Star Wars Episode II Trailer Tonight

Covant was among several to note that Fox is going to air a 2 1/2 minute trailer for Star Wars Episode II tonight, in between Malcolm and The X-Files. I've seen the trailers released so far, and really hope that this one can convince me that Clones isn't going to continue to follow the path to the dark side like Menace did.

Comments

Don't support it if it is bad

[colmore]

The basic problem with the new Star Wars movies is that they are litterally incapable of failing. There will be lines of people simply because of the first two words in the title. Episode 3 could be Star Wars: the return of the 17th century parlor comedy, and half of Slashdot would be there.

If George Lucas has betrayed his original vision and is simply milking fans for cash, don't go along with it. At least wait for the rental. I promise you, your life will not be significantly altered if you refuse to pay $10 to be dissapointed for two hours.

Re:Don't support it if it is bad

[bartok]

I think that, like a lot of people here, you got it backwards. Lucas doesn't betray his vision but *YOURS*. Everyone has their own hopes and ideas about what Star Wars should be but it has nothing to do with Lucas's own vision. I adding comic releif characters like Jar-Jar is part of what he thinks Star Wars should be, then the fanatics be damned because that's what it will be about.

Re:Don't support it if it is bad

[xonker]

I promise you, your life will not be significantly altered if you refuse to pay $10 to be dissapointed for two hours.

Nor will my life be significantly altered if I do pay $7.50 (going rate in Denver) to see the next movie. I wasn't disappointed with Phantom Menace, and I expect that I'll enjoy this one as well. Granted, there were some parts of PM that were lacking, but overall I enjoyed it.

Even if Clones is disappointing, it won't be the end of the world...but if it's good, I'd rather see it on a decent-sized screen.

Re:Don't support it if it is bad

[dfn5]

Special effects do not a movie make. I wanted to walk out of Episode I half way through, even with all of the stunning special effects. I will definitely not be going to the cinema for this one. I probably won't even rent it. I'll wait for it to be broadcasted over the air waves. That way the special effects will be on par with the plot and characters. That is how I will let Lucas know that he ruined Star Wars. Of course that won't make any difference because the rest of you lemmings will camp out 1 week before the debute.

And just for the record, I thought the muppets looked far more realistic than the lame computer graphics of Episode I.

I hate to say it...

[NickV]

But am I the only /.'er that will miss this "commercial" on TV, so I can watch the 9|11 CBS special with the camcorder footage inside the world trade center on the 11th? It's commercial-free for two hours, and I think it's going to be a much more meaningful way of spending time with TV tonight(I mean, aren't we the ones that always trashes TV for the "lame" sitcoms and "stupid" filler, that's always on?)

Re:I hate to say it...

[xonker]

I'd rather watch anything but more footage of the 9/11 WTC attack.

Why? Because it's unbelievably depressing, and watching yet more footage of the carnage isn't going to help anyone. I'm not saying that people should forget or anything like that, but I'll leave that kind of voyeuristic masturbation to others.

Watching WTC footage isn't "meaningful." It doesn't help anyone. If you really want to do something "meaningful" go donate blood or some of your time to help charities. Go visit a senior's center and spend time with old people who have no family to visit. Write a letter to one of our troops in Afghanistan.

CBS may be doing this with the best of intentions, but the bottom line is they're still capitalizing on a horrible event. If the networks really wanted to do something meaningful they'd take an evening and go dark for three hours so people could spend time with their family or do something in their community instead of numbing themselves with television.

Imagine that for a second -- if every network agreed to go dark for three or four hours simultaneously for an evening on the anniversary of September 11th. (They would have to promote the hell out of it beforehand for safety's sake -- otherwise half the population would go batshit because they'd think someone had attacked and knocked out all the television stations...)

Re:I hate to say it...

[Veritan Drelor]

I'd rather watch anything but more footage of the 9/11 WTC attack too. My reasons, however, are a touch different.

Personally, I'm sick of the moaning, wailing, and gnashing of teeth over the attack. It was a bad event, but the media are doing nothing more than exploiting several thousand personal tragedies.

Anyway, how are the deaths of those thousands any more tragic than the deaths of the thousands killed on American highways, or the thousands killed by an inane firearms policy? Scale?

If you want scale, let's look at Hiroshima. Nagaski. Civilians killed by American bombs. Let's look at Hamburg. Dresden. Essen. Duisberg. Tens of thousands of civilians slaughtered in massive firestorms, at the hands of Britons and Americans - and in case you're wondering, I'm among the former group.

All of these were "legitimate" acts of war right? America was attacked on American soil. Bad shit happens. Worse shit has happened to alot of other nations in the past, and they've done very well in the long run.

To America: quit blubbing about a tragedy which is pretty small in the scheme of things. By all means, do whatever is necessary (and legal) to bring those responsible to justice. Quit making out how hard done by you are. Get the job done with Osama and al-Qaeda, and put it behind you.

PS I daresay I'll be treated as a troll for this post. Whatever. It was an American who stated "I don't agree with what you say, but I'll defence to the death you're right to say it."

When will you whiners understand?

[Psiren]

Menace was never targetted at adults. It was targetted at kids. Lucas assumed all the people who saw Star Wars as kids had grown up. Evidently he was only half right, cos you're all still moaning like kids.

Do you complain about the lack of adult material in other films you take your kids to see? No? So why this one?

Hey a poster more pathetic than Jar Jar !!!

[Augusto]

... you hated the Phantom Menace, don't like Hayden, don't like Portman, don't like the earlier trailers, and don't seem inclined to like this episode either.

Yet, you're going to watch the movie, and to top it off on OPENING DAY ! Is that pathetic or what ? If you don't like the movies and the actors, just don't freaking go see it. Less people on the line and less whiners in the theater the better for the rest of us.

Re:Mod Parent up!

[Anonymous Coward]

But not very original

Re:No sign of Jar-Jar

[Pussy Is Money]

I never liked Star Wars. I don't even remember the movies, except for the ugly outfits (the stormtrooper tenue is passable).

Now there are lots of people here who like Star Wars. So I don't want to start a Star Wars is good/bad type of thing. The point is, I don't like the series, I ignore it, to each his own, yadda yadda. Then on the other hand you have the people who like it, who watch it, and (figuring from the comments), for the most part are disappointed with it. Especially with Jar Jar Binks. People really hate Jar Jar Binks, and will go to great lengths detailing the precise nature of their discontent with Jar Jar Binks.

Now the funny thing is that all this hubbub is fast making Jar Jar Binks into the most memorable character in the second Star Wars series. In fifteen years time, we'll all be going "Remember Jar Jar?" - "Yeah, he was horrible.". I mean I could care less about Star Wars and Death Stars, but I do know that Jar Jar Binks is a character to loathe. Jar Jar may have been a creative mistake, a creative disaster even, but you have to respect commercial genius.

content is not proportional to cash

[Anonymous Coward]

Of course everyone realizes that the effect of commercialization on the Star Wars 'Franchise'. That is, the more it sells the tamer the content material has to be for DVD rentals at Blockbuster or Wal-Mart (both of which enforce a company defined system of family values censorship by removing content that is deemed far to violent/sexual/controversial for the public audience). As well the myriad of mass produced toys, costumes, and related products that will sell and sit packaged on everyone?s walls, or on top of a monitor to declare the owners fandom (consumer = clone, how much does the irony escape the public)

Terminus

Dislike dmca and sssca? Stop watching US films.

[Anonymous Coward]

I am doing my bit as a (non-)consumer by not renting, buying, or movie-going. Nor am I obtaining illegal copies, because that'd just make me the industry's excuse.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you need to make up your minds. Do you wish to do your bit? Or is suffering the loss of the Hollywood circus a bit too much? Remember, every cent towards your Hollywood DVD rentals, and your movie tickets, is your voluntary cent as a consumer in support of the destruction of your own freedoms.

If you believe in ethical purchasing, paste this message into all film articles on Slashdot. Remind your peers of the damage they may be doing to themselves and society.

Movie comparison

[Nathdot]

I've seen the trailers released so far, and really hope that this one can convince me that Clones isn't going to continue to follow the path to the dark side like Menace did.

I too have seen the trailers so far, and from the looks of things it appears that it's gonna be Titanic in outer space. *bler*

God save us all from Anakin/Amidala leaning off the edge of the death star. "I'm king of the world! YIPEEE!!!"

For godsake the only thing missing from the trailer is the swelling Celine Dion/Jon Williams collaboration piece. Is there actually going to be any attacking in Attack of the clones or what?

Re:No sign of Jar-Jar

[JabberWokky]

So I don't want to start a Star Wars is good/bad type of thing.

Try being like me, who simply holds that Star Wars is Fantasy rather than Science Fiction. I generally keep it to myself, but my friends like pointing it out to people who are Star Wars fans for two reasons: for some reason, it tends to really piss off hardcore fans (why, I have no idea, as there's no "better" genre), and my arguments have been very polished after discussing this in hallways in conventions after "friends" hook some guy into talking to me. :) Truth be told, it's an amusing way to pass the time, and I do believe it, so it's not trolling...

--
Evan "New Con signin question: What's your Karma?"

Drifting awfully close to Godwin, there

[rhizome]

"Schindler's List" deals with subject matter that benefits from more detail and illustration of the subtleties involved in negotiating survival in a tyrranical political environment (the same role that the "tons of literature..." occupies). There's no such insight to be gained from footage of people caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. What could be less subtle than jets flying into buildings?! Is Newsweek really a good judge of poignancy, especially since they stand to gain indirectly from continued public interest in these grotesque displays of misery that do everything but address the underlying issues contributing to the WTC disaster? Much more than a car wreck, these underlying issues are exactly what movies like "Schindler's List" are about.

Jar-Jar unsuspends all your disbelief

[jcsehak]

The difference:
Jar Jar is a failed attempt at Buster Keaton-style slapsitck. Unfortunately, Lucas captured none of the sophistication or clever gags of Keaton. All the cutesy characters in episodes 4-6 were realistically intelligent and reacted believably to their situations. Jar Jar is something you'd expect to see in a saturday morning cartoon created by a dodgy old professor who's real passion is Proust, but was told to make a funny children's show.

I don't know how you could stand a movie that actually expected you to take it seriously when people were fighting with light sabres and jumping in and out of hyperspace.

You suspend your disbelief. I have no problem believing in (for 2 hours, at least) the Force,light sabres, and Jedi Knights; until some zany loon CGI character comes in and makes me remember it's just a movie.

Lucas is a master of drama and action. I give it up for him for trying, but I hope he realises that any comedy (even if it's good) in the Star Wars series really doesn't belong. Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be treating episodes 1-3 the same way I do The Godfather III: pretending they don't exist.

What was wrong with Portman?

[Chasing Amy]

> As for Natalie, I'm still wondering what happened to her after The Professional.

Yeah, she was quite fuckable in *The Professional*, wasn't she? Especially in the *Leon* extended cut. Mmmm, jailbait. Tastes like chicken... ;-)

But seriously, I didn't think her acting was that bad in TPM--it's just that the script called for a wooned "regal" performance. I can just imagine Lucas directing her into mediocrity: "No, Natalie, say it with less feeling this time. You're a Queen who doesn't know the common people yet, which is why you pretend to be one of them to learn. But right now you're aloof, so act like you're Queen Victoria trying to hold it in after being given a laxative."

In contrast most of her other recent performances have been great, like in *Where the Heart Is*. Oh, and in those topless pictures the paparazzi got of her at the beach. Her performance in those was good, too. ;-)

Re:i dont care what anyone says....

[Johnny Mnemonic]

I will argue this point with you (here on Slashdot, why not? I don't get around to reading SW boards): According to Yoda in the Phantom Menace, there are only 2 Sith, ever

Now, I might be corrected--for instance, I've only watched TPM twice, haven't read any of the books, and, as I said above haven't hit any of the sites, etc. So if there is direct evidence to the contrary, I'm sure that you'll let me know.

But Yoda doesn't actually say that--he says "Always two there are--a master, and a student." I think that he is referring to the martial and spiritual training that all of Sith or Jedi caliber go through. Consider the duality of Luke and Obi-Wan; later, Luke and Yoda. In TPM we have the duality of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon, and in fact the stipulation that Qui could not receive another student since he already had one.

Bottom line--I think Yoda was speaking in generalities of the warrior profession, and to draw specific conclusions about the Sith from this statement is a mistake.

Re:overheard!

[singularity]

Did you ever think about the fact that Slashdot users care about digital rights because some of us are actually movie fans?

I mean, someone who never goes to the movies and never rents movies is not going to be the one who shows up for protests concerning copyright protection on movies.

The Critic Got an Advanced Screening...

[MBCook]

It seems that The Critic got an advanced screening. So what did he think of the movie? I quote: "It STINKS!!!"

Seriously though I don't understand what you are all whining about. First of all you have to remember that the episode 4 has been around and worshiped for more than 20 years, and to expect a brand new movie to live up to that is rediculous. Personaly, I'll see the movie even if it's said to be terrible. Call me crazy, but most of the movies that have come out in the last few years are complete trash. You want a plot summary of most movies? Guy/Girl exists. Guy/Girl has sex on the first date with Guy/Girl he/she doesn't know. More stupid pathetic plot with more holes in it than swiss cheese. Happy ending. If this movie is half coherent, it will already be better than many movies lately.

Also, is it really fair to judge a movie by a trailer? Lately I've been watching alot of older movies on DVD, and they usually include the trailer. I can't help but say that while many of the movies are great, I'm not so sure I would have gone to see them based on the trailer. I think we have all had an expirence like this. Then of course we've all had dozens of expirences that are just the opposite: great trailer, worst movie ever.

Have we nothing somewhat more important, but still totally pointless, to debate? Let's debate something like forcing all one-legged-weasles-born-on-the-right-side-of-a-wat ermellon to have the left side of their head shaved for posterity. That's about pointless and weird enough for Slashdot.