Star Wars General Discussion Thread

[RP-29]

My contention is that the biggest problem with the prequels (which I actually enjoy immensely) is the dialogue. The only actor that was able to salvage it was McGregor. I thought the stories were great. Less CGI and more thought/effort put into the dialogue writing and these would be remembered very differently.... but obviously those are two huge aspects of the movie. LOL

Agree.

Disagree. Liam Neeson did the best job of acting and delivering the impossible robotic dialog out of everyone in all three prequels. He's never going to get the credit he deserved for the job he did. In fact, I'd put Neeson right behind Harrison Ford as the best acting performance of the entire Star Wars film saga. McGregor did pretty well, but even he struggled at times with the robotic dialog.

 

[BigRedMoe]

Agree.

Disagree. Liam Neeson did the best job of acting and delivering the impossible robotic dialog out of everyone in all three prequels. He's never going to get the credit he deserved for the job he did. In fact, I'd put Neeson right behind Harrison Ford as the best acting performance of the entire Star Wars film saga. McGregor did pretty well, but even he struggled at times with the robotic dialog.

Neeson was good, but I'd still say McGregor's performances (minus Ep. 1) were better. It's certainly subjective. I think the most underwhelming performance was probably Portman. But again, I would point to the dialogue she had to deal with.

 

[RP-29]

Neeson was good, but I'd still say McGregor's performances (minus Ep. 1) were better. It's certainly subjective. I think the most underwhelming performance was probably Portman. But again, I would point to the dialogue she had to deal with.

Portman and Sam Jackson are both excellent actors, but both struggled mightily with the dialog. If you're honest, even Alec Guinness struggled with it. I can't get too down on any of the actors in the Star Wars Saga if even those three struggled with it. But at the same time, it's a great credit to Ford and Neeson that they were able to transcend those struggles and deliver believable dialog.

 

[BigRedMoe]

Portman and Sam Jackson are both excellent actors, but both struggled mightily with the dialog. If you're honest, even Alec Guinness struggled with it. I can't get too down on any of the actors in the Star Wars Saga if even those three struggled with it. But at the same time, it's a great credit to Ford and Neeson that they were able to transcend those struggles and deliver believable dialog.

I take it back.... Jackson's was the most underwhelming. Even despite the dialogue, just bad. Almost like he saw how lackluster it was and just kind of gave up. Or thought that the dialog was one dimensional and delivered it as such.

 

[RP-29]

I take it back.... Jackson's was the most underwhelming. Even despite the dialogue, just bad. Almost like he saw how lackluster it was and just kind of gave up. Or thought that the dialog was one dimensional and delivered it as such.

"Bring him before us then."

 

[RP-29]

I think the most underwhelming performance was probably Portman. But again, I would point to the dialogue she had to deal with.

In fairness to Portman, one of my favorite lines in all seven movies comes out of her mouth when she says "So this is how liberty dies... with thunderous applause."

 

[BigRedMoe]

In fairness to Portman, one of my favorite lines in all seven movies comes out of her mouth when she says "So this is how liberty dies... with thunderous applause."

The dialogue had it's moments. But it was almost like Lucas had a handful of those lines that he wanted to make sure he fit in and then everything else was just meh, filler.

 

[RP-29]

The dialogue had it's moments. But it was almost like Lucas had a handful of those lines that he wanted to make sure he fit in and then everything else was just meh, filler.

This actually leads me to iterate something I've contemplated... What if Lucas had consulted Tarantino on the dialog?

 

[BigRedMoe]

This actually leads me to iterate something I've contemplated... What if Lucas had consulted Tarantino on the dialog?

This will be unpopular, but hell no. Tarantino is an even bigger megalomaniac than Lucas and I wouldn't want him trying to put his "stamp" all over it. Although, "consultation" would probably have limited control... those two would likely get in a fist fight. LOL

 

[RP-29]

This will be unpopular, but hell no. Tarantino is an even bigger megalomaniac than Lucas and I wouldn't want him trying to put his "stamp" all over it. Although, "consultation" would probably have limited control... those two would likely get in a fist fight. LOL

I completely agree that an actual collaboration would never work between those two, but the point really is that Tarantino is one of the greatest dialog writers in film history and Lucas is far from. A few pointers or tweaks might've flipped the prequels from loathed to loved.

 

[calsnowskier]

QT doing a SW movie?



I LOVE QT, but I am not sure that would be a good mix.

Like chocolate covered filet mignon. Or pizza-flavored ice cream. Just because you use awesome ingredients does not guarantee a great meal.

 

[SDPaddlefish]

I have and just recently watched it again. Episode I is completely irrelevant. Episode II is decent. Episode III was where I thought they were just starting to get it right.

The Force Awakens was one of my favorite films of the year, but so much of it just felt like an updated carbon copy of Episode IV. It's basically this generation's Star Wars. I had hoped for something more original. Don't get me wrong...I loved it. I've seen it three times.

But to me the story of a prequel and the idea to tell Darth Vader's backstory...if done correctly would have been more compelling than what we saw in The Force Awakens.

I'm not a Star Wars aficionado, but I did like the first 2 movies. The third, not so much. Saw the 4th one on TV and don't remember a thing about it. Didn't see 5 and 6.

Anyway, I did go to The Force Awakens and, while I enjoyed the movie, my first comment afterward was that they just copied the original Star Wars format in every way, from beginning to end. I guess that that's ok, and like I said I generally liked the movie and ranked in a 6.5-7 IMHO. However, I didn't like Carrie Fisher in the movie. Don't know if her acting was that bad (it appeared to be), if her dialogue was that bad (it appeared to be), or if it just didn't fit in the movie in the way that they inserted her. Moreover, I thought Harrison Ford was doing the best acting job in the film until they had him interact with Fisher, where he just seemed to phone in those scenes.

Anyway, a few thoughts from a casual fan.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

In the defense of the actors, it's kind of hard to make scenes believable when you're in a green room and can't actually see wtf is going on. It's kind of like voice acting at that point, you just hope everything fits together.

 

[BigRedMoe]

In the defense of the actors, it's kind of hard to make scenes believable when you're in a green room and can't actually see wtf is going on. It's kind of like voice acting at that point, you just hope everything fits together.

True, true. Another case against over reliance on CGI.

 

[Logicallylethal]

True, true. Another case against over reliance on CGI.

That's what makes Mad Max so impressive. Directors like George Miller, Christopher Nolan, Alejandro Inarritu, etc. who emphasize the importance of using real stunts, real locations and real sets over CGI deserve a lot of praise.

For example, a movie like Inception. There are at least 3-4 scenes in there where you think they had to have used CGI right there. Then you watch the behind the scenes featurette where they show you how they executed certain scenes and set pieces and you're just blown away.

 

[DragonfromTO]

I'd probably go with Chadwick Boseman or Rob Brown. I think both would do a great job. It would probably go to Boseman as he is the bigger of the two, but I really liked Rob Brown in Treme and The Express.

I might be crazy, but even in today's world I don't think I could buy either of those guys as Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher's father.

 

[RobBase]

From 2000 to 2005 which actors would you have cast as Anakin Skywalker in place of Hayden Christensen?

To me telling the backstory of Darth Vader and casting the right actor to play a young Anakin Skywalker is on par with Francis Ford Coppolla's casting of a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather II.

Can you imagine if Coppolla had cast someone of similar talent as Hayden Christensen rather than Robert De Niro to follow up Marlon Brando!?

George Lucas created the most iconic villain in film history and his backstory was supposed to be one of the most compelling stories to tell...and he butchers it with an actor like Hayden Christensen...

If I could go back in time these are my choices to recast

1) Christian Bale

Episode II: Attack of the Clones
View attachment 77634

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
View attachment 77635 View attachment 77636

2) Heath Ledger

Episode II: Attack of the Clones
View attachment 77637

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
View attachment 77638

3) Leonardo Dicaprio

Episode II: Attack of the Clones
View attachment 77639

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
View attachment 77640

I have no prob with Hayden Christiansen. Thought he did a good job. But for what it's worth:

Leonardo DiCaprio turned down Anakin role in 'Star Wars'

 

[GNG]

From 2000 to 2005 which actors would you have cast as Anakin Skywalker in place of Hayden Christensen?

To me telling the backstory of Darth Vader and casting the right actor to play a young Anakin Skywalker is on par with Francis Ford Coppolla's casting of a young Vito Corleone in The Godfather II.

Can you imagine if Coppolla had cast someone of similar talent as Hayden Christensen rather than Robert De Niro to follow up Marlon Brando!?

George Lucas created the most iconic villain in film history and his backstory was supposed to be one of the most compelling stories to tell...and he butchers it with an actor like Hayden Christensen...

If I could go back in time these are my choices to recast

1) Christian Bale

Episode II: Attack of the Clones
View attachment 77634

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
View attachment 77635 View attachment 77636

2) Heath Ledger

Episode II: Attack of the Clones
View attachment 77637

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
View attachment 77638

3) Leonardo Dicaprio

Episode II: Attack of the Clones
View attachment 77639

Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
View attachment 77640

 

[beardown07]

This will be unpopular, but hell no. Tarantino is an even bigger megalomaniac than Lucas and I wouldn't want him trying to put his "stamp" all over it. Although, "consultation" would probably have limited control... those two would likely get in a fist fight. LOL

Just fucking shoot me in the face now. It's be like the comic-guy from the Simpsons, vs. a young, slightly less Jewy, Woody Allen.


I like both of their shit, but they both also annoy the fuck out of me.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Just fucking shoot me in the face now. It's be like the comic-guy from the Simpsons, vs. a young, slightly less Jewy, Woody Allen.


I like both of their shit, but they both also annoy the fuck out of me.

Only "slightly"? Lucas isn't even part Jewish, is he?