Battlestar Galactica On SciFi Channel

gregebowman · #1 December 3rd, 2003, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PvK:

quote:
Originally posted by gregebowman:
...
As far as a televised Star Wars, I can only imagine that happening when George Lucas is in the grave, and whoever is in charge of Lucasfilms is going for the bucks instead of a quality product. I just can't see Lucas letting anyone else have any creative control over his creation, except for when he had the 2 cartoon series back in the 80's. I don't know if he had anything to do with that except give his approval.

There was the "planet of the Ewoks" (or something) TV special, which wasn't animated and er, took the embarrassingness of the Ewoks in the ROTJ film, and multiplied it many times, for a kids' show. At least, that was my impression before my survival instincts forced me to stop watching, which was after only a few minutes.

Human Cylons? What, they didn't save all the costumes from the first show?

I was in 3rd or 4th grade when BSG first showed, but I remember thinking it got very corny after a few episodes. I liked the first episode, and some elements of some later ones (or at least, the Pegasus one), but mainly I remember a lot of embarrassing parts, or entire episodes. The "old west planet" one with a Cylon in a shiny hat? They also hyper-overused the same special effects clips, and the Cylons were almost never scary, they were SO inept. Though, I've always been pretty critical, and had little taste for things like "Boxy and his daggit", Ewoks, or "Tweaky" (or anything else after the movie) on Buck Rodgers.

However, gregebowman does make a good point about 70's sci fi options. Aside from watching Star Wars as many times as possible, you had to make do with what was available.

Remember "Battle Beyond the Stars"?

PvK

Actually, there were two Ewok movies, and apparently that's all they had in common with the Star Wars universe, because there was no sign or mention of the Rebels or the Empire. If memory serves me right, though, one character was dressed in a rebel flight suit. Also, there were two cartoon series in the 80's, one based on the Ewoks and one based on the two droids. As a matter of fact, I think it was called Droids, and followed the adventures of R2-D2 and C-3PO in what must have been a pre-Star Wars 4 life. The ewoks was basically a smurf-like cartoon, only the smurfs had brown fur. None of them were very good, but in a post-Return of the Jedi era, you got your Star Wars kicks where you could.

Atrocities, thanks. I think I had a couple of more points to add, but had to go back to work.

I saw maybe the Last 15-20 minutes of the BSG lowdown by accident. I liked it when the new Starbuck was asked backstage what she'd do if she got a lot of negative stuff thrown at her about being a female Starbuck, and she said she'd flash them. I still haven't seen the new redesigned BSG, just the Vipers. Which looked basically the same to me, but instead of shooting lasers or plasma or whatever it was, they're shooting missiles. Can't wait until Monday.

gregebowman · #2 December 3rd, 2003, 08:18 PM

PVK,

Yeah, I remember Battle Beyond The Stars. It was ok, but not the best movie ever made. It took me awhile to realize what it was: The Magnificient Seven in space. Heck it even had Robert Vaughn in it.

geoschmo · #3 December 3rd, 2003, 08:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by gregebowman:
PVK,

Yeah, I remember Battle Beyond The Stars. It was ok, but not the best movie ever made. It took me awhile to realize what it was: The Magnificient Seven in space. Heck it even had Robert Vaughn in it.

That's ok. The Magnificent Seven was just The Seven Samurai in the Old West.

There is an old saying something like all fiction can be reduced down to 10 (not sure the actual number here) Greek plays. Stuff is always reused, even when we don't realize it.

Did you ever notice that Pixar's a Bug's Life was another Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven remake.

kalthalior · #4 December 3rd, 2003, 09:45 PM

As a fan of the old series, I'm trying to keep an open mind, but it appears to me that the storyline has been severely compromised. I watched the Lowdown special, then I reread the book from the original movie Last weekend. The new series makes wholescale changes to the characters, the plot and the whole background universe. I will watch but most likely be disappointed. I would have to agree that by CURRENT standards, the old show is cheesy -- but that was 70's TV for you. Try watching 6 Million Dollar Man or Starsky & Hutch reruns and you'll see what I mean.

gregebowman · #5 December 3rd, 2003, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by geoschmo:

quote:
Originally posted by gregebowman:
PVK,

Yeah, I remember Battle Beyond The Stars. It was ok, but not the best movie ever made. It took me awhile to realize what it was: The Magnificient Seven in space. Heck it even had Robert Vaughn in it.

That's ok. The Magnificent Seven was just The Seven Samurai in the Old West.

There is an old saying something like all fiction can be reduced down to 10 (not sure the actual number here) Greek plays. Stuff is always reused, even when we don't realize it.

Did you ever notice that Pixar's a Bug's Life was another Seven Samurai/Magnificent Seven remake.

I read somethere that all stories come from only 5 basic stories. I don't remember if that was supposed to be from the Greeks or not. As far as the new BSG, I find it interesting that instead of taking their names literally, like Apollo or Starbuck, they're going to be their call signs. Like Tom Cruise's character in Top Gun was called Maverick. It kind of makes sense, but who knows what kind of names were being used in the BSG universe. There did seem to be some sort of Greek or Roman influence in the names, though, in the old show.

PvK · #6 December 4th, 2003, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Atrocities:

quote:
Remember "Battle Beyond the Stars"?

Vaguely, it had that Japan actor in it. The guy who played the heavy in some mortal combat movie and also appeared in Snips/Conery movie rising sun.

Right????

As far as I know, which I'm afraid isn't much. I'll look it up. I just mentioned it because I remember it seemed at the time rather like the Buck Rogers film (cheap/corny late-70's sci fi vaguely copying Star Wars with 1% of the quality - bad guys come to destroy good guys, and get saved by some sassy heroes, with androids, lasers, incompetent villains, and space fighter dogfights involved) except there was no TV Version of BBTS.

Ok, looking it up - yes, you are correct, assuming I know which "Japan actor" and which "heavy in some mortal combat movie" you meant. That is, John Saxon, whom I mainly associate with the actually good film Enter the Dragon. Oh wait... guess I'm wrong... Saxon doesn't seem to have been in Mortal Kombat (fortunately for him). So, I don't know whom you mean.

Although I only really remembered Robert Vaughn, and the theme music (heh) and sort of the dogfights.

Apparently George Peppard and Julia Duffy were also in it, although I have almost no strands of memory of them in it. I'll have to re-watch it sometime when I feel like groaning.

PvK

[ December 04, 2003, 03:07: Message edited by: PvK ]

Geckomlis · #7 December 4th, 2003, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by PvK:
Remember "Battle Beyond the Stars"?

My family saw BBTS in the theatre. We have been throwing the lines at each other for 20+ years. When it came out on DVD recently, I bought a copy and made my wife watch it with me. Now she understands my family�s inside jokes and movie allusions.

Gecko