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Just come across this surprising development Ben Burtt moves to Pixar[^]
Along with George Lucas and John Williams, Ben Burtt is the guy who gave the Star Wars movies a soul that other films can only dream of. Can you imagine Star Wars without Vader's Breathing, the sound of Tie Fighters screeching by or the distinctive hum of a lightsaber. Burtt is the best sound designer of the last 25 years. Lucasfilm's loss is Pixar's gain.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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A quick review. (I'll post a more detailed review later)
Wow. George Lucas hit this for six straight over the pavillion. A visual spectacular with an emotional core that left me choking back the tears. A tragedy of the highest-order. The way that Anakin fell to the dark-side was so wonderfully realised.
Excellent special effects by the boys at ILM, although the opening battle was a little confused (but then I guess that real war is like that too).
John Williams' score was perfect. Not a note out of place.
One of the greatest motion picture experiences of my life. Probably the best movie, I've seen at the cinema since 'The Empire Strikes Back'.
I must see this movie again at the cinema. It deserves it.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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Just got off the phone to the cinema and have booked my tickets for Episode III. My Dad and me are going on Tuesday afternoon. I've booked tickets for the 'Directors Auditorium. Whilst more expensive than the standard screens there is less likely to be any dick-heads to spoil my enjoyment - which is good, because I'll liable to go all Anakin on their ass if they prevent me from enjoying myself.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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Michael P Butler wrote:
for the 'Directors Auditorium
Is it technically better too?
regards,
Paul Watson
South Africa
PMW Photography
Gary Wheeler wrote:
It's people like you that keep me heading for my big debut on CNN...
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Paul Watson wrote:
Is it technically better too?
Not sure. Probably not. I'd hoped it would be Digital but isn't. It has only 61 seats, so it will probably be a smaller screen than usual too. I've never been in it before, but as I'm going late afternoon I wanted to avoid the teenagers and other pond-life.
Plus there is access to a bar, not that I'll be drinking.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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Well the soundtrack collection is.
I know have the soundtracks for all 6 Star Wars movies. 'The Revenge of the Sith' soundtrack is wonderful, the best soundtrack since 'The Empire Strikes Back'. The opening track is up there with 'The Battle of Yavin' from Star Wars and 'The Battle of Hoth' from Empire. Another great soundtrack from the legend that is John Williams.
I've currently got the full 6 movie soundtracks as my WMP playlist (on shuffle). It has certainly helped improve my productivity. Mind you I always find classical music helps me to concentrate better.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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I've been having a few motivation issues with work recently. Just not really been in the mood for coding. Luckily the project I'm working on is a slow-boiler so I've been able to be a little slack.
I get a little too distracted in the mechanics of my LxFramework[^] rather than getting on and writing the code for the main application.
A couple more leads for new work have come in today, so that should hopefully help me pick-up the pace a bit. I need to get myself back into selling mode again. At least these new projects will be about selling them on a solution to a specific problem rather than the usual cold-call of trying to sell them the idea that software can make their companies more productive.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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I've been watching the new series of the cartoon 'Clone Wars'[^].
And I've come to the conclusion that George Lucas was right and the fan-boys really don't know anything about good story-telling.
Most of the disappoint that "fanboys" feel towards the prequel trilogy is that they really wanted three movies of full on "Jedi Action". However I think the 'Clone Wars' has proved how boring that really is.
Watching Anakin slicing and dicing his way through droid armies is just not interesting. Not to mention how the cartoon portrays Jedi like Mace and Yoda as "supermen", single handedly wiping out thousands of the enemy. I know it is a cartoon but it just comes across as far-fetched.
I think the problem is the new extended format of the show. The 3 minute cartoons had a much better structure to them. The new 30 minute episodes are so laden down with meaningless action that the story gets lost.
'Attack of the Clones' suffered from a similar problem with its clone/droid fights. They just don't have the heart and soul of the Episode IV attack on the death-star or the 'Battle of Hoth'.
I still believe Episode III will have the emotional core I'm looking for in the fights, but the Clone Wars cartoon doesn't do it for me at all.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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ROTFLMAO
Oh man, that Wreakon guy is a hoot. He is awfully sensitive about the whole thing.
regards,
Paul Watson
South Africa
The Code Project
Pope Pius II said
"The only prescription is more cowbell. "
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"You'd hate my code-reviews then"
that line was great!
Pandoras Gift #44: Hope. The one that keeps you on suffering.
aber.. "Wie gesagt, der Scheiss is' Therapie"
boost your code || Fold With Us! || sighist | doxygen
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Return of the Sith trailer (QuickTime required)[^]
Wow. My excitement levels for this movie have just been raised a couple of notches. Palpatine sounds like an evil Obi-Wan when he's talking to Anakin. Very nice parallel with the original movie.
Whilst I never judge a movie by its trailer, it feels like the battles in this movie will have a little more emotional content unlike the very bland fights in 'Attack of the Clones'
I'm looking forward to this in a big way.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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I really hope so too though after what Lucas says here I am back to worrying again.
Emotion, romance is fine, you know I like that stuff but comparing it to Titanic? 
regards,
Paul Watson
South Africa
The Code Project
Pope Pius II said
"The only prescription is more cowbell. "
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Paul Watson wrote:
Emotion, romance is fine, you know I like that stuff but comparing it to Titanic?
Well he was in-front of an audience of cinema owners, he has to try and sell it to them somehow. After all, they are all on the look-out for the next Titanic.
Of course, it will be like Titanic in the fact that everybody knows what happens at the end of the movie 'The boat sinks' vs 'Rise of the Empire etc'
I think it will be a tearjerker - at least for me. I know I'll blub sometime during watching the movie, probably at the end as the credits rise. Star Wars has been with me nearly all my life, and the end of the saga is bound to have an effect on me. Heck, I cry when Spock dies at the end of 'Wrath of Khan' and my love of the classic Star Trek series hasn't been with me for as long.
Plus there will be more personal emotions coming to play, I'll have seen all six movies with my Dad. He took me to the original trilogy and I've taken him to the prequel trilogies. This will probably be the last movie we see together, given that he's not into going to see movies. The Star Wars movies have always been the story of a Father and Son, and so there is a little symetry between the movies and real-life. If my father hadn't taken me to see the original Star Wars, I think my life would have turned out rather differently. Through Star Wars, my love for all things space came... through my love for all things space came my love of computers and look where that has led me.
So I'm in for an emotional time, and I'm going to enjoy every moment.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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And so the magic of Star Wars that its critics simply don't get. 
regards,
Paul Watson
South Africa
The Code Project
Pope Pius II said
"The only prescription is more cowbell. "
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Bought a couple of new games recently and thought I'd share my thoughts,
Republic Commando[^] - Linear, keep shooting at droids until they finally die, very repetitive and not very satisfying. Freezes at some most annoying spots. Far too short. The game opens well on Genosis during 'Attack of the Clones' but quickly peters out into a very boring game. It shows its console origins. I'll stick with the Dark Forces series of games.
A better game is Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords[^]
A very playable RPG set even further back than "A long time ago", in a galaxy far, far away. Playing a former Jedi who has lost his/her connection with the force - set against a backdrop of galactic war (Hey this is Star Wars, when isn't there a war going on). Took me about 24hrs of play to finish it. Some neat puzzles and interesting conversations with non-player-characters as you try to figure out what happened to your player and to find out what happened to the characters from the original game. Some nice set piece battles and great force powers to use in said battles. Choices made in the game determine whether you'll end up playing as Jedi or Sith but the endings are both still very similar. Let down by a very disappointing ending which doesn't answer a lot of the questions posed in the game. Some of the fights get repetitive, especially against wild-life. A few annoying bugs that can prevent further progress in the game, but as long as you save regularly then they won't get in the way too much. Much better than Republic Commando and a worthwhile purchase for RPG fans who have a hankering for toting a lightsaber.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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I've just finished reading The Kenneth Williams Diaries[^], a collation of the desktop diary entries of one of Britain's funniest character actors.
It has been a fascinating read, detailing his life from 1942 through to his death in 1988. Shockingly honest, especially his thoughts on himself and the people he'd worked with. The Carry On[^] team regulars take a tongue lashing as do the films themselves but the diaries also show the love and respect he had for people like Joe Orton[^], Kenneth Horne[^], Maggie Smith[^], Gordon Jackson[^] and Barbara Windsor[^]
The book is a little harrowing in places, especially his suicidal thoughts about his failing health and general unhappiness with his life. The last entry in particluar is heartbreaking, especially as it hints at what is about to happen.
Obviously Williams was a troubled man, but it comes across as the kind of guy whose stories you could listen to for hours. His struggles with his sexuality during less enlightened times give an insight into how different society is today when it comes to be more accepting of homosexuality. One thing that shines through the writing is his love for his mother, the one constant throughout his life.
A very good book, especially for those of us who are fascinated by the human condition but it also serves as an illustration about what makes a good diary. Something a lot of online bloggers could learn a lot from.
Michael
CP Blog [^] Development Blog [^]
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