h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've managed to edit the entry to include a special bit on the Special Edition, as it rightly deserves.
Oberon2001

You know, I haven't had a post to this forum for a few days.
Do you reckon that means it's ready?
Oberon2001

It might mean that someone is writing a _really_ large chunk for inclusion.

It's more likely to mean that all your original people have contributed what they can and unsubscribed. By bumping it back up at a different time of day, you should get a whole new set of opinions.

B

(Master B must be a mind-reader )

Hi Oberon,

Sorry I've not posted before, but there's been a lot of other activities I've been involved in this last few weeks, meaning I've only really had time to pop into Peer Review infrequently.

I think this is a cracking entry, but it could do with a *little* more fiddling with. I hope you don't mind me doing this in one big lump - it's probably easier for you to refer to this way

- You should remove all the tags and use tags throughout.

- Just a suggestion, but what do you think of the idea of splitting each films ection up? If you move the plot up to the top of the section, you could slip in a 'Production' subheader to break it up a little.

- Someone else mentioned this earlier, but the headings are a little confusing/misleading. You allude to this in the body of the entry, but the first film wasn't called 'Star Wars IV: A New Hope', it was just 'Star Wars'; likewise, films two and three were just called 'The Empire Strikes Back' and 'Return of the Jedi'. Indeed, the subtitle 'A New Hope' (and the 'Episode IV') didn't appear until the film's rerelease shortly before Empire's original release (which you mention).

I think it might keep it all simpler if you just stick to the original titles here. The 'Episode IV, V and VI' thing should really be put into the Special editions section, as that was the first time the headings from the scrolling intro text were incorporated into the films' names.

- It's not true to say Lucas and ILM pioneered blue screen - they refined it, definitely, but techniques along those lines had been used by many. The 'Doctor Who' production team were using it in 1969 (for their first colour season, broadcast 1970). In fact, for many of the dogfights, traditional blackscreen techniques were used (if you have a copy of the original Star Wars on VHS, you can still make out some of the matte circles around some of the ships).

- Would principal cast lists for each trilogy be good? Just brief ones, like Luke, Leia, Han, Chewbacca, Lando, the droids and the jedis?

- For the IMDB footnote, it'd be better if you link directly into their Star Wars page.

- Finally, I'm shocked to see you've missed out three whole productions from the Star Wars saga ( ) - the woeful Star Wars Xmas Special (which boasted not only guest appearances from Bea 'Golden Girls' Arthur and Chewbacca's family, but was the first time anyone saw Boba Fett! Those lucky few who've seen it say it's painfully embarrassing.

Then there are the two Ewok movies, 'The Ewok Adventure' and 'Caravan of Courage'. Whether or not you count the BBC Radio adaptation of the first film is your own decision (which features a couple of scenes that fans of the special editions might know, like the Jabba sequence - not sure if Declan Mulholland played him, as he did in the original cut scene, before he was CGI'd over with a proper Jabba), and don't forget the cartoons - 'Ewoks' and 'Droids'.

- Just a daft bit of trivia. As you know, Dave Prowse played the body of Darth Vader (James Earl Jones did the voice - uncredited until Jedi), and at the time, he also played the Green Cross Code Man in a series of road safety adverts. Well, after the succes of Star Wars, the adverts featured the addition of a very R2D2-esque droid.

- he Sith bit is a little confusion too - by the time Darth Vader kills Sidios, Sidious is, of course, the Emperor.

- Did you know, if you translate 'Darth Vader' into (I think) Danish, it means 'Dark Father'. Good, eh?

Hope this is useful to you, Oberon,

Jimster

Good god, that was a lot!!!
I think I'm going to make pretty much all the changes suggested, though I'm gonna look up that Danish thing
When I first started this entry it focused all on plot, so I'm a bit wary of going back to describing it, so I think I'm just gonna KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid )
I'm pretty sure I didn't say Lucas & ILM pioneered blue screen

Nope, I didn't. They simply changed the thinking on shooting moving objects, the camera moves, not the object. Before Star Wars, I think this wasn't the case... though i could be wrong of course.
Hmm... principal cast lists... what a good idea! A great way to break up the entry
I heard about the Dave Prowse thing (what a silly boy that DP is!) Hmmm.... in the entry now? You bet!
Oberon2001
PS. Is it ok to credit you as a researcher, being as you are an Italic

Yeah, you better look up the "Danish" thing, since it's wrong. Vader does mean father in Dutch (pronounced Fahter or possibly Fahder) but I'm fairly certain Darth doesn't mean anything. I could be wrong of course, and I don't have a dictionary of all languages, but I believe this is just one of those 'fun facts' that have been made up. Someone noticed that 'Vader' is just like the Dutch word for father and figured that 'Darth' was so similar to 'Dark' that it just had to be so in some language. Sorry Jimster.

That looks a lot better now - easier to read, and nicely broken up.

I was just thinking, maybe the Special Edition thingy should appear after Return of the jedi and before Phantom menace, as that's the order the projects appeared in. Should probably mention the changing of the film's names here too (the introduction of 'Episode #' to the titles).

>> I'm pretty sure I didn't say Lucas & ILM pioneered blue screen <<

Er... under Star Wars Production, second paragraph. As I said earlier, it's not really true that. Lucas was using effects that others had pioneered. Course, by the time of Phantom menace, he wa just using the technique more than anyone else.

One thing ILM *did* pioneer though was a smoother stop-motion animation process, which they called 'Go-Motion'. They introduced this for 'Empire' to realise the AT-ATs and Scout Walkers on Hoth.

As for crediting me, well you're free to, but I honestly wouldn't expect it - that's what Peer Review is all about really. You've done all the hard work, I've only come up with a few pointers, that's all

*sigh* Ah, my little Jimster..... My dear, sweet little Jimster. Here's how the 2nd paragraph reads
"Lucas and ILM also pioneered a new way of shooting moving objects in film. Before the camera was stationary and the objects moved around the camera. Lucas found that if you kept the object still and moved the camera around it (against a blue screen, which you later turned into a suitable backdrop, i.e., space) in a certain way the same effect would be achieved, but at less cost. This is how most of the Tie Fighter and dogfight scenes in Star Wars are filmed in this movie."
Whilst I agree this sounds like 'wow, ILM invented blue-screen!' it's not meant to. What I'm trying to highlight is the thinking they had on shooting objects so they appeared to move. Moving a camera around an object isn't as expensive as moving the object, for various reasons....
*sigh* some people.... alright, I'll go back and change the wording to make it clearer.
Oberon2001

Good God. Post 23 was originally going to read:

"It might mean that someone (most likely Jimster or Jim Lynn who I know can't resist this sort of thing) is writing a _really_ large chunk for inclusion"

...But I thought that was just a little bit _too_ sassy.

How wrong I was...

B

OK, I've jiggled things round a tad (moved the Special Editon section to the middle and changed the wording of the bit about blue-screen) and credited Jimster as a researcher
Oberon2001

"the subtitle 'A New Hope' (and the 'Episode IV') didn't appear until the film's rerelease shortly before Empire's original release (which you mention)."

Is this right? I thought it always opened with the Sub-title 'Episode IV: A New Hope'

not that this was on the posters or publicity generally, but that in that 'The story so far...' section with the cool music, those are the first words after Star Wars...

am i in denial?

spiff
off to read the updates

Spiff, do not allow yourself to be destroyed as Obi Wan did

Spiff, but you are in denial. According to an archivist at the Skywalker Ranch the title 'a new hope' was added to the scrolling text in May 1981 to tie it in with Empire, which already had Episode V at the top of the scrolling text.
Oberon2001

When the film was originally released, it had the Story So Far scrolling text, but as it was considerd a one-off (and most people, evn Lucas' *wife* thought he was wasting his time on artless junk) there was no question of it being an episode of anything. After the success of Star Wars had embarrassed all his critics into admitting there was some worth in the picture and the sequels were confirmed, he re-edited the opening with the 'Episode IV' bit, just in time for a rerelease shortly before Empire was released.

Of course, at the time, there was a suggestion that this was the *middle* trilogy in a story of nine episodes. Those final three chapters have been quietly forgotten while everyone focuses on the prequel trilogy.

Wow! I've just come back to this entry after around a week, hoping to fill in any gaps I might have made by being
Except... I can't really think of any!!! Can anyone help?
Oberon2001 (I already know what you're gonna say Spiff )

Hi Oberon.

I've spent the last week getting a correct procedure for doing updates sorted out...

The correct thing to do now is take this out of PR, and submit a link to it on A496451 (all instructions on the page), where it will be in the very capable hands of Jimi X.



B

OK then....

Oberon2001

Some comments:

New Hope

I've always read the title "A New Hope" to refer specifically to Luke (and indirectly to Leia) rather than to Obi-wan. Obi-wan was a spent force who's only role in the film was as mentor to Luke.

Having put in some form of plot outline for some films you really ought to put in one for the others. Something like this maybe?

Empire

The Empire quickly pursues the alliance to its new base and routs them in a massive assault. The alliance flees and its new heros Luke, Leia and Han separate. Luke seeks out Yoda, an old Jedi Master, who then helps Luke complete his Jedi training. Meanwhile Vader quickly takes advantage of a chance to capture Leia and Han. Luke’s growing powers reveal the threat and he reacts as every good hero should, but too late to save all of his friends.

Phantom

Although thin on plot, the film (starting with an innocuous trade dispute) races around to introduce the key players of the first three films and set up the course of the entire film sequence. The series is revealed to be the life story of Anakin Skywalker, a messianic character, conceived by the Force and destined to restore balance to the Force after a thousand years of stagnation under the Jedi council.

Attack

Count Dooku/Darth Tyrannus – Christopher Lee

He should get a mention as this is more than just a bit part or cameo, this character is central to the plot and almost certain to appear in the next film.


An aside

I have particularly enjoyed watching both Phantom and Attack, not because they are in anyway particularly better than the other three films, but simply because the other three films, the end of the series, now make more sense.

For example, how does Boba Fett gain access to Darth Vader? The fact that his father was the original, cloned to make the Storm Troopers, speaks volumes. Furthermore Leia's initial comment on meeting Luke while he was disguised as a Storm Trooper makes immediate sense - all of the Storm Troopers are clones and therefore the same height.


Other than that this is a great entry, although it will need updating when the final installment makes it on to the screen.

I've added the plot outlines that you posted (I didn't even realise they were missing from some of the films!) and credited you as a researcher.

You might want to follow the progress of this entry through Peer Review in the new PR thread -> F48874?thread=271237
Oberon2001

Sorry if it's already been mentioned - Darth Maul was killed by Obi-Wan.