Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens Thread

[imsys0042]

10 minutes ago, saevel25 said:

It wasn't his fault that Fox didn't foresee the value of a niche market known as toy collectibles. When Lucas negotiated his deal with Fox back in the 1970's he asked for all the merch rights. 

So no matter what he would have made a killing because of how popular Star Wars became. 

 

He was very smart to do so, quite frankly I think he saw this could be huge.  I was reading somethings today where he worked with Marvel comics to do adaptions and original stories and the adaptions came out months before the movies with the thinking that people would read this big story and want to see the movie.  He was always thinking ahead like that. 

But I base that he made decisions based on merchandising on quotes and stories like why the Ewoks were in ROTJ and the decision to not kill Han Solo because "there's no market for dead Han Solo action figures".  Hard to judge how accurate the meanings are years later, but it's a legit comment that he maximizes merchandising.  Ultimately it all worked out.  And honestly Lucas marches to a different drummer than most people (thank goodness).   But I do think he's made creative decisions for merchandising gain.   If people don't like certain things, it can be a target. 

 

Edit:. You can mitigate that by his decision to make Revenge of the Sith so dark.  It had to be dark, considering the Empire was rising.  He was at his best there in the prequels.  

Edited January 6, 2016 by imsys0042
More info of course!

[boogielicious]

For your listening pleasure.

 

 

[saevel25]

This is pretty cool. Starships to scale form different movies, TV and games. 

The Starkiller base would probably fall just after the Halo. 

[natureboy]

On 12/24/2015 at 10:11 PM, jamo said:

I'd say Portman and McGregor are fine. I wouldn't change Samuel L Jackson. The emperor was fine before he actually became the emperor. Liam Neeson was good. It's really just Jake Lloyd (and even then, he was 10) and Hayden Christianson that are iffy actors, IMO. 

I'd agree. Actually I think the guy who played Palpatine was pretty spot-on. A very Sauron like arc from fair-seeming to outright foul. Christianson probably was slightly hampered by the script, but wasn't emotionally subtle enough in his portrayal to rise above it.

On 12/24/2015 at 10:15 PM, nevets88 said:

It was hm. Stormtrooper number was JB007 in the script or something like that. It was tough to identify him in the movie because he was affecting some kind of accent.

Hah. That's a great cameo!

On 12/24/2015 at 10:15 PM, nevets88 said:

I always found Portman's acting a little wooden - she was pretty good in V for Vendetta and she won an Oscar for Black Swan, but Ewan MacGregor is definitely a good actor - liked him in Beginners and Ghostwriter, he was great in Trainspotting. The actor who portrayed rat tail Anakin I've never seen him in other movies, so don't know.

Yes, particularly when she spoke in that flat 'queen' monotone. However, I think that was directed rather than her choice. She's a fine actress in many other movies.

[saevel25]

Probably the issue with Lucas being more of an artist than a director. I think he has this image and instead of letting actors flesh out the characters and develop chemistry he tends to force them into his image of what they should be. I always found a lack of chemistry in Episodes 1-3. 

[cipher]

Finally got to see this last night with the wife.  I really enjoyed it.  Going to take my son tomorrow who is very excited about going. 

[nevets88]

Some say Abram's true genius is casting.

Imagine you this. Natalie Portman as Rey. I don't think she could pull it off. She just has a "too precious" quality.

[jamo]

1 minute ago, nevets88 said:

Some say Abram's true genius is casting. Imagine you this. Natalie Portman as Rey. I don't think she could pull it off.

To be fair, I don't think Lucas would have cast her as Rey either. Save a bit in the middle of Clones, Portman's character wasn't exactly moving all around. 

[iacas]

As far as I'm concerned, adding Natalie Portman to almost anything is a win.

[nevets88]

8 minutes ago, jamo said:

To be fair, I don't think Lucas would have cast her as Rey either. Save a bit in the middle of Clones, Portman's character wasn't exactly moving all around. 

Agreed, just a very hypothetical hypothetical. He hit it out of the park with Obi Wan though. Pretty obvious though as he sounds like Obi Wan 1.0

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

As far as I'm concerned, adding Natalie Portman to almost anything is a win.

LOL

[saevel25]

16 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Some say Abram's true genius is casting.

Imagine you this. Natalie Portman as Rey. I don't think she could pull it off. She just has a "too precious" quality.

It would be tough to say. I think in terms of a trilogy that is going to span 6 years to make. Every other year. It would be tough for her because she is already 34 years old. Which would make her 41 for Episode IX. 

I think she would have enough acting chops to pull off Rey. I like Daisy Ridley in the Star Wars movie. 

[nevets88]

BB-8 on the greens.

 

 

[nevets88]

Interesting t-shirt designs: