The forbidden spin-off: Star Wars Christmas Special

December 19, 2017
NerfHerder
Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars Stories & Spin-offs
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It’s the stuff of legend. Just months after the first Star Wars film became an unexpected box office smash and created a universe to which countless people – young and old – longed to escape, the first spin-off hit TV screens.

It was 1978 and the Star Wars universe, not yet fully formed, was used as the basis for a nonsensical TV variety show. The standalone production had the blessing of George Lucas at the time, though these days he is actively involved in a campaign to wipe its existence from the face of the Earth – which is a tough ask now that were living in the digital era.

The following video provides a fascinating insight into two things. Firstly, it describes how the infamous Star Wars Christmas Special came about, who was involved and what it was all about. Then, the video highlights why it is that this production was allowed to exist (temporarily) in the immature canon of the time, and how the Star Wars universe has both extended and contracted in the years since. It’s well worth a look, even if you know about the Christmas Special. For those who haven’t yet seen any footage from the first Star Wars spin-off, you’re in for a horrid treat.

Storm Troopers boogie their way to victory

December 19, 2017
NerfHerder
Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars Funnies
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They may not always encounter success on the battle field, or in the appropriate calibration of a blaster’s targeting system, but storm troopers sure know how to move. The particular group presented below arguably should have been using their spare time to better secure air vents on the Death Star, or to practice their aim, but passion seems to have taken them in a different direction.

See as this troop explodes in a cacophony of color and motion in the Earthly reality show, Britain’s Got Talent.

 

Star Wars Bloopers

December 18, 2017
NerfHerder
Episode IV - A New Hope, Star Wars Funnies
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The film-making process lends itself to mistakes being made. It’s a creative endeavour, often involving literally hundreds of individual specialists, long days and tight schedules. It’s also increasingly a practice that is reliant on technology working the way it is expected. Given this, it’s inevitable that the odd blooper will appear on any production. In fact, it’s surprising that they aren’t more common, but such is a testament to the professionalism of many in the industry.

The Star Wars saga has now delivered nine canonical live-action feature films; spanning five decades. As you might imagine, this means that there have been plenty of mishaps on the set of these films. Those that are caught on camera are often the most humorous, as they involve characters and actors that we all know and love.

The following video presents 10 bloopers from the Star Wars films. Though you’ve likely seen some, there were actually a few in here that came as a surprise to me. Hopefully the video holds a few hidden treasures for you also. Enjoy!

 

The Last Jedi is here! Early reactions are positive.

December 13, 2017
NerfHerder
Episode VIII - The Last Jedi, Fan Theories
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The Last Jedi

Humble members of the general public, like you and I, will finally be able to see Star Wars: The Last Jedi from midnight tonight!

The long-awaited Star Wars instalment is helmed by Rian Johnson, the acclaimed director of Looper (2012), Brick (2005) and the most compellingly gut-wrenching episode of Breaking Bad – Ozymandias. Under his guidance, stars Daisy Ridley, Mark Hamill, John Boyega, Andy Serkis, Adam Driver and the beloved Carrie Fisher (in her final performance), will drive the mysterious penultimate story in the 9-episode saga.

Thanks to early screenings to critics and VIPs, we are able to gain some appreciation as to the quality of the film ahead of launch – and the news is good. The below Twitter reactions indicate overwhelming support for the complex, nuanced episode. It certainly sounds as though we Star Wars fans are in for an early Christmas treat at the cinemas this week. 🙂

 

Without presenting any spoilers, it seems as though there is at least one powerful and surprising twist on its way:

Of course, understanding where this film fits in comparison to others in the saga is something that will be hotly debated. The following Twitter member has given Episode VIII the highest available praise; suggesting that it is even more powerful than The Empire Strikes Back, which is commonly thought to be the high point of the Star Wars movies.

In a mere matter of hours, you’ll be able to find out whether all of this praise stacks up. Whatever the case, it seems as though we’re in for one seriously exciting experience, in a galaxy far, far away.

Pew, Pew – How the iconic Star Wars blaster sound was created

December 6, 2017
NerfHerder
Games and Novelties
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The blaster sound effect from Star Wars is immediately recognisable. While real laser devices emit very little sound, those handy firearms from “a long time ago” produced a distinctive “pew” that showed they meant business; even in the hands of notoriously off-target Storm Troopers.

How was this iconic sound created? As it turns out, foley artists working on the original Star Wars stumbled upon the high tension wires that extend down from AM radio transmission towers. Hitting one with a metallic wrench provided a sound that started with a high pitch, before quickly descending into a lower frequency. This is caused by acoustic dispersion.

Just how does the science of sound explain this phenomenon? Watch this explanatory video to find out:

Pretty cool, no?