TPM- The sixth best SW Movie shown some love

[jedibear]

Ahhhhh....a place where it's okay to admit one liked TPM....nice. Thanks, DarthNeil....

Some good thoughts goin' here....I'll just move on to the "figure" aspect of TPM...

One thing about TPM...is that is one of the BEST of the series for getting inspiration for some great figures. Intricate, well-textured, layered costuming abounds...from the Queens' many elaborate outfits to the slimy (but very regally appointed) Nemoidians....there are many candidates for some great looking figures here.

There is even plenty to draw from for the "Militaries..." banner that would look really great...from Panaka to those Naboo Royal Guards (the leather-maroon-clad ones with the silver-plate trimmed helmets) and those Naboo Pilots uniforms (Ric Ollie) were pretty cool too. Even the crest-topped blue Royal guards of Coruscant could make a great figure...especially if it were completely costumed underneath the robes with the military-cut outfit (see the Hasbro ROTS figure for what I mean)...

There are some visually stunning senators that would make good figures...and there are still some noble jedi left to do that made their first appearance onscreen in this film....from Ki Adi Mundi, Saesee Tinn, Adi Gallia and others.

The most notable characters from TPM I hope eventually get the Sideshow treatment are...

• Obi-Wan Kenobi - we've GOT to get the Padawan version of this central character! Just to display him opposite Maul would be great!
• Nute Gunray - the central Nemoidian in the prequels went through a few outfit changes as the movies progressed, but his look in TPM is the one that would be the best as a figure...
• Captain Panaka - A perfect central "military" character from Episode One who features an interesting look
• Jar Jar - He may be the most maligned character in the entire SW saga, but he is a central one, and he would make a cool looking figure to display with an Episode One set-up
• Padme (Queen) Amidala - pick an outfit...any outfit. Just give us a fantastic un-Barbie, totallly Natalie sculpt to go with it and we're there...

These are just scratching the surface for what would make good figures in the SW collection....there are MANY others (who wouldn't dig a well-done RIGID, unwarped version of a Battle Droid in their display for example)....

I just hope that the loathing this much-maligned chapter in the saga constantly endures around here doesn't make it the candidate to be slighted in those meetings where what figures should be next on the list to do....thankfully, Sideshow has given us two of the central characters (Qui-Gon & Maul) from TPM...let's see some more from the first chapter in the saga!

 

[adambadadam]

I think a large part of TPM not being thought of so well is that it's a "get the story going" film, where half of the story had already been told. If you look at the saga as one 12 hour movie (rounding for quick numbers) it's like a lot of films, you have a slow start that gradually builds up to the peak action and fades off into the finale, and unfortunately, TPM was 2 hours of build up, AOTC gave us a little bit more, then ROTS took us into the things we'd come to crave from the OT films, so I think for some, seeing TPM was like, do I really need this, but it's story information that had to be told and had to happen in the course of the saga. Now that's examining it as a whole, there are points about it that beyond story quality, just didn't work, like many, I agree Anakin's ""acting" wasn't all that spectacular, and granted, children aren't the best of actors, but when you see a child star like Dakota Fanning (don't know if anyone is familiar with her work in Man on Fire, War of the Worlds, etc.), you see that some children can act fairly well. Regardless, I still like TPM, and I am glad for it because it gave me one of my favorite SW characters ever, albeit a short appearance, his short time had a great impact on me

Totally agree, but everyone knows little girls at Dakota's age are waay more
advanced mentally than boys at the comparative age. Beside's, I saw WofthWrld's and I thought she just screamed and cried alot! Kinda like most 7 year old little girls. Same logic for Jake. I thought he played just like he should...a cute kid with a big heart, but mostly annoying. That pretty much sums up most kid's.

I think people miss the point when they rag on Jake's acting. I think George kind of intended for the entire P-Trilogy to be something that could happen to anyone. Kinda like the OT was drafted/produced when George was a younger man finding his way in the world, ex:Luke's journey and the PT (some 20 years later) was written by a family (father of 3 girls/1 boy) man who had made his money and couldn't give two ****'s about what fanboys think his movies should be.

Think about it...When George got around to making the Prequels, I think his prioritys changed. He is out of touch with the younger crowd!!! It's just now his perspective is from that of a parent/father. You watch the Prequels all the way through and it screams at you.

Anakin was living up to everything his parent's (Qui Gonn, Obi-Wan, Padme' the Council, his mother) wanted him to be and he was living up to his potential just like every parent hopes for thier child. That said, it doesn't make a child infalliable and he shouldn't have to listen to his parents. ****ing kid's always think they know it all and you know what, maybe they got alot figured out, maybe better than us old folks, but we could still learn a thing or two from our old man/mom.

That's what makes the whole Anakin tragedy work. I mean it's great that you can be so sure of yourself and passionate and driven, but so blind to age-old manipulation and stubborness. It's real life. Anakin starts out as a good kid, even starts to outshine his Master with flair and by the time ROTS comes around it sucks to see the train-wreck because he makes a mistake we could all be guilty of.

 

[King Darkness]

.a cute kid with a big heart, but mostly annoying. That pretty much sums up most kid's.

What an awesome quote!

And very true!!

 

[MaulFan]

Well for me personally, I don't think overall Jake did a terrible acting job, but I think Lucas let him be too cheerful, especially when story dialogue indicates a "this slave thing is ****ed up" attitude in Anakin, there should have been a stronger sense of resentment to him about his situation, and use the enthusiam at junctures where his life is moving onto better things.

 

[adambadadam]

Everybody want's it darker!!!DARKERDARKERKDARKER

I guess it wouldn't be as timeless of a story if Anakin just invited Obi-Wan out for a beer and just confided...

"Hey Obi, if I tell you something, will you promise not to be angry with me"

"You see I kinda screwed up. I'm gonna have to drop out of the Order because I've been seeing this girl and I got her knocked up but I want to do the right thing because I love her."

"I need help! Can we stay at your place for awhile"

"By the way, we're registered at Wal-Mart!"

 

[adambadadam]

Well for me personally, I don't think overall Jake did a terrible acting job, but I think Lucas let him be too cheerful, especially when story dialogue indicates a "this slave thing is ****ed up" attitude in Anakin, there should have been a stronger sense of resentment to him about his situation, and use the enthusiam at junctures where his life is moving onto better things.

I here ya, but how many 7-yr old's know how to articulate that! We're alot of grown folks on this board and very few of us can even articulate on this forum!

 

[adambadadam]

Not trying to be apologetic for Lucas, but Anakin's hasn't lived long enough to even know what freedom is, much less what to do with it when he has it in the later episodes. Being a slave is all this kid's known. Young children are resilient and are often not razzed by certain situations. Guareen****intee it...if you leave your kid's out in the rain, they'll be happy as long as they can play in the puddles. Not like adult's anyway that are too jaded to know better. Hey, as long as I've got my bottle/benky, I'm good to go!

Notice the one thing that ****s up lil'Annie is leaving his Mom! I thought that was most sincere. He almost starts bawling a river, before, like most little boys, puts up this big front trying to be brave an gonna set Mom free an all. IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FAKE!!! If he had truly felt that way, he wouldn't have carried that scar throughout the Prequels.

 

[JAWS]

I really enjoy this film.

I love the Pod Race

I Love the Lightsaber battles

I Love Qui Gon Jinn

I Love all the scenes with the Emperor

Darth Maul is good stuff!!!


I will admit when I first saw it I was dissapointed. But How could one not be? The Hype was just so huge. It could have been and should have been better. But I feel that way with all the PT films.

But I love the film for giving me that feeling of being a kid again. Not so much the film itself but the feeling I got before it was released. The toys, books, cards, ect.... I ate it all up. For one summer I was 10 yrs old again.

 

[MaulFan]

I here ya, but how many 7-yr old's know how to articulate that! We're alot of grown folks on this board and very few of us can even articulate on this forum!

I'm not saying jake should know, but having been a father, George should have worked more on his emotions with him, in other words, the DIRECTOR should have done more directing with an actor at an age that needs a great deal of coaching, you can't just sit back and trust them to know what to do like an adult, it almost shows George's direction on TPM being more focused on the visuals than the acting end.

 

[automaton]

I don't think Anakin really ever had freedom... he always called someone Master.

 

[DouglasMcc]

I don't think Anakin really ever had freedom... he always called someone Master.

Ohhhh .... now that's deep. Never really looked at it that way before. Niiiiiice.

 

[LOTRFan]

Think about it...When George got around to making the Prequels, I think his prioritys changed. He is out of touch with the younger crowd!!! It's just now his perspective is from that of a parent/father. You watch the Prequels all the way through and it screams at you.

But he most certainly doesn't think he is, and one can clearly see that in the special features for all three PT films, esp TPM and AOTC. You hear him whimsically note how much people (kids) are going to love Jar-Jar and his antics, fart jokes, stepping in Bantha podoo, etc. You hear about just what a blast Dexter Jester will be; and undoubtedly much of Lucas' efforts were to initiate a new generation to Star Wars.

Sadly, this "new" generation plays to special effects over story, to flash and explosions over substance - and that is almost entirely what we were left with. It's not about just how much you can cram into a scene, or at least it never used to be. Star Wars is/was revolutionary filmaking, but the role of effects and such used to complement the storytelling not overtake it. I am not a OT snob, I was so greatly anticipating the PT -- and even saw TPM about 7-8 times in the theatre; I just had to suspend any thoughts VERY early on that it would in any way resemble what I had come to love. From the very first lines of the trade federation to the antics of the droids, I knew that this was definately not Star Wars as I knew it.

Oh and TPM had it's few bright spots -----> :maul and his saber battles. But even Maul was not your accustomed villain - he was ALL flash and no substance.

 

[spaceman]

-a Queen Amidala PF when she's in her "lightbulb gown"--- that would be visually something

Yep, a perfect choice for PF IMO. I remember the excitement before the film, and the anticipation of these new exotic worlds and characters. The red dress and strange hairpiece was one of the real highpoints of design I think.

And everytime I watch the movie, I like it more than I thought I did. It is definitely one of the most underrepresented collectibles-wise. A battle droid would be a nice 12" GG piece, I think. The Droideka's would be great for that format as well. Personally, I prefer a nicely chosen fixed sculptural pose over jointed or moveable figures.

There was SO much fantastic design work in that first film that is ripe to be tapped. I can see from a business standpoint though, that it is clearly considered safer to target more universally loved segments, and so Maul and Qui-Gon are about all we have seen much of from TPM. I'd be happy to see that change a little bit.

 

[DarthNeil]

A friendly bump simply as I've been enjoying TPM the last few evenings. I put together an early Christmas present from the missus on Monday-- a new home theatre system--- and I've decided to enjoy the SW movies one after another in all their glorious surround sound (I was living in a cave before this).

Anyway it's nice to watch them and the scenes explode with both visual and audio delights. I was thinking about this thread while I watched the first half of TPM and as with every time I revisit a fond film it got me thinking---

Here are a few things from TPM that I hope SS announces within this next year--- or possibly the following year to connect with a TPM ten year anniversary:

1) diorama of the lightsaber duel between Darth Maul:maul , Qui Gon, and Obi
2) a Qui Gon PF
3) a Sebulba 1/6 or a Sebulba PF
4) definitely a Queen Amidala (first appearance gown with working lights) PF
5) maybe a Watto 1:1 bust?

Anyway. Share the TPM love if you've got some.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I actually am unsure whether I like TPM better than ROTS or not. Its surely better than AOTC.

The podrace is classic SW fun as far as I'm concerned.

I'm relatively happy with the Hasbro Sebulba, so really don't need to get him from SSC, however, I do want a much better Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Also want Neimoidians and Naboo soldiers and pilots.

 

[pixletwin]

Whatever TPM's faults, it has one of the best Lightsaber fights of the entire saga. :maul

(if they added Qui-Gon to ROTS it would only make TPM that much better IMO-like how I enjoy ANH a lot more now thanks to ROTS).

 

[DarthNeil]

I actually am unsure whether I like TPM better than ROTS or not. Its surely better than AOTC.

The podrace is classic SW fun as far as I'm concerned.

I'm relatively happy with the Hasbro Sebulba, so really don't need to get him from SSC, however, I do want a much better Anakin and Obi-Wan.

Also want Neimoidians and Naboo soldiers and pilots.

I'm fine without a TPM Obi as I was lucky enough to get a custom put together (thanks sunoch and Darren)











and I have to agree ProgMatinee that the podrace was great (and even more so at home with the surround sound).

 

[OSCORP]

The podrace is classic SW fun as far as I'm concerned.

Damn right!

 

[maatuu52]

i agree...

 

[Blackhole]

that podrace is even better on the DVD...they should have kept the whole deleted scene in the film too...

I'm not complaining about a 7 minute podrace...

Oh yeah...

DARTH MAUL...The fig is probably the best I have...they nailed it...and THOSE ACCESSORIES...and he has his probe droids too...

AND...I love OOM-9 too...BRING HIM BACK....make him that anonymous droid Mace cuts down in Ep 2...it's a commander...BRING HIM BACK...

In fact, I'm going to...

*Goes off to get rights for spinoff book series*