Spoilers Star Wars: Solo - Grading and Discussion Thread

[JD]

Indeed. It also confounds me when people say things like "there's no drama if I know the characters survive." After all, in the majority of television the main characters are almost never killed without advanced notice. Even shows that do make a habit of killing their regulars will only do so in certain episodes (typically premiere, finales, and midseason stories). And in some cases, certain characters getting killed off will generate advanced buzz, like with Rick leaving Walking Dead next season. Doesn't destroy the drama one bit.

I have to confess, I'm a bit disappointed they're making such a big deal about Rick leaving, I think it would have been a lot more fun if they had managed to keep it quite and we got to watch everybody lose their shit when it happened. But, I can see where promoting them as Rick's final episodes is a good way to build interest and excitement.

Since it doesn't seem like we're going to get a Solo sequel (unfortunately), I hope they do a novel or a comic showing how Maul got from where he was at the end of Solo to where he was when he made his first appearance in Rebels.

I very much want this, and I'd want it to explore what became of Qi'Ra after the end of Solo too.

 

[The Wormhole]

I have to confess, I'm a bit disappointed they're making such a big deal about Rick leaving, I think it would have been a lot more fun if they had managed to keep it quite and we got to watch everybody lose their shit when it happened. But, I can see where promoting them as Rick's final episodes is a good way to build interest and excitement.

As one of the factors contributing to Rick's departure is so Andrew Lincoln can go home to Britain and spend time with his family, I doubt he'd have been particularly appreciative to having to hang around the Georgia filming locations even after his last episode filmed so they could maintain the secrecy. No, this was never going to be a surprise.

 

[JD]

Ah, I didn't realize that was why he was leaving. I didn't really think about think about real world things like him not being around the set anymore after his episodes were done.

 

[JD]

StarWars.com has posted an interview with Brian Herring, who was one of the puppeteers for the practical creatures in the movie.
Interesting facts:
Some of the scenes with Corellian Hounds featured real dogs in special costumes, and two of them were Dire Wolves on Game of Thrones.
Lady Proxima was a puppet, and it took 9 puppeteers, underwater, to operate her.

If you have any interest in Solo, or practical special effects in general the interview is definitely worth a read.

 

[fireproof78]

StarWars.com has posted an interview with Brian Herring, who was one of the puppeteers for the practical creatures in the movie.
Interesting facts:
Some of the scenes with Corellian Hounds featured real dogs in special costumes, and two of them were Dire Wolves on Game of Thrones.
Lady Proxima was a puppet, and it took 9 puppeteers, underwater, to operate her.

If you have any interest in Solo, or practical special effects in general the interview is definitely worth a read.

This is some great info. Really appreciate the link. The effects work reminds of what was done in "The Abyss."

 

[JD]

I was a little surprised when it dawned on me how often they've had disguised real animals playing the alien creatures in the movies. We had elephants as the banthas, dogs in Solo, and horses in IX, are there any other examples?
I know they had horses in at least one of the Ewoks movies, but I'm not counting that since they were just horses there.

 

[fireproof78]

I was a little surprised when it dawned on me how often they've had disguised real animals playing the alien creatures in the movies. We had elephants as the banthas, dogs in Solo, and horses in IX, are there any other examples?
I know they had horses in at least one of the Ewoks movies, but I'm not counting that since they were just horses there.

I think they tried to have a chimpanzee play Yoda early on.

 

[JD]

I've never heard that before.

 

[Reverend]

I think think they "tried" it so much as briefly considered and quickly discarded the idea. They did however use a chimp for The Emperor's eyes...

 

[JD]

Oh, yeah I forgot about that.
Jon Kasdan has posted 52 notes about Solo, it's definitely interesting reading.
After reading this, I'm really hoping if we do get a followup, no matter the format, that the Kasdans are involved. It sounds like they, or at least Jon, have some specific ideas for what happens next with Han, Qi'ra, Chewie, Lando, ect. and I would love to know what they are.

 

[fireproof78]

I think think they "tried" it so much as briefly considered and quickly discarded the idea. They did however use a chimp for The Emperor's eyes...

It got a little further than that

 

[Tuskin38]

Summary of the deleted scenes.

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[Reverend]

It got a little further than that

Not to split hairs, but that's not a chimp.

Anyway, just for context, here's an excerpt from Rinzler's 'Making of Empire Strikes Back' that mentioned this little episode.

As you can see, they looked at a lot of possibilities before settling on Frank Oz. It seems literally all they did with the monkey is have a trained one brought in just to see if it could deal with wearing a mask...and it couldn't so that was the end of that.

Oh, yeah I forgot about that.
Jon Kasdan has posted 52 notes about Solo, it's definitely interesting reading.
After reading this, I'm really hoping if we do get a followup, no matter the format, that the Kasdans are involved. It sounds like they, or at least Jon, have some specific ideas for what happens next with Han, Qi'ra, Chewie, Lando, ect. and I would love to know what they are.

Kasdan Jr. may be just a little bit ill informed since it was Lucas who conceived the notion of Han growing up a street urchin. Kasdan the elder may have further extrapolated (and cut out the bit with the space gypsies and space giraffe herding) but the basic idea was there from the start.

 

[fireproof78]

Not to split hairs, bit that's not a chimp.

Anyway, just for context, here's an excerpt from Rinzler's 'Making of Empire Strikes Back' that mentioned this little episode.

As you can see, they looked at a lot of possibilities before settling on Frank Oz. It seems literally all they did with the monkey is have a trained one brought in just to see if it could deal with wearing a mask...and it couldn't so that was the end of that.

Fair enough. I couldn't remember if it was a monkey or a chimp. I erred on one side and was wrong. Oops...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I just watched Solo (bought off iTunes) and something just hit me:

Why doesn't Han initially have a last name?

At first I thought that he was orphaned at such a young age that he never knew his parents (like Leeta from DS9), but this can't actually be true, since Han talks about his father later on in the film.

So do Corellians have only one name, or what?

 

[UssGlenn]

I watched it last night and had the same thought. The Dad bit was there to give Han a connection to that particular model of ship, an unnecessary addition. Clearly he has a last name but chose to abandon it, when asked about "his people", and realizing he's truly alone in the world. A new last name also has the fringe benefit of making it more difficult for the gang on Correllia to track him down, if they were so inclined. But none of that logic is present in the movie.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

A new last name also has the fringe benefit of making it more difficult for the gang on Correllia to track him down, if they were so inclined.

I considered that, but if Han were trying to hide his identity so he couldn't be tracked, surely he wouldn't have given his real first name either?

And I didn't get the impression that Han had a falling out with his family which would make him deliberately ignore his last name. He seemed to speak fondly of his father...

 

[fireproof78]

I just watched Solo (bought off iTunes) and something just hit me:

Why doesn't Han initially have a last name?

At first I thought that he was orphaned at such a young age that he never knew his parents (like Leeta from DS9), but this can't actually be true, since Han talks about his father later on in the film.

So do Corellians have only one name, or what?

Possibly a byproduct of working for Lady Proxima is being stripped of a last name. I might be wrong but I don't think Qi'ra had a last name either.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Possibly a byproduct of working for Lady Proxima is being stripped of a last name.

Proxima was not a threat anymore...unless you're suggesting she actually made Han forget his name?

I might be wrong but I don't think Qi'ra had a last name either.

Correct.

 

[fireproof78]

Proxima was not a threat anymore...unless you're suggesting she actually made Han forget his name?



Correct.

Your underestimating the power of trauma my friend.