Okay, open Forum, off-topic, or whatever (grab a cup and sit)

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Capt Bob Johnson

RhB_HJ, You aren't alone! Don't think I've been to a movie in 25 years, maybe more!
If it's good and I feel like seeing it, it'll be out for free on the boob tube soon enough.

Last good movie I saw was taking my boys to see Song of the South back in 198?.

Capt,

I go to see movies, it's just StarWars that never interested me. But you got a point, watching it at home gives you a chance to go for a break. Speaking of breaks, no I don't watch much TV, the stupid commercials drive me nuts!

I like reading Sci-Fi better, then the movie is in my head. Better special effects and everything.[;)][8D][8D][:)][:D]

[Tom The Brat]

Hmm. He wants them to get to the 12th regeneration fast?

[powlee]

The new seies certainly have caught the detractors unawares. It has rave reviews but of course, Chris Eccleston (Dr Who) has announced he is vacating the Tardis after this first series.
And wait for it !! The first episodes have been released on DVD and a Parental Guidence warning has been slapped on it. IT SHOWS THE DALEK BEING TORTURED.[:D]

[Tom The Brat]

They're doing a nice job of aluding to events and features in the old shows.

The cyberman head in the museum about made me fall off my chair[:D] (Well, not quite, but it was good)

[Anonymous]

As Torby says,the dark humour is there.It really is good.My children love it as much as we do.The Dalek episode was brilliantly handled.
It's great.Also it has kept the British aspect of it all.I don't mean to patronise but there is a certain 'don't panic' about Briti***hings.Ignore it and perhaps it will go away.Look at India and Pakistan!!
Seriously,the new Dr Who is serious/funny/ and remembers the dodgy special effects from yesteryear.(you really need to see the Dalek one)
Troy

[Tom The Brat]

The effects are pretty good. The new doctor has a dark side that gives an interesting twist to the character. He doesn't like anybody to know what he is or where he comes from, and he can get rather short when pressed. Some pretty good humor here and there. I think he'll do.

[vsmith]

Troy

Did they raise the budget of the special effect crews to something above $150 per episode? I hope they are doing better than spacecraft made of toilet paper rolls and tupperware and aliens draped with tin foil. Made Lost In Space look like freaking Star Wars.

[tangerine-jack]

OH! I am SOOOOOO envious of you Troy! I was hoping and praying that the BBC would have enough sense to bring the Doctor out of retirement, after all it was on for almost 30 years. I hope they don't "Americanize" the program like they did with the movie- it is British and needs to stay that way. What actor plays the new doctor, is it the McGhann guy or somebody who can act?


[oX)]

[Anonymous]

Wait 'till you see the new Dr Who.The first series is on at the moment on every Saturday night.Absolutely fantastic.
Troy

[tangerine-jack]

"Captain Scarlet" and "Thunderbirds are Go!" totaly rule! Love the puppets with the "real hand" close ups!

As far as the Doctor goes, I rather like Sylvester McCoy, even if Tom Baker is considered the best. McCoy blends the humor of Tom and the maturity of Hartnell, with a touch of the Pertwee gadgets. Of course, all of them are great! That show is a good example of excellent writing overcoming bad effects. I guess Lucas got it backwards.[banghead] But, alas, Peter Cushing did not make a very convincing Doctor.....but did make a good Grand Moff Tarkin.


[oX)]

[vsmith]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tangerine-jack

Star Wars was never intended, by Sir Lucas, to be anything more than a really cool Saturday Morning Serial in the 1930's style of adventure. The plot is thin- let's see- good guy=wears white/bad guy=wears black. Never was suposed to be more. I like the movies because they are fun, not because of any redeeming social commentary.

I will go see it at the theater because the effects are cool on the big screen. But I will wait until next week or so and catch the matinee. I won't wait in line either, not for a movie or for a restaurant.

I just bought "classics from outer space" on DVD. Ok, people, 10 movies, 14 hours of cheezy sci fi for $9- what could be better! I mention this because one of the movies is "Flash Gordon: Rocket Ship". Watch this one and you will see where Star Wars attempts to imitate.

Now, for REAL sci-fi, you have to go across the pond and get some Dr. Who. Now that is a show! Ok, bad effects, but great writing and wonderful adventure! Pick up a DVD of the Doctor and you will be hooked.


[oX)]

Jack
Your preaching to the choir here, I'm a major sci-fi nut. I just dont were it on my sleeve.
I have all 3 of the original Buster Crabbe "Flash Gordon" series and "Buck Rodgers" too, as well alot of other classics. I think I've seen the first Star Wars (1977) about 300 times and the rest of the first trilogy dozens of times, I'm one of those hard-core movie buffs who still refuses to buy the DVD versions until Lucas releases the original 77 theatrical release, not the cleaned up PC'ed "special edition" version. Suffice to say I have been less than impressed with the latest offering, to me there simply is no excuse for bad writting, look at LOTR , Peter Jackson raised the bar to a very high level with great effects but also excellent writing, of course having Tolkien to quote from doesnt hurt.[:)]

Seen the Doctor already from John Pertwee all the way thru to Peter Davidson ( Tom Baker was the best of course)[;)]

Now for the polar opposite...a British show with cheesy dialog but "for the time" amazing special effects you cannot beat Gary Anderson's "Thunderbirds"[:D]

BTW Anderson's chief special effects guy later went on to do the effects for the first Star Wars.[:p]

[unclejoe009]

Well I have to say, being what I consider myself to be a Star Wars fan, the new one was disappointing to me, probably wasn't worth going to the 3:15 am showing of it, but fun none-the-less. I will definately go back again though, just for a second opinion to reassure myself that in fact it was disapponting for me, but if you aren't a fan, or even are one in the slightest respect, it is definately worth waiting for the crowds to die down before going to see it.

in other news, my grandma said I can take over part of the backyard for a railroad, hopefully with my summer job I can earn some money to get it started.

also, TOC, saw your sub the other day in san diego bay when I went out for a cruise in the family boat. they are repairing the aft hull paneling, seems that when they brought it down a good portion of it broke off. other than that looks to be in good shape.

[Capt Bob Johnson]

RhB_HJ, You aren't alone! Don't think I've been to a movie in 25 years, maybe more!
If it's good and I feel like seeing it, it'll be out for free on the boob tube soon enough.

Last good movie I saw was taking my boys to see Song of the South back in 198?.

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

STAR WARS, Revenge of the Zits opens today,[:p]

No I didnt get the name wrong, I saw all the nerdoids in line for the last month and a half and I think my name sticks better[;)]

OK gang,

I have a confession to make: I have never seen a StarWars movie!

BTW Vic...... "Revenge of the Twits" would be just as fitting. [}:)][:p][:D]

[tangerine-jack]

Star Wars was never intended, by Sir Lucas, to be anything more than a really cool Saturday Morning Serial in the 1930's style of adventure. The plot is thin- let's see- good guy=wears white/bad guy=wears black. Never was suposed to be more. I like the movies because they are fun, not because of any redeeming social commentary.

I will go see it at the theater because the effects are cool on the big screen. But I will wait until next week or so and catch the matinee. I won't wait in line either, not for a movie or for a restaurant.

I just bought "classics from outer space" on DVD. Ok, people, 10 movies, 14 hours of cheezy sci fi for $9- what could be better! I mention this because one of the movies is "Flash Gordon: Rocket Ship". Watch this one and you will see where Star Wars attempts to imitate.

Now, for REAL sci-fi, you have to go across the pond and get some Dr. Who. Now that is a show! Ok, bad effects, but great writing and wonderful adventure! Pick up a DVD of the Doctor and you will be hooked.


[oX)]

[vsmith]

Lets see if we can beat this thread back to life..[:I]

I'm surprised that no one has here (or at the MR forum, or the Trains forum) has posted anything about being over the moon that the newest offering from George Lucas has finally arrived.

STAR WARS, Revenge of the Zits opens today,[:p]

No I didnt get the name wrong, I saw all the nerdoids in line for the last month and a half and I think my name sticks better[;)]

I havent seen it yet and I'll be dammed if I'm gonna spend more than 15 minutes in any line to see it. I know a local theater where I can guarentee seeing it without a big wait (its the one near the newest stadium seating theater) . I really had to laugh at the poor shleps who camped near Gruamann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood for a week to be first in line, only to have an employee tell them its not playing there, it wil be at the Cinerama Dome nearby..thats called planning!

From all accounts this one is the best since "The Empire Strikes Back" and is far superior to the inferior "The Phantom Plotline" and Attack of the Clowns"

So...Anyone seen it yet? How long did you stand in line....[?]

I only want to know one thing, does Jar Jar finally meet the business end of a lightsaber[:0][?]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

Wonder if Tim just decided to focus on one scale. CCT I guess means O guage .

I doubt it, Tim likes them all! Must be something else to it.[?]

[vsmith]

Wonder if Tim just decided to focus on one scale. CCT I guess means O guage .

[Anonymous]

Buckeye
thanks for the information on TIM , thought something was wrong with him. ben

[Buckeye Riveter]

One of the guys on the CTT forum has spoken to Tim. Everything is okay.

[Anonymous]

HELLO TANGERINE JACK
HOW is you train project going,???? , I was away for a few days , with my motor home , lost my brakes , got it home by using the hand brake to stop , was 50 miles from home , i put new master cyclinder in ,not done yet, must bleed the brakes and test run yet. [censored] #%&*@* ben

[tangerine-jack]

One piece of good news about Tim, his name isn't in the obits anywhere for the last two months. I wonder what could have happened. He hasn't posted in a month.

[oX)]

[Anonymous]

I E-MAILED TIM TO NO RESPONCE FROM HIM , HOPE NOTHING IS WRONG WITH HIM. BEN

[tangerine-jack]

True, the movie had it's good points. I did notice the Vogon commanders chair and the cameo of the original Marvin. I enjoyed the Point of View Gun, glad there is no such thing in real life! You are right about Deep Thought, the story is critical to that computer and it's relationship to Earth/ Magrathea and was not done very well at all in the movie.

It would have been nice to see some Silastic Armor Fiends or a few Cricket warriors. I liked the acting style of Zaphod in the movie, but you are right about the second head-what a cop out. True that Adams changed the story line, but he never changed the core meaning or character relationships. I just thought the movie didn't capture the "guide" very well. In the BBC version, the "book" cut in a lot more places to explain background, that was almost totaly lacking in the movie.

What's up with the ping-pong ball head on Marvin? Hope the designer got fired for that one. I'd have like to see some Galactic Cops instead of the Vogons, there was a certain charm about cops that write poetry and go around "blasting people all day then agonizing about it at night to my girlfriend".

Alright, enough rambling, I really feel I need to pop in the DVD and go for a low budget BBC special effect ride.........................

[oX)]

[vsmith]

Matt

i sent this to someone else who asked me what i though might as well reprint it here........

.....Wow, thoughts on the movie? very mixed.

Some stuff I liked and some I thought fell flat.

I was most dissapointed by the fact that they cut out some of the best parts of scenes, likely for time sake. Example, Deep Thought telling the protesting philosophers how to get rich while he computes the Answer, or many of the books descriptions being either left out or cut short, like the description of the Infinite Improbabilty Drives inventor being lynched by a rampaging mob of respectable physicists.

Liked: Marvin as voiced by Alan Rickman worked particularly well, I liked the way the Athur/Trillian relationship took a turn, although well have to see how that gets resolved with the Fenchurch issue the later book. The trip to Vogsphere and the Vogans not doing anything without the proper paperwork was very funny. I was also glad that Arthur was far less passive than the TV version.

Dislikes: Zaphod was only half as good as i thought he could have been, I really thought his second head treatment was a real cop-out, they could have done the side by side head which could have been far better used for comic effect (each head trading off comments). I didnt like the way Magrathea was resolved, the second Earth being replaced so exactidly, really got away from the particularlty sarcastic version of Adams original take that we are all descended from telephone sanitizers.

There were tons of things that were great inside jokes that only the readers of the book would get, my farovites being the Vogan scuttle crabs and the Vogantelope as the captains chair. Did you see the Original Marvin robot in line in the Vogsphere que scene (I'm British! I know how to Que)They left this one hanging storywise at the end (Zaphods head), hopefully Disney wont drop the ball and will make the next installment.

Overall I had fun, will by the DVD, hopefull a much expanded version will be made available for the fans.....



Jack

I had the same feeling that core fans would be very dissapointed with the story turns, but the screenplay was written by Adams, so he obviously wanted to try something new, also remember, Adams changed the story everytime he changed media. The radio series is different from the books, which is different from the TV series, which now is different from the Movie, so I just took the changes in stride as i excepted Adams to change things this time as well.

As for Marvin, I thought the robot suit LOOKED awfull, but Rickmann was very good as the voice of Marvin. Where i thought they really blew it, was with Deep Thought, the voice didnt fit the character niether did the model, the TV/Radio version (same voice on both, like Marvin) was way better.

I do tend to tell people to rent the DVD of the TV version if they want the closer to the book storyline, just to be ready for the qwerky BBC special effects department special effects (dont look too hard at Zaphod's second head, and it works OK). But I wouldnt hesitate to tell someone to go see the movie, it has its own charms and rewards. Its just different! and besides I take the Guide in any format or story, because its still a lot more fun than almost anything out there.

Zaphod's evil twin signing off, Vic[8D]

[tangerine-jack]

I saw THHGTTG and it was OK. I am a big fan of the original, and in my opinion the original is the best. The movie lost a lot of the charm and story line thread. It had a few good parts, but they totaly ruined Marvin and tried to add a love story between Arthur and Trillian. I say save your money and see it on video, then throw it away and watch the original BBC production.

[oX)]

[Anonymous]

I was wondering the same on Tim, Did anyone catch the post by someone on the CTT forum stopping by here looking for him?


Vic, So have you seen The Hitchhikers Guide To the Galaxy yet?

[tangerine-jack]

You know, I was wondering that myself. He hasn't responded to my emails. I hope everything is OK.

On another subject, I was just looking over at the MR forum, the coffee shop thread there has 400+ pages. Interesting, very interesting.

If everything goes to plan, I will be visiting Capt Bob's RR this weekend in DE. I'll be sure to post pics when I get back. Does anybody know of one of us that lives in ME? I'll be there in July.


[oX)]

[vsmith]

What happened to Tim?

[tangerine-jack]

Visiting Ben was a lot of fun. I'm sorry the face behind my posts isn't more pleasing [(-D] You've done good work, Ben, and you should be proud. See my post "visiting Bennys RR" for some photos. I do wish I had more time to spend, but I am glad I had the time I did. Thanks again, Ben!

Ok, now I just spent 8 hours on the road and I'd love to type on about my weekend, but work awaits me at O' dark thirty in the morning.
[oX)][zzz]