2. digital
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Attack of the Clones

I haven't been to a movie theatre in quite awhile. With 30K tied up in Home Theatre equipment what's the point? Crappy picture and terrible sound I think I'll pass.

But wait! What's this in the local paper? They've just opened up a new digital theatre just thirty minutes from my house and STAR WARS II is the feature presentation. Some buddy pinch me, this can't be happening.

What to do, what to do, ARE YOU KIDDING??? I love Star wars. This is actually a no brainier.

Fast forward three minutes later. I'm on the computer printing out two tickets for the next show (Smart move) Next drive to and arrive at said theatre 1 1/2 hours early (real smart move)

The lines were just starting to form for the Sunday mourning matinee. By the time the box opened an hour later the line was clear out of the parking lot.

The doors open with twenty minutes till Showtime. Everyone is jockeying for position, but I'm no rookie, I head straight for the center of the theatre at a rapidly accelerated pace. I position myself just slightly back of dead center and perfectly centered left to right. (YOU KNOW THE SWEET SPOT!) In my opinion I was now sitting in the best seat in the house (Phase two accomplished).

The lights dim and here come the digital trailers. THE MATRIX II, AUSTIN POWERS III and MEN IN BLACK II. That in itself was nearly worth the price of admission.

The next three hours were shear ecstasy. I was in total awe. A crystal clear digital video picture with fairly decent digital sound, what a concept. All I could think was " I got to get me one of these!!"

Finally a theatre I can enjoy a movie in. This will probably be the only theatre I ever go to until a few more digital screens pop up around my hometown.

I conclude by saying check out one of these theatres at any cost, it will be well worth the time and effort invested.

That's all for now and may the Shwarts be with you!!!
128x128glen
ben_campbell
1,169 posts
 
Sugarbrie I would be a fool to argue with Ebert so here goes... I think his comments have a validity but are wrong in that clearly the Britsh actors are much more experienced than their young American counterparts,he's simply not comparing like with like in relation to this movie........
JB-that's a good post,you have certainly highlighted area's that would have added weight to the storyline and if deftly handled perhaps wouldn't have made the movies too overblown or indulgent.
Lucas I would agree hasn't developed his film-making during the new movies , I suspect he thought about the type of stuff you mention but decided to go down the centre line,rightly or wrongly.
It's a game of opinions I was entertained during Clones and I would watch it again,as is clear from my numerious posts,a saga in itself,that my expectations were not that high possibly because I do not see the first 3 or 2 movies as classics just highly enjoyable fun movies and now I must go before the Dark Side forces me into any more posts on this subject.........................
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
I liked the film as I said before. It was about as I thought it would be.

I guess the best example of what Roger Ebert was talking about is Samuel T. Jackson (an experience American actor). I can think a dozens of movies where he brings interesting characters to life including the recent "Changing Lanes" and "The Caveman's Valentine". In this movie he is just a prop reciting lines to advance the plot. He was given nothing by Lucas to work with, so he looks lost in the film. I don't think those older British actors were given any more material to work with than Jackson, but their different experience and training enabled them to just "wing-it" or make it up better.

I am back to the wishing that a creative and inventive director was hired who could have filled in the blanks. I think it is no accident that the best of the Star Wars films is "Empire", where an outside director was hired and then "Return". Lucas directed the first movie, but that was at a time when he was an active working director and todays computer special effects were in their beginnings. I think "Phantom" was the first film he directed since Star Wars (a 12 year lay off). Since he originally had no plans to finish the saga, he was basically retired from directing.

On the technical side of the business I think Lucas is a total genius; and is one of the fathers of computer effects along with Douglas Trumbell (2001, Close Encounters).

ben_campbell
1,169 posts
 
Sugarbie..the Dark Side it will not let me stop....I think you are 110% right about SLJ's part but if you compare to to Christopher Lee's part which being a baddie gives him more to get his teeth into (pun intended Hammer fans)then I'm not so sure there is much between the performances both of which are excusible due to their lack of time on screen/development-my argument being that Laurence Olivier himself could have done nothing with the Windu part.......your other points are very valid but perhaps more emphasis should be put on the actual screenplay rather than the direction-this discussion has certainly made me want to watch the likes of Empire again to see if the acting/dialogue/direction is that much better...it's been a long long time since I've seen it
sugarbrie
3,854 posts
 
The current movie is facinating to watch because it is actually a cartoon with real actors inserted. The reverse of Roger Rabbit.
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