C-3PO 4 Life
September 4, 2015 8:20 AM Subscribe
Dante Basco!
The tiny RC BB-8 seems so cool, but I'm afraid either the novelty will wear off quick or it will quickly be ruined by some technical problems.
posted by numaner at 8:51 AM on September 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
The tiny RC BB-8 seems so cool, but I'm afraid either the novelty will wear off quick or it will quickly be ruined by some technical problems.
posted by numaner at 8:51 AM on September 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
Force Friday. Sigh.
Between this and the BB8 thingy and the internet and my experience last night in a department store wading through an avalanche of Star Wars pajamas and t-shirts and backpacks and ohgodmakeitstop...if Disney plans to bludgeon us with this for the next three months I'm just gonna stay home.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:53 AM on September 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
Between this and the BB8 thingy and the internet and my experience last night in a department store wading through an avalanche of Star Wars pajamas and t-shirts and backpacks and ohgodmakeitstop...if Disney plans to bludgeon us with this for the next three months I'm just gonna stay home.
posted by JoeZydeco at 8:53 AM on September 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
I've always admired Daniels for his fortitude about this one character. I don't think I've encountered a version of Star Wars where he hasn't been C-3PO. Part of that is certainly the voice, which is central to the character, but also part of that is Daniels' dedication to the character and always being willing to make sure that whatever medium the character appears in is as authentic as possible.
Many years ago, in the Land Before Prequels, I fell asleep in a Lay-Z-Boy in front of a TV showing the Trilogy while coming down from a very good shroom trip and very high on weed. I had this dream in which the full 9-film saga became clear to me -- R2D2 was a (in modern parlance) suicide bomber (maybe actually an IED with a brain and wheels) designed to autonomously infiltrate to the core of the Sith/Empire complex and detonate himself to end the source of evil in the Galaxy. Film 1 began with R2's activation and programming, and film 9 ended with the final assassination carried out by this little droid. But R2 needed a handler, because he was impetuous and single-minded, and so C-3PO was by his side at the end because without him, R2 never would have gotten in to where he needed to get to.
When I woke up I was upset that C-3PO had to sacrifice himself in order to achieve this monumental, decades-long Jedi task that had been programmed into his companion, information he himself had never been given.
Much thanks to Daniels, for keeping this one character consistent (in the face of horrible scripts and the passage of time) both in real life and in my altered state that one night. He's basically been the soul of the Star Wars franchise, and my formative years would be vasty different if he had not been a part of them.
posted by hippybear at 8:58 AM on September 4, 2015 [10 favorites]
Many years ago, in the Land Before Prequels, I fell asleep in a Lay-Z-Boy in front of a TV showing the Trilogy while coming down from a very good shroom trip and very high on weed. I had this dream in which the full 9-film saga became clear to me -- R2D2 was a (in modern parlance) suicide bomber (maybe actually an IED with a brain and wheels) designed to autonomously infiltrate to the core of the Sith/Empire complex and detonate himself to end the source of evil in the Galaxy. Film 1 began with R2's activation and programming, and film 9 ended with the final assassination carried out by this little droid. But R2 needed a handler, because he was impetuous and single-minded, and so C-3PO was by his side at the end because without him, R2 never would have gotten in to where he needed to get to.
When I woke up I was upset that C-3PO had to sacrifice himself in order to achieve this monumental, decades-long Jedi task that had been programmed into his companion, information he himself had never been given.
Much thanks to Daniels, for keeping this one character consistent (in the face of horrible scripts and the passage of time) both in real life and in my altered state that one night. He's basically been the soul of the Star Wars franchise, and my formative years would be vasty different if he had not been a part of them.
posted by hippybear at 8:58 AM on September 4, 2015 [10 favorites]
If the book they mention is so exhaustive that it includes Episode VII entries (and the DK people are sworn to secrecy while JJ Abrams keeps their loved ones captive somewhere), then hurray, you have a great book... which will be obsolete the day Rogue One is released.
Then you sell the Episode VIII edition and/or the Revised Edition Including Episode VIII, and there you go, you just sold all the fans one book per film instead of 1 book for the whole series.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:59 AM on September 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Then you sell the Episode VIII edition and/or the Revised Edition Including Episode VIII, and there you go, you just sold all the fans one book per film instead of 1 book for the whole series.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 8:59 AM on September 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
If the book they mention is so exhaustive that it includes Episode VII entries (and the DK people are sworn to secrecy while JJ Abrams keeps their loved ones captive somewhere), then hurray, you have a great book... which will be obsolete the day Rogue One is released.
This is exactly what happened to my Star Wars Trivial Pursuit game that I got around the release of The Phantom Menace. Ah! Tricksy questions about this new movie! But after that... yeah, nuthin.
posted by hippybear at 9:00 AM on September 4, 2015
This is exactly what happened to my Star Wars Trivial Pursuit game that I got around the release of The Phantom Menace. Ah! Tricksy questions about this new movie! But after that... yeah, nuthin.
posted by hippybear at 9:00 AM on September 4, 2015
I've been a huge fan of Anthony Daniels ever since his stellar turn as the pathologist in season 4 of Prime Suspect. It's nice to hear that he's been able to find other work.
posted by koeselitz at 9:07 AM on September 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by koeselitz at 9:07 AM on September 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
They should publish it as a CD-ROM and any future updates can be sold as separate supplemental disks.
They can call it Endorcarta.
posted by Atom Eyes at 9:08 AM on September 4, 2015 [8 favorites]
They can call it Endorcarta.
posted by Atom Eyes at 9:08 AM on September 4, 2015 [8 favorites]
Careful DK... remember what happened last time?
posted by BinaryApe at 9:10 AM on September 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by BinaryApe at 9:10 AM on September 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
"and do you know what? I really started to get on my nerves."
That's when you realize you're living in a Philip K Dick novel.
posted by adamrice at 9:16 AM on September 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
That's when you realize you're living in a Philip K Dick novel.
posted by adamrice at 9:16 AM on September 4, 2015 [3 favorites]
I picked up the cheaper BB-8 remote controlled toy (because I'm not handing my smartphone over to my 5 year old for obvious reasons) and it's pretty neat. It's happiest on super smooth surfaces, but can handle low carpet okay.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:57 AM on September 4, 2015
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:57 AM on September 4, 2015
How well do you know Star Wars (link to video on check123.com)
via CBC.ca commenter Kelly
posted by bitteroldman at 9:58 AM on September 4, 2015
via CBC.ca commenter Kelly
posted by bitteroldman at 9:58 AM on September 4, 2015
Then you sell the Episode VIII edition and/or the Revised Edition Including Episode VIII, and there you go, you just sold all the fans one book per film instead of 1 book for the whole series.
You may be onto something here.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:13 AM on September 4, 2015
You may be onto something here.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 10:13 AM on September 4, 2015
I helped set up Force Friday stuff at work last night, but wasn't there late enough to actually see the toys.
I'm really can't wait for number 7 to come out. Visually at least, everything looks like it's going to look good. *fingers crossed*
posted by drezdn at 10:19 AM on September 4, 2015
I'm really can't wait for number 7 to come out. Visually at least, everything looks like it's going to look good. *fingers crossed*
posted by drezdn at 10:19 AM on September 4, 2015
Daniels is the most amazing entertainer. I once saw him at a con, and his off-the-cuff performance had the audience in stitches. Truly a brilliant man.
posted by jb at 10:46 AM on September 4, 2015
posted by jb at 10:46 AM on September 4, 2015
I'm just so tired of all these star wars.
posted by Fleebnork at 12:15 PM on September 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by Fleebnork at 12:15 PM on September 4, 2015 [2 favorites]
I want an interview with the Hamster inside BB-8.
posted by drezdn at 12:53 PM on September 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by drezdn at 12:53 PM on September 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
'I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror' Force Friday Was A Disaster For Many Star Wars Fans
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:00 PM on September 4, 2015
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:00 PM on September 4, 2015
Summary: it was a disaster because they physically went to a store hoping to purchase a popular good but the good was so popular that the store did not have any of the good left for them
disasterous
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
disasterous
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 1:29 PM on September 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
Force Friday Was A Disaster For Many Star Wars Fans
For the proper perspective, read it in The Simpsons' Comic Book Guy's voice.
posted by zarq at 1:31 PM on September 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
For the proper perspective, read it in The Simpsons' Comic Book Guy's voice.
posted by zarq at 1:31 PM on September 4, 2015 [5 favorites]
I was at Costco this morning and they had a display of this Star Wars three-figure set, 18" action figures, and a special Lego set, and this little girl about 4 years old, wearing a tutu and Chucks, was doing an amazing celebratory dance in front of the display while chanting "yes, yes, yeeeeeessssss!". That's pretty much how I felt on the inside, myself.
posted by padraigin at 1:41 PM on September 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by padraigin at 1:41 PM on September 4, 2015 [4 favorites]
I fear BB-8 will be an extension of Lucas's fondness for "cute" droids, and his apparent media blitz doesn't suggest he'll be a really minor character.
This hovering Millennium Falcon toy looks cool, though.
Regarding Daniels, I hear stories about him having an unpleasant reputation, particularly from convention-goers. Surprising and disappointing considering he's probably embraced his connection to the franchise more than any of the other cast members. Unless he just does so many more appearances that he's just prone to having more bad days.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 2:54 PM on September 4, 2015
This hovering Millennium Falcon toy looks cool, though.
Regarding Daniels, I hear stories about him having an unpleasant reputation, particularly from convention-goers. Surprising and disappointing considering he's probably embraced his connection to the franchise more than any of the other cast members. Unless he just does so many more appearances that he's just prone to having more bad days.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 2:54 PM on September 4, 2015
I love accounts about "joining the team you are on." It's at the heart of most success, and almost all contentedness, in life.
posted by MattD at 3:05 PM on September 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by MattD at 3:05 PM on September 4, 2015 [1 favorite]
Fewer than 3m of the 13m Star Wars books Dorling Kindersley printed were sold,
So, what you are saying, Guardian from 2000, is that my Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - A Visual Dictionary, which is in mint condition (as are its siblings from Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith) might actually be worth more than I paid for it?
I like the sound of that.
posted by Mezentian at 12:42 AM on September 5, 2015
So, what you are saying, Guardian from 2000, is that my Star Wars: The Phantom Menace - A Visual Dictionary, which is in mint condition (as are its siblings from Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith) might actually be worth more than I paid for it?
I like the sound of that.
posted by Mezentian at 12:42 AM on September 5, 2015
Liked that interview, and he doesn't sound massively conflicted or bitter about being strongly tied to a single character like actors always do. Nice to hear him in his own voice, as it were.
Surely he was more censored by Disney than censured though, Grauniad?
posted by comealongpole at 7:36 AM on September 5, 2015
Surely he was more censored by Disney than censured though, Grauniad?
posted by comealongpole at 7:36 AM on September 5, 2015
Our store did pretty well with Force Friday, with 75 people in line at midnight. As of last night, we still had some of most of the new items in stock with the 3.75 inch figures probably being the most picked over. People (myself included) seem to love BB-8.
posted by drezdn at 8:44 AM on September 5, 2015
posted by drezdn at 8:44 AM on September 5, 2015
I've been spending the weekend off an on looking at the toys and trying to figure out bits of the plot.
posted by drezdn at 8:20 AM on September 8, 2015
posted by drezdn at 8:20 AM on September 8, 2015
« Older #Ham4Ham | Lisa Frank on Lisa Frank Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
If the book they mention is so exhaustive that it includes Episode VII entries (and the DK people are sworn to secrecy while JJ Abrams keeps their loved ones captive somewhere), then hurray, you have a great book... which will be obsolete the day Rogue One is released.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 8:50 AM on September 4, 2015