Escapist Podcast: 067: Disney Acquires Lucasfilms

[Eppy (Bored)]

Ohai Gaiz!

So far the Xbox was worth it. It turns out that you can have as much fun riffing on a bad video game as you can a bad movie (PUNCH HIM AGAIN LIGHTNING PUNCH HIM AGAIN), but I've got a nice list of things to buy on Amazon, and it is SO nice to be able to watch Netflix on the damn TV. Once I get used to the whole Trigger-Analog Stick thing (NO SHEPARD POINT THE MANTIS AT THE GETH NOT THE FLOOR) everything will be hunky dory.

That said, I will be keeping my PC Master Race card, thanks, I'm just playing less until I can afford to replace my nuclear-powered laptop (after undergrad *sob*).

EDIT: On Star Wars and the Death Star Trench Run, I think it's worth noting that in the EU novels there are explicit instances (and even established procedures, with the StealthX) of Jedi using the Force to actively steer munitions into targets. I also think that it can convincingly be argued that Luke is actively adjusting the flight path of the proton torpedo - the device's homing hardware, presumably deactivated, has a set margin of error, which is why the other computer-assisted shot(s) failed to strike, like the X-Com example. The torpedo can be seen here arcing into the exhaust port [http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=aQFrl5rpXMg#t=175s], implying that there is some kind of guidance at work; since the targeting computer is off I assume that this would mean the torpedoes were fired blind and that Luke is directly manipulating their mutual flight path.

...With all of that said, due to the nature of Force use (letting go and trusting your inner feelings etc) I could argue that the act of steering the torpedoes in and of itself is not an entirely conscious decision - it can be construed as the kind of semi-conscious enhanced perception state that Susan is talking about. So, the two ideas are not mutually exclusive.

Also, the Timothy Zahn Thrawn trilogy is incredible, everybody who loves Star Wars should read it.

...augh, my horribly misused childhood has reared its ugly head, I haven't written anything like that since I was fifteen. O_O

 

[Susan Arendt]

was actually opening a large package of sweet tarts left over from the Halloween stash. when the word sweet tart was said. Sugar free is vial shit.

you do realize that at 16 minutes it is no longer a sound test, and is just content, right?

Sussan I should not need instructions to eat candy.

Sussan Stop the hate on George/Special edition. it is his thing.

Anikan died the day that he became Darth Vader

the large thing that happened after Return of the Jedi was the whole thing with the Vonge, but if you think that Medicloriens were bad then the Vonge with regard to the force will make you the angriest geek on the face of the planet.

Spoiler

in order to beat the things with the force because they are "immune" we need to think about the force differently.

this is presuming that they do not interject a different post RTJ timeline, but realistically like Bob said <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/5357-The-Phantom-Menace-13-Years-Later>here, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-big-picture/5525-Mutants-and-Masses> and here there is literally nothing that could make the Star Wars Fan base at large happy (granted in the second one he wasn't directly talking about Star Wars, but it really isn't that much of a leap) the prequils happened, they are part of the cannon, they shall forever be part of the original cannon, and by complaining about the fact that they exist you are doing nothing more then acting childish.

maybe the Escapist should start a Tumbler for animal pics. Thoughts?

I don't have a problem with the existence of the Special Edition, even if I don't personally like it. What I have issue with is Lucas' snub of those of us who prefer the original. If he wants to make a second version that's more like what he originally envisioned, I get it, but he should let us have the other one if we prefer it.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

On the idea of sudsidising the next gen of consoles, phone plan style... Not too sure about that, seeing as consoles are already pretty heavily subsidised for their first year or two. Then again it might pose a possible solution to the damage the used games trade does to their Loss Leader sales model.

What I have issue with is Lucas' snub of those of us who prefer the original.

Yeah, I don't like the revisionist approach he's taken with prior versions of the original trilogy.

 

[gardian06]

Over here in the UK, those things you have sprinkled on cakes and similar are called Hundreds & Thousands.

We have them on icecreams as well.

that looks so good... and why is that not in the US? I am going to figure out how to get one, or modify something into being.

 

[Slycne]

you do realize that at 16 minutes it is no longer a sound test, and is just content, right?

I totally called it to. "oreos huh, well this will be a good sound check"

 

[gardian06]

...snip...
Sussan Stop the hate on George/Special edition. it is his thing.

Anikan died the day that he became Darth Vader

the large thing that happened after Return of the Jedi was the whole thing with the Vonge, but if you think that Medicloriens were bad then the Vonge with regard to the force will make you the angriest geek on the face of the planet.

Spoiler

in order to beat the things with the force because they are "immune" we need to think about the force differently.

this is presuming that they do not interject a different post RTJ timeline, but realistically like Bob said <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/5357-The-Phantom-Menace-13-Years-Later>here, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-big-picture/5525-Mutants-and-Masses> and here there is literally nothing that could make the Star Wars Fan base at large happy (granted in the second one he wasn't directly talking about Star Wars, but it really isn't that much of a leap) the prequils happened, they are part of the cannon, they shall forever be part of the original cannon, and by complaining about the fact that they exist you are doing nothing more then acting childish.

...snip

I don't have a problem with the existence of the Special Edition, even if I don't personally like it. What I have issue with is Lucas' snub of those of us who prefer the original. If he wants to make a second version that's more like what he originally envisioned, I get it, but he should let us have the other one if we prefer it.

but isn't that just the thing that by what your calling "Lucas' snub" is actually just an "artist" doing with their work as they will. If da Vinci before he died changed the Mona Lisa we would be forced to accept it. granted that in some sections the changes are pretty noticeable, and overall questionable, but it is still his work, and the greatest amount of venom, and hate comes from those that don't see it as an artistic thing that is not always stagnant, but as a piece of property that they [the fan] control. that is what I raise issue with is not the arguments that "the movie is crappy" (episode 1-3), or "this change doesn't work" (special edition episode 4-6), but with "How dare Lucas make a change to My beloved Star Wars". Which is at least what I originally perceived as going on, but I can after hearing again see some merit, but it does still feel kinda like the words "X changed my ______ it still works, but it's different, and now I can't get it back"

Off Topic: I just realized that the whole "fall back" thing (setting clocks back an hour for something to do with daylight savings time) is tomorrow will The Escapist also be effected by this for the purpose of putting up content?

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

Susan... Wedge could totally make that shot.

Maybe not in his rookie days, but during his Rogue Squadron days, there's no doubt.

 

[Slycne]

Susan... Wedge could totally make that shot.

Maybe not in his rookie days, but during his Rogue Squadron days, there's no doubt.

Yes. Even extended canon aside, he's the only pilot that survived both Death Star runs (Luke, Han and such are all off doing other things the second time around), which includes flying through the second one. Wedge is probably the most talented non-force-user pilot in that era.

 

[Migs]

Good Podcast Escapists!

But, after 29 posts in, I'm surprised no one picked up on Susan's Folly.

Brad Bird directed Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission:_Impossible_%E2%80%93_Ghost_Protocol] NOT Mission Impossible 3 which J. J. Abrams directed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission:_Impossible_III].

 

[-Dragmire-]

...snip...
Sussan Stop the hate on George/Special edition. it is his thing.

Anikan died the day that he became Darth Vader

the large thing that happened after Return of the Jedi was the whole thing with the Vonge, but if you think that Medicloriens were bad then the Vonge with regard to the force will make you the angriest geek on the face of the planet.

Spoiler

in order to beat the things with the force because they are "immune" we need to think about the force differently.

this is presuming that they do not interject a different post RTJ timeline, but realistically like Bob said <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/escape-to-the-movies/5357-The-Phantom-Menace-13-Years-Later>here, <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/the-big-picture/5525-Mutants-and-Masses> and here there is literally nothing that could make the Star Wars Fan base at large happy (granted in the second one he wasn't directly talking about Star Wars, but it really isn't that much of a leap) the prequils happened, they are part of the cannon, they shall forever be part of the original cannon, and by complaining about the fact that they exist you are doing nothing more then acting childish.

...snip

I don't have a problem with the existence of the Special Edition, even if I don't personally like it. What I have issue with is Lucas' snub of those of us who prefer the original. If he wants to make a second version that's more like what he originally envisioned, I get it, but he should let us have the other one if we prefer it.

but isn't that just the thing that by what your calling "Lucas' snub" is actually just an "artist" doing with their work as they will. If da Vinci before he died changed the Mona Lisa we would be forced to accept it. granted that in some sections the changes are pretty noticeable, and overall questionable, but it is still his work, and the greatest amount of venom, and hate comes from those that don't see it as an artistic thing that is not always stagnant, but as a piece of property that they [the fan] control. that is what I raise issue with is not the arguments that "the movie is crappy" (episode 1-3), or "this change doesn't work" (special edition episode 4-6), but with "How dare Lucas make a change to My beloved Star Wars". Which is at least what I originally perceived as going on, but I can after hearing again see some merit, but it does still feel kinda like the words "X changed my ______ it still works, but it's different, and now I can't get it back"

Off Topic: I just realized that the whole "fall back" thing (setting clocks back an hour for something to do with daylight savings time) is tomorrow will The Escapist also be effected by this for the purpose of putting up content?

I look at it from a slightly different view. I don't consider the original Star Wars to be George Lucas's alone, many people were making key decisions to make that movie what it was. For Lucas alone to come back and override the collaborative decisions made in the initial movie is an insult to all the other key people that worked on it.

I'm indifferent to eps 1-3.

 

[Eppy (Bored)]

I look at it from a slightly different view. I don't consider the original Star Wars to be George Lucas's alone, many people were making key decisions to make that movie what it was. For Lucas alone to come back and override the collaborative decisions made in the initial movie is an insult to all the other key people that worked on it.

I'm indifferent to eps 1-3.

As a matter of fact, it is important to note that Empire and Return were actually directed by Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand respectively. Even further, Lucas was much less present on set for Empire than he was Return (to quote Marquand, "It is rather like trying to direct King Lear ? with Shakespeare in the next room!"). Kershner is undoubtedly the stronger director (that man has cred) but Lucas made a LOT of changes to the Return script and optimized it for a happy ending with the intent of selling toys, and you can tell - Empire is a much stronger film.

 

[Frost27]

Trench run:

Think back to the scene on the Falcon where Luke is trying to defend himself from the remote with the blast shield down on his helmet. Obi-Wan tells him that a Jedi can feel the force flowing through him and they have the conversation about how it can be used to increase ones ability.

"Luke: You mean it controls your actions?"

"Obi-Wan: Partially, but it also obeys your commands."

Long and short: Luke used the force to augment his natural ability to allow him to make the shot, hence why he turned off his targeting computer.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Good Podcast Escapists!

But, after 29 posts in, I'm surprised no one picked up on Susan's Folly.

Brad Bird directed Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission:_Impossible_%E2%80%93_Ghost_Protocol] NOT Mission Impossible 3 which J. J. Abrams directed [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mission:_Impossible_III].

Wait...which one is in Dubai? That one, that's the Brad Bird one. Quite good, too.

 

[Migs]

That would be Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol, Madam Susan.

 

[blackrave]

I must disagree with Susan about brain acceleration (reflex boosting, slo-mo, bullet time, whatever)
Consider it like Thu'um- it is skill that can be achieved by anyone
BUT
some are initially bad at this and need tons of training
some are average at this and need some training
some are talented at this and need only basic guidance (or even self-education)
and there are naturals who can do this on their own (even without consuming dragon souls)

But it is understandable why some may think that it is only "have or not" case
Because majority of people are really bad at this and need extensive training

 

[bdcjacko]

If I had my druthers, the next Star Wars would take place a few generations after the events of Return of the Jedi. I would like to see Luke's Order fail...or at least not be well received and people of the universe generally thinking it was a bad idea. Possibly referencing how the Jedi Order let a Sith Lord took over the galaxy by plunging the entire republic into war. So the few Jedi left are scattered and fighting for acceptance. I would like that.

 

[TwistedEllipses]

I feel really left out, I didn't recognise 90% of the sweet tasting foods mentioned. I guess it's something that varies from country to country. I'm not sure that outside of the U.K. people would known about flying saucers, jelly babies, refreshers, black-jacks, sugar mice, etc.

As for the Star Wars expanded universe, Timothy Zahn's follow on trilogy is the best thing out there (but as discussed, completely unsuitable for episode 7). Leia is depicted well with her diplomatic side being explored more while she has the weird experience of having some Jedi powers and being pregnant.
The lizard anti-force bubble thing makes more/less sense if you know it's a defence mechanism against a predator that hunts via the force. Its used mainly as a way to make Luke vulnerable again and introduce Mara Jade who has powers, but doesn't use them as a crutch.

 

[Migs]

So, is the Podcast on a bi-weekly release schedule now?

 

[Wolcik]

Is there a way for me to get to know if my e-mails reaches the podcast?