Speculation Original Trilogy Aliens vs. Prequel CGI Aliens

Great post! I'd echo what others have said about diversity of aliens but also of the technique to show them. I thought Jar Jar was great CGI (not commenting on his character) Gollum got the plaudits but he was first. However, I thought the Nimodians may have been better as CGI. The troopers deffo should have been practical. The Yoda puppet for Phantom was a total fail, I prefer Empire Yoda but would rather have CGI Yoda than prequel puppet.

 

You know, I always thought that was a reflection on the aliens eyeball. Never knew it was a hole.

 

I don't want no stinkin' CGI! I want cartoon effects dammit! I want evil aliens in rubber costumes. I want every single action sequence to be as exciting as the Kirk vs. Gorn scene in the original Star Trek! I want it all to be in black and white and for it to be a silent film too!

 

I agree that CGI and practical effects are not mutually exclusive. Jurassic Park or even the Neimoidian masks are good examples.

However, they cannot revert back to puppets like Yoda in future movies IMO. The TV series Farscape tried it, and it didn't work for me.

Having written that, the technology in some parts of the prequels just wasn't there yet. Those movies were testing grounds and a lot of times it looks. Today's CGI is mighty good though!

 

Why not a combination of both, you can have Wookiees, Twi'leks, and Ithorians from the OT mixed in with the Nautolans, Togruta, and Dugs of the OT.

Though while I want to see a few more species, I don't want another heaping. We don't need 1/3 OT, 1/3 PT, and 1/3 NEW and IMPROVED ST Aliens. A few new aliens, maybe 1 for EU fan service (Bothan) can appear but that is about it for me.

 

The main bugger with CG characters for me is usually not how they look but how they move.

Sometimes theyre just overanimated and their gestures are overdone.

 

Like Jar Jar's gangly walk?

 

"Mr. Abrams, I'm ready for my close-up!"

 

Weren't the special effects of Reel Steel a combination of CGI and animatronics? That approach for SW could work.

 

No, I really don't think puppets, claymation and rubber masks look more real. Not to sound insulting, but I think that is more wishful thinking than anything. Does Guido look more real than the tall aliens that Obi-Wan talks to when he first arrives on Utapau ("They are here, 10th level, 1000's of battle droids"). Come one, that's a NO.

I think they made some of the CGI characters a little too kid friendly, and thus COULD have been better (especially in TPM). Nonethless, there were some really cool creatures in the PT, and some very cool blending of CGI with the real.

Additionally, I am sure CGI has come a long way since the mid 2000's, and I think they will do better this time. I like what they did in movies like Snow White and Prometheus. There is GREAT potential here.

 

Oh yeah, but in the case of the prequels, this was the fault of both George and the animators.

Why George? Because non-CG characters weren't acting in a very 'animated' way, George is not an actors' director.

Why the animators? Because the CG characters were too active on screen, they (the animators) were basically showcasing their talents and were afraid that the CG characters would look too stiff.

A good example is the scene between Obi-Wan and the Kaminoan administrator. The former is acting in a normal way, nothing flashy, while the latter is doing all sorts of little movements, like brushing something off his knee.

This is why motion capture is better IMO. Look at the amazing CG performances in the Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Tintin, or, for that matter, Avatar (which doesn't get a lot of love here, I know)! Of course, sometimes the effects are inconsistent (Rise), but this is not due to the mocap actors' performances.

IMO.

 

Someone mentioned "shiny".

Has it ever occurred that was intentional? After all, this was before the Empire and war changes things and makes things gritty.

 

Who the hell is "Guido"?

Kids

 

Kids? Being on this site longer unfortunately doesn't make you older my friend.

Nice job of playing the spelling police though, I stand corrected. You clearly have a strong grasp on all of the important thing in life

Whatever makes you feel good about yourself.

 

Actually taking notice of your supposed second favourite Star Wars film before posting on a Star Wars forum would be a start. Greedo is even mentioned in Jabba's subtitles in the ANH SE.

 

I agree with the general consensus here. Far too many people are too quick to go on about "fakey CGI" as if it's some inherent quality of the method instead of a matter of what could be achieved back then. And if anything, I think that the PT CGI has been somewhat underrated by history. As a technical achievement, I think Jar Jar has aged pretty well (and there's a phrase I never expected to find myself writing).

I also think Vespasian makes a very good point about the reasons for the dissonance between real and CGI acting in the PT.

 

My general idea is the humanoid aliens (Weequays, Rodians, etc) should probably be people in suits, but the freakier ones (Geonosians, Ithorians, etc) should probably stay CG.

 

All I know, is if they do the CGI like the BioWare clips for that Online game, I would be happy. I love the CGI, and hope they out do all the other current movies that are using state-of-the-art effects.

SW has always been about the combination of story, and cutting edge effects. I hope they go all out and hit another one outta the park.

 

Tion Meddon is a guy in a suit (Bruce Spence, actually!), not a CGI creation.

I agree with the sentiment though.

 

Like others have said, it will probably be a blend of CGI, puppets, and costumes. I think they can all work, it just depends on the execution.

 

Like I said, whatever makes you feel good about yourself. You should share with your mother that you corrected someone's spelling on a SW forum, she will be SO proud of here boy.