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Week 12 [20.01-26.01.20] Visual effects in old Star Wars movies.


You have probably watched Star Wars movies. Some people hate the new trilogy, some people love it. The reputation of a prequel trilogy has also changed from time to time. But one thing for sure and every Star Wars fan would agree, original trilogy is the best. That’s the one about Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and other famous heroes. Have you watched it? If no – I wont judge, because this movie is from year 1977 and nowadays it looks rather odd.

Our generation is now used to see special effects in movies and we rarely think about how they were done, because “it’s probably computer generated”. But that’s not the case for Star Wars original trilogy, back then computers could render literally nothing. Every special effect back then involved some really hard work and a lot of creativity.

I encourage you to watch those gentlemen discussing and explaining some special effects from old Star Wars movies:



Questions to discuss:
1)  Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?
2) Were you aware of how effects were done in old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?
3) Have you ever been disappointed in movie because of bad special effects?

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh1Tz3zwhFU

Comments

Maciej P s16488 said…
I think that best visual effects are these that aren't obvious. I was surprised how well Gollum in LoTR was created. He seemed so realistic. I can't really recall any movie as I don't watch much of them and to be honest, I don't really pay much of an attention to effects so I simply don't remember.

I think that all these effects that were just a paintings were most crazy. It is incredible to paint something in so much details while still being realistic and you can't really tell it was painted - at least I couldn't untill the moment I've learnt about it.

I think so. I know that some movies are so bad that they are actually good but and shark tornado is one of them but I was quite disappointed in that one.

1. I love them. Even if the movie is bad I can enjoy it just by staring at those extraordinary effects (such as when I watch new Star Wars - they are bad but, well, LIGHTSABERS! ). There are plenty of movies with brilliant special effects but I'm going to stick with my all-time favourite: Lord of the Rings. You can barely see when the CGI starts and when it ends. The first part of the trilogy is almost 20 years old and yet it is still my number one.

2. Yes, I've researched it before. It is truly amazing, the level of complexity of the paintings and stops motion animation with those models: a masterpiece. What the video didn't mention was the incredible masks and costumes of aliens, besides of Wampa (the yeti-like creature), there were many more effects done with the disguises.

3. Yes... I didn't enjoy the effects in Netflix's Witcher. There are probably worse movies, however, this one is fresh in my memory. If a filmmaker goes for an epic battle with a monster in the first scene, the monster should be epic. It wasn't. Because it was the first scene it made me look for failures in every other episode and I usually found some. I wasn't impressed.
Olga Przytula said…
1. If they are made with appropriate attention to the details and advanced skills they are very enjoyable in my opinion. I don’t think I have my favourite movie with special effects, especially since I am rather animation than movie freak, but I remember that special effects for Interstellar and Inception have made quite an impression on me.

2. Yes, I was aware of this fact, as my best friend is a H-U-G-E Star Wars fan and he told me everything about them. I think they are all amazing in general, if you analize it now, it may seem a bit rough and unreal, but considering the fact that these were one of the first movie series created on such a global scale with so many different techniques and effects to test out the technology that Lucas Films created it is undoubtedly a true masterpiece.


3. I can’t recall any movie right now, but I must admit I was a bit disappointed with the effects created in the new Netflix series about the Witcher. Few of them, especially the dragon (ouch!) were a bit rough and imprecise. It seemed as they didn’t have enough money to create something spectacular, but they wanted to do so anyway and the result was in the end mediocre.

1) Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?
I like special effects in movies but in moderation. I get irritated when there are too many. Then the special effects disturb the story.

2) Were you aware of how effects were done in the old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?
I didn't realize how the effects worked in the old Star Wars trilogy. They are all unique and surprised me.

3) Have you ever been disappointed in the movie because of bad special effects?
Yes, I was once disappointed in the movie because of the bad special effects. I don't remember the movie name anymore, but there were just too many effects.
Yurii Gevtsi said…
Special effects are certainly good, but you can’t just take and cover up the lack of plot with a bunch of special effects. As actually do in many films, which is not the best use. Often I notice that the more special effects in the film, the worse the plot.

I watched a video about how special effects were made in star wars, I liked the most about how carefully the mock-ups and the processes of visualizing scenes with flights were made.

Special effects are far from the most important thing in the film, for example, older films didn't have good special effects, but they still want to be reviewed again and again.
Kuba Berliński said…

1. Yes, I do. Though mainly in cinemas. I really enjoyed the latest Star Wars movie, which I managed to see in 3D version.

2. I've heared stories about those effects. Funny thing is that they are still somewhat impressive.

3. Yes, I have. I'm kind of sure everyone who saw Witcher movie with Żebrowski was disappointed.
Roman Dubovyi said…
Actually LORT is one of my favorite movies. I enjoyed watching how they filmed scenes where Gandalf and hobbits are inside Bilbo's home. The camerawork and actors' plays were amazing, because everything was an optical illusion and it was executed flawlessly.
Roman Dubovyi said…
You probably know that Gollum was all hand-animated. No motion capture was available back then. I was surprised, the amount of work dedicated to this character is huge. And still he looks quite real despite his cartooney look.
Roman Dubovyi said…
Omg, this dragon from Witcher. They'd better drop this episode completely, rather than showing this awful model...
1. Of course, I like special effects when used competently. It is important for movie to have something besides the special effects. About the best special effects in a movie – latest superhero movies, sci-fi movies and everything with a good budget can have really impressive special effects. It is more unusual to see a movie with bad special effects nowadays.
2. I’ve seen some photos from the shootings here and there and every time it amused me quite a bit. A creative approach can really save the production money, right? I liked the discovery of that scene with a lot of troopers standing around the spaceship to be a painting.
3. Not really. Usually, if I really pay that much attention to special effects it just means I add one more thing I didn’t like to the overall bad movie, never solely the special effects ruined a movie for me.
Marta Matysik said…
1. Yes, I do. But I don’t like when special effects are the only thing which is in the movie. The best special effect are in Marvel Studio’s movies.

2. No, I wasn’t and I’ve never thought about it. The most interesting is how they create lightsaber or space battle. How they used camera and models.

3. It’s possible. But I don’t remember any title now. I'm trying to don't remember bad movies
Paweł Hadacz said…
1) Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?
I often pay attention to special effects in movies. They allow to make the artist's vision real and improve the reception of the film. When it comes to movies with the best special effects, in my opinion they are "Interstellar", "Avatar" and "Harry Potter".

2) Were you aware of how effects were done in old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?
I have always realized that the effort put into the visual setting of this film was enormous. In my opinion all the effects were amazing and I can't decide.

3) Have you ever been disappointed in movie because of bad special effects?
Unfortunately, there were movies in which the level of special effects effectively discouraged me from continuing to watch the movie. Although they were decent in terms of plot, weak special effects spoil immersion very much.
1) Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?
Yes, I must say that I enjoy special effects in movies. In my opinion it was Avatar (but not Air Bender) why well almost the whole movie consists of only special effects that’s why.
2) Were you aware of how effects were done in old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?
I was aware about some of them like how they created spaceships and flight effect and I didn’t know about some like how they created lightsabre effect. Effect that amazed me is that lightsabre effect that I mentioned earlier.
3) Have you ever been disappointed in movie because of bad special effects?
I have to say yes, there were few like “Eragon“ there was only one good special effect and that was a dragon everything else was one big disappointment another one was “Avatar the last air bender: the movie” another disappointment.
1. I do enjoy special effects in movies, but only when they're made in a way that you can't see at first glance if it's CGI or not. If i see a movie and i see poorly animated effect then I just want to turn off the movie.

2. Yes, I knew about those effects. The one that was memorable for me is the way on how they recorded every lightsaber fight, because I watched "behind the scenes" as a kid, and that shocked me back then. I thought they were real...

3. Yes, I'm always disappointed if i see bad special effects because I expect movies to bring me entertainment, not frustration because of the effects that I could've done better in my basement on my old laptop.

1. Yes, but only if they are done correctly, in the other hand it is so annoying to watch. I think the Star Wars has the best visual effects. It is really well-done. I like a lot the film and the universe.

2. I think that I am not aware of how they were done. I saw some scenes how Star Wars was filmed. I like the space fights between spaceships. This scenes look really great, also I like the lightsaber fights, it is so satisfying to see.

3. As I said before, many times I was disappointed, if you dont know how to do it corectly better dont do it.
1) Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?
I like special effects if they are made right way. I really like special effects in Lord Of The Rings. But i dont know if i would considere them the best. Probably Avatar has the best special effects ive seen.

2) Were you aware of how effects were done in old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?
Yes i was aware. I have watched some behind the scenes clips how they done some effects. I think that the recording of the spaceships and explosions in space amazed me.

3) Have you ever been disappointed in movie because of bad special effects?
Yes. The new Witcher dissapointed me a lot in term of special effects.
Cem Ates said…
1) Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?
I do, any bollywood movies is fine.
2) Were you aware of how effects were done in old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?
how unbelievable they are right? i think the spaceships were cool.

3) Have you ever been disappointed in movie because of bad special effects?
Yes, check it out, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAdniWncWu4
1. I like that. I really liked the special effects in the movie: Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
2. I knew it. I think it's how they did the assault armies because it was very laborious.
3. Yes, but I can't remember the title of the film, it was probably 3 years ago.
1) Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?

I am a big fan of visual effects, especially since I started working in those programs which allow such effects to be created. Since I know how much time and skill it takes to create those effects I have much more respect for people who are responsible for them. Marvel’s Endgame probably has the best effects yet.

2) Were you aware of how effects were done in old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?

I didn’t know about all of them but I knew about few tricks they used. I think that the fact of how many miniatures they did while shooting amazed me the most.

3) Have you ever been disappointed in movie because of bad special effects?

Many times. Nowadays it doesn’t happen very often but it used to happen a lot when I was younger. For example the King Scorpion played by Dwayne Johnson with his head done with cgi was the worst one I’ve seen.
Mehmet KONUK said…
1) Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?
Yes, it adds much more charisma to the movie. Avatar :D
2) Were you aware of how effects were done in old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?
I was shocked by the fact that those vehicles were tiny and moving.
3) Have you ever been disappointed in movie because of bad special effects?
Pan's Labyrinth. I have not watched such a ridiculous and ugly movie in my life. When the movie was released, I was in high school and we had fun with our friends. The first 30 minutes were spent understanding the movie. We were out of the show without watching the movie as a ridiculous movie.
Yeah, I enjoy a lot special effects in movies. I’m a big fun of Avatar. I really like details and special effects. Nope, I’ve never thinking about how the old star wars trilogy was filmed. But the one I like it’s laser sword, in my opinion it’s genius. I’ve never ever been disappointed in movie because of bad special effects, because for me the main criteria for movie it’s concept and idea, dialog and whole picture, play of actors.
I enjoy special effects in movies very much. In fact, there are some films that You watch just for the special effect and nothing really else, like Pacific Rim for example. But I think that I had the most fun from visual effects while watching Avatar. The best part that I fell in love witch, was the moment with fluorescence forest in the middle of the night. Where every plant and every leaf or mushroom was glowing so glamorously in the dark. I had no idea how the effects were made in old Star Wars, and I have to say that I am impressed. It sounds really crazy that they had to actually create every model of every spaceship in the film and then actually move them to make it look so good. Answering Your last question, of course I have. There are some movies that looks just really poorly with low budget effects and it is not pleasure to watch them.
1. Depends on the movie. Not all movies need special effects. I think the best movie with special effects was Avatar. A beautiful movie, colorful, full of special effects that look amazing
2. To be honest I have never watched star wars, just not for me. But the video you sent the most impressed me drawing so many scenes. At the beginning they look normal, and here such a suprise - it's a paiting. Such talented painters :D
Also it reminded me a video which is really similar to the topic so here you go: https://youtu.be/CmGk2Eg8dFs
3. The only thing that comes to my mind is The Witcher series from a few years ago. This Polish witcher. But those were the old days, CGI was not as developed as it is now, so maybe it's a bad example.
Ivan Mazuryk said…
1) Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?
Yes, I do. Just because I love the movies about cosmos. I love the interstellar.
2) Were you aware of how effects were done in old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?
No, I was not, and I am happy that I know it now. The miniatures are definately the art.
3) Have you ever been disappointed in movie because of bad special effects?
Yes, I did, I do not remember the names of the movies, becouse it was too bad.
1. I love the special effects in movies. In Sci-Fi movies, I think it is necessary, of course, they must be of good quality.
There are a lot of movies with good special effects but I think Avatar has the best.
2. Of course, yes, I am full of admiration that they achieved something wonderful with such difficult methods.
3.Hmm, certainly new Witcher, old polish Witcher :). I really don't know myself:)
1) Do you enjoy special effects in movies? Which movie in your opinion has the best visual effects?
I enjoy special effects in movies. In my opinion, if you decided to add visual effects to the movie, do it with all passion. I cannot watch movies with bad visual effects, because they distract me from the main plot.
2) Were you aware of how effects were done in the old Star Wars trilogy? Which effect amazed you the most?
To be honest I was never interested in Star Wars, especially old ones. The most amazing effect for me was how they created all those creatures.
3) Have you ever been disappointed in the movie because of bad special effects?
As I mentioned before, unfortunately, always.
Roman Dubovyi said…
I don’t believe that you actually watched the movie from link you provided :)
Jakub Kisiała said…
What I like the most is movies in which there are no special effects in action scenes. However, when the entire universe requires technology as in Star Wars, it doesn't bother me. However, the number of effects in Bollywood productions is terrifying.

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