[Hannibal]

I just watch a whole bunch of these documentaries, about how Episode III was made. How insulting it is to find out the "creative team" begind Gen.Grievous came up with his head by looking at a squirt bottle nozzle. Ralph McQuarrie would turn in his grave...(wait is he dead?)

Not to mention the scene with Ewan Mcgregor saying, "This is only two years later, why do I have gray hair?"

Hayden's pissed off at George Lucas because he didn't like the new hair do and said,"the problem is I know he's going to come in here and just say 'thats fine"--I don't like it at all."

Lucas goes around from crew to crew stamping his approval on stuff, and saying, "Jeez, they're building sets already, I better write this script." At one point while looking at an array of light saber props, he asks the prop guy which light sabers are which, and that now that he knows, he better write something in the script to explain the change. "I better get working on this script." What the hell, let me get this straight, he's hired all these bafoons, to work on all these details of characters and props and sets and wardrobe before he even bothered to write a script? What a fucking moron!

This post has been edited by Hannibal: 22 November 2004 - 08:02 PM

[Paladin]

I wonder what exactly made George think he's even capable of making movies any more.

[Just your average movie goer]

Well.... that explains a lot.

[Michel Orla]

I saw two of them. I noticed how miserable the actors looked compared to actors in the making of the original trilogy. I think that's one of the PT biggest downfall. The lack of fun onset and during the movies themselves

[jariten]

How insulting it is to find out the "creative team" begind Gen.Grievous came up with his head by looking at a squirt bottle nozzle. Ralph McQuarrie would turn in his grave...(wait is he dead?)

im sure a lot of stuff from sci fi films as well as the originals came from dumb stuff like that. and why is it insulting? if it works it works. i never would have guessed that that was the inspiration if you hadnt have told me.

and Lucas wrote the first draft ages ago, so maybe that was more of Lucas' attempts at being funny?

whatever, i dont see how this stuff can dampen anyones spirits about the film, unless they were dampened already of course.

[littlejerryseinfeld]

wrong, jariten... i don't know what 'ages ago' actually means, but he is making this up as he goes along. he may of sat down and scratched out a one-page treatment, but when those quicktime movies were made, he was still hammering out the details.

i wouldn't call the artists bafoons - they're doing the best they can with what LITTLE direction they are getting from lucas:

GL: "he looks good, but i think he needs something... why don't you give him a cape?"

Artist #132: "uhhh... he's an android right? why does he need a cape?"

GL: "because every villian needs a cape. and they look cool."

Artist #132: "kill me."

GL: "not until he gets his cape."

This post has been edited by littlejerryseinfeld: 23 November 2004 - 04:13 PM

[Hannibal]

These guys get their ideas from going to the bathroom. The Jedi comlink:a Gillette razor, Greivous' Head: Squirt bottle head, Jabba the Hutt: A funny looking turd Lucas saw after taking a shit, Lightsaber:Toilet paper dispenser bar, Slave I: an Air Freshener container...can anybody say "HArdWare WarS?"

[Helena]

Lucas goes around from crew to crew stamping his approval on stuff, and saying, "Jeez, they're building sets already, I better write this script." At one point while looking at an array of light saber props, he asks the prop guy which light sabers are which, and that now that he knows, he better write something in the script to explain the change. "I better get working on this script." What the hell, let me get this straight, he's hired all these bafoons, to work on all these details of characters and props and sets and wardrobe before he even bothered to write a script? What a fucking moron!

Yeah, I saw that one as well. I think that tells you all you need to know about Lucas.

[Sagacity]

Episode III: The Phantom Script

[Chefelf]

Good things can come out of this as well, let's not forget the Millenium Falcon: A hamburger with a bite taken out of it and an olive on the side.

[njamilla]

Somebody during the pre-production for TPM (I think it was Ryan Church) did a design for an urban, paramilitary Jedi. I really liked that idea and though it was a shame Lucas didn't go with that idea. Then Obi-Wan's Tatooine costume would've been a disguise. I guess it was GL's persistent reasoning that the Jedi had to be "immediately identifiable" to the audience. Instead of asking us to think, he figures we can't make the connection for ourselves.

[jariten]

i strongly suggest that you all watch the documentaries on the ep1 and 2 dvds for a good insight into how Lucas is making these things i.e with full input from everyone, and a million miles away from this ego centric, pig headed selfish villian that some people seem to delight in portraying him as

[njamilla]

It's always been my observation that GL has a lot of yes men and no real critical challenges from any of his support staff. McCallum, so purposely prominent in the production process, tends to be my whipping boy. All he does is gush. Kershner, on the other hand, has spoken openly about his aesthetic differences with Lucas and still remained very respectful.

In the documentaries, it's so obvious that GL is treated like a demigod. He steps into the room and suddenly there's an air of sanctity as if Jesus himelf had just appeared. It's very clear that the EP III production team is very much an efficient business operation which lacks synergy. In one documentary, the guy in charge of weapons development asks another person what his name is in front of the camera. In GL's weekly meetings, everyone looks and then whines about GL's "approved" stamp. I've got no problem with the way he does things except that his product in the prequels has so far been lackluster.

Personally, I don't care how conceptual artists get their designs. Inspiration often comes from the mundane. In fact, it's the creative spirit which takes the ordinary and profane and sees something extraordinary in it. Gilette razor, once bitten hamburgar, a tampon. It's actual the design aspect of SW that has always captivated my interest. I like cool things in a cool setting. I also like a great story.

The impact of designers upon the driving head of SW has always been an interesting one. Sometimes I and a general audience likes the result: Kershner's Zen imparts to Yoda's development, the AOTC animatics which GL embraced from the CGI department, et al. At other times he stumbles: racial cliches, fawning over the first "authentic" CGI character (Jar Jar), the kabuki performances of Amidali, his homage to pre-WW II serials.

Everything's so refined and staid at LFL these days. Perhaps, this extreme professionalism at LFL is reflective of the boring world of the pre-Imperial days of Coruscant. That's a good reason why ANH excited everyone, it was an adventure, not endless exposition. GL himself has commented in one of those documentaries that he has to admit that he has become what he once most despised -- a professional studio house. Not that this is a bad thing, but other professional houses have maintained their vibracy and creativity, like those guys who did Monsters, Inc and Finding Nemo.

I'm waiting with bated breath for EP III. It looks like it's a lot of action. That'll keep me interested. But if the only thing people remember from EP III is the lightsaber fighting (and I'm the lightsaber dude), then EP III will in my opinion be another dud.

[Despondent]

like a demigod.

But if the only thing people remember

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent post, lightsaber dude.

[Garth Vader]

for real comedy check out the documentary on the episode 1 DVD. it's a screening of the first cut of the phantom menace for lucas and co. and the look on their faces during the screening and at the end of it is priceless. the other guys apart from lucas look devastated and even rick mccallum (THE ULTIMATE yes guy) says he didn't get the same feeling watching it as he did the originals and ben burtt and lucas discuss the amount of work that'll need to be done.