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Morbie19
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Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Location: Virginia
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 Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 2:57 pm Post subject: Clone Wars (vol. 1) discussion |
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I thought it'd be worthwhile to have a thread, apart from the "new" season of CW's thread, to talk about the DVD release.
Somehow I managed to miss every single one of chapters 1-20 when they originally aired so this past Tuesday's DVD release was pretty exciting for me.  All in all I'm very impressed with what the CW team has managed to do in such a short amount of time, both for individual chapters and the first twenty as one "movie." Praise for the microseries seems to be pretty unanimous, though I'd be curious to hear from people who don't like the series– is there anyone out there who falls into this category?
I listened to the Hyperspace commentary today and was significantly less impressed by it. I didn't catch who it was speaking but I'm guessing it's the lead designer or creative director? 80% of his comments seemed to be along the lines of "and this is where XYZ happens..." or "oh and this part's really cool..." without really adding much else than a blow-by-blow of what's happening onscreen. The remaining 20% of his commentary was pretty good, going over things like the team's vision behind certain scenes or events.
Other high points I noticed were the voice actors' performances and GG's small bit. I've been very impressed with CW so far and as of this post have again missed each of the new episodes airing on Cartoon Network.  I understand there's a complete showing tomorrow or this weekend, though? So... What does everyone else think? I'm especially curious to hear from those who hadn't seen or didn't like the series when it first aired.
m19
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JediMasterHalcyon
Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Location: Outa here... Posts: 77,806
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| Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 3:35 pm Post subject: |
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When does this thing come out in UK? I ordered mine but it ain't even in the post yet. If america gets another thing before me I swear I'm gonna destroy my Lego collection... okay I lie, but it was a white lie. So it's okay right?
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Big Z
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| Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 3:40 pm Post subject: |
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Yep, I picked up the DVD on Tuesday (thanks to you posting the prices, Morgan ).
I was able to keep up with it while it was fresh on CN/Star Wars.com. And I actually had the whole thing ripped from TV to DVD-R, thanks to a friend in TexLUG. But it's still great to have this superb series in eye-popping clarity on DVD.
Question for those who originally viewed it online only, and now have it on (official) DVD: Do y'all notice any difference in color? The colors in the DVD seem startlingly crisp and vibrant compared to the stuff that's available online, even the hi-res stuff for Hyperspace subscribers.
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Morbie19
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Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 3:50 pm Post subject: |
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| JediMasterHalcyon wrote: |
| When does this thing come out in UK? I ordered mine but it ain't even in the post yet. If america gets another thing before me I swear I'm gonna destroy my Lego collection... okay I lie, but it was a white lie. So it's okay right? |
Looks like it's being released on May 9th for Region 2:
http://dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=56466
m19
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lowlead
Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Location: Downeast
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| Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:47 pm Post subject: |
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Overall I really like the series but, in my opinion, it's not without its flaws. In some episodes the writing departs a bit too far from the Star Wars universe:
1) I was particularly bothered by the Greek revival architecture in the banking city of Munilist. Triglyphs, metopese, doric columns and pilasters have nothing at all to do with a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Yes, I know the writers wanted to convey the fact that Munilist is a banking city but I think a lot of green Star Wars-ish buildings would have sufficed.
2) The underwater episode was a bit too goofy. That huge crab-like laser cannon was just stupid, and I don't like the Jedi that was featured in that particular sequence...Kit Pfister or whatever the heck his name is. I'm puzzled as to why he's a figure of cult stardom like Fett. In fact, most of the Jedi characters in EpII are written as though they're trying too hard to be unique (if that makes sense at all). What's wrong with a slightly larger percentage of human Jedi?
In place of the underwater episode, I would have liked to see more ARC Troopers in action, maybe on another surgical strike mission to secure a disabled Techno Union starship left over from the battle on Geonosis...or something!
3) There might as well have been no commentary at all after listening to these half-baked "directors" ramble aimlessly about nothing - yikes, roll another one guys. At least Lucas can make a JarJar film tolerable with fantastic commentary.
4) The villain Dirge was cool, except at the end. I like how he was the leader of a joust-wielding posse of bad a$$es, and I liked the fact that he was difficult to kill, but his alien composition made him a better mutant in an X-Men movie.
Please, no "I'd like to see you do better" comments. Quite frankly, I bet I could team up with a few people on these forums and come up with a totally cool story. My point is, I think the creators are by far illustrators first, and Star Wars fans second.
-Matt
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Morbie19
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| Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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I won't tell you to do better.  I would like to talk about the points you brought up, though!
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| 1) I was particularly bothered by the Greek revival architecture in the banking city of Munilist. Triglyphs, metopese, doric columns and pilasters have nothing at all to do with a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Yes, I know the writers wanted to convey the fact that Munilist is a banking city but I think a lot of green Star Wars-ish buildings would have sufficed. |
I didn't even give this one a second though until listening to the Hyperspace commentary: then it just made more sense. Your color comment made me smile though– do you have any particular green buildings in mind? Perhaps the issue is that the style is too recognizable? Lucas himself has said in the past that he makes his worlds mostly based in reality for the very reason you stated: so that they do seem similar, familiar, but still alien. I think the difference here is that there really wasn't much "alien" to the city except maybe for the fact that the buildings were packed so close together. I don't think it's that different from the overly European-looking Naboo, for example.
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| 2) The underwater episode was a bit too goofy. That huge crab-like laser cannon was just stupid, and I don't like the Jedi that was featured in that particular sequence...Kit Pfister or whatever the heck his name is. I'm puzzled as to why he's a figure of cult stardom like Fett. In fact, most of the Jedi characters in EpII are written as though they're trying too hard to be unique (if that makes sense at all). What's wrong with a slightly larger percentage of human Jedi? |
Well... I think one of the points of showing such a range is the fact that the galaxy is a big place. It's not like humans are the only creatures out there, so it makes sense that some of the more unique Jedi would be non-human.
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| 3) There might as well have been no commentary at all after listening to these half-baked "directors" ramble aimlessly about nothing - yikes, roll another one guys. At least Lucas can make a JarJar film tolerable with fantastic commentary. |
Have to agree with you, mostly. The one commentary I've listened to so far was pretty silly but I did like his insights into the design process.
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| 4) The villain Dirge was cool, except at the end. I like how he was the leader of a joust-wielding posse of bad a$$es, and I liked the fact that he was difficult to kill, but his alien composition made him a better mutant in an X-Men movie. |
Are you familiar with anime, or Akira in particular? Durge's "true" form, even the way he's animated, is a pretty loud homage to the style.
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| My point is, I think the creators are by far illustrators first, and Star Wars fans second. |
Mmmm... I'm not so sure about that. Just because their tastes, animation styles, or story directions differ from yours doesn't make them any less of true SW fans. If nothing else, it's really nice to see such different aspects of the universe than what we're used to. That's one thing the commentary did get across rather well: the team has a clear love for both their work (animation) and SW (talking about loving the stormtroopers as kids).
m19
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lowlead
Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Location: Downeast
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| Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Your color comment made me smile though– do you have any particular green buildings in mind? |
Actually, yes. How about buildings that are reminiscent of those on Coruscant only with a lot more glass, and maybe a green tint on a good number of them. This could give the city of Munilist that Star Wars-ish look that I (ok, somewhat vaguely) mentioned earlier, without saying Coruscant or Wall Street.
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| I don't think it's that different from the overly European-looking Naboo, for example. |
But the Naboo architecture was sufficiently different in style, just enough so one couldn't quite pinpoint it as barouque, renaissance, or mediterranean. Munilist architecture was blatantly Greek. Anyway, I guess we'll agree to disagree.
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| Well... I think one of the points of showing such a range is the fact that the galaxy is a big place. It's not like humans are the only creatures out there, so it makes sense that some of the more unique Jedi would be non-human. |
I think Lucas established the vastness of the universe successfully in the OT, yet didn't saturate the story with aliens. But this is a Star Wars proper debate, not necessarily aimed at the Clone Wars series, so I digress.
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| Are you familiar with anime, or Akira in particular? Durge's "true" form, even the way he's animated, is a pretty loud homage to the style. |
I was referring to Durge's composition in a more literal sense - his sinewy, muscle/goo anatomy that can envelope his foes and regenerate instantly. I don't know, to me it didn't seem to fit into the SW brand. Could you imagine Durge in an actual Star Wars movie, i.e. not animated? What would you think when his guts begin to chase after people? Oh well, I still like his character for the most part.
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| Mmmm... I'm not so sure about that. Just because their tastes, animation styles, or story directions differ from yours doesn't make them any less of true SW fans. |
True, and the illustrators did an amazing job of creating new SW stories. I just think that, here and there, they let their imaginations go off on a tangent.
-Matt
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Morbie19
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Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Location: Virginia
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| Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:23 pm Post subject: |
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| lowlead wrote: |
| I was referring to Durge's composition in a more literal sense - his sinewy, muscle/goo anatomy that can envelope his foes and regenerate instantly. |
So was I, actually. It's almost a direct lift from several scenes in Akira with a very similar muscle/goo anatomied-character. I think in the commentary they'd pointed out that the design team questioned it being un-Star-Warsy, but that they wanted to do some really different so it was kept in.
m19
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xxbattosaixx
Joined: 05 Feb 2005
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| Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2005 10:30 pm Post subject: |
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Did anybody play the games on CartoonNetwork.com a while back?
There was a Durge Speederbike challenge,a Kit Fisto Underwater battle,and a Asajj Ventress vs. Anakink lightsaber duel.Coolness in 2-D.
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JediKnight25
Joined: 05 Feb 2005
Location: Edge of the Universe
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| Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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For all of you who already own it, are there any extras that are in the DVD? Such as the making of the Clone Wars?
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Big Z
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| Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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Yep. There's a short documentary called "Bridging The Saga." There's also a behind-the-scenes feature that was originally available on Cartoon Network and Star Wars.com, plus a nice little art gallery.
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xxbattosaixx
Joined: 05 Feb 2005
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| Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 5:19 pm Post subject: |
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| xxbattosaixx wrote: |
Did anybody play the games on CartoonNetwork.com a while back?
There was a Durge Speederbike challenge,a Kit Fisto Underwater battle,and a Asajj Ventress vs. Anakin lightsaber duel.Coolness in 2-D. |
Heh,you still can!
http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/games/action/starwars/planetaryforces/index.html
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-Tom
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JoshNoullet
Joined: 03 Feb 2005
Location: Columbus, GA
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| Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2005 8:55 pm Post subject: |
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I am a big fan of the Clone Wars cartoons. I really enjoyed the story, action, and art of the series.
However, they are not without flaws.
The Episodes I liked least are the two Mace Windu episodes. It was way too over the top for my tastes. He was taking on hundreds of battle droids at a time without his lightsaber and flying and all kinds of stuff. Some of his episodes were enjoyable, and they were almost good... but they were just a little too far-fetched even for a Jedi.
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