30 Greatest Star Wars characters

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Fri Jul 06, 2007 11:42 pm

http://www.empireonline.com/features/30 ... haracters/

I completely agree with Number One.

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 10:22 am

Nice!

And very glad to see that a certain Gungan was absent!

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Sat Jul 07, 2007 12:20 pm

[composite word including 'f*ck'] yeah.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 11:16 am

that was cool!

Shanti418 · Post by **Shanti418** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 3:56 pm

I had a great time with the list, thanks for the link.

I can agree with #1, but there were some other ones that I felt should have been higher than they were.

And I like looking in on a fandom that's more fanatical than Transformer fans.

Having gone through Transformers The Movie ourselves, I think we've all gained a better appreciation for what they had to go through with The Phantom Menace.

Post by **Best First** » Mon Jul 09, 2007 4:01 pm

Have i beaten Brend to the obvious Malcolm Reynolds gag?

Yaya · Post by **Yaya** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 1:49 am

C3P0 at 34? Behind TIE Fighter Pilot, Scout Trooper, and Imperial Guard?

Something ain't right.

Agree with #1 and #2 though.

<3Starscream · Post by **<3Starscream** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 3:27 am

I was actually surprised to see Luke at number 7..but when I saw 6-1, I understood why.

I actually agree with probably the entire list
Although in my little world..Darth Vader would have been 1.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Wed Jul 11, 2007 2:52 pm

Yaya wrote:C3P0 at 34? Behind TIE Fighter Pilot, Scout Trooper, and Imperial Guard?

Sounds fair to me. But many of the prequel characters were too high for me.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 8:14 pm

Han is the coolest guy in SW by along way, without Han, the filn doesnt work, just see films 1-3 for example.

How C3PO is in at Number 33 I dont know, thats the only thing I dont like.

Obfleur · Post by **Obfleur** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:52 am

Okay, so far in this thread about the 30 greatest Star Wars characters, we have C3P0 at places 33 and 34.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 4:07 pm

You noticed that too, huh?

Star Wars Maths.

anna · Post by **anna** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 5:07 pm

what no jar jar? lol! (yoda is my #1 i like han hes cool but yoda is the best lol!)

<3Starscream · Post by **<3Starscream** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 5:52 pm

I saw it too.
But I didn't want to say anything.

rusty_herring · Post by **rusty_herring** » Fri Jul 13, 2007 6:00 pm

Han is the coolest guy in SW by along way, without Han, the filn doesnt work, just see films 1-3 for example.

Agreed. Just look at Han-Leia scenes and compare it with *slight retch* Anakin-Padme scenes in episodes 1-3.

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:14 am

rusty_herring wrote:
Han is the coolest guy in SW by along way, without Han, the filn doesnt work, just see films 1-3 for example.
Agreed. Just look at Han-Leia scenes and compare it with *slight retch* Anakin-Padme scenes in episodes 1-3.

Of course, it helps that both Ford and Fisher can act...

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:23 am

<3Starscream wrote:I saw it too.
But I didn't want to say anything.

I couldnt be arsed to scroll back up the page to check.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:19 am

Legion wrote:Of course, it helps that both Ford and Fisher can act...

Portman can act.

I think it helped that Ford and Fisher filmed their scenes on actual sets, where they had awareness of the surroundings and some form of context.

Even the best actor in the world would struggle with "right, ignore all the green - imagine you're in a really imposing room... don't worry, we'll decide what it looks like later. Now, use this tennis ball for your eyeline... we'll draw the character in later... deliver the line!"

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:49 am

Brendocon wrote:
Legion wrote:Of course, it helps that both Ford and Fisher can act...
Portman can act.

Hmmm... she didn't do a good job of it in StarWars then...
Of course, the poor script probably didn't help...

Brendocon wrote: I think it helped that Ford and Fisher filmed their scenes on actual sets, where they had awareness of the surroundings and some form of context.

Even the best actor in the world would struggle with "right, ignore all the green - imagine you're in a really imposing room... don't worry, we'll decide what it looks like later. Now, use this tennis ball for your eyeline... we'll draw the character in later... deliver the line!"

That is true, although the 'tennis ball for eye-line' routine has been around for many, many years now and has worked perfectly fine in other special effects films, not even having a set around them must be disconcerting for an actor.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:56 am

Yeah, it's a spacial awareness thing, I think. Spatial? Bugger it.

When you're in a room, you've got things around you... you know where they are, you position yourself in relation to them and move around them. Put your hand on a table, glance down at things... interact with the environment. Makes it feel real.

Stood in front of a green screen, all you can really do is... well... stand there. It's unnatural.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 11:56 am

Legion wrote:
Brendocon wrote:
Legion wrote:Of course, it helps that both Ford and Fisher can act...
Portman can act.
Hmmm... she didn't do a good job of it in StarWars then...
Of course, the poor script probably didn't help...

Indeed. The love scenes in Empire were written by the same woman who wrote The Big Sleep and Rio Bravo. A cut above I guess.

Portman either seems to be good or bad and never in the middle. Good in Closer and Garden State. But a weak point in Star Wars and V For Vendetta.

Brendocon wrote:
Stood in front of a green screen, all you can really do is... well... stand there. It's unnatural.

The actors in Sin City did a good job I felt. Lucas's script and direction could be the main problem.

Legion · Post by **Legion** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:32 pm

spiderfrommars wrote: Lucas's script and direction could be the main problem.

Yup, that's definitely a big 'could' if you ask me

on the other hand, we always have this version to fall back on:
http://winterson.com/2005/06/episode-ii ... -west.html

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:45 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:The actors in Sin City did a good job I felt.

Having an actual director probably helps. I still remember hearing tales of Lucas's directing on the original SW "Okay, again - but better".

Sin City knew its limits and didn't try to be flashy just for the sake of being flashy. A lot of the CG in the new SW films is there for its own sake and detracts from it. When something's got a practical set you watch and think "oh, I wonder how they're going to get out of this" - when the background is CG the instinctive reaction is "oooh, pretty."

The b&w style of Sin City immediately takes you out of the realism... paradoxically making it more real, if sort of dreamlike. Because it's not all CG, but it being monotone makes the CG less noticeable - there's no contrast. The comic-book style helps, too. The entire thing is sort of dreamlike... and I don't think the acting's anything brilliant, personally... but it works given the overall feel of the film.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:52 pm

That said, I couldn't connect with 300 at all. Again, possibly the actors and director just stank.

Impactor returns 2.0 · Post by **Impactor returns 2.0** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:06 pm

thats strange because I hated the over use of CG in the new SW films but thought 300 was brillant. oh well.

Brendocon · Post by **Brendocon** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:11 pm

spiderfrommars wrote:That said, I couldn't connect with 300 at all. Again, possibly the actors and director just stank.

My problems with 300 lie in the fact that it's [seemingly] standard Frank Miller "portentious dialogue and lots of violence will cover up the lack of subtext" stuff. I try not to give the film too much thought, as I enjoyed it immensely at the time, but had this nagging feeling that it would all fall apart the moment I start to think it through. Very faux-deep... utter style over substance.

Would it have worked better in a disassociating black and white? I think Miller said it's the last of his work he won't direct himself. If it is Snyder's fault, it's worrying... he's in charge of Watchmen.

Post by **spiderfrommars** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 1:32 pm

Brendocon wrote:If it is Snyder's fault, it's worrying... he's in charge of Watchmen.

Well if he's as faithful to Watchmen as he was to 300, it can't be all bad.