Star Wars VII - The Force Awakens, on BluRay and Dvd April 5th, 2016

[Petrov27]

wow that was interesting - was that on some TV special or something?

ooops - nvm

Edited January 5, 2015 by Petrov27

[Mr March]

Guess they have to throw in some decent fighting in there.

‘Star Wars: Episode VII’ Adds Martial Arts Stars From ‘The Raid 2′ (The Wrap)

Most likely hired for the fight choreography. Uwais and Ruhian not only starred in the Raid films but also acted as choreographers. Makes sense there would be fighting choreography needed for Star Wars.

[Agent ONE]

Most likely hired for the fight choreography. Uwais and Ruhian not only starred in the Raid films but also acted as choreographers. Makes sense there would be fighting choreography needed for Star Wars.

One of the weaknesses of SW is the lack of continuity in fight style. We have Luke with his baseball bat style, which just made sense to me for some reason. Go to the prequels, and is all artistic about it, as well as bouncing off the walls etc... Just didn't work for me.

[Mommar]

One of the weaknesses of SW is the lack of continuity in fight style. We have Luke with his baseball bat style, which just made sense to me for some reason. Go to the prequels, and is all artistic about it, as well as bouncing off the walls etc... Just didn't work for me.

This is what we call the difference between a group of people who grew up in a Dojo versus a kid with no training fumbling around trying to figure out how to fight in a method who works for him.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

http://johncelestri.blogspot.com/2011/08/boba-fett-star-wars-holiday-special_23.html

thanks! yeah this was before my time. i just saw the christmas holiday show on reddit a couple weeks ago. but didn't know this was his first appearance.

got into starwars about 83 84 right when return of the jedi hit.

can't wait for this new movie. i love the y wings and hope they're a big part of the movie.

[Agent ONE]

This is what we call the difference between a group of people who grew up in a Dojo versus a kid with no training fumbling around trying to figure out how to fight in a method who works for him.

That DOES make sense, I just like the baseball bat style better.

[Knight26]

That DOES make sense, I just like the baseball bat style better.

This is what we call the difference between a group of people who grew up in a Dojo versus a kid with no training fumbling around trying to figure out how to fight in a method who works for him.

Makes sense, except we still never see Vader or Obi-Wan doing any of the prequel level moves in the OT. Now maybe we can chalk that up to age, immobility of his robotic form, but it still is jarring to see the style differences.

Luke definitely had no style to his combat with the saber, it was all hacking attacks for the most part, the baseball bat analogy works there. I wonder if we will see him and his student(s) having a more refined technique in Ep VII?

[taksraven]

One of the weaknesses of SW is the lack of continuity in fight style. We have Luke with his baseball bat style, which just made sense to me for some reason. Go to the prequels, and is all artistic about it, as well as bouncing off the walls etc... Just didn't work for me.

Don't forget Alec Guiness with his "I'm so old I can barely swing this thing" style.

[azrael]

Makes sense, except we still never see Vader or Obi-Wan doing any of the prequel level moves in the OT. Now maybe we can chalk that up to age, immobility of his robotic form, but it still is jarring to see the style differences.

Luke definitely had no style to his combat with the saber, it was all hacking attacks for the most part, the baseball bat analogy works there. I wonder if we will see him and his student(s) having a more refined technique in Ep VII?

Heck, Lucas made a point of pointing that out for the prequels' BTS-episodes.

(I miss this stuff, BTW. These days I have to wait for a freakin disc to see this.)

[Dynaman]

This is what we call the difference between a group of people who grew up in a Dojo versus a kid with no training fumbling around trying to figure out how to fight in a method who works for him.

Silly me, I thought it was all just the bigger budget and digital effects...

[edit] Luke ALSO seemed to have forgotten one hell of a lot between Empire and Jedi too.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Dynaman

[Mr March]

One of the weaknesses of SW is the lack of continuity in fight style. We have Luke with his baseball bat style, which just made sense to me for some reason. Go to the prequels, and is all artistic about it, as well as bouncing off the walls etc... Just didn't work for me.

Wouldn't call it a weakness, just two very different eras of fight choreography that contrast with each other so vividly because the films are all part of the same series/franchise. That not something that could be helped, it's simply the changing reality of filmmaking over 20 years.

IMO, the prequel's numerous problems eclipse scrutinizing the fight sequences. But I will say I'm hoping for a more grounded fighting choreography with this next Star Wars film; something more interesting rather than showy.

[miles316]

The difference between fighting in Episode 4,5,6 and prequels was Luke and Vader/Anakin was Luke was a still a novice and Anakin/Vader was a 40+ year old quadruple amputee with horrible burn scars and using a portable life support man making them basically equal.

[Kelsain]

The inquisitor would've kicked Luke's ass.

He's probably dead by ESB, but I'm sure he's not the only one out there.

Aside from Vader's medical handicap , it's also important to remember that he wanted Luke alive. He also wouldn't let the inquisitors near his kid.

Edited January 6, 2015 by Kelsain

[David Hingtgen]

The inquisitor would've kicked Luke's ass.

Yeah, Red Lyrium weapons!

[areaseven]

Here's an awesome music video of Episode I's climactic fight scene.

[skullmilitia]

I always assumed the OT saber fights were more "Knight" style with heavy swords. Where as the prequels took it to the Dojo style fighting.
Either way, we can't think of what fighting happens in Rebels or Clone Wars, because that's super stylistic.

[jenius]

I remember before the prequels came out my friend explaining to me that the light saber was a two handed sword to emulate the way samurai fought... then we got the prequels and it was like... nahhhhhhhhhhh!

[ErikElvis]

In my mind I think in the OT they get so good you don't have to do anything fancy as you can predict most moves anyway.

[raptormesh]

I always assumed the OT saber fights were more "Knight" style with heavy swords. Where as the prequels took it to the Dojo style fighting.

Either way, we can't think of what fighting happens in Rebels or Clone Wars, because that's super stylistic.

I practice iaido and can't for the love of me see what's so "Dojo" about the prequel fights. More fencing and gymnastics than sword fighting. Perhaps a bit of wushu performances? On the flipside, the OT fight between obiwan and vader actually reminds me more of kendo.

[Jefuemon]

I'll just leave this here

[anime52k8]

All of the sword fights in all of the star wars movies suck for one reason or another. the end.

Edited January 6, 2015 by anime52k8

[Knight26]

I remember having a discussion like this years ago. The consensus then was that the fights also had very different meaning. Ever saber battle in the OT was not just a fight of weapons, but of words and emotions.

Ep IV: OBI-WAN new he couldn't make it out alive, he was buying the others time to escape and distracting Vader from the force presence of Luke, drawing the fight out by talking to him and appealing to what was left of his humanity. Ultimately he sacrifices himself to drive Luke forward and to "become one" with the force as a way to continue to teach Luke.

Ep V: Vader is trying to turn Luke to the darkside, demonstrating the power he possesses. He is on the defensive for most of the saber fight, drawing out Luke's anger and frustration until the climax where he begins to make him more and more like himself before revealing the truth of their relationship.

Ep VI: Luke is trying to save his father and draw him back to the light. He doesn't start going balls out to kill Vader until he realizes that if he fails that Vader will go after Leia, and since she is untrained, will probably turn her. Even then, his hack attack style fails once he sees just what that level of anger does to a person, then the Emperor goes balls out to kill him with force lightening.

Ep I: There's no drama to the fight, it's just a fight, no philosophical goal, just good vs evil, the fighting is more frantic every blow is intended to be a killing blow.

Ep II: More of the same, with the Dooku/Anaking fighting hinting towards trying to turn him, but even then, the frantic style of Anakin prevents that.

EpIII: More the same to the extreme, jedi bouncing all over, Anakin straight up murdering Dooku, but again no major discussion to try and sway the other. Even the Anakin/Obi-Wan fight was all jumping and dancing about, with little attempt to draw Anakin back from the darkside, more just the two of them whining at each other.

[JB0]

What about when Luke is backflipping through Jabba's sailbarge fleet?

Or does that not count since only one side had a sword?

Edited January 6, 2015 by JB0

[Agent ONE]

I'll just leave this here

[media]

[/media

Nice. Exactly what I was saying (but I do not know enough about sword fighting to articulate). Baseball bat fighting is better.

I remember having a discussion like this years ago. The consensus then was that the fights also had very different meaning. Ever saber battle in the OT was not just a fight of weapons, but of words and emotions.

Ep IV: OBI-WAN new he couldn't make it out alive, he was buying the others time to escape and distracting Vader from the force presence of Luke, drawing the fight out by talking to him and appealing to what was left of his humanity. Ultimately he sacrifices himself to drive Luke forward and to "become one" with the force as a way to continue to teach Luke.

Ep V: Vader is trying to turn Luke to the darkside, demonstrating the power he possesses. He is on the defensive for most of the saber fight, drawing out Luke's anger and frustration until the climax where he begins to make him more and more like himself before revealing the truth of their relationship.

Ep VI: Luke is trying to save his father and draw him back to the light. He doesn't start going balls out to kill Vader until he realizes that if he fails that Vader will go after Leia, and since she is untrained, will probably turn her. Even then, his hack attack style fails once he sees just what that level of anger does to a person, then the Emperor goes balls out to kill him with force lightening.

Ep I: There's no drama to the fight, it's just a fight, no philosophical goal, just good vs evil, the fighting is more frantic every blow is intended to be a killing blow.

Ep II: More of the same, with the Dooku/Anaking fighting hinting towards trying to turn him, but even then, the frantic style of Anakin prevents that.

EpIII: More the same to the extreme, jedi bouncing all over, Anakin straight up murdering Dooku, but again no major discussion to try and sway the other. Even the Anakin/Obi-Wan fight was all jumping and dancing about, with little attempt to draw Anakin back from the darkside, more just the two of them whining at each other.

Beautifuly put.

[Mechapilot77]

too much analyzing the fight/sword fight scenes in SW! american movies really had no fun to watch style in fight choreography until the late 90s after a generation of people had grown up watching HK movies. its as simple as that...much like japanimation (yeah i used an old term) influenced such cartoons as avatar etc.

[electric indigo]

Here's an awesome music video of Episode I's climactic fight scene.

Here's an Old School version (Chris Cunningham 2005):

Edited January 6, 2015 by electric indigo

[peter]

It's simple. OT used Japanese sword arts (with a few turns and jumps thrown in for flash) as a base for the fighting style. IIRC, Hamill had to practice kenjutsu in preparation for his fight scenes. The prequels used a lot of wushu (Park used to practice wushu) and it was used because it was flashier to begin with.

I practiced wushu for 15 years, and iaido for 10, and I'm with Agent One on liking the "baseball bat" style of fighting for lightsaber battles, but I guess maybe it's becase I grew up watching it that way.

When the zombie apocolypse comes though, and I run out of ammo for my guns, I'd probably grab my katana over my dao.

[areaseven]

[Black Valkyrie]

Teaser 8-bit style.

[David Hingtgen]

Whoa whoa whoa---that's way closer to 16-bit. The NES could't do a lot of those effects. But looks a lot like launch SNES games.

[JB0]

Whoa whoa whoa---that's way closer to 16-bit. The NES could't do a lot of those effects. But looks a lot like launch SNES games.

It's closest in feel to the Genesis, but way too chunky.

It ALMOST feels like a VGA DOS game. Which would make it 32-bit.

[Guest davidwhangchoi]

Whoa whoa whoa---that's way closer to 16-bit. The NES could't do a lot of those effects. But looks a lot like launch SNES games.

now way it's SNES, no mode 7 scaling

It's closest in feel to the Genesis,

can't be genesis no " parallax scrolling"

[JB0]

I actually did see some parallax scrolling. But it's too low-res(mostly), and the color pallete feels wrong.

The Falcon stunt-flying would be great fot SNES mode 7 except that you can only have one BG layer on a mode 7 scanline, and it belongs to the mode 7 object. Not that there aren't ways around it, but...

[Black Valkyrie]

Whoa whoa whoa---that's way closer to 16-bit. The NES could't do a lot of those effects. But looks a lot like launch SNES games.

You right, it has a SNES vibe to it.

[JB0]

You right, it has a SNES vibe to it.

The color pallete is FAR too limited for Super Nintendo. Those sand dunes should have like eight shades of brown.

Incidentally, the Millenium Falcon scene could ALMOST be done in mode 7. The only thing that kills it is the end when the Falcon and sand dunes are both rolling. The Falcon moves independently of the dunes during that roll.

If it was affixed, you could do it. And that it's ALMOST doable bugs me more than when I thought it wasn't remotely doable.

The BG color is sky blue, the clouds are drawn as sprites. The dunes are offscreen, you're in mode 7. Falcon is the only BG layer(BG color doesn't count as a BG layer, hardware-wise), and can be scaled and rotated freely across the entire screen.

The Falcon STOPS rotating before the dunes come into view on the top of the screen. THIS is when you shift back out of mode 7, and raise the dune BG layer in from the top.

Now, here's where it gets tricky, and where the demo fails the mode 7 test. You subsequently load an image that is both dunes AND Falcon on one layer. Then shift to mode 7 again. It can be freely rotated, but the Falcon has to stay on the same pixels of the dune, which it doesn't.

Onve the roll finishes, come out of mode 7 again. You have one BG laye loaded, it's Falcon and dunes. Load the TIE fighter on a second layer. This is where things get a little weak, because the Falcon's dodge-roll can't really be done. What I'd do is jerk the entire Falcon+dunes layer to the side. You might could load separated dunes and Falcon layers and have the Falcon move independently of the dunes, if there's enough time to pump all the tiles into RAM.

Yes, I've thought too hard about this.