Test footage emerges of "Star Wars: Underworld," a TV series that never came to light

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2020/01/31/test-footage-emerges-of-star.html

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884336df8aecfba99fb95b008490ff48

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The camera work alone made me stop watching after 3 minutes. I cannot stand that shooting technique.

Got major Blade Runner vibes though.

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I dont have time to watch the whole thing now, but honestly, it looks like a fan project.

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Rushes typically don’t have final sound or vfx, and looking at the equipment, pretty certainly not a fan project.

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Yay for Wilhelm Scream at the end.

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No, that’s some pure Lucas direction there; actors in a fan project wouldn’t be nearly as awkward or wooden.

Also loved the classic three minute shootout at four paces with no casualties.

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Hey, 2010 George Lucas, the 90’s called. They want their somnambulant cyberpunk pastiche back.

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I’ve seen some very decent fan projects. Those Stormtroopers had ill fitting costume and the movement was stilted. They actors didn’t move much better, very amateur - and for a test they probably were. The camera work, IMO, was the worst offender. I get they were trying to make it look like it was shot on the street and raw, but it was just not good.

I’ve seen some well done fan projects with similar levels of props an VFX.

I stand by my point it looks like a decent fan made film, or maybe a cut scene for a late 90s video game.

Yes, yes, yes all three things is what I am talking about.

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I realize that every use of the Wilhelm Scream is pretty gratuitous at this point, but for some reason this one seemed more in-your-face than necessary.

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They lost me at the stilettos. I’m glad they didn’t continue to build this world. If anyone involved thought that was a good costume decision even for a test, it wouldn’t bode well.

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Nothing says “galaxy-spanning epic” like “we couldn’t afford to build a set big enough to allow the characters to stand more than a few feet away from each other.”

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I assume that it’d be edited down to be more palatable.

Yeah, it does, weirdly. In the behind-the-scenes bit, I was surprised to see such a big crew, because it very much looks like the kind of thing a handful of people turn out for fan projects. I suppose the difference is time - the fan projects probably drag on for a lot longer. (Well, the obvious difference from fan projects here is the lower quality. E.g. the acting, sound, costumes, and generally how nothing makes any sense. I suppose that’s to be expected from a proof-of-concept bit of video, though.)

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It seems to be a test of virtual sets with multiple cameras and real-time compositing. There are at least two crews filming simultaneously and tripping over each other, not counting the behind the scenes camera.

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My biggest problem with the new trilogy in a nutshell.

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haters be damned, i would’ve watched the hell out of this.

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the 90’s called

Yes?

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I maintain that there are a couple of directors who are able to coax truly execrable performances out of otherwise stellar performers; David Lynch and Dune, and George Lucas and the Star Wars prequel trilogy.

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That’s the “Star Wars Paradox” for you.