SPY REPORT: Cutting the IMAX Clones & Your IMAX Reactions

It rocked, I wish it was complete though. Definately hope to see the OT, TPM and Ep3 in IMAX.

[image=http://www.delos.fantascienza.com/delos70/img/episodeii/kiss.jpg]

 

Someone said their girlfriend thought the acting was "still" bad. Just goes to show
how different our perspectives can be. If anything, I thought IMAX was a wonderful gift for the actors. Film acting is generally the art of being relaxed in front of the camera, doing the scene as naturally as possible and letting the camera do all of the work. Anything else and the performance appears phoney, as the film industry learned in the early part of the last century when people mugged up a storm. It got even worse after talkies appeared and then gradually actors and directors learned how to tone it down.

That having been said, the IMAX format ups the ante for the actors. They have to give measured, minimal performances. A twitch of an eyebrow in the wrong place will be noticed on a screen 8 stories high and will be very annoying.

I felt IMAX showed just how great the actors in AOTC really were. You can see subtleties not apparent in the regular version.
These are very skilled pros in these films.
A GREAT example is the confrontation between Jango and Obi-Wan in the Fett apartment.
Excellent screen acting. Emotional, sparse, convincing.

For me, IMAX just made some good performances even BETTER. To each his own. The acting in these films is terrific.

Especially YODA! lol

 

I think AOTC has THE WORST acting of all the SW movies, but the action is great and it was amazing to see on an IMAX screen.

 

I know that AOTC has THE BEST acting of all the Star Wars films. It also has the best action.

Of course, it is my favorite Star Wars movie.

I will see it on IMAX on Monday... I can't wait.

RB

 

You, lucky, lucky beggers!

 

I think AOTC has THE WORST acting of all the SW movies, but the action is great and it was amazing to see on an IMAX screen.

Why do think that way?

 

Having a night to sleep about it, and re-reading some of the comment, I do have to agree with some of the comments about there being some bad cuts. I personally think that the Palpatine-Jedi Council scene, and the Jar Jar/Loyalist committee emergency power meeting scene should have been kept. However, I know that cuts had to be made and I understand that.

Also, some of the cuts (particularlly the cut of the Jar Jar/Loyalist committee emergency power meeting scene) were a little awkward. I think that they could have made the transitions a little smoother.

Other than that, very good! I did miss some of the bloopers (like the coke bottle), but that was because I was lost in the sheer intensity of the film.

I gotta say that the crowd that we had (CO Springs IMAX @ 7:30pm) was very enthusiastic. We all laughed at the funny spots ("I'm programmed to educate, not kill"). One thing I noticed was that you could feel the loud explosions and the ships passing by. I mean, I wasn't scared, but 12000 watts of sheer explosion will get you (and everyone else in the theater) off your seat.

Also, the battle sequence was AWESOME. I mean, in the 35 mm or digital cuts, you could see the army moving, but in this one you could see the individual soldiers!

 

I loved it. It was very impressive on IMAX. The only two cuts I did not understand were not seeing Boba use the canons on Slave I and a line cut from Yoda and the Younglings scene. I believe the line was, "Truly wonderful the mind of a child is." I noticed becasue the music did not flow. Oh well.

 

It seemed like there were a couple of new lines in the Ani & Padmé-leaving-Tattoine scene . . .

Padmé: You're just going to let him die? He's your friend . . . your mentor . . . (or something like that)
Anakin: He's like my father!

I don't remember those in the original, or Anakin's grieving, angry look at this point. It's a reminder that he just lost one parent, and it shows that he must take his Jedi responsibilities pretty seriously, since he's willing to obey Obi-Wan even when the stakes are so high. I liked him better for it.

Of course, it is possible the lines were there the whole time & I missed them . . . I only saw AOTC in the regular theater twice, and that was months ago . . .

Padmé's "do everything" button is still intact, of course.

I'm already planning on ways to get back to the IMAX showing. There must be someone I know who hasn't gone yet . . .

 

That exchange between Padme and Anakin over whether to rescue Obi-Wan was in the original run, both celluloid and digital. Their is definitely some great acting in AOTC in with some bad parts. Both Obi-wan's meetings with Jango and Count Dooku are electric. Hayden and Natalie both had to same some corny lines but I don't ever doubt the sincerity of their feelings. What impressed me most about the IMAX cut were the amazing detail in the closeups of the CGI characters like Yoda and Kaminoans. I also liked the faster, tighter pace. It was a great experience and I'm going to see it a couple of more times!

 

After having watched it *twice* on Friday, I have to simply say... the IMAX version is an infinitely better edit of the movie... it works better in cinematic terms, it's a tighter movie and some of the most cringe-inducing lines and scenes have now mercifully been excised.

Of course I still wish they could have kept the Palpatine scenes, but I don't really care because I get to watch them on DVD real soon.

There were a lot of scenes (like the Jedi Library) that were of interest mostly to the fans, but that didn't really help move the story so much.

Some of Threepio's dialogue that made me cringe in the theatrical cut is also gone, thank the maker! I really didn't care for his introducing Anakin and Padme to Owen and Beru, or for his lame lines about R2 not understanding human behavior when they've just landed on Geonosis. Also some of the slapstick in the droid factory.

Padme and Anakin's romance seems less corny and infantile than in the theatrical version for the reasons that have been mentioned before (I liked Ophelia's post especially -- she's right, some of Anakin's behavior with Padme was sort of creepy... I also liked that they cut out the part where he levitates the small sphere in Padme's apartment on Coruscant (where he's saying how Obi-Wan is as wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu).

And yeah, the movie is better off without the nightmare scene... now that I think about it, the only way that *might* have worked is by actually showing us Anakin's nightmare on screen, but that whole "and then he wakes up and it was just a nightmare" thing is a big cliche by now, so even that would have been problematic.

Natalie looks wonderful in the IMAX screen... again, for the same reasons others have pointed out...


Finally, I also think it's ironic that the actors who played Queen Jamilla and Sio Bibble and Jocusta Nu are still in the credits of the IMAX version, since they aren't in the movie anymore... !

 

So, what's the deal with the music in the scenes that have only been trimmed slightly? For instance, how is the music now for the transition to the meditation scene now that the nightmare's been cut?

 

I thought I'd give my opinion on the cuts from the IMAX version of AOTC.

First off, ultimately I don't really care to much about what was cut, since this is only the IMAX experience and not the real version that was released in theaters or DVD version. That's ultimately the version I prefer because I liked most every aspect of it. Very few parts made me cringe.

In the end, I'm only going to see the IMAX version for the thrills, and not dialogue. AOTC is being converted to IMAX format specifically because it's a VISUAL masterpiece. I know that when I see it, I'll be too caught up in how cool the visuals are on an IMAX screen(as well as how good it sounds) to even care that much about what was cut.

But saying that, they still cut scenes out of the movie, and are things that I'll miss no matter what. So, I'll give my opinion on each thing that was cut:

* The first scene with Amidala, Organa, Yoda et al in Palpy's office is gone.

I will miss this scene. For some reason, I get that good ol' Star Wars feeling during this scene. And any scene that has Palpatine in it I love because he's probably the most interesting and mysterious character in the saga.

* The portion where Jar Jar greets Obi and Anakin at the elevator up through the
"awkward reintroduction" of Anakin to Padme was removed. The scene starts with
Obi/Ani talking about how they're going to find the person responsible, etc.

When Jar Jar meets Obi and Ani I can live without. I didn't hate that part, but it doesn't matter too much. But I did like the "awkward reintroduction" of Anakin and Padme.

* After Anakin makes kouhoun sushi and Obi leaps out the window, the end of the
scene where Dorme' asks Padme if she's alright was trimmed off.

Doesn't matter. A could touching scene with the handmaiden, but it's pretty irrelevant.

* A minor trim: the part where the assasin droid (to which Obi-Wan is clinging)
tries to scrape Obi against the building was removed.

They should've kept this in. I thought it was cool.

* The rest of the Coruscant chase remains intact, and WOW - it is simply
breathtaking (if not a little dizzying on an 8-story screen)! This is a scene almost
tailor-made for IMAX.

This is good.

* In Padme's quarters, a minor trim of Anakin playing with the floating ball and (I
think) the part where he says he's ready for the trials.

Eh, this part is needed for the story but for IMAX I'll let it go.

* The discussion between Obi-Wan, Mace and the floaty Yoda was removed.

I'm mad at this. I liked this scene. And besides, anything with Yoda in it is cool and shouldn't be cut out.

* On the train, the tearful goodbye of Dorme was trimmed out of the rest of the
scene.

I really liked this scene, but I can live without it.

* The library scene was completely removed.

I really liked this scene, but it's not needed to wow me.

* The very end of the arrival on Naboo (where they are walking down the long
curved columned pathway was trimmed, as was the entire meeting with Queen
Jamilla.

I liked the interaction between Anakin and Padme here, as well as the meeting with Jamilla. I'm not sure how the story will flow together without the Jamilla scene, but oh well.

* When Anakin and Padme arrive at the Naboo Spa and Resort Island, there are
quite a few minor trims - the part about "here, everything is soft and smooth" to
the hand touch and back rub was clipped out.

I think this is necessary for the feel of the romance, and the romance might not work as good. There needs to be intamacy between Padme and Anakin, and it looks like they cut a lot of that out.

* As far as the rest of the Naboo scenes go, the only ones that were left in were
the dinner table scene (with some beautifully crafted digital pans to account for the
reduced aspect ratios - it was 100% smooth and natural. At least we *think* that's
what they did!) and a much abbreviated but significantly smoother fireplace scene.
The "I'm haunted by the kiss you never should have given me" is one of the
exorcised lines. No "sound of mus

 

Have the screen be so close and the movie so large, I noticed that the II was all over coruscant. Did anyone else notice this?

--Joey

 

"* A minor trim: the part where the assasin droid (to which Obi-Wan is clinging)
tries to scrape Obi against the building was removed."

"They should've kept this in. I thought it was cool."

Now, I'm confused again, At least two people have said that the part with the assassin droid scraping Obi-Wan against the building was intact. So, is it there or isn't it?

Edit: "I noticed that the II was all over coruscant. Did anyone else notice this?" ?

 

I saw it twice yesterday and I'm positive they did NOT cut this part out...

 

Thanks, Princess Tina. That's good news.

 

These are my thoughts on AOTC IMAX edition. First of all two words come to mind when watching the film in IMAX, detail and sound.
The detail in this thing is just amazing. I only wish I had a remote control so I could stop the scene and watch what was going on in the background. Sometimes each shot ends so fast that your eyes are going all over the creen and you can't capture whats going on. Since this film was not shot on with IMAX Cameras or directed as an IMAX movie I feel that it just too much for an IMAX movie. IMAX movies are usually of landscapes and mountains. Places were you dont have to look around the screen that much. You just sit back and take it all in. The AOTC action scenes work really well in IMAX, but theres not much of a different movie expereince when watching the normal dialoge scences. The movie is just cut too fast for it too work well in IMAX. Im not sying it doesn't work I'm saying that movies that are not shot with IMAX in mind just dont cut it as well as a regular IMAX movie.
The sound in this thing is just spectacular. From the seismic charges, too the lighsabers. The DVD sound just wont cut it after watching this thing in IMAX sound. The final duel was enhanced by the IMAX format. I could hear that rumbling from the lightsaber so loud that I thought I was actually there. If you go too see this movie just for the sound, you wont be dissapointed.
In conclusion, if your a Star Wars fan or an AOTC fan do not miss this thing. It is truly a unique Star Wars experience. Just watching the letters crawl in the begining was enough for me. When you see Amidalas ship in the beggining you will know that you are in for a ride. And this was designed to be a ride. Dont take it as the actual movie because its not. That comes out on DVD on NOV 12. This is a Star Wars sound and image ride. Dont miss it and make your own opinions on the IMAX version.

 

Nobody answered my question about musical cuts in slightly trimmed scenes. How do those work out?

 

Did anyone else notice the jedi in the arena battle that was using two lightsabers? I never noticed this in the theatrical release. I noticed him 3 different times. He was using one blue and one green lightsaber. PRETTY COOL!!

 

the musical cuts work well for the most part.

They are as smooth as they can get. As well as the aspect ratio....they did a good job to bring a widescreen film to IMAX.

 

Thanks, JBFett-v_2. Good to hear.

 

Speaking of aspect ratio... I must confess I'm a bit disappointed the film wasn't "letterboxed" to fit the screen.

Yes, I know, it would be ironic to "letterbox" a movie for a theatrical presentation. But that's what they did for "Apocalypse Now Redux", which I saw in the same IMAX where I watched AOTC, and it looked very good. There was black space at the top and the bottom, but the film still took up most of the screen.

 

"A GREAT example is the confrontation between Jango and Obi-Wan in the Fett apartment.
Excellent screen acting. Emotional, sparse, convincing."

I agree. Ewan's performance in particular seems alot better when you can see his expressions like that.

Also loved how Hayden's lips quivered duringthe confession scene.