We've all seen the posters, the banners, the (other) adverts: "Star Wars" is coming back, and in 3D as well!
Oooooooooh....
For something that would have totally been awesome only a few years back, it is stunning how little impact mentioning either "Star Wars" or "3D" has on me these days. Me, who used to be fanatic about both and never even dared to dream to see the two merged.
The February release has a couple of strikes against it, of course. It's an upgraded 3D film instead of a natively shot one, and George Lucas' "whatever, good enough" attitude lately when it comes to Star Wars does not give me hope that the use of technology here will be particularly exceptional. None of these films were even edited for 3D use so potentially this is headache-city with all the fast-moving action.
Another big strike against seeing it would be that the films will be released in order of the episodes, so we get "The Phantom Menace" first, the title I feel least inclined to revisit.
Hell, if this was either "A New Hope" , "The Empire Strikes Back" or even "Return of the Jedi" I'd still go. Seeing those in the cinema is still a thrill fondly remembered, screwy new bits or not. In case the 3D would be too distracting I'd bring an extra pair of glasses and use both left-lenses so I'd be seeing 2D again.
But "The Phantom Menace"? Nah.
On the other hand you could say that the prequel-trilogy is the one that needs fixing most, and this is maybe a chance to do it. The empty visuals may, when seen in 3D, give these films a sparkle and excitement they previously missed. And because the effects were mostly digital in the prequels, implementing 3D on those ought to be easier than with the older matte compositions in the original trilogy.
So what do you think? Care to revisit the Star Wars universe one more time (or six)?
HAVE YOUR SAY!
Oooooooooh....
For something that would have totally been awesome only a few years back, it is stunning how little impact mentioning either "Star Wars" or "3D" has on me these days. Me, who used to be fanatic about both and never even dared to dream to see the two merged.
The February release has a couple of strikes against it, of course. It's an upgraded 3D film instead of a natively shot one, and George Lucas' "whatever, good enough" attitude lately when it comes to Star Wars does not give me hope that the use of technology here will be particularly exceptional. None of these films were even edited for 3D use so potentially this is headache-city with all the fast-moving action.
Another big strike against seeing it would be that the films will be released in order of the episodes, so we get "The Phantom Menace" first, the title I feel least inclined to revisit.
Hell, if this was either "A New Hope" , "The Empire Strikes Back" or even "Return of the Jedi" I'd still go. Seeing those in the cinema is still a thrill fondly remembered, screwy new bits or not. In case the 3D would be too distracting I'd bring an extra pair of glasses and use both left-lenses so I'd be seeing 2D again.
But "The Phantom Menace"? Nah.
On the other hand you could say that the prequel-trilogy is the one that needs fixing most, and this is maybe a chance to do it. The empty visuals may, when seen in 3D, give these films a sparkle and excitement they previously missed. And because the effects were mostly digital in the prequels, implementing 3D on those ought to be easier than with the older matte compositions in the original trilogy.
So what do you think? Care to revisit the Star Wars universe one more time (or six)?
HAVE YOUR SAY!
Hardcore Star Wars fans will see this, and also mabey some movie haters will see it so they can piss and moan afterwards about how much they hate 3D and the changes George Lucas has made and blah blah blah...
Oh and one more thing, 3D is here to stay so get used to it everyone..
I'll probably wait 5-7 years till i finally have a (ridiculously cheap by then) 3D projector and pay a barbain bin price to watch them all in 3D.
Hopefully by then there are fan edits of the 3D films as well :)
I have absolutely no desire to watch Episode I in the theatre again, especially at the price a 3D ticket costs. But I've learned that Episode I, and the prequel trilogy in general, is not for me. Kids, now teens and young adults, who grew up watching the prequel trilogy will jump at the opportunity to revisit their trilogy and beyond. 3D is just icing on the cake. And it will be successful.
And I don't mind that. When Episodes II-VI come out, I might just make it a point to head to the theatre and give Lucas and company my money. This is the series that helped turned me onto science fiction, and I wouldn't be the fan, or person, I am today without that. It amuses me that Lucas is so bemoaned today despite his being the impetus for so many of us. He's definitely made some mistakes, but he has not outright ruined what he's given us. Not yet, anyway.
I've seen every film in theatres so far... why stop now?
And the 3D might just make the bland CG of the first three films pop a little like the article suggests.
Short of the 3D... has there been anything else changed on the films?
The Prequels almost entirely sukced and 3D sucks even more so there is no chance in hell I'm paying for that.
I'm enjoying the animated series much more than any of the prequels at the moment anyway. It has really grown since the theatrical movie they released just before season one, really great show. (not always but most of the time)
I'm a HUGE Star Wars fan, yet I have zero interest in these. I might see Empire in 3D just to see what it's like, but definitely not any of the new 3. Also, 3D viewing has decline significantly over the last year, so I wouldn't be surprised that unless the price comes down, 3D in theaters is done. The next wave is at home.
I'm probably there if it hangs around for a second or third week - it's hitting theaters at the same time as the Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival and the Studio Ghibli retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts, so my movie-seeing time is sort of spoken for in mid-February.
Still, even the weakest of the six movies (and I think TPM is that) is a great big adventure movie filled with more excitement and imagination than most anything else playing in theaters, and Lucas is putting a lot more time into the 3D conversion than a lot of the quickies that showed us how bad the process can be.
Hell no. And I love 3D.
Anyone who thinks 3D has no place in the cinema needs to watch films like Pina & Cave of Forgotten Dreams. With that said I have no interest in watching the Star Wars films in 3D, though I'll admit if I was going to watch any of the prequels in 3D it would probably be Phantom Menace.
I'm also a HUGE Star Wars fan, and lately my own passion for it has been re-ignited by my own young children's discovery of it, and their own obsession. So mostly because of that, I was actually looking forward to TPM in 3D in the theater. Although my kids watched the films in release order, it wasn't until TPM that they became obsessed. And that's okay by me.
BUT - not being a 3D fan, and yes, also being skeptical of what retro-fitted 3D will do to these films - I was REALLY hoping that there would be a critics' screening I could take my family to for free!
TPM was, and is a completely tedious snoozefest, full of it's own misplaced importance. I wouldn't go if you paid me to.
I saw the originals all in the cinema on their initial releases, Star Wars I will always watch whenever it's on, I'm just waiting until my son is old enough to appreciate the original trilogy, until then, I'll give them a miss, there's nothing sadder than a 40+ yearold sat on his own watching Star Wars.!
I think people will go along who haven't seen the prequels since cinemas, thinking, "oh maybe I've mellowed with time, it can't be THAT bad. Plus the 3D will be cool" -- but they will have forgotten. And it will be BAD. And once again we will hear millions of voices suddenly crying out in terror... suddenly silenced.