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Question: Am I the first to ever notice that some of Threepio's dialogue at Jabba's palace was pulled, almost word for word, from the 1931 film adaptation of Frankenstein?
Has this ever been noticed or discussed before?

Today, I picked up Universal's Complete Legacy Collection of Frankenstein films, which includes all eight of the studio's films that feature Frankenstein's monster from the original legacy (1931-1948). In James Whale's 1931 film, Frankenstein, Dr. Frankenstein's father, Baron Frankenstein, goes to his son's tower laboratory. He knocks on the door:
Baron Frankenstein: (after knocking) "There doesn't seem to be anybody in the place."

That line is very similar to Threepio's after he knocks on Jabba's front door:
Threepio: "There doesn't seem to be anyone there."

Baron Frankenstein's next line is:
"God.... what a.... what a forsaken place."

In a deleted scene from Return of the Jedi, Threepio, outside of Jabba's palace, says:
"What a forsaken place this is."

http://www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/movie_script.php?movie=frankenstein



And on a weird side note, the next film I watched after Frankenstein tonight was Goke, Body Snatcher From Hell, from The Criterion Collection's When Horror Came to Shochiku set.
There was a line delivered by one character:
"I've got a bad feeling about this."
This film is from 1968, well before A New Hope. The original translation and subtitles may have been different, and perhaps the Japanese-to-English translation was altered for the DVD to match the Star Wars line. The graph in the second link doesn't reference the line's usage prior to 1970, but the line's usage does begin to increase around 1972. Maybe it was a meme among Japanese film cinephiles back in the day, and George snuck it into Star Wars. Maybe Goke was the origin and inspiration of the line for George.

https://lalafilmltd.wordpress.com/2015/05/21/classic-review-goke-body-snatcher-from-hell-1968/
http://scifi.stackexchange.com/ques...ling-about-this-a-reference-to-something-else

 

Those lines are pretty generic.

“God, what a forsaken place” is often said when a character dislikes whereever he/she is.

“There doesn't appear to be anyone here” is often said when a character is attempting to enter a building and can't find anyone.

EDIT: Those lines themselves may not literally be said word-for-word, but the basic idea is still the same.

 

They're not too generic. For each character, Baron and Threepio, each delivering two lines that are very similar, one being delivered after knocking on a door and not waiting long for it to be opened, and the other line describing the location of each residence...... it seems more like an homage than a mere coincidence with generic lines. I think George Lucas or Lawrence Kasdan were either sneaking in the lines, or it's the power of the subconscious mind influencing one's creativity from watching an earlier film.

 

I recall hearing a singer / songwriter years back. His own song had been out for a decade or more, so it was very established already and was a hit when released. He had heard someone else's song and, reflecting on his own music, he said to himself, "You rascal, that's where your song came from." As Siphonophore said, artists can think they're coming up with something completely original, even when it's a total rip off.

 

is there a thread for "Elstree 1976" ?

and also - is there one for the Raiders fan film ?

 

Encuentro asked

In Jedi, why did the Rebels need the deflector shield shut down to land on Endor? As far as I know, the deflector shield doesn't cover Endor. It's projected up from the shield generator. There was no need to request deactivation of the deflector shield. Am I missing something?

SHUTTLE CAPTAIN Command station, this is ST 321. Code Clearance Blue. We're starting
our approach. Deactivate the security shield.

DEATH STAR CONTROLLER (filtered VO)
The security deflector shield will be deactivated when we have
confirmation of your code transmission. Stand by... You are clear to
proceed.

later:

HAN Shuttle Tydirium requesting deactivation of the deflector shield.

CONTROLLER (over radio)
Shuttle Tydirium, transmit the clearance code for shield passage...CONTROLLER (filtered)
Shuttle Tydirium, deactivation of the shield will commence immediately.
Follow your present course.

The shield protecting the Death Star is referred to as "security [deflector] shield" while the shield apparently protecting the moon of Endor is referred to just as "deflector shield" but never as "security shield".

If the moon itself wouldn't be covered by a planetary deflector shield, the Alliance might have just attacked this location, first and from space upon their arrival. Hence the necessity to land a strike team to destroy the security shield generator.

And with a planetary deflector shield, we no longer have to discuss the feasibility of the "Ewok Holocaust"...

 

It makes perfect sense. Thanks for the explanation!

 

During the attack on the Death Star in ANH why does Red Leader say the line "I copy Gold Leader" to Gold 5 after he tells him "We lost Tiree, we lost Dutch" ...Dutch is Gold Leader right? Is he saying "I copy - Gold Leader" as in I acknowledge he is dead...or is he saying "I copy Gold Leader" as in I now acknowledge you (Gold 5) as the new Gold Leader?? Or did he simply make a mistake - Because he called him Gold 5 earlier in the attack...

Sorry, I know it's petty but it has been bugging me!

 

Out of universe: Editing error.
In universe: With Gold Leader's death, Gold 5 became the new Gold Leader by default.

 

It's an editing error, all right. According to the draft from April 19, 1976, Pops ("Red" Gold Five, "a veteran of countless campaigns") Y-Wing gets hit, "one of the engine explodes" and out of control he dives past the horizon toward the Death Star surface, spinning "toward his death":

"Lost Tiree...lost Dutch...they came from behind, can't maneuver in the trench...sorry, it's your baby now...so long, Dave ... (static)"

 

Is there a reason why Luke says "There's something familiar about this place" after landing on Dagobah and moments before he meets Yoda? Is it because of the Force?

 

Evening Star

There is no official explanation I'm currently aware of, so I can only offer my 0.02 $

From a PT & OT point of view:

Luke was born in Yoda's presence but later removed from Yoda's "aura". Apparently that "aura" was so strong during his birth, that Luke instantly remembered it on Dagobah, when Yoda was near.

From an OT point of view only:

The dark energy of the (Sith?) complex below the tree provided a practical cover effect of Yoda's presence / Force signature, effectively concealing Yoda's presence on Dagobah. With all the recent discussion concerning Leia ("Why didn't Vader feel her presence") I would not be surprised if Obi-Wan took Luke and Leia to Dagobah after their birth, with Yoda having both somehow "immunized" so they would "unconsciously" shield their Force potential until the right time had come to remove this "mental block". Luke's subconscious thus vaguely remembers "something familiar" about Dagobah.

 

Lt. Hija Thanks for the explanation. That's quite interesting.

 

Anyone else that founds Bib Fortunas roles similar to Grima Wormtounge from Lord of The Rings when he serves under Thèoden as an advisor? Just rewatched the scene from ROTJ when Bib tells Jabba that Luke is no Jedi Knight and it reminded me of the scene from Lord of The Rings The Two Towers when Grima messes with Théodens mind all the time regarding Éomer and especially the scene with Gandalf not being a powerfull wizard. Am I alone on this or are there anyone else who also had this feeling?

 

In a very limited fashion, Berry Kenobi. Wormtongue was, indeed, controlling Eomer and was in turn being controlled, himself. Fortuna was simply acting as majordomo for the worm. If anyone was controlling Bib, it was Jabba, no one else. I think Fortuna's role was more similar to Mas Amedda.

 

A hypothesis of mine is that Luke may have subconsciously, through his undeveloped Force sensitivity, perceived Yoda's watching over him from Dagobah all those years. Which has some credence as Luke then says "...like we're being watched."

 

Why does Obi-Wan tell Luke in RotJ that he was the only hope when he also knows of Leia?

 

Presumably - because he doesn't believe Leia is up to it. Maybe he thinks it's too late to start training her - 19 was really pushing it for Luke, and now (as of TESB - he says the same thing to Yoda, there) Leia's 22.

Add in attachment issues (Luke's not in love with anybody, Leia's in love with Han) and he may have given up on her as a candidate for resisting the Dark Side and defeating Vader & the Emperor.

 

Are there any sources for how large the Rebel Alliance is? How many ships they have (Cruisers, X-Wings, etc)? How many total people/planets are members of the Alliance?

 

The original signatory planets of the Rebel Alliance were Alderaan, Corellia, and Chandrila. Later, Kashyyyk, Bothawui, Elom, Mon Calamari, Sullust, and Duro joined.

 

ChefCurryWindu asked

How many total people/planets are members of the Alliance?

According to the March 1976 version of the ANH prologue "...rebel spaceships have won their first victory in a battle with the powerful Imperial Starfleet. The EMPIRE fears that another defeat could bring a thousand more solar systems into the rebellion, and Imperial control over the galaxy would be lost forever."

In the first ESB draft by Leigh Brackett and according to General Willard, commander of the Rebel Forces, 1,026 systems did join the Alliance following the destruction of the first Death Star.

So at least we have the figure how many joined after ANH.

 

I know this sounds random, but I have to wonder: what happened when Vader caught a cold? Since he always wore his mask, he couldn't exactly just go blow his nose whenever it was necessary.

 

Anakin's body was pretty trashed the rest of his life. I'd wager his lungs could barely support something like a cold. Besides his suit probably filtered out any biohazards.

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I am curious if Luke knew how Shmi died and what he was told of his dad's lack of a father.

 

That would assume that Kleig told Owen about Shmi's sex life.

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