STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS - Blu-Ray Thoughts

[mkaroly]

The whole concept of this movie -- that the empire didn't die out, the rebels have been hanging around presumably because they have all their tech still and such -- is going to require a major suspension of disbelief even for a fantasy like this. I worry because Abrams is writing it, and directing it, but as long as Luke isn't the bad guy, I'll be OK as my expectations are low. Same for the score. I just hope it's better than the pedestrian score Williams wrote for KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL which I listened to once and then filed away, never to be heard again.

Lol...CRYSTAL SKULL...the Indiana Jones movie that should have never been made. "Mutt!" Lol...I don't listen to the score much at all.

I will go to the theaters to see the new SW movie but will wait a few weeks - no need to go opening night.

[DavidBanner]

Movie release dates get adjusted all the time. Sometimes they get pushed back, sometimes they get pulled up. In any of Abrams' scenarios, he could have easily adjusted the opening dates. As a producer that Hollywood currently deems to be successful, he has that kind of influence. If he was really that concerned about Star Trek or about Super 8, he could have and should have taken the time to make sure they knew what they were doing before wasting everyone's time on the production.

Quantum of Solace was indeed a casualty of the 2007 WGA strike, as was the first Star Trek movie Abrams inflicted. (I also note that Abrams was castigated for crossing WGA picket lines to direct the 2009 Star Trek movie, pushing through picketers from his own guild.)

To my knowledge, the new Abrams Star Wars attempt was always scheduled for December of this year. Some of us speculated that it would make more sense to release the movie in May 2016 as a summer movie, and that Abrams would likely need the additional time as he was being pushed into the process very late. Being rushed through the prep and then dealing with a major injury to one of the actors have now put Abrams into a position where they were unable to lock picture until very close to the opening bell. Had he done the sensible thing and pushed back, as Kathleen Kennedy admitted they were considering, he might have given himself enough time to properly conceive and produce his movie. As a consequence, I have grave doubts about the movie - whenever things like this get rushed, it always shows up onscreen.

I agree with Andy's points about the story here and the lack of creativity. Although Lucas himself certainly milked the merchandising for all it was worth when he had the chance. It seems to me that the simplified, recycled story is another reflection of how jammed for time Abrams and company found themselves. They may well surprise everyone and deliver a wonderful movie. But I'll wait to hear whether they have before I break out the streamers and balloons. As I said, I have a lot of other materials to catch up on, and don't have the time to spend on a JJ Abrams movie in the theater. I'm fine to see it on home video in March.

I should also again say that JJ Abrams has actually told some great stories during his career. Just not in the cinema. His pilot episode for LOST is one of the best opening episodes of any series I've ever seen. His work in directing and writing episodic television has led to some great stuff, at least while he was interested in the shows and not already bored with them. Felicity, Alias and LOST are all fine additions to the television canon and Abrams can justifiably be proud of them. The problem happened when he assumed he could take the same sensibilities to a feature film environment. Sadly, he's wound up making extremely derivative movies that strain to be "urgent" and "entertaining" rather than letting their stories or characters breathe. It's not completely Abrams' fault - he's been enabled both by the people in his own company and by the studios who have assumed he has talents he simply doesn't possess. The truth is, not everyone is cut out to make the jump from TV to movies. Some directors and writers are better off on the small screen, and Abrams is one of them. There's no shame in that. It's just that by repeatedly insisting on making huge features, we've been subjected to disasters like Mission Impossible 3, Super 8 and Star Trek Into Darkness, while Abrams neglected things he could have improved - like the final season and finale of LOST. (Abrams was essentially pushed off LOST after the third season, but he really could have helped them by jumping back in during the final season and directing the series finale himself. Instead, he inflicted Super 8.)

What's really scary here is that the Abrams movie seems to be the peak of what Disney will be attempting with their new Star Wars merchandise packagers. After Abrams, we get the various spinoffs and a couple of potentially terrible movies to be inflicted by the guy who hit us with Looper. Not exactly a promising scenario, sadly.

[Paul MacLean]

I don't think I've ever seen pre-release (and premature) enthusiasm of this fanatical magnitude ever before. It's as if people are expecting this film to be a religious experience or the second coming or something, and are adamant "This is going to be a REAL Star Wars movie, chock full everything we loved about the original!"

Well, it won't be, because nothing is ever going to duplicate the feeling one got experiencing Star Wars for the first time as a kid -- especially in the 70s, when it was a shockingly new kind of movie (which despite some nods to old fashioned adventure flicks, was really unlike anything that had come before). Moreover it came along in the post-Vietnam and Watergate era when people were starved for traditional heroes and something noble to believe in. Most Hollywood movies at the time were nihilistic and dreary, with depressing endings and no one to root for.

Unlike the original Star Wars, there is nothing new about this film. And unlike the movie landscape on the early-mid 70s, Sci-fi / fantasy movies and "heroes" are everywhere -- superhero movies, Tolkien movies, Harry Potter movies, Star Trek movies, Hunger Games movies, etc., etc. Why do we even need a Star Wars movie?

And sadly, a lot of people will love this new film even if it sucks, because they've so convinced themselves it's going to be awesome, that even if it isn't, they'll convince themselves it is.

[AndyDursin]

How dare you post something that's not canon Paul, heretic!

[Eric Paddon]

Hey don't forget.....

[AndyDursin]

PG-13 rating something of a minor surprise.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-v ... lly-843881

[Monterey Jack]

PG-13 rating something of a minor surprise.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-v ... lly-843881

I'm not at all surprised...the PG rating means something completely different to today's audiences than it did in the 70's and 80's, where cursing, violence, and even brief nudity was commonplace. Nowadays, a PG rating is essentially indistinguishable from a G (with maybe a bit more leeway in terms of "thematic elements" or "rude humor"), meaning a Star Wars movie with a PG rating would be viewed by today's parents and teens as basically something aimed strictly at kids. I doubt The Force Awakens will be any more violent or profane than the previous movies (although Revenge Of The Sith was PG-13, and I think the rating was warranted for the fairly gruesome scene of Anakin burning to a crisp ), but I imagine the PG-13 was mandated by Disney to assure that it wouldn't be viewed as a children's movie.

Heh, I remember educating my older sister about "80's PG" when she showed Sixteen Candles to her teenage daughter, and was aghast when there was a topless female shower scene barely five minutes into the movie.

[AndyDursin]

a Star Wars movie with a PG rating would be viewed by today's parents and teens as basically something aimed strictly at kids.

I know what you're saying, but the PG rating certainly didn't hurt THE PHANTOM MENACE or ATTACK OF THE CLONES at the box-office around the world.

I actually don't think parents or teens today "look down" on a PG movie either...in fact I don't think most people pay a lot of attention to the MPAA ratings at all now because they're so poorly, arbitrarily awarded. You can have a film like HANNA sitting in the same category as the last two Indiana Jones movies. The rating system is beyond broken in this country.

. I doubt The Force Awakens will be any more violent or profane than the previous movies (although Revenge Of The Sith was PG-13, and I think the rating was warranted for the fairly gruesome scene of Anakin burning to a crisp ),

Yes but that's exactly the point. SITH is the only PG-13 in the entire series and, like you said, it got the rating for a reason.

I imagine the PG-13 was mandated by Disney to assure that it wouldn't be viewed as a children's movie.

This is STAR WARS we're talking about. Everyone knows what these movies are. And all of them save the last one are PG level sci-fi, you know? They're not I AM LEGEND or even the TRANSFORMERS. They ARE "children's movies" -- geared for kids and the young at heart. It's what the whole series is built on and why Disney bought it.

I can't imagine Disney "mandated" a PG-13 when so many of their live-action films, even MALEFICENT and TRON LEGACY, were PG and made lots of money beyond "kid audiences". If anything you'd think they'd want to stay away from PG-13 after the bad reaction to the gruesomeness of THE LONE RANGER, the failure of JOHN CARTER, etc.

[AndyDursin]

23 tracks on the album...like a typical modern score

I won't post the track names but there's not much spoilage there (unlike THE PHANTOM MENACE album lol). You can find those here:

http://filmmusicreporter.com/2015/11/26 ... k-details/

[Edmund Kattak]

I can see "Main Title and the Attack on the Ba'ku Village" being my favorite already. At what part does Jerry's TMP theme appear?

[Paul MacLean]

I can see "Main Title and the Attack on the Ba'ku Village" being my favorite already. At what part does Jerry's TMP theme appear?

[DavidBanner]

Is it just me, or is the now-constant barrage of Star Wars commercials becoming overwhelming? I can't turn on the television without seeing at least two unrelated commercials for other products suddenly playing the Star Wars music and throwing in a frantic reminder of when the Abrams movie opens. It's as though these guys think everyone is about to forget that their movie is coming out.

I remember the prequel movies being cross-promoted, but not at this level of intensity. Do they really need to keep beating everyone over the head with it?

[mkaroly]

Is it just me, or is the now-constant barrage of Star Wars commercials becoming overwhelming? I can't turn on the television without seeing at least two unrelated commercials for other products suddenly playing the Star Wars music and throwing in a frantic reminder of when the Abrams movie opens. It's as though these guys think everyone is about to forget that their movie is coming out.

I remember the prequel movies being cross-promoted, but not at this level of intensity. Do they really need to keep beating everyone over the head with it?

It's Disney DavidBanner...you should expect no less!

I feel as you do though - it has become overwhelming to the point of disgust. My local Kroger supermarket has tons of Star Wars related toys which were on display for sale at least a couple of months ago. The advertising oversaturation is giving me an excuse NOT to go see it in theaters. It's as bad as the commercials they show on ABC on football Saturdays...the same commercials repeated ad nauseum every commercial break. I WILL NOT BUY A BUICK ESPN!! Lol!!

[Monterey Jack]

The marketing and merchandising for Phantom Menace was every bit as numbing and assaultive...and Disney has to work twice as hard this time because they're trying to entice aging geeks who felt really burnt by the Prequels (warranted or not) back to the Star Wars fold. They're hoping that sheer force of numbers will get everyone to see this, in case the movie disappoints and there's a sharp fall-off in the second weekend and beyond.

[John Johnson]

For those that prefer the Amray boxes over the digipaks...



http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Star-Wars ... ay/137947/