic relief.

[Elvis]

In "Bantha tracks" years ago before TESB he stated that all 9 films would be seen throught the eyes of the two driods. And in the end they would be telling the story to others. Of course he changed his mind and did that idea toward the end with all the teddy bears standing around in ROTJ.

[tigertron]

New supposed concepts of Han Solo's outfits.

How very Mal Reynolds-like...




http://www.theforce.net/story/front/...VII_159436.asp

[Kryptonic]

Mal Reynold's is simply a cheap knock-off of Han Solo. That's what you're seeing.

[stvn1974]

If those are real concept art pics it would be funny because the top one is exactly like some Malcolm Reynolds promo pics. The way he is holding the gun, his thumb in the belt. Even the smirk on his face.

[stvn1974]

Originally Posted by Kryptonic

Mal Reynold's is simply a cheap knock-off of Han Solo. That's what you're seeing.

Mal would have shot first.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by stvn1974

Mal would have shot first.

No doubt about that!