This is a great little video that reveals just what it was that Han Solo was transporting that he was forced to dump before he met Luke Skywalker and Obi-wan Kenobi. Break out your red and cyan 3D glasses, though, to view it in its full glory. I also recommend viewing it full screen.
The Solo Adventures from Daniel Smith on Vimeo.
Ever wondered what the “Imperial March” from the _Star Wars_ series would sound like on classical guitar? Well, wonder no more:
And if that’s not enough Imperial goodness for you, check out the “Imperial March in Hawaiian style”:http://www.kennyhaining.co.uk/mp3/Imperial_Surf.mp3 as played by “Kenny Haining”:http://www.kennyhaining.co.uk.
(Source: “SF Signal”:http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/005539.html)
Steampunk Meets Star Wars – One of the coolest things you’ll see today.
Apparently, George Lucas thinks that The Empire Strikes Back was the worst of all the Star Wars movies. Ironic, then, that it is the one most commonly held up and revered by die-hard fans as being the best of all time. (And, according to “SF Signal”:http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Sfsignal/~3/89256649/004779.html, it’s also the one written by a sci-fi author and not directed by Lucas.) It really, _really_ makes me question Lucas’ judgment on quality, now.
(And for the record, I actually thought Jedi was pretty good, it being among my personal favorites.)
Update: Mm, my bad. Looks like Lucas was joking.
Some time back, I read a review of _Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith_. I don’t remember where I read it, but I do remember the reviewer being disappointed in how easily the Jedi were dispatched by the clone army. The comment made was something to the effect that the Jedi were destroyed far too quickly and easily for ones who, individually, were more than a match for an army. This is a mental image that has stayed with me ever since.
I can just visualize a camera shot, focusing in on the grim but determined expression of a lone Jedi warrior. The camera pans out to reveal several Stormtroopers, so it’s clear that battle is afoot. But as the camera continues to pull out, it also begins to ascend, giving a bird’s-eye view of the battlefield, and you realize that the Jedi is facing a legion of the Emperor’s best. Thus begins a battle sequence – the Jedi lights his saber and rushes headlong into battle, his robes blowing in the wind. He has a blinding speed powered by a mastery of the Force, the ability to brush his enemies aside with barely a wave of his hand, and the capacity to anticipate every move of the soldiers he is destroying. Blaster bolts illuminate the field with an almost blinding intensity, and at the center of it all, a lightsaber moves with such speed that it looks almost like a solid orb of light. When the battle is done, a thousand Stormtroopers lie dead on the killing fields with the sole survivor being the Jedi Master, robes singed, wounded certainly, despite his power and advantage. And the expression on his face as he clips his lightsaber to his belt again is one of bitter sadness. It would make for a powerful and moving action sequence, the way it plays out in my mind.
It’s a battle sequence I would love to see realized but which I suspect never will – George Lucas simply hasn’t the imagination, the vision, or the ability as a screenwriter to see it happen. I don’t even know if this was ever what he envisioned his Jedi warriors to be, these almost godlike people who roamed the galaxy as peacemakers and diplomats, where possible, and fighters and warbreakers where not. But it’s an inspiring vision, nonetheless. Perhaps a fan film will someday add to the voluminous universe Lucas created (or a remake of Episodes I-III) and do a Jedi battle the way it _should_ be done.
We can only hope.
FXhome.com :: Cinema :: Movie Info :: Art of the Saber ::
A friend of mine stumbled across this video the other day. It’s a beautifully choreographed light saber duel, with an opening narration that pays homage to a Civil War soldier. The video is brief – right around five minutes in length – and it’s close leaves you wanting more. You can download a copy of the video from the link above, but don’t bother clicking through to the forums – they’ve been hacked for some time now, which indicates that those forums are no longer active, since no one’s bothered to fix it. Check out the video, though. It’s well worth it. And if anyone knows of any other videos done by the Ho Brothers, please let me know.
John Scalzi has an interesting write-up on “Star Wars as entertainment”:http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/004532.html. He posits that the _Star Wars_ series cannot be classified as entertainment because George Lucas didn’t create it to _be_ entertainment. Rather, Lucas, by his own admission, created it to be a mythology. Scalzi further states that this does not negate the fact that many _have_ been entertained by _Star Wars_, merely that it cannot, in and of itself, be classified as such. It’s a very interesting read, both from a fan’s perspective and from a writer’s perspective. The ensuing discussion in the comments natters on a bit, I think, about trivialities ((John does an excellent job of fielding the important points leveled.)), but the essay itself is well worth the read.