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Footage From Star Wars: Episode III 558
An anonymous reader writes "Leaked footage of Star Wars: Episode III is now online! Included in the 2-minute and 37-second clip are shots of the Australian set, George Lucas behind the camera, Chewbacca looking cooler than ever, and even a quick peek at Hayden Christensen (in Vader get-up!) and Ewan McGregor duking it out, all being played to AC/DC's 'Back in Black.' I've downloaded it, but am undecided as if I should watch it or not, lest it spoil something (here's hoping that it's good)."
No real spoilers in the clip. (Score:5, Informative)
The only spoiler I want to know... (Score:5, Funny)
OK (Score:5, Funny)
see, you really didn't want that spoiler, did you?
Re:Oh, gay (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The only spoiler I want to know... (Score:2)
Re:The only spoiler I want to know... (Score:5, Funny)
All Yousa Peoples Gonna Die!!!
Re:The only spoiler I want to know... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:No real spoilers in the clip. (Score:5, Funny)
Is Darth Vader a chubby, nerdy kid making whooshing noises? I could swear I saw this new "leaked footage" over a year ago! Of course, I'm a really, really 1337 w4r3z g0d.
Re:No real spoilers in the clip. (Score:5, Funny)
I have a spoiler for you: you will die alone!
(With apologies to Triumph the Insult Comic Dog and Robert Smigel.)
three strikes, no balls (Score:5, Funny)
on a scale of 'phantom plot' to 'a new hope' expect another zero.
Re:three strikes, no balls (Score:5, Informative)
Actually, more people remember that than remember that it wasn't exactly his movie; unlike Star Wars, Indiana Jones, American Graffiti, THX 1138 and Willow, which were all his creations, Howard the Duck was based on a Marvel Comics character, and it was both written and directed by other people (longtime Lucas associates Willard Huyck and Gloria Katz, to be specific; Huyck directed, Katz produced, and they co-wrote it together, so the couple - they're married - are pretty much responsible for Howard as a film. Lucas was incidental).
I personally think Lucas' creativity took a turn for the worse around 1993. His works prior to that were mostly fine, with several excellent works; his worst works (of his own creation, as opposed to the various movies he executive-produced for other filmmakers) from before the early '90s are probably Willow and the made-for-TV Ewok movies, and even those were Ok for what they were meant to be. After 1993, though, he brought us Radioland Murders and the Star Wars prequels and special editions. I think most of us would agree all those efforts are at least fairly flawed, and perhaps worse. I'm personally inclined to attribute the fact there may be anything worthwhile in any of them to all of them having been at least "on the drawing board" since before '93 or so, when he was still having good ideas.
In other words, yeah, I'm afraid he's not quite what he was (and I hate to say it; I grew up a pretty serious Lucasfilm geek), but I wouldn't pin his decline as far back as '86 just because of Howard. That was just one movie out of a bunch he served as executive producer on, usually for friends or other filmmakers he admired or wanted to help out, and many of those other movies are quite worthwhile (Kagemusha, Body Heat, Twice Upon a Time, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters, Latino, Labyrinth, Tucker: The Man and His Dream), and include movies made concurrently with or following Howard the Duck.
Re:No real spoilers in the clip. (Score:3, Insightful)
I was 7 years old when I saw Star Wars, and it was AWESOME (to me at the time, anyway).
In the 70's and 80's, there weren't 15 new movies a week coming to the theaters, and hand-made special effects meant that making cool high-tech stuff was really, really hard. Star Wars may be dated today, but George and crew have been improving special effects for the entire industry for 30 years.
You might want to be grateful for the flash-in-the-
Re:No real spoilers in the clip. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Chewbacca is a spoiler (Score:5, Insightful)
PTS vs. PTR... (Score:4, Insightful)
Solo's opinion about the leaked video (Score:4, Funny)
George Solo: it may not look like much but is's got it where it counts, kid. Will make a lot of special CG modifications myself.
Re:PTS vs. PTR... (Score:4, Funny)
Yup. (Score:3, Funny)
TFN Episode III "Review from the future"! (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:TFN Episode III "Review from the future"! (Score:3, Informative)
TFN's Episode 3 Review
A fictional work by Joshua Griffin
would be dated April 2005
Finally there's a prequel to be proud of. Not that the others have been all that bad - they just haven't been able to cast the same spell over fans that the originals had back in the 70s. We argued that Episode 1 was misunderstood, that Episode 2 was a step in the right direction and prayed for Episode 3 to deliver.
And man does it deliver.
I'm just returning from something Lucasfilm has never done before
Re:TFN Episode III "Review from the future"! (Score:3, Insightful)
I've seen it in the 1978 StarWars TV Christmas Special. BTW: You should watch that if you think the prequels suck ...
Re:TFN Episode III "Review from the future"! (Score:5, Funny)
A fictional work by Joshua Griffin would be dated April 2005
You didn't need to tell us it was fiction. The 5 stars at the end gave it away.
--
In London? Need a Physics Tutor? [colingregorypalmer.net]
American Weblog in London [colingregorypalmer.net]
Use the force, George (Score:5, Insightful)
In other words, if Episode III is the Star Wars equivalent of Star Trek: Nemesis, then he loses the franchise.
Re:Use the force, George (Score:2, Insightful)
It's nothing like the Star Trek situation. Rick Berman doesn't personally finance the movies. He has to answer to someone when things go sour.
Lucas answers to nobody. If a movie flops, he has nobody to answer to, nobody to blame but himself. Should he wish to make another, he can pump out as many Star Wars movies as he wants as long as he has money. Lucas has buckets of money, end of story.
Re:Use the force, George (Score:5, Insightful)
You think dealing with a boss if tough, try being one.
Re:Use the force, George (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Use the force, George (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Use the force, George (Score:2)
Re:Use the force, George (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Use the force, George (Score:5, Insightful)
Feel free to put down the idiot gun, because Corebreech is absolutely right... If he keeps screwing up, he's lost the franchise. Maybe not the rights, just his loyal following, which is nearly, if not more important than a license you can't do shit with because you've lost touch with reality.
Re:Use the force, George (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Use the force, George (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: MOD PARENT UP (Score:5, Funny)
> This is SO true. I wouldn't put it past Lucas to try to pump out a storyline for the "final" trilogy in the Star Wars world.
VII : Star Wars - A New Action Figure
VIII : The Action Figures Strike Back
IX : The Return of the Action Figure
Re:Use the force, George (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Use the force, George (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm going to keep my expectations low, but see it in the theaters anyhow.
I'd rather someone would come out with a new science fiction franchise to take the reins from Star Wars- som
Re:Use the force, George (Score:3, Insightful)
Yes, but unfortunately for George LoTR rather spectacular, and epic, and very successful. Star Wars is going to lose the Genre Film crown - but a large part of that is due to the i
Re:Use the force, George (Score:4, Funny)
Hopefully Gainax, WETA, and ADV Films and the unnamed but Very Major American Movie Studio(s) will be able to make this work.
If it's done right, this Eva movie will blow the Star Wars prequels and The Matrix trilogy out of the water. Big time.
If it's done wrong, it's going to be the American-financed Godzilla movie all over again. Here lizard, lizard, lizard....
Re:Use the force, George (Score:5, Informative)
hate it. (Score:5, Funny)
Re:hate it. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:hate it. (Score:3, Insightful)
I'm not sure how he's going to put this together, but to most humans, and especially to the crowd which grew up with the original series, having kids is going to be a big "upper." Just right to end the story on, and pick up later in the later movies.
-Adam
what? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:what? (Score:5, Insightful)
How does Anakin become Vader?
Where does the name Darth Vader come from?
How come he doesn't know about that Padme has twins?
How does Palpatine gain total control?
How do all the Jedi die?
What Jedi survive other than Yoda and Obiwan?
Will there be an answer to why Obiwan and Yoda fade away when they die, but the Jedi we've seen die in Episodes 1 & 2 don't?
The biggest question I have is in Episode 3, will we see Anakin become Darth Vader, or will we see Anakin "die" and then Darth Vader first appear soon after?
Re:what? (Score:5, Informative)
Anakin really becomes Vader-Vader after falling in a Lava pit while fighting a worm not unlike the sandworms of Arrakis. He survives, but needs the black suit to survive.
Padme goes into hiding after seeing that Anakin goes over to the dark side. She never tells him that she had kids.
Palpatine has a military coup, the final bit of which is seen in eps 4 with the dissolving of the senate.
The Jedi are hunted down by bounty hunters like Fett, along with Darth Vader and some other force-users that the books allude to.
A few Jedi survive in out of the way places, some of them turn up in the books. (One teaches Kip Durron a bit in the mines of Kessel, another guards a cache of lightsabers on an old library planet that's name eludes me.)
The longer it's been since the Jedi has died, the harder it is to come back. Even Obiwan stops appearing to Luke after a decade or two.
Re:what? (Score:3, Informative)
shame, really.
Re:what? (Score:5, Funny)
I'm glad you asked. It was a horrible garbage disposer accident. Remember to always turn off the garbage disposer when reaching in to retrieve your light saber, kids!
Where does the name Darth Vader come from?
From the Akkadian root for "wooden performance".
How come he doesn't know about that Padme has twins?
For the same reason that Homer Simpson failed his fatherhood quiz.
How does Palpatine gain total control?
That one's easy. [amazon.com]
How do all the Jedi die?
They hold their breath for a very long time and go to doggy heaven.
What Jedi survive other than Yoda and Obiwan?
The ones who don't hold their breath when Palpatine asks them.
Will there be an answer to why Obiwan and Yoda fade away when they die, but the Jedi we've seen die in Episodes 1 & 2 don't?
No, but they'll finally explain why Klingons had ridged forheads, then lost them, then got them back. I bet you can't wait to find out!
Re:what? (Score:3, Funny)
Annie had an unfortunate encounter with a pit of lava after a Jedi-mind trick prank went awry. You wouldn't believe the japes they play at the Jedi Academy.
"Where does the name Darth Vader come from?"
It originated from the word 'dearth', an affectionate title that was born one day after exiting a cold swimming pool.
"How come he doesn't know about that Padme has twins?"
Women habitually gain weight shortly after getting married.
"How does Palpatine gain total control
Re:what? (Score:5, Funny)
Can't get enough foreshadowing? Feel cheated because there wasn't a scene in Attack of the Clones where someone says "You're a pretty good Moff, Tarkin, but you're not quite a grand Moff"? Well, you're going to be ass-clenchingly happy with Episode III, because our sources inform us that there's going to be plenty more of the awkward, forced foreshadowing that filled the first two prequels! Check out this preview:
"Golly, no one will ever make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs!"
"If I ever have a son, I'd like him to have my lightsaber when he's old enough. But not to use against me!"
"In local news, Mos Eisley has moved up to second-most wretched hive of scum and villany."
"Okay, me and the rest of the Bothans will be back soon with the information! Don't worry, we won't die!"
"Call me Ben. Obi-Wan is a name I hope not to hear again in a long time. A long time."
"These new 'Scout Walkers' can handle anything you throw at them. Except wood of course."
"Your voice is kind of whiny and reedy for a Sith Lord, Anakin. Can't you get a voice coach or something?"
"Jedi Master Windu's bravery and wisdom will be remembered for, oh, 27 years, tops."
"Aren't the Skywalker twins cute? And such sexual tension between them!"
"Let's remove R2's jet rockets and put in some sort of teddy bear zapping device instead."
"Well, that's it. There's no hope."
Re:what? (Score:3, Interesting)
Actually, I'm thinking (and hoping, but probably in vain) that maybe we don't know what we think we know.
For example, everyone is expecting Anakin to become Vader. What if he's not? Perhaps Vader is a clone of Anakin. This could explain a few things:
heh (Score:4, Informative)
Spoiler Alert! (Score:4, Funny)
You heard it here first! (c=
Re:Spoiler Alert! (Score:3, Funny)
Not much spoilage (Score:5, Informative)
Somebody put a small video camera in front of a TV showing some video of the film development from about 4-8 feet away. I wonder if they where worried someone would come in and catch them doing it.
There definitely doesn't seem to be any spoilage. Everything that could be given away in this (very poor quality) video clip is given away buy the description of this story!
Characters (Score:5, Funny)
The important question is... how much Natalie Portman does it show?
Re:Characters (Score:2)
Oh, but Jimmy Smits makes a brief appearance.
Is it just me... (Score:3, Funny)
BitTorrent Mirror (Score:5, Informative)
seems to be working
Skeptical (Score:5, Insightful)
I admit...
The lightsaber fights do end up looking good, even in these green screen clips.
Then I remember Star Wars: Episode 1. The lightsaber fight with Darth Maul / Obiwan was very very good, but the movie overall wasn't. I realize that from these scenes, that what's shown amounts to roughly 5-10 minutes of the movie that *might* actually be good.
Call me what you will, but there was nothing in Episode 1 that was truly memorable. There were no lines that are worthy of geeks repeating. There was nothing that truly captured me when I watched it, and made me want to see it again. Just because it's Star Wars, doesn't make it automatically fantastic.
I hope to god Episode 3 makes up for the other two. But I'm not holding my breath.
Re:Skeptical (Score:5, Insightful)
Then I remember Star Wars: Episode 1. The lightsaber fight with Darth Maul / Obiwan was very very good...
Sure, if your definition of "good" is having the fighters flip around maniacally in all sorts of improbable positions, doing spins and twirls which would make it easy for any capable swordsman to kill them. What I'd really like to see is for the lightsabre fights to employ traditional swordsmanship techniques. After all, what's the point of doing any kind of spin or wind-up movement... to build up more momentum which doesn't even affect an energy beam?
I know, people probably expect to see lots of crazy acrobatics so that they can get their action fix rather than having a lightsabre duel be an actual plot device, used in the context of telling a great story.
Re:Skeptical (Score:3, Interesting)
The dynamics are relatively the same. A single touch from either weapon ends the fight. Moving in "3-D" doesn't really help the Jedi, as unless he's fighting off lots of other things, the closest thing to his opponent is still a straight line, and he's only got to touch him once to win.
Here's how it goes. People scurry back and forth. Wildly. Points last a couple of seconds. Since we can assume that the Jedi are weighing far m
Re:Skeptical (Score:3, Insightful)
After all, what's the point of doing any kind of spin or wind-up movement... to build up more momentum which doesn't even affect an energy beam?
Well, here's a thought. Jedi's ability to "feel" the force (remember the drone whose laser bolts LS deflects in his novice training in ANH) means that all the spinning and stuff is necessary to even attempt to defeat their ability to put the light sabre in the right place at the right time to deflect a blow. Now, I am not trying to offer a "coherent" defence
Re:Skeptical (Score:5, Insightful)
Actually, I wish you would. Regardless of any supernatural powers they're supposed to possess, it still boils down to two people with weapons, each trying to win. Then again, maybe in Jedi school they teach students to spin around and turn their backs on opponents because it looks better to someone who may be watching.
You're right -- I worded my post poorly. The point I tried to make here wasn't whether or not the style of fighting affects the plot but that the fighting should be realistic and fight scenes, when used, shouldn't be merely for filler. It's a side point to the fight quality, but still important I feel.
In the meantime, why not have the Jedi and Sith doing some bitchin' acrobatics and saber work to please the 99.9% of us who realize that it's not real, it's a movie.
In movies, one of the goals is to have a suspension of disbelief and, to achieve that, scenes should be reasonably believable. When things go so over the top that it's difficult to take seriously, it affects the movie experience in my opinion. Imagine they took a Bruce Lee movie and changed around the fight scenes, enhancing them with computer graphics so that Bruce can defy gravity and kick 20 people in a row with a continually spinning roundhouse. Would you say that would result in a better movie for 99.9% of people? Or is the original better, where the main focus of the fighting is an awesome exhibition of incredible raw kung fu talent, with only minimal effects to enhance it?
Not worth the download... (Score:4, Funny)
and now on a positive note....
You could at least give the movie url! (Score:4, Informative)
I'm getting 4kBytes/sec with wget.
Hayden (Score:3, Insightful)
just my C$0.02
Spoiler (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Spoiler (Score:3, Informative)
I thought Yoda was Frank Oz (aka "Fozzy Bear", et al).
Spoil it? (Score:2, Insightful)
So call me a troll!
Download Mirror (Score:5, Funny)
How to tell if a Star Wars movie will suck or rock (Score:5, Funny)
If the name rocks, the film will suck.
If the name sucks, the film will rock.
Examples:
A New Hope: Name sucks, movie rocks.
Empire Strikes Back: Name sucks, movie rocks.
Return of the Jedi: Name sucks, movie sort-of rocks.
Phantom Menace: Name rocks, movie sucks.
Attack of the Clones; Name sucks, movie sucks (hey, it was an exception)
Revenge of the Sith: Name rocks, movie will probably suck.
See Episode III the second day (Score:5, Funny)
But here's my feeble little geek protest: don't go opening night. Go the second night. Wouldn't it be cool if the first day, *no one* showed up?
Re:See Episode III the second day (Score:3)
Impending sense of doom (Score:5, Insightful)
What I'm really trying to say is that even if this next Star Wars is as good as the first three, no one posting on Slashdot will be able to connect with this movie the same way we did with the first three. I think that we still view them though the eyes of an eight year old and will never be able to recreate that outlook towards another movie of this genre again.
Not true, not true at all (Score:5, Interesting)
Most people that never saw the first trilogy (yes, they exist) who have seen the new ones as adults don't think they're all that great. My folks can't stand them.
It has dick all to do with childhood memories, really, contrary to what every karma whore has posted to every single Star Wars story on Slashdot for the past 4 years. Kids will eat anything up and call it candy, that is correct. But Star Wars (ep 4-6) stood the test of time because more than just pre-pubescents thought it was good. Same can't be said for the new stuff, sorry.
If you're going after the historical angle, at least point out the fact that in 1977 no one had even attempted the special affects Lucas did, whereas the new ones could really have been made by anyone. That at least is an acceptable excuse. Star Wars WAS something special, for all ages seeing it. Ep 1/2 might as well have been Matrix sequels, really.
Re:Impending sense of doom (Score:3, Interesting)
Sounds strange when he's putting all this about politics and trade blockades into the movie. The problem I have with especially the prequels is partly what you say -- they may seem too childish for adults, but also that children might miss out so much when key moments in the movies deal with the senat
The Footage Looks Like It Was Leaked From Lucas (Score:4, Insightful)
Last scene spoiler (Score:5, Funny)
where the camera holder gets stabbed in the back of the head by Lucas security goons.
Spoiler (Score:4, Funny)
2. Anakin bangs Queen Amidala.
3. Queen Amidala begat Luke Skywalker and Leia.
The end.
/.-style spoiler (Score:3, Funny)
Mirror (Score:3, Informative)
direct download link (Score:5, Informative)
Do your fucking worst!
Here it is [tomservo.net]
share with your friends, whatever. I've got 1TB xfer/month and January's almost over!
Re:direct download link (Score:3, Informative)
my poor server is now putting out right at 9.88MB/sec with only about 38GB xferred over the last 24 hours (as of this post)
However, Apache seems to have hit its 150-client limit. If you're trying to connect and it times out then sorry! Everybody else that's connected should be getting good speeds, though
From the linked page (Score:3, Funny)
Like the last two tries?
worst slashdotting ever (Score:3)
Someone needs to figure this out.
Memorable line counts (Score:3, Interesting)
Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back had the same ham-fisted Lucas dialog, but they were fun and you remember a lot of little lines from them. Heck, I can still hear the exact intonation of Luke's lines as he reacts to Ben Kenobi being cut down. "These aren't the droids we're looking for" and a bunch of other quotes have stuck with me forever. "Empire..." I recall a little less from, though I've probably seen it more. Some of the drippingly sarcastic "Your worship" stuff, and lots of Threepio's banter with R2D2, but not tons of it.
By the time we get to Return of the Jedi, though, I recall nothing to speak of. And for the last/first two movies, all, I can come up with is "Mee-sa." Seriously. And maybe, if I reach, "Around the survivors a perimeter create," but that I'm remembering because it was so stoo-pid. (The entire plot point, not just the line.)
Anyway, does anyone remember any lines from Episodes I or II? For good reasons? Try it out.
Re:Bittorrent (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Bittorrent (Score:5, Informative)
Working Torrent... (Score:5, Informative)
I've seen it, and it's not a spoiler, or a leaked workprint clip as you might be led to believe. Rather, it's just a bad cam of one of those Behind The Scenes things they show on E! and whatnot.
--
Re:bittorrent not working manually or any other wa (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Why does anyone give Lucas any more chances? (Score:2, Funny)
Yeah, I was kinda hoping to see Jar Jar in place of Gollum too.
Re:Why does anyone give Lucas any more chances? (Score:3, Funny)
Oh god, bad mental image... "Meeesa wants da pwecioussss... It callsss to ussss..."
Re:Why does anyone give Lucas any more chances? (Score:5, Funny)
So that was Yoda saying "my precious..." all the time? Yeah, it's a lousy rending of Yoda there -- I can see how you'd be disappointed.
Re:Why does anyone give Lucas any more chances? (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Why does anyone give Lucas any more chances? (Score:5, Insightful)
You may hate the movies, but they make money.
Plus Lucas owns them, and backs them himself, so he can keep making movies as long as he can bank roll them.
Any film that makes money is a good business venture. Hollywood is there to make money, not please you.
I was displeased with TPM.
I was more pleased with AOTC. If the Jedi had not been so angry when they fight, and if yoda was calm and collective, and not a freaking superball, it would have been a pretty good credit to the series. Clearly Lucas listened.
Now, the 2 bits I din't like could be OK if they turn out to be part of the plot(why is the force weakening?), which I suspect.
I have more hope for this movie then the last two.
always remeber, Lucas could do it in sock puppets, and still make 100Million.
Re:Why does anyone give Lucas any more chances? (Score:5, Insightful)
When Yoda is commanding troops in battle, making split second decisions, and drawing his saber, you know that things are coming quickly to a head.
Re:Why does anyone give Lucas any more chances? (Score:2)
Re:Why does anyone give Lucas any more chances? (Score:4, Interesting)
I haven't seen Ep. II. And I am a hardcore SF geek, catching just about every SF and Fantasy movie as it is released. We did a expanded edition marathon of LotR before we went and saw Return on opening night. I stood in line for three days with a friend and bought 24 tickets for Phantom Menace. We were on the national NBC feed... he was singing "Luke be a Jedi tonight", I was next to him with the digeredoo (sp?).
But I haven't seen Episode II. And unless I hear good things about Episode III, I won't see that either (although if Ep. III gets rave reviews, I'll likely watch II and then see III in the theater).
Lucas lost me. When Rohan rode into battle to answer Gondor's call during RotK, I turned to my SO and said "Suck it Lucas, suck it long, suck it hard". That moment had thrill, which Lucas (at least in Phantom Menace) had utterly lost. Pretty much sums it up. I don't think any movie that Lucas has had full control over turned out well. He's a good producer, and has been a fairly capable director, especially when it comes to visuals. He really broke ground with the original trilogy, assembling an excellent team. As a writer, he sucks. And his ego won't let him see that.
I'm not adverse to seeing it... I just don't care enough to go. And I went to see Paycheck at the Metreon because it was SF... my standards are pretty low when it comes to giving a flick a chance.
--
Evan
Re:Uh... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Not Worth It (Score:4, Funny)
Too easy. How about whether or not it'll be worse than Revolutions?
Holy Christ (Score:3, Interesting)
If George Lucas had filmed Lord of the Rings, all of Bag-End would have been blue-screened. Compare to WETA who actually builds a small-scale set, a large-scale set, and an outdoor real location. Guess what, it makes it look like the actors are really there!
Attack of the Clones was endless, flat, eye-level camera shots. It looked like everyone was acting on a theater stage (in a bad way), and it was shot that way. The reason? They WERE on a s