Red tails

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by Sussudio

Lucas' next movie, Red Tails, (which he wrote the story for and will also executive produce) is beginning production in Europe. Tails is a fictional story inspired by the historic and heroic exploits of America's first all black aerial combat unit and will be directed by Anthony Hemingway ("The Wire," "Battlestar Galactica") and written by John Ridley (Three Kings). The movie stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, and Method Man among others.

From Lucas: "I've been wanting to do 'Red Tails' for 20 years, and we've finally got the means to showcase the skill of the Tuskegee pilots," said Lucas. "We're working on techniques which will give us the first true look at the aerial dogfighting of the era. And our top-notch cast will really make this story special."

Source: Comingsoon.net

Maybe add some CGI monkeys in there, Georgey? Seriously though, sounds like a great story, and with George not doing the actual screenplay or directing I have to say this sounds promising. He's always been a great idea guy imo, and it's the execution where his abilities seem to falter. He did the smart thing by letting other people take over the bigger responsibilities.

If this takes place in World War 2... I smell a nuked fridge coming on.

Logan

[Lord_Lemon]

I don't want anything more from George Lucas. Someone lock this man away in a deep dark dungeon somewhere.

[Ernest Rister]

Didn't HBO do this already?

[sfmarine]

Oh no...I thought this guy retired lol.

[Kirsty_Mc]

I don't see the need for any CGI at all on a WWII war picture of this type. There are still plenty of warbirds flying, and as good as CGI may be, a real plane in a real sky (anyone mention Top Gun?) will always beat CGI hands down.

I'll maybe pick this up, even if just for the roar of a Merlin!!!

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Kirsty_Mc

I don't see the need for any CGI at all on a WWII war picture of this type. There are still plenty of warbirds flying, and as good as CGI may be, a real plane in a real sky (anyone mention Top Gun?) will always beat CGI hands down.

I'll maybe pick this up, even if just for the roar of a Merlin!!!

A George Lucas produced movie with no CGI?? Blasphemy!!!

[jkwest]

Originally Posted by Offender_Mullet

I think that was a B-17 bomber who's landing gear wouldn't deploy. The underbelly gunner draws a picture of wheels on the plane. They magically appear before landing, therefore not crushing him.

oh...thats what I thought this one was about...huh...

[Kirsty_Mc]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

A George Lucas produced movie with no CGI?? Blasphemy!!!

Unfortunately you may be right.

However I do take issue with the assertion that George Lucas has made movies in his later career. The last time I looked he made three separate two hour commercials for video games!!!

[J6P]

Originally Posted by Kirsty_Mc

I don't see the need for any CGI at all on a WWII war picture of this type. There are still plenty of warbirds flying, and as good as CGI may be, a real plane in a real sky (anyone mention Top Gun?) will always beat CGI hands down.

I'll maybe pick this up, even if just for the roar of a Merlin!!!

Good lord, no! There are only about 150 P-51 Mustangs in flying condition for example, and those trade for 1 to 2 million dollars nowadays. The days of flying these precious bits of history into the ground for movies are gone forever.

Besides, they will need thousands of aircraft in the sky at once to approximate the bomber streams over Europe in '44 and '45. This is what CGI does best, if done right.

[Kirsty_Mc]

I have no problems with using CGI to plough Mustangs into the ground etc... I'm just thinking here about Mr Lucas and his heavy CGI brushwork. I'd rather see real ones on screen

[J6P]

Originally Posted by Kirsty_Mc

I have no problems with using CGI to plough Mustangs into the ground etc... I'm just thinking here about Mr Lucas and his heavy CGI brushwork. I'd rather see real ones on screen

Whatever they do, it'd better be realistic. i.e., not Flyboys.

[jadedeath]

Originally Posted by J6P

Good lord, no! There are only about 150 P-51 Mustangs in flying condition for example, and those trade for 1 to 2 million dollars nowadays. The days of flying these precious bits of history into the ground for movies are gone forever.

Besides, they will need thousands of aircraft in the sky at once to approximate the bomber streams over Europe in '44 and '45. This is what CGI does best, if done right.

I disagree, Lucas has the green to recreate an entire squadron of P-51's. From scratch.

Logan

[1blufan]

Originally Posted by J6P

I agree.
The Tuskeegee men never lost a bomber under their protection. These guys could straight-up engage in combat with the best. Done right this should be quite a ride.

The claim that no bomber escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen had ever been lost to enemy fire first appeared on March 24, 1945, in the Chicago Defender, under the headline "332nd Flies Its 200th Mission Without Loss." According to the March 28, 2007, Air Force report, however, some bombers under 332nd Fighter Group escort protection were shot down on the very day the Chicago Defender article was published. The subsequent report, based on after-mission reports filed by both the bomber units and Tuskegee fighter groups as well as missing air crew records and witness testimony, was released in March 2007 and documented 25 bombers shot down by enemy fighter aircraft while being escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen.


Tuskegee Airmen gathered at a U.S. base after a mission in the Mediterranean theater.The St. Petersburg Times in 2008 quoted a historian at the Air Force Historical Research Agency as confirming the loss of up to 25 bombers. Bill Holloman, a Tuskegee airman who taught black studies at the University of Washington and now chairs the Airmen's history committee, was reported by the Times as saying his review of records did confirm lost bombers, but "the Tuskegee story is about pilots who rose above adversity and discrimination and opened a door once closed to black America — not about whether their record is perfect.

I agree if done right this could be good, and with George not directing or writing this, it will be a better film for it.

And yes there was a HBO movie about the airmen back in 1996 starring Laurence Fishburne.

[J6P]

Originally Posted by 1blufan

The claim that no bomber escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen had ever been lost to enemy fire first appeared on March 24, 1945, in the Chicago Defender, under the headline "332nd Flies Its 200th Mission Without Loss." According to the March 28, 2007, Air Force report, however, some bombers under 332nd Fighter Group escort protection were shot down on the very day the Chicago Defender article was published. The subsequent report, based on after-mission reports filed by both the bomber units and Tuskegee fighter groups as well as missing air crew records and witness testimony, was released in March 2007 and documented 25 bombers shot down by enemy fighter aircraft while being escorted by the Tuskegee Airmen.


Tuskegee Airmen gathered at a U.S. base after a mission in the Mediterranean theater.The St. Petersburg Times in 2008 quoted a historian at the Air Force Historical Research Agency as confirming the loss of up to 25 bombers. Bill Holloman, a Tuskegee airman who taught black studies at the University of Washington and now chairs the Airmen's history committee, was reported by the Times as saying his review of records did confirm lost bombers, but "the Tuskegee story is about pilots who rose above adversity and discrimination and opened a door once closed to black America — not about whether their record is perfect.

I agree if done right this could be good, and with George not directing or writing this, it will be a better film for it.

And yes there was a HBO movie about the airmen back in 1996 starring Laurence Fishburne.

I'm still confused as to this claim, as every time I read about it it sounds as if the planes lost to enemy fire crashed at some point while trying to limp home. In other words, they had been lost but not while under the direct protection of the 332nd, but rather due to damage sustained prior to breaking off from the escort wing.

In any event, the bomber crews at the time and to this day made no bones about requesting the 332nd whenever possible, as they knew what they were capable of.

[Blufury]

Ease up on the CGI, George.

[MCT]

Method Man and Ne-Yo?

Yeah, this one has suck written all over it.

[Freis968]

I really appreciate Lucas' comment about him wanting to do Red Tails for 20yrs...now I don't feel so bad about my habit of procrastinating...

[Freis968]

Originally Posted by MCT

Method Man and Ne-Yo?

Yeah, this one has suck written all over it.

LOL, pretty funny.

[Offender_Mullet]

"And our top-notch cast will really make this story special." -George Lucas

Woah! I just caught that quote now. Was that a typo? Will Mr. "Uses Green Screens For Everything & Receive Wooden Dialogue From Your Big-Name Actors" finally get back to real storytelling? Let's hope so. Unfortunately he didn't have that mindset with the last 3 films he directed.....

I just hope there won't be:

1.) A pointless 20 minute-long scene where Method Man rides on a giant lizard to get to his P51 Mustang (a'la Revenge Of The Sith).

and

2.) Hayden Christensen playing a Luftwaffe pilot. Noooooooo......

[MCT]

Originally Posted by Offender_Mullet

1.) A pointless 20 minute-long scene where Method Man rides on a giant lizard to get to his P51 Mustang (a'la Revenge Of The Sith).

No bullshit, I'd probably pay good money to see this. I'd be belly-aching so hard. Every penny would be worth it. The only thing that would make that scene better would be if he was smoking a PCP-laced joint while riding the lizard, and he started hallucinating about all kinds of weird shit.