Update. It looks like we're actually going to see SIX planets in Solo, which is just shy of Rogue One's eight. 1. Corellia 2. Mimban 3. Vandor 4. Kessel 5. Savareen 6. A forested planet where Han and Lando have their final card game
Except that they weren't done with very much actual "CGI" at the time but actual practical effects and digital matte paintings whereas now things are actually done pretty much all-CGI because it's simply the way things are done now and it's better to do so and more effective then spending 9 months shooting a miniature to create Mustafar. Mustafar was standing in for hell so that really has nothing to do with Mario Bros but everything to do with mythic storytelling. I don't know what "real places" have to do with it since Star Wars is filled with "not real" places. If you mean things should look more like Earth then that goes against what Lucas was doing since he wanted to make places look as different as he possibly could. Clearly that was extremely difficult due to the technology of the OT but that doesn't mean he didn't try. The unfortunate thing about the new movies is that they seemed to have forgotten this. R1 was able to mostly get over the morass that's really bogged down the ST but they still have a ways to go to get back to the Star Wars ways of doing things. Hopefully Solo will be another step.
I’m guessing that planet must be Iridium? That was named along with the others in leaks a long time ago but it’s the only one that hasn’t reoccurred. It’s been essentially confirmed Kashyyyk isn’t appearing in Solo, right? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Oh, right! Good catch. And yes, no Kashyyyk. So, in order of appearance: 1. Corellia 2. Mimban 3. Vandor 4. Kessel 5. Savareen 6. Iridium
Agreed. For the most part I find the environments of the ST to be either overly bland and Earth-like or too much like an artificial movie set. I'm glad Solo looks like at least a slight step back towards that SW exoticism I really appreciate.
I think the trick is: exotic, yet somehow, real. Rogue One nailed that (as did the first third of TFA, and small bits of TLJ). And it looks like Solo does too. We'll see.
With more practical effects work then has ever been seen before or ever will again in Star Wars. That doesn't even take account the concept of imagination and stretching designs to make things. I'd say they look like real 360° environments that actually exist in a GFFA as opposed to simplistic variations on what's already been done. Mustafar looks like a real volcanic erupting lava planet, just Coruscant, Kamino, Geonosis, Tattooine, Kashyyyk, Naboo et al really look like the places they are supposed to be. Going by the actual work done by people at Lucasfilm only Edwards took real advantage of their abilities of these first 3 Disney movies. That he was distinctly set in Lucas' timeline but went further than the other two movies who with a 30 year gap had license to take full advantage and didn't is telling. Exotic and real is the point I agree. As you've noted above that's been the problem they've had because they've gone common and repetitive. Any one in itself might be OK but they keep repeating the sameness. They've decided to not use all the tools in the toolbox to the best degree which is completely against the Lucasfilm ethic. Instead it's too much location work and too many people in masks as background creatures not in featured parts. If Kamino had just been people in masks then it's less exotic and real and just another creature shop exercise.
Just saw "Solo" tonight. The daytime rain scenes in the harbor on Corellia fascinated me for some reason. Though not featured, I noticed Scarif got a mention in the film!
I believe Iridium is the name of the mountain range on Vandor, so planet 6 is still without a name. I'm personally hoping it's Batuu
Loved Mimban - the WWI vibe was striking. Does anyone know who the Imperial Army was fighting? I'm assuming some sort of local uprising of sorts, though who would want to live there is anyone's guess!
The Mimbanese Liberation Army. The reference books go into great detail on them, but you only clearly see one or two during the battle. A Mimbanese is a also member of the Cloud-Riders later in the film.
Despite essentially being another snow planet, Vandor made the strongest impression on me with the conveyex set piece as well as Lando's introduction/sabaac game in the lodge. I would have liked to explore a bit more of both Corellia and Kessel.
Iridium | Wookieepedia | FANDOM powered by Wikia funny, iridium isn't in the solo art of book. interesting. here's the page.
Any info on what the planet at the end was called yet? Looked a bit like Yavin 4 (but obviously wasn't)
On Vandor, Lando told Han he won a sub-tropical moon in the Oseon belt. Could it be that? Would explain how Han found him...
Not sure if anyone's mentioned it, but the first overhead shot of the forest planet at the end of Solo seems to be taken from the very first Rogue One teaser that was only shown at Celebration Anaheim in 2015.
Of the new films I think R1 still has the most iconic line-up of planets (Mustafar, Scarif, Jedha City, Yavin IV, Coruscant cameo), but Solo had a respectable showing. They name-dropped Dathomir and Tatooine! Seeing Corellia was great, same for Kessel. Also loved the Maw / gravity well as a set-piece. I did have some issues with Vandor though. When the film shifted from the train heist to the gambling den, it was unclear if they went to a different planet. Seemed coincidental this is going on at the same planet, plus Dryden and his ship are also here? I thought it was poor pacing / editing that this was left unclear / unaddressed. Savareen was also an uninspired set piece.
It's called Numidian Prime. It is "a haven for smugglers and thieves trying to avoid outstanding debts." https://www.starwars.com/databank/numidian-prime
I think the best word to describe what makes a locale a good one is "tangible." As you said, we want it to be exotic and other-worldly, but still feel like it's somewhere we could go. Does that make sense?
Yup. I’ve used that adjective a lot, actually. Also, whether it’s mostly practical or CGI is not the main issue. Tangibility is, however that’s achieved. Though I’d add natural to it. Natural lighting etc is also important to me. An artificially lit outdoor set, even if tangible, can look fake.
Definitely. That's one of my gripes with the prequels: things looked too sterile and unnatural. I understand there's only so much you can do when creating a planet-wide city and stuff like that, but still.