Give Episode 3 to Fincher! (1 Viewer)

[Paul_D]

Actually, there are two huge ones that can easily be found. But no big deal.

2 aint quite 100 now is it!
I think its worth putting this particular discussion to bed - I think everything thats worth saying has been said.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

True, Paul, the thread has run it's course. But I'll stick up for Fincher any day of the week. Say what you will, there's a reason Fight Club is hailed as one of the greatest DVD's in the world, usually above EP I. It had a genius at the helm. There is more creativity and energy in 3 minutes of Fight Club than in 120+ minutes of EP I. And I liked EP I!
I jumped in this thread as a joke. GL will obviously work the final installments. Hopefully, they'll be good.
David Fincher directed the most unfilmable novel I have ever read, and in many cases (but not overall...great book), improved upon it. In 5, 10, and 20 years, 1999 will be remembered for several movies. Fight Club will be at the top of that list. Alas for TPM, it'll be remembered as the biggest moneymaker.
And I am not trying to knock your taste, Terrell. We just have different opinions At least we can agree that David Fincher is better suited to other projects!
Take care,
Chuck

 

[Tom Ryan]

The only real joke in this thread is Joe Johnston as a director . Honestly, I don't think this would be edgy enough even for Fincher. He's perfect for dark movies, but this is Star Wars. Fincher's style is very R-rated. If they had to pick someone, why not Spielberg? Wouldn't that be something? All Lucas has to do is keep him from adding schmaltzy touches (and someone to keep Lucas from adding schmaltz, too!) and it would be perfect! Spielberg doesn't flinch when it comes to death and violence (SPR, Schindler, etc.), and he's the consummate director.
-Tom

 

[Paul_D]

As for Fincher, sorry, he sucks big time.

I've got to come back to this, sorry... I love it when people make harsh, broad criticisms without adding any reasoning whatsoever... though I personnally can't understand why anyone would hate his movies, the very least Fincher-haters could do is give a few brief reasons!

Paznic Room looks amazing... download the trailer if you havent already seen it!

 

[Seth Paxton]

Yes, the thing I think that sucks about Fincher most of all is his interesting visualization of moments. I also hate the way he sets the darker moods of his films with a solid, consistent look. What a hack. He needs to learn to drop his own style and go for the cinema 101 look, ala Joe Johnston.

Not liking the story/characters is NOT the same thing as the director sucking. It COULD be caused by that, but since Se7en was very highly regarded and all of Fincher's films have had similar styles, I wonder exactly how he sucks??

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

What a hack. He needs to learn to drop his own style and go for the cinema 101 look, ala Joe Johnston...Se7en was very highly regarded and all of Fincher's films have had similar styles...

See, that's why I don't think that Fincher would work for Episode III. While his look is unique, and I enjoy it on his own films (I liked how Fight Club looked, even if I didn't like how Tyler=Norton+Pitt clumsily played out). However, I don't think a Fincher production of Star Wars would be best for the series. You mention Kershner... nothing on his resume supported the idea that he could do ESB... but nothing really supported than he couldn't. Fincher's fairly consistant style supports that he couldn't do ESB. While Johnston isn't as visually interesting as Fincher, he's better at adapting other peoples' styles.

 

[Brian Lawrence]

Fincher is all wrong for a Star Wars movie. I think some people these days get a little too hung up on everything being "darker"

Even if it means the films end up sucking because the man has lost his touch, I would rather see Lucas direct them, They are his films and his vision.

 

[Chris Lynch]

Speaking of "darker", I'm reading this thread and thinking of how David Lynch was asked to direct ROTJ! And that was no joke! Can you imagine that? (He turned it down for Dune)

I am a huge fan of Fincher. This guy makes great f'ing movies. On the other hand, I want him NOWHERE NEAR the Star Wars franchise, and not because of Alien3, but because he just isn't right for the series. As for Spielberg, I think you might as well just stay with Lucas if you want Spielberg. Of course they aren't the same director, per se, but I think they would treat the material similarly.

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Well, Peter Jackson won't be available (and besides, that would be like Lucas admitting defeat to LotR).
I'd go with Paul Verhoeven, Ridley Scott. Even Jean-Pierre Jeunet or Luc Besson.
The truth of the matter is, there are probably a lot of directors that would be better for Episode 3 than Lucas himself.
ESB is the best film in the series; Lucas should stick to producing and plotting, and work with another writer to boot...maybe Kasdan is available again...Leigh Brackett is not. :frowning:

 

[Terrell]

Lucas did ask Kasdan to help with the script on TPM. Kasdan told him not to change a thing, because if he did, it wouldn't be his vision and it wouldn't be Star Wars. I fail to see the point here because Lucas is directing and that's not gonna change. Even if you have another director, Lucas is in complete control and he's gonna ok or kill ideas he doesn't like. So what's the point.

Lucas is the one mainly responsible for Star Wars being as fantastic as it is, so why would we need another director. Certainly not Fincher or Lynch. The only man I would trust other than Lucas is Spielberg. He's the best and he's tailor made for this movie. But again, Lucas is the director so you'll have to live with that.

 

[Chad R]

Time to dispense with the Auteur theory.

Fincher is a hit and miss director. 'Seven' and 'Fight Club' are good, but 'Alien 3' and 'The Game' were not. Why? The source material. He had more to work with on his better films.

Fincher, IF he directed Ep3, would still be saddled with Lucas's script (which I don't think is a bad thing as I love Ep1). People hold Irvin Kirschner up on some mantel that he single handedly made 'Empire', but then how do you explain 'Robocop 2?'

'Star Wars' is driven by Lucas's vision, and his alone. He's rightfully in charge of his creation, and is doing a marvelous job.

Oh, and thinking Fincher would somehow direct Ep3 based on the fact he was a 2nd assistant cameraman for visual effects (or whatever he did) on ROTJ is like saying I could direct the next 'Superman' movie because I was a Production Assistant on 'Superboy.' (although I would if asked)

 

[Kevin M]

You might want to add the the disclaimer "In My Opinion" to such statements as ..

'Seven' and 'Fight Club' are good, but 'Alien 3' and 'The Game' were not.

..because that is only your opinion (although I agree).

 

[Terrell]

Well, in my opinion Fight Club sucked just as hard as The Game. But Seven was very good, one of the best of it's type. Again, Lucas is mostly responsible for Star Wars being great. I know there are some here that don't want to admit that because there's an obvious dislike of him by some, but that's the fact of the matter. Yes, Kirshner and Marquand did excellent jobs. But make no bones, they directed and put on the screen what Lucas wanted them to do. Star Wars is Lucas and Lucas is Star Wars. Neither can exist worth a damn without the other. Star Wars wouldn't be Star Wars without Lucas. Lest we forget he directed the one that was nominated for Best Picture.

 

[Terrell]

By the way, a little off topic. But I'm amazed at the fans of these movies. Here's some fan-made posters they made from trailer images and they are incredible. Though you might like to see them.

 

[Seth Paxton]

One HUGE key, though, dialog.

Kasdan did clean up some of Lucas's dialog, and he was able to alter some story points. Plus you have Empire originally written by famous sci-fi author Leigh Brackett, who died a year later.

Doubtful that Fincher would be able to do any of these things effectively at this point with Ep 3 and Lucas's career. His cowriter already left in what seemed like pretty bitter disagreements over Ep 1 which is why he wasn't involved with the project.

Comments like "Well, he got his vision which is what he wanted," tell it all. (Kasdan, iirc)

I miss the Lucas direction of American Graffiti, he was really on at that point in his career. Think about it, he comes out of film school fresh and drops THX-1138, AG, and Star Wars on us. He then doesn't direct again for 22 years. That can't be a good thing to do.

But again, I don't see Fincher fixing that at this point. It will be up to GL and the people close to him who can speak up and say "great vision, but is this the best way to realize it on film?"

 

[Terrell]

Yes, you are correct on this one Seth, Kasdan did clean up some dialogue. Hopefully Hales can do the same. ALthough I wouldn't say Hales is another Kasdan.

Here's a Spy Report from TFN about a screening at The Ranch that I thought fits in this topic pretty well.

Maybe three weeks ago now there was a screening of Episode 2 at Skywalker Ranch and a few people from 20th Century Fox and Sony as well as some digital camera skeptics were there. It was really a showing to do with the cameras that were used but what I'm told is that the response was extremely positive.

Apparently everyone loved it. It was being described as "beautiful" and "moving". Whether you want that in a Star Wars film I don't know but that was the response.

Whether this is fact or not, who knows. It was interesting though.

 

[Paul_D]

Lest we forget he directed the one that was nominated for Best Picture.

There's absolutely no point in bringing this fact into the discussion. The fact that IV was nominated for Best Picture doesn't mean dick! And for evidence I'll tell you one word: ... 'Chocolat'!

 

[Chuck Mayer]

"Fight Club sucked just as much as the game."

Fight Club required audience members to REALLY engage their brain. Most moviegoers don't like that. They enjoy The Mummy Returns and American Pie 2.

Terrell,

I can respect your opinion a lot more if you give reasons. It prevents me from thinking that it's a kneejerk reaction to a challenging movie.

As for Lucas BEING THE PRIMARY VISIONARY FOR SW...legions of creative support people will disagree, starting with Ralph McQuarrie. Lucas provided dramatic narrative and ideas, as well as cohesive direction. Which does make him the boss. However, a great deal of the power and myth of SW is it's visuals. George did not create those...he approved those. He gave ideas. Please don't diminish the hundreds of talented artists, who don't live at Skywalker Ranch and have Lucas' notoriety, who poured their heart and soul into this series. I am not knocking George in that respect. He deserves what he has. He entertained us dramatically.

As for Fincher, again, his skill is probably DOUBLE that of Lucas. Everyone mentioned wanting EP III to be dark. Who better than Fincher? Again, I respect George for his entertainment for the masses. But I respect Fincher for his intelligence, skill, and sheer BALLS.

Take care,

Chuck

 

[Richard Kim]

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, here's the poster art for David Fincher's Star Wars - Episode III:

 

[Gruson]

Fincher...uh, let me think.

NO.