I've got a special place in my heart for Tron, but I love the Star Wars Saga. I hope this isn't against the rules (I'm new here) but I just wanted to let people know that if they want to chat about SW and more, this is a cool website I hang out at often: http://outerrimsieges.com/boards/index.php

Hikaru.EXE Wroteude, I'm a starwars nut. I tried making my own stormtrooped suit out of metal. Well, that didn't work to well because I had no metal, and I never started. Oh, and welcome to tron-sector.

Cool, and thanks. You should check out that message board I posted. If you like SW, you'll love it over there. I'm trying to branch-out and find other cool message boards like this one. You guys have the coolest emoticons in the world.

What's Star Wars?

Traahn Wrote:What's Star Wars?

It's a series of cheesy sci-fi films that have captivated the attention of nerds everywhere for decades.

You facetious program.

In the WORLD of geekery, and Starwars DO compute!

Tron is sweet, no doubt. But Star Wars has a different type of appeal. So, it's fine. The two can coexist, you know...

I used to... before the three prequels came out, and Lucas had to go back and dink with the original films. Star Wars is a very important part of my childhood memories, but I just cringe to think what Lucas did to that whole series.

I can... still barely separate the first three from the last three abominations, but it still taints them in some way.

data_ghost Wrote:i dont see why people say that all of the later 3 were bad.

1) The stories, scripting and dialogue stunk.
2) The acting and casting.
3) The special effects were actually not that great.
4) Jar-Jar.

Examples:

Episode One:
* The fact that Darth Vader built C-3PO. CHEESE!
* Anakin: "Wheeee!"

Episode Two:
* Anakin: "I killed them. I killed them all. They're dead, every single one of them. And not just the men, but the women and the children, too. They're like animals, and I slaughtered them like animals. I HATE THEM! "
* Anakin: "I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere. Not like here. Here everything is soft and smooth. "

Episode Three:
* Vader: (and thus cementing the absolute LAMENESS that permeated throughout all films) "Nooooooooooooo!!!"

I'm totally with Todd here. The original (and by that, I mean the ones that were _made_ first; yes, I know they have higher numbers) three, BEFORE they were screwed with, are part of my _childhood_. Part of what I grew up on. I used to have some of the merchandising stuff (I still have a 1983 Return of the Jedi colouring book and my mom has Episode 4's soundtrack from 1977 on vinyl!) and my brother and I would act out little battles with the action figures...
After seeing "Return of the Jedi", we decided that hey, since we're brother and sister and I have brown hair while he's a blonde, we must "be" Luke and Leia and ran around the yard with sticks as "light-sabers" pretending to fight off bad guys. Seriously.

Princess Leia was like, probably my first female role-model when I was growing up. She was so cool--a woman who kicked butt and didn't bother to take names! (Her and Marion Ravenwood, from "Raiders of the Lost Ark".) I once had my friend do my hair up like hers at school and then willingly went around like that for the rest of the day (but then, I'm costume-happy, I just like doing that kind of thing.) And I remember seeing Empire Strikes Back in the theater when I was so little that the Imperial Walkers _scared_ me for some reason.

So I have very strong memories of those movies, but not only that, they're just _better_ than the newer ones. They have more...not to ground this cliche into the earth, but it's true--more _heart_. They feel more real, more like these are characters you can truly care about.
And dangit, I LIKE the oldschool special effects. I think they still look just _fine_ today. (I read an article once that said how the backlit-style lightsaber effects from the originals look "warmer" than the newer digital ones, and I agree. I'm also a fan of analog synths as in '80s music, but that's neither here nor there.) They're classic stories, told right. They don't NEED to be all full of the latest CGI techniques simply for the purpose of showing off your new toys (GEORGE), they're just _good_.
And naturally I have no trouble with oldschool special effects. I mean, look what board I'm posting this at! :P But really, there's such a thing as making something look _too_ polished, too smooth. I liked the gritter, more squared-off, rougher-edged look of the ships, buildings, etc. overall in Episodes 4-6. It just looked more...real. I also know lots of people who will _swear_ that model ships look better than CGI ones. Including me.

I still have VHS copies of episodes 4-6--_original_ editions--and I am going to keep them until the day they break. As for the new ones, my attitude is...eh. I might get 'em someday. When I'm not so busy. I admit, I like Episodes 2 and 3 more than most classic-era fans. 1, however...(shudders)

...Notorious

Pulsewoman Wrote: I also know lots of people who will _swear_ that model ships look better than CGI ones. Including me.

Absolutely. The "Derelict" ship in Alien was a masterpiece of modeling...as were all the original Star Wars films.

Something does have to be said for modern special effects too. For example, the Lord Of The Rings could not have been done as well as it was if it was limited to 1980's special effects techniques. That film, however, used them only where they needed to be used.

Episodes 1-3 of Star Wars used them in the wrong place. For example... Jar Jar. It was not done very well and in the end was not believable at all. Want to see how animation and live action blend well? Get out your old Mary Poppins VHS tape.. and that was from the 60's. Besides... Gollum in LOTR was 1000% more believable than Jar Jar.

In Episode 2, when Anakin was riding some beast or something... that was just fake beyond belief.

And in Episode 3... there was some scene where the character played by Christopher Lee did a forward flip... and I just remember thinking... man is this the best Lucas can do... REALLY?

So... modern special effects are great, but it has to be coupled with a competent director and someone who actually knows something about art direction. Lucas knows neither.