CGI characters - Did you like them?

CGI can be extremely useful in movies, however it must be handled delicately when interacting with non-CGI characters. I am not a fan of CGI humans talking with live action people. Usually it really highlights the difference between them, and I loose a little of the movie because my brain is auguring with itself trying to associate them as the same. I would rather have the producers find someone who really looked like the character and then just CG them a little to help with the differences. However, General Tarkin has such a distinct look that I know it would be difficult to find a doppelganger, and he was handled reasonably well in my opinion. After the initial surprise that he was there, and that he was CGI I was able to fully accept and look forward to his scenes. The same can not be said about Leia. I know that her character could have been just as dramatic if we only glimpsed her. This would be my "perfect ending" (my own opinion, I completely respect those who like the Leia ending)
Have the movie end with a scene of Mon Mothma receiving the news that the infiltration was a success and that the plans were in-transit, then cut back to the Tantive IV with a voice-over of Mothma and one of her staff having a similar dialogue as Leia's, and at the end following one of the Rebels through the Tantive IV, when Mothma says "hope" have the door open, and there we see Leia as she glances down at R2D2. I was not a fan of the CGI of Leia, to me it wasn't really necessary as she had one line. I understand the importance of linking the ending of Rogue One to the original Trillogy, but it was a little too obvious for me.

 

They seriously need to fix the mouth movement on them. The CGI Leia was really poor.

 

I went in the knowledge that there were Tarkin and Leia CGI recreations. Because of this I found myself scrutinising them every second they were onscreen. A discerning eye will notice but I thought they did a great job. My wife didn't have a clue.

I'm sure they'll be indistinguishable from the real thing in a few years. It's worth baring in mind they are having to hold up in an age of ultra high definition too.

I think they work best in lower light or shadowy conditions. I would not be at all surprised to see Alec Guiness making an appearance as Obi wan force ghost in E8.

 

No, this is something Lucas would have done.

 

What about the Dianoga in the Death Star trash compactor in ANH and the Sarlacc in ROTJ? I think there are some tentacles coming from within a cell in Jabbas palace too.

That octopus mind reader had a cool name too; Bo Kalick. Wonder how it told Saw whether Bodhi Rook was telling the truth though?

 

Lucas would have made Bistan, K-2, Saw and all the creatures CGI. Limiting to two characters was not something Lucas would do.

 

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You know, I wondered that too! It completely left it in the dark as to HOW this octopus-Mindflayer projected his information for Saw to read, did it reach it's tentacles up Saw's head and spit out the information? Or did it use a translator, or computer projection?? And why did Bodhi regain his sanity? If Bo Kalic renders his victims insane, what switched? Perhaps all the tentacles do is suppress sanity - doesn't seem very scary then.

 

The simple answer is yes, I liked them. After the initial theatre viewing, I have watched the Tarkin scenes over and over again when they get posted on Youtube, and he just looks and sounds amazing. The very first scene he was in, he looked a little bit "Polar Express", but certainly not horrible. But as his scenes went on, the detail vastly improved, even the way he said "vadar", in the classic Peter Cushing way made his presence more real. The Leia scene was off slightly, but I loved having it there. I would take the CGI on Leia any day of the week over the horrible Rathtar scene in TFA.

 

I think Leia needs to blink her eyes after saying "Hope". Her expression is very fixed and blank and conveys little emotion. Or is that Alderaanian botox?!
At some points, the Leia face literally looked like a mask over the physical actress's face and doesn't seem to blend perfectly.

 

The scenes of Tarkin and Leia are in youtube. Just watched them right now.

Tarkin in some shots looks a little odd and artificial, but I loved all the scenes, what a nice feeling to see Peter Cushing alive.

I don't have any complain about Leia scene, everything was perfect and natural. Great finale for a SW movie.

 

On a second viewing, I found Tarkin to be less jarring. Maybe it's because I was already expecting it, or maybe it's because I wasn't trying to pick them apart too bad.

I mean, he's obviously CGI, but I enjoy his presence enough in the film to the point that I don't really care. Leia still looked flawless to me. Like, I'm still not even able to tell with her.

 

I was so overwhelmed at the Thursday night premiere I think a few neurons burned out. I was so amazed I couldn't even retain what he said xD

Peter Cushing was a childhood hero of mine. I ended up watching the scene about 10 more times from a bad pan & scan before I could actually focus on what he was saying. lol. Went back to the theaters to see it again last night.

i think anyone complaining about the effects in this movie must be high. That or we're not watching the same movie. It also inspired me to buy a Star Wars Tarkin action figure on ebay. lol. why is there no Black Series Tarkin or Thrawn or Captain/Admiral Needa? WTF?

Loved it. This is as big a next step in visual storytelling as The Abyss and Jurassic Park were.

 

Carrie Fisher has been asked a lot on Twitter about her opinion. Seems like she has not seen the movie yet!

Agree. At first my mind was telling me "they're not real" so I was looking for any tiny detail to discredit the CGI work. The second viewing was better because I just let it go. Then I went home to watch ANH and didn't feel like it was a big deal.

 

It was always difficult for me, as I knew they were done CGI so was looking closely if they looked "real", moved realistically etc. I think what proved they worked for me, was that my wife who saw the movie with me and who knows next to nothing about Star Wars, thought Tarkin was a real person on the set and did not suspect CGI at all. It can't fool the fans, as we know it isn't actually Peter Cushing there, but if it fools someone who doesn't know the background, then surely it was a success.

 

Would rather have the film the way it was with CGI Tarkin and Leia than without. For me it's really only the mouth moments that give it away and its feasible that in a decade they could go back and fix that, along with improving skin tone. To manage this for a major character is yet another a mile stone in advancement of CGI (very much in the spirit of Lucas). They have " taken the first step into a larger world".

 

in a weird way, the fact that people are saying my wife or girlfriend or casual SW fan buddy didn't know Peter Cushing has been dead for decades or even that Tarkin is a character from ANH kinda proves the pointlessness of the cameo for all but the initiated. maybe i'll feel differently when i see it again, but i wish they had kept his screentime to a brief scene only as they did with Leia.

 

Same here. Yes, you could easily spot the use of CGI, but 2D definitely improved the viewing experience.

 

If in 10 or 20 years they improve the effects of Tarkin and Leia in RO, do we fans will complain about that? Hahaha

"Ahhh they are changing the movie, I prefer the original."

Probably we will complain.