A long time ago, in a gla... a gax... oh fart.
October 28, 2013 11:20 AM Subscribe
Hard to believe they're all clones of the baddest-ass mercenary in the galaxy, isn't it?
posted by gottabefunky at 11:30 AM on October 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by gottabefunky at 11:30 AM on October 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
What I find the most interesting is that the "blasters" where basically cap guns going off with loud bangs. I guess they wanted something for the actors to know that the gun had fired, but the loud "bang bang bang" was weird after my whole life hearing the blaster sound from the finished movies.
I wonder if they did that with the prequels or if they were all just having to go "pew pew pew" in their heads.
posted by daq at 11:34 AM on October 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
I wonder if they did that with the prequels or if they were all just having to go "pew pew pew" in their heads.
posted by daq at 11:34 AM on October 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
They think they know what's to come, who they are. It hasn't even begun.
posted by kmz at 11:35 AM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by kmz at 11:35 AM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Finally, the Harrison Ford eating a headset action you've been craving!
posted by The Whelk at 11:35 AM on October 28, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by The Whelk at 11:35 AM on October 28, 2013 [5 favorites]
The Alec Guinness clip is especially fun to watch knowing how much he hated the movie.
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:36 AM on October 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by The Card Cheat at 11:36 AM on October 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
In the Special Edition blooper reel, the headset tries to eat Harrison Ford first.
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:37 AM on October 28, 2013 [63 favorites]
posted by Atom Eyes at 11:37 AM on October 28, 2013 [63 favorites]
What I find the most interesting is that the "blasters" where basically cap guns going off with loud bangs.
Years ago I read in one of the "making-of" books that Carrie Fisher remembered that one of the early days on set, when they were filming the rescue scene, she'd rehearsed a whole specific line reading for "This is some rescue. When you came in here, didn't you have a plan for getting out?" But then on set she had to scrap it because there was just so much noise that all she could do was "THIS IS SOME RESCUE. WHEN YOU CAME IN HERE...."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:38 AM on October 28, 2013
Years ago I read in one of the "making-of" books that Carrie Fisher remembered that one of the early days on set, when they were filming the rescue scene, she'd rehearsed a whole specific line reading for "This is some rescue. When you came in here, didn't you have a plan for getting out?" But then on set she had to scrap it because there was just so much noise that all she could do was "THIS IS SOME RESCUE. WHEN YOU CAME IN HERE...."
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 11:38 AM on October 28, 2013
Also, the guns actually going "bang" makes the scene where princess leia was blasting stormtroopers from the ledge make more sense. Carrie Fisher actually winces as she fires, so her acting was actually a natural reaction to holding a really loud noise maker.
posted by daq at 11:38 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by daq at 11:38 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Never have I seen a more wretched hiv…
No, I can't do it. It's just that bad.
posted by eriko at 11:39 AM on October 28, 2013
No, I can't do it. It's just that bad.
posted by eriko at 11:39 AM on October 28, 2013
They didn't know. Oh my god, they didn't know.
I totally get what you're saying and love that feeling too. But something about how Mark Hamil asks about where the inflection should go in supernova that feels like he knew people were going to give him shit about it for the rest of his life if he got it wrong.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:40 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
I totally get what you're saying and love that feeling too. But something about how Mark Hamil asks about where the inflection should go in supernova that feels like he knew people were going to give him shit about it for the rest of his life if he got it wrong.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:40 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
That was .... mild.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 11:40 AM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 11:40 AM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Also, that line about the supernova never made it into the final cut.
posted by daq at 11:42 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by daq at 11:42 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
That was .... mild.
Especially if you read Fisher's accounts of filming and how apparently everyone was high. as. a. freaking. kite.
posted by The Whelk at 11:43 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Especially if you read Fisher's accounts of filming and how apparently everyone was high. as. a. freaking. kite.
posted by The Whelk at 11:43 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Also, that line about the supernova never made it into the final cut.
Yet he's stuck with his delivery on "what's that flashing?" for all time. Life is cruel.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:43 AM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Yet he's stuck with his delivery on "what's that flashing?" for all time. Life is cruel.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 11:43 AM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Were the esteemed English gentlemen actors high too? I would smoke dope with Peter Cushing.
posted by Mister_A at 11:44 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Mister_A at 11:44 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Worth it just for Peter Cushing garbling his lines.
Also: It's SUpernova, not supernovaaa.
posted by zombieflanders at 11:46 AM on October 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
Also: It's SUpernova, not supernovaaa.
posted by zombieflanders at 11:46 AM on October 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
I thought for sure we were going to get a glimpse of Peter Cushing's slippers.
posted by entropicamericana at 11:47 AM on October 28, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by entropicamericana at 11:47 AM on October 28, 2013 [7 favorites]
Wingardium supernoVAAA!
posted by darksasami at 11:51 AM on October 28, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by darksasami at 11:51 AM on October 28, 2013 [5 favorites]
Yet he's stuck with his delivery on "what's that flashing?" "But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!" for all time. Life is cruel.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:53 AM on October 28, 2013 [10 favorites]
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 11:53 AM on October 28, 2013 [10 favorites]
I would smoke dope with Peter Cushing.
Move to Whitstable, you never know who you might meet...
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:56 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Move to Whitstable, you never know who you might meet...
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:56 AM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
When the actors flub their lines, are they deliberately doing something outrageous to ensure that the shot can't be used?
posted by Kikujiro's Summer at 12:08 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Kikujiro's Summer at 12:08 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
These are not the takes you are looking for.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:14 PM on October 28, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:14 PM on October 28, 2013 [9 favorites]
What I find the most interesting is that the "blasters" where basically cap guns going off with loud bangs. I guess they wanted something for the actors to know that the gun had fired
Not only the actors, but the flash meant the optical FX team could exactly sync the effects without having the soundtrack, and the bang meant the sound FX team could exactly sync the sound FX without having the actual film.
posted by eriko at 12:14 PM on October 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
Not only the actors, but the flash meant the optical FX team could exactly sync the effects without having the soundtrack, and the bang meant the sound FX team could exactly sync the sound FX without having the actual film.
posted by eriko at 12:14 PM on October 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
I just said to a couple of younger colleagues, "You're not permitted in here!"
posted by Mister_A at 12:15 PM on October 28, 2013
posted by Mister_A at 12:15 PM on October 28, 2013
I remember seeing this at the 4th West Coast Computer Faire, or a Star Trek convention in Oakland 1978ish.
posted by humboldt32 at 12:19 PM on October 28, 2013
posted by humboldt32 at 12:19 PM on October 28, 2013
Hard to believe they're all clones of the baddest-ass mercenary in the galaxy, isn't it?
Hard to keep track of where canon comes down on that question these days. but I learned once that Mark "Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?" Hamill is actually an inch or two taller than Temuera "Master Copy" Morrison.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 12:24 PM on October 28, 2013
Hard to keep track of where canon comes down on that question these days. but I learned once that Mark "Aren't you a little short for a stormtrooper?" Hamill is actually an inch or two taller than Temuera "Master Copy" Morrison.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 12:24 PM on October 28, 2013
daq: "I wonder if they did that with the prequels or if they were all just having to go "pew pew pew" in their heads."
They were CG. The actors had to hold gun-shaped sticks, covered in ping pong balls.
posted by brundlefly at 12:25 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
They were CG. The actors had to hold gun-shaped sticks, covered in ping pong balls.
posted by brundlefly at 12:25 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
"But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters!"
The truth about power converters
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:26 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
The truth about power converters
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 12:26 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
...but the flash meant the optical FX team could exactly sync the effects without having the soundtrack, and the bang meant the sound FX team could exactly sync the sound FX without having the actual film.
Years of tech advances later, Hayden Christensen's acting was phoned in over a 2400 baud modem.
posted by hal9k at 12:28 PM on October 28, 2013 [16 favorites]
Years of tech advances later, Hayden Christensen's acting was phoned in over a 2400 baud modem.
posted by hal9k at 12:28 PM on October 28, 2013 [16 favorites]
They were CG. The actors had to hold gun-shaped sticks, covered in ping pong balls.
Actors?
posted by entropicamericana at 12:33 PM on October 28, 2013
Actors?
posted by entropicamericana at 12:33 PM on October 28, 2013
This doesn't need to be rehashed really, but cut Hayden some slack. Work with one of the worst scripts ever conceived, or say "no" to playing Darth Vader?
posted by Brocktoon at 12:33 PM on October 28, 2013 [15 favorites]
posted by Brocktoon at 12:33 PM on October 28, 2013 [15 favorites]
Work with one of the worst scripts ever conceived, or say "no" to playing Darth Vader?
Y'know, after I saw the underwhelming episode I, I recall saying to a friend as we were exiting that it was odd to think that "somewhere right now in Columbus or San Diego or Boston or somewhere, there is a teenager who will be playing Darth Vader in three years and has no idea that he will be." Of course, we saw it in Toronto, so for all I know, Hayden Christiansen was sitting three seats over from me.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 12:40 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Y'know, after I saw the underwhelming episode I, I recall saying to a friend as we were exiting that it was odd to think that "somewhere right now in Columbus or San Diego or Boston or somewhere, there is a teenager who will be playing Darth Vader in three years and has no idea that he will be." Of course, we saw it in Toronto, so for all I know, Hayden Christiansen was sitting three seats over from me.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 12:40 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
This doesn't need to be rehashed really, but cut Hayden some slack. Work with one of the worst scripts ever conceived, or say "no" to playing Darth Vader?
*Thinking hard and seriously about this* Hmmm. Well, ok, maybe a little bit. A little.
posted by Melismata at 12:40 PM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
*Thinking hard and seriously about this* Hmmm. Well, ok, maybe a little bit. A little.
posted by Melismata at 12:40 PM on October 28, 2013 [2 favorites]
Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Hayden Christiansen is a brilliant actor in Star Wars? Maybe Darth Vader was just a really wooden, sullen, whiny teen that you would have loved to see break bad because at least that would make the brat interesting.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:57 PM on October 28, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 12:57 PM on October 28, 2013 [9 favorites]
Move to Whitstable first, you never know who you might meet... You'd need a time machine, that would be "lived".
When I was a student I rented some rich bloke's second home on Seasalter Beach, just outside Whitstable. About 4 houses down was Peter Cushing's place. If I got up early enough on a Sunday morning I'd often see him at the local convenience store buying his newspapers and yes, although the voice was weaker, he sounded like that in person.
posted by epo at 1:13 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
When I was a student I rented some rich bloke's second home on Seasalter Beach, just outside Whitstable. About 4 houses down was Peter Cushing's place. If I got up early enough on a Sunday morning I'd often see him at the local convenience store buying his newspapers and yes, although the voice was weaker, he sounded like that in person.
posted by epo at 1:13 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
When the actors flub their lines, are they deliberately doing something outrageous to ensure that the shot can't be used?
This is pretty common in blooper reels. I've always assumed actors get silly when they flub a line to let off steam from the pressure/anxiety/fatigue of the exhausting movie-making process and boredom of multiple takes.
posted by aught at 1:56 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
This is pretty common in blooper reels. I've always assumed actors get silly when they flub a line to let off steam from the pressure/anxiety/fatigue of the exhausting movie-making process and boredom of multiple takes.
posted by aught at 1:56 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
Has it ever occurred to you that maybe Hayden Christiansen is a brilliant actor in Star Wars?
Nope, he's also terrible in Life as a House / Shattered Glass / Factory Girl / Jumper
posted by Omon Ra at 2:07 PM on October 28, 2013
Nope, he's also terrible in Life as a House / Shattered Glass / Factory Girl / Jumper
posted by Omon Ra at 2:07 PM on October 28, 2013
Nope, he's also terrible in Life as a House / Shattered Glass
I dunno, maybe it's playing to his strengths (such as they are), but whiny and emotionally immature are perfect for his roles in those two.
posted by zombieflanders at 2:15 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
I dunno, maybe it's playing to his strengths (such as they are), but whiny and emotionally immature are perfect for his roles in those two.
posted by zombieflanders at 2:15 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
I didn't say give him an Oscar.
posted by Brocktoon at 2:22 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Brocktoon at 2:22 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
But something about how Mark Hamil asks about where the inflection should go in supernova that feels like he knew people were going to give him shit about it for the rest of his life if he got it wrong.
I can't hear an actor worry over which syllable to emphasize without wishing they'll transition into a full-on Orson Welles-style freakout: "That doesn't make any sense. Sorry. There's no known way of saying 'supernóva.' Get me a jury and show me how you can say 'supernóva' and I'll... go down on you."
posted by RogerB at 2:50 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
I can't hear an actor worry over which syllable to emphasize without wishing they'll transition into a full-on Orson Welles-style freakout: "That doesn't make any sense. Sorry. There's no known way of saying 'supernóva.' Get me a jury and show me how you can say 'supernóva' and I'll... go down on you."
posted by RogerB at 2:50 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
It hasn't yet become what it became. They didn't know. Oh my god, they didn't know.
I thought I read somewhere that Harrison Ford had a pretty good notion of what it could become and took a percent of the gross rather than a salary.
posted by Ber at 3:20 PM on October 28, 2013
I thought I read somewhere that Harrison Ford had a pretty good notion of what it could become and took a percent of the gross rather than a salary.
posted by Ber at 3:20 PM on October 28, 2013
What happened to the agonising five minute stretch where they play the goofy pop music and the actors are dancing and making wacky faces? This blooper reel is bullshit.
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:26 PM on October 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by turbid dahlia at 3:26 PM on October 28, 2013 [3 favorites]
Alec Guinness is the one who wisely took a percentage.
posted by thesmallmachine at 3:30 PM on October 28, 2013
posted by thesmallmachine at 3:30 PM on October 28, 2013
Hah, those are some of the clumsiest stormtroopers the sector has seen!
Don't forget this guy, who made it into the final cut.
posted by hydrophonic at 3:57 PM on October 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
Don't forget this guy, who made it into the final cut.
posted by hydrophonic at 3:57 PM on October 28, 2013 [4 favorites]
When the actors flub their lines, are they deliberately doing something outrageous to ensure that the shot can't be used?
Nope; they just feel a bit foolish and stupid and are playing around to diffuse the tension. Kind of like if you do something a little foolish and you start laughing or poke fun at yourself rather than getting embarrassed; this is the same thing. Actors are just way more dramatic about that poking fun at themselves.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:06 PM on October 28, 2013
Nope; they just feel a bit foolish and stupid and are playing around to diffuse the tension. Kind of like if you do something a little foolish and you start laughing or poke fun at yourself rather than getting embarrassed; this is the same thing. Actors are just way more dramatic about that poking fun at themselves.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:06 PM on October 28, 2013
Stonestock Relentless: "That was .... mild."
Not as clumsy or as random as modern blooper reels, but a more elegant series of flubs for a more civilized age.
posted by jiawen at 8:17 PM on October 28, 2013 [11 favorites]
Not as clumsy or as random as modern blooper reels, but a more elegant series of flubs for a more civilized age.
posted by jiawen at 8:17 PM on October 28, 2013 [11 favorites]
I wonder if they did that with the prequels or if they were all just having to go "pew pew pew" in their heads.
Well, the story goes that when Neeson and McGregor first did their lightsaber scenes, they'd make the sound effects before being reminded those would be added in later.
I don't know if that's quite as embarrassing as David Prowse saying all his lines on the New Hope set as Darth Vader (footage of which exists), and having no idea those would also be added in later.
Also, the retcon goes that the original trilogy stormtroopers were mostly/entirely comprised of human recruits, which makes a little more sense.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 10:25 PM on October 28, 2013
Well, the story goes that when Neeson and McGregor first did their lightsaber scenes, they'd make the sound effects before being reminded those would be added in later.
I don't know if that's quite as embarrassing as David Prowse saying all his lines on the New Hope set as Darth Vader (footage of which exists), and having no idea those would also be added in later.
Also, the retcon goes that the original trilogy stormtroopers were mostly/entirely comprised of human recruits, which makes a little more sense.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 10:25 PM on October 28, 2013
Never-Before-Seen Footage From 'Star Wars' Appears on Facebook
posted by Joe in Australia at 11:55 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
For Star Wars fans, Christmas has come early. Last week, never-before-seen footage from Return of the Jedi appeared on Facebook, posted by a fan who bought an old LaserDisc that Lucasfilm created back in the '80s to showcase an editing system.The clips seem to be here. I can't actually watch them, not having this Face Book program.
The fan has posted nine videos to a Facebook page so far.
posted by Joe in Australia at 11:55 PM on October 28, 2013 [1 favorite]
They didn't know. Oh my god, they didn't know.
Well, for her part, Fisher says -- tired of being asked that specific question -- that "We all knew. The only one who didn't know was George Lucas, and we kept it from him, because we wanted to see him change expression." Or also "We knew it was going to be special, but we really couldn't have expected this."
After all, it was a $10M film -- which was pretty substantial in those days. A big hit would have domestic gross topping $40M. Instead they doubled that and more, and the film was also a huge foreign market success.
posted by dhartung at 4:22 AM on October 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
Well, for her part, Fisher says -- tired of being asked that specific question -- that "We all knew. The only one who didn't know was George Lucas, and we kept it from him, because we wanted to see him change expression." Or also "We knew it was going to be special, but we really couldn't have expected this."
After all, it was a $10M film -- which was pretty substantial in those days. A big hit would have domestic gross topping $40M. Instead they doubled that and more, and the film was also a huge foreign market success.
posted by dhartung at 4:22 AM on October 29, 2013 [2 favorites]
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posted by Foci for Analysis at 11:27 AM on October 28, 2013