Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) (8 Viewers)

[Matthew_Wilson]

Well, I can't say that I have bought three tickets just for the first day, but I do have my tickets for this Friday - can't get out any earlier. I'm not quite as excited as most of you seem to be, but I am not as big of a Star Wars fan as many of you seem to be. I do have a question though; why buy three tickets for a film you have not even seen? You don't know how good it is, or how much you will like it, and yet, you still buy three tickets? I dont know, I just find it a little,...odd. And what is this about people seeing the film 10 times? I don't think any film is worth seeing 10 times in a theater. But I guess that is just my non-fanboy opinion.

 

[Vickie_M]

Signing to get e-mail notification on an HTF Star Wars thread is just asking for trouble

Ha! I filter them into their own folder, so it doesn't interfere with my regular mail. I can always unsubscribe if it gets to be too much.

 

[Paul Jenkins]

from TF.Net.

I heard a Kevin Smith interview today on the Kroq 106.7 morning show. He discussed a number of films current and future (Daredevil, Spiderman), and mentioned that he saw AOTC yesterday. I don't have an exact quote, but to paraphrase:
"AOTC absolutely rocks. I loved it. I've seen a number of critical reviews in newspapers and on television, and I couldn't disagree more. I'm just a total fanboy on this one." Kevin went on a bit with additional praise, indicating the story was well written, the romance worked nicely, and in particular the tie-in to the overall mythos was very strong. He said the Yoda/Count Dooku battle was a show stealer. One last interesting comment he made was that he enjoyed Episode I, saw it only once, and didn't need/want to see it ever again, but he was already ready to see AOTC again.
KROQ often posts interviews on their site (www.kroq.com), so it may be available there before long.

 

[Jim_C]

>>Jim_C,

Seems we are running the same schedule. Did you confirm if the Sat. show is in digital?

 

[Dan Brecher]

Can you choose what seats they give you?

It works a few ways;
1) Some cinema chains in their automated phone booking lines will automaticaly put you in the best seats available.
2) Some automated booking lines will list the certain sections of the auditoum you wish to sit in and they assign you the best seats available in that section.
For instance, where I am seeing it three times this week in London is at a single screen near 2000 seater auditorium with an upstairs circle area. The automated booking line will say "press 1 for royal circle seating" and so on... For me, in that theatre, I only ever sit up there in the royal circle. It's where all the celebs and members of the royal family sit at premieres (like the one for AOTC tomorrow night).
3) For some cinemas, on the phone during certain hours you can get through to people at the box office itself which allows you to be even more specific in your seating demands. If you know specific seat numbers you can even request them if they are free. I don't mind saying I have done this many times.
4) Going to the cinema box office in person will again yield the truly best results in getting the seats you want. They usualy either have a mampe of the auditorium with each seat numbered and you can select where you wish to sit. Some folks in the box office will flip their PC monitor round to show you what seats are available and you can select that way too.
Dan

 

[Vickie_M]

And what is this about people seeing the film 10 times? I don't think any film is worth seeing 10 times in a theater.

As one of those creaky old freaks who went to see the Original Star Wars over 100 times on first release, it's something that can't be explained. At least, I can't explain it. I love seeing films over and over again. I saw The Matrix about 30 times in the theater, Lord of the Rings-9, TPM-5, Titanic-5, Moulin Rouge-6, Tommy-20 (ok, *that* one I'm embarrassed about), all in the theater. I've seen tens of dozens of movies 2-3 times in the theater. I've seen tens of dozens more several times at home.

My dad is someone who thinks that if you've seen a movie once, that's it, it doesn't have to be seen again. That attitude is alien to me. If you eat a good steak, does that mean you never have to eat another steak again? Why have sex more than once, if that one time was pretty good? Why read a book you liked more than once? Why listen to a song you like more than once? Because good things keep getting better and better, and joy is something you shouldn't deprive yourself.

 

[Vickie_M]

Dan: 4) Going to the cinema box office in person will again yield the truly best results in getting the seats you want. They usualy either have a mampe of the auditorium with each seat numbered and you can select where you wish to sit. Some folks in the box office will flip their PC monitor round to show you what seats are available and you can select that way too.

Thanks for the info Dan! This is similar to the way concert are here. Or at least, used to be, since I don't go to concerts big enough to have reserved seating anymore. I stick with small clubs with general seating now.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Going to the cinema box office in person will again yield the truly best results in getting the seats you want. They usualy either have a mampe of the auditorium with each seat numbered and you can select where you wish to sit. Some folks in the box office will flip their PC monitor round to show you what seats are available and you can select that way too.

Sounds like a hockey game, here.

 

[Matthew_Wilson]

I definately dont feel that a film is worth 100 repeat viewings at a theater, or at home, so I guess I just dont understand. Two or three times - I can definately understand. But 10, 20, 25 times seeing a movie - I think that that is borderline obsessive, and a little ridiculous. But again, thats just my opinion.

 

[Paul Jenkins]

I saw the original star wars at least 20 times when it came out (my first real movie I remember!), and still watch it every few months. sam jackson hit the nail on the head for me when he was interviewed last night at the premiere, saying that back when it first came out, they didn't make you leave the theater as long as you were still buying popcorn. I remember my mom dropping me off at the theater at 10am the day after it came out, and picking me up after 9pm after my 4th viewing
There are a few other movies that fit that bill, i.e. I can watch them over and over and still enjoy them, rarely getting sick of them. Stupid movies as well as classics, don't really know why I'm wired that way, but am. some others that fit this bill for me are:
- starship troopers - any star wars flick
- gladiator - the matrix
- the fifth element - the holy grail
- saving private ryan - godfather I and II
- the whole nine yards - office space
Also included in that is a variety of HDTV specials on PBS, NBC, ABC, etc. I must have watched the lighthouse HDTV demo loop 50 times and the opening ceremonies of the Olympics 10 times..,
I fit Matt's definition of obsessive i suppose

 

[Larry Sutliff]

I fit Matt's definition of obsessive i suppose

Same here. I've watched many of my favorite movies-the SW films, SUPERMAN & SUPERMAN II, the Connery Bonds, The Universal Horror Classics-so many times that I don't know the total number of viewings. On some of them, it may be over 100 viewings, and certain scenes(the Maul/Obi/Qui Gon fight, Superman rescuing Lois in the helicopter, the final duel in ROTJ, the creation of the female creature in BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN) may even be closer to a thousand times. So, yes, I'm obsessive, and happy to be so!

 

[Matthew_Wilson]

But just think - you could be expieriancing a new, refreshing film expieriance instead of watching the same thing you have seen 1,000 times. Change is not always a bad thing.

 

[Vickie_M]

Ok, I'm obsessive and ridiculous. Fair enough .
One thing about the original release. I must point out that those were the days before VCRs (in general use) and TV channels that played movies all the time. The only way to see Star Wars was at the theater. I'd go by myself and see it over and over. I'd go with friends who wanted to see it over and over. I took my 3 yr old son to see it over and over and over (he's still a big fan). When it came to the Drive-In, I went multiple times. I actually quit counting at around 75, but I know I saw it a couple dozen times after that. It's not like nowadays when you know, usually, that a movie will be on DVD within a few months. Once Star Wars left the theater, I had no idea when I'd be able to see it again, so I got in several more viewings in the last week. I even brought a tape recorder and taped the whole film, then listened to it at work. I knew the dialogue backwards and forwards. (Believe me, I *knew* when they changed the soundtrack!)

But just think - you could be expieriancing a new, refreshing film expieriance instead of watching the same thing you have seen 1,000 times. Change is not always a bad thing.

This assumes that we're all stuck in the past and only watch a few select things. Personally, I still go to the theater several times a month. We have over 1000 DVDs, a few dozen laserdiscs and pre-recorded VHS tapes (dwindling, because I give them away as we get the DVD). I have a Tivo and several movie channels. I see new things ALL THE TIME, but I still don't think there's anything at all wrong with re-visiting favorite movies. You assume too much.

 

[Vickie_M]

Todays Extra had a piece on the AOTC premieres. Hayden was at the Toronto premiere, and Lucas was at the San Francisco premiere. Just in case, uh, anyone was wondering where they were.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Well, TheForce.Net posted the Ebert and Roeper clip. Roeper came off as a more pedestrian version of Ebert three years ago. Ebert came off as Lenord Maltin when he's not doing ET and Access Hollywood.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

From SciFi.Com:

What do you make of the fans who set up camp in front of theaters weeks before a Star Wars film opens?
Lucas: I understand what that's all about. Soccer fans do the same thing. Rock 'n' roll fans do the same thing. I don't know why movie fans aren't allowed to do that. I've done it. I camped out for sports-car races.
What it comes down to in the end is if you're a college student and somebody said, "Hey, let's go camp out on Hollywood Boulevard for four weeks. Lots of girls. The media will come and talk to you. We can still do classes, because we can switch off. It's a party for a month."
I know a lot of my friends when I was in college would have done that. I might even have done it if I had the opportunity. It's a spontaneous event that happened, kind of like Woodstock, and now it's become an institution. The reality of it is you can get your tickets online. You don't have to stand in line anymore. But they don't care about that part of it. They care about having a party. If that makes them geeks and weird and all that kind of stuff I guess I'm one of them. I like to party as much as the next guy.

See, Lucas doesn't market it like McCallum does. He understands it.

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Geez, i'm only seeing it once this weekend, am I qualified to even be in this thread!
Man I am looking forward to this movie so fricken bad it almost feels like I have to pee!!
I am starting to lose faith in Roger Ebert, he didn't like 'Spider-man' for ridiculous reasons, and now he dissed 'EP II' and I KNOW this movie is gonna rock! Every negative review i've read so far has stated that one of the biggest problems is that their is too much dialogue in the first hour of the film, and to that I say so what! I WANT dialogue, I can't wait to hear the substances of those conversations. My ears will be on the edge of my seat! (huh!?!?)
I must admit that I too had a problem with the title of this one at first, however with time, it's grown on me and I don't mind it so much anymore. Just as long as they don't call 'EP III' 'Star Wars Episode III: Invasion from Outer Space' everythings cool.
YODA GETS TO WIELD A LIGHTSABER!!!!!!!!
Here is some sample dialogue between Mace Windu and Yoda...
Mace,
"Yoda, hand me my lightsaber."
Yoda,
"Which one is it master Windu?"
Mace,
"The one that says BAD MUTHA F**KA!"
Yeah, I wish!
Come on Thursday, I mean Saturday!

 

[Scott Weinberg]

One of my favorite movie sites, www.upcomingmovies.com has this interesting report on a few Attack of the Clones "easter eggs". (Like the E.T.s in The Phantom Menace.)
There's no real plot spoilers in here, but I'm using tags anyway.
The last question I was able to ask George Lucas at Skywalker Ranch this week was intended to be about whether the Millennium Falcon, Han Solo, Lando or Chewbacca would appear in Episode III, but he answered the question before I finished, so I got just the Falcon part. The direct quote from George himself is "Well, and you're the first person in the world I've told this to, but there's already three Millennium Falcons in this movie." Well, I didn't see them, so I was perplexed. So, a little bit later, while at a F/X reel presentation, I asked the animators present what George was referring and they solved the mystery. In the film, when Padme and Anakin first arrive on Naboo, their ship passes a cargo bay where we can clearly see three Corellian Freighters (the ship class of the Falcon) lined up in a row. I'll be looking for this Wednesday night when I see the film again.
Another "easter egg" that one of the F/X guys mentioned later to me was that during the opening Coruscant chase scene, you can see X-Wings and TIE Fighters racing down one of the trenches.

 

[Dalton]

Thanks for the "Easter Eggs" Scott. I will be looking for them.

 

[Paul Jenkins]

AOTC is now "Rotten" over at rottentomatoes.com. Seems it isn't a critics movie, at least the critics they use...