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Robotech headed for big screen?


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I'm struggleing seeing this "condensed" into a 2-3 hour movie. This needs to be a mini-series slightly re-imagined like Battlestar Galactica.

We know Hollywood can make transforming Robots, but can they faithfully re-create the Macross story?

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toad;

Haven't you ever seen Macross: Do You Remember Love?

I was there when Mari Ijima sang Ai Oboete Imasu Ka at Fanime Con (1999 or 2000, I think). You've never seen a group of grown men cry like that.

I very much doubt anyone in Hollywood could really understand Macross and do it right. If you told me Joss Whedon was doing it, I'd at least give it a chance, but anyone else - no way.

Macross is not jingoistic, nor about glory. It is sad - a story of people who'd rather be doing anything else forced into fighting for their lives. Hollywood doesn't understand tragedy. I predict an embarrassing big-screen explosion-fest.

Edited by Dr. Tran
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If the whole project really came to fruition, I can imagine some serious rewrite. It's been a long time since I saw the series (repeatedly as a little kid, then a few minutes of it on Toonami in the '90s), but I remember parts of the story being frankly corny. (Granted, probably no cornier than Phantom Menace) Further, I think anyone doing a re-make, unless they are deliberately aiming for the period-nostalgia, will heavily update the industrial and aesthetic design, to appeal to people outside Robotech/Macross fandom. Having mecha and fighter planes that are styled like a 1984 Chevy Citation, or aliens that look like British band Dead or Alive in about 1981, probably isn't going to fly in the late 2000s. Further, the filmmakers might wish to quietly shuffle away from Robotech's original parent anime series, if it is at all possible to avoid paying heavy, heavy royalties to the same people Hasagawa does for their kits (though perhaps it is inevitable). The result, though, will probably irritate the diehard fans, because the film bears no relation to their vast collection of original toys, still in their packages. Myself? I would accept any changes to the look-and-feel provided they make things darker. Reference Cameron's Aliens (1986), perhaps a touch of Mad Max (1979) in places. More Das Boot and less Flash Gordon.

On the upside, so far as I remember them correctly I think the some basic story concepts would port very nicely over the twenty-five year gap. Clone armies, humans on the desparate defensive, ruthless, mysterious occupiers of a shattered earth, all fighting over an organic energy source--all classically successful scifi tropes.

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I'm struggleing seeing this "condensed" into a 2-3 hour movie. This needs to be a mini-series slightly re-imagined like Battlestar Galactica.

We know Hollywood can make transforming Robots, but can they faithfully re-create the Macross story?

Couldn't agree more!!!

And man, I know I'm in the minority, but I'd LOVE to see the third war, my favorite. Alphas and Betas....my favorites!!!

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If the whole project really came to fruition, I can imagine some serious rewrite. It's been a long time since I saw the series (repeatedly as a little kid, then a few minutes of it on Toonami in the '90s), but I remember parts of the story being frankly corny.

Well, keep in mind it wasn't originally written for adults, as far as I know, but more for older kids/young teens, wasn't it?

Sure, some of the dialogue is plenty cheesy, which I know well since I often let the entire series play while I'm building, and I can usually attribute it to the target audience probably being far younger than I am now.

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I am curious to see it though. I loved it back then. And to be honest if it's as entertraining as Transformers was, .... why not. Ok it should have a lot more depth than Transformers but as mentioned in a post before, the whole depth of the anime will not fit into a 2 hour movie.

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Haven't you ever seen Macross: Do You Remember Love?

Yeah I have it on DVD. Liked it some, some parts I didn't like.

I was there when Mari Ijima sang Ai Oboete Imasu Ka at Fanime Con (1999 or 2000, I think). You've never seen a group of grown men cry like that.

funny! :coolio:

I very much doubt anyone in Hollywood could really understand Macross and do it right. If you told me Joss Whedon was doing it, I'd at least give it a chance, but anyone else - no way.

Macross is not jingoistic, nor about glory. It is sad - a story of people who'd rather be doing anything else forced into fighting for their lives. Hollywood doesn't understand tragedy. I predict an embarrassing big-screen explosion-fest.

You understand it even better than I do. Your right, Hollwood would never get that right.

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They'll be selling it in a boxed set with such gems as "Wing Commander" and "Battlefield Earth."

Ohhhhh...... the pain. Battlefield Earth was one of the worst movies I ever sat thru. I'll never forgive John Travolta for that one. The origional book was good. :coolio:

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I used to watch Robotech when it was first out. My wife used to laugh at me for watching a "cartoon", then she actually got caught up in it as well. I always thought it would make for a good live-action feature. We'll see. Although I think that even if it's well produced, it'll just be thought of as a Transformers ripoff by the majority of filmgoers and critics.

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Try Macross Zero... great stuff! Dare I say, even better than Macross Plus!

Ya Macross Zero is quite stunning to watch, Macross Plus was almost as good. As for making a Robotech movie, well if they can make Transformers come to life as seemlessly as they did, Robotech will be no problem. Also to be successful make the movie non-stop action also like Transformers, people go to theatres to see big visuals, and listen to an awesome sound system. Like my buddy said after watching Transformers, "I felt like a kid again watching that film" theres no feeling like that unless they do a job on the film.

cheers

Mark

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Try Macross Zero... great stuff! Dare I say, even better than Macross Plus!

Can we even get Mac0 here in the states? I heard that the DVDs were being blocked by Harmony Gold because they screwed up the continuity of their Robotech.

I agree Andrew, it's like Production IG has the rights for a live action Ghost in the Shell on the table for Hollywood, etc and it scares me to think what might happen to that property ...

Gregg

Keep it Japanese!!!!! I don't want to see it re-cast with Americans and set in L.A. or NY or whatever! Remember the 1998 Godzilla? I rest my case. (although, I would not be opposed to the English dubbing being performed by the S.A.C. cast)

Already "cast" Aramaki:

Daisuke_Aramaki_(SAC).JPG

1081959980er.jpg

Seizo Fukumoto

Edited by Trigger
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Can we even get Mac0 here in the states? I heard that the DVDs were being blocked by Harmony Gold because they screwed up the continuity of their Robotech.

Keep it Japanese!!!!! I don't want to see it re-cast with Americans and set in L.A. or NY or whatever! Remember the 1998 Godzilla? I rest my case. (although, I would not be opposed to the English dubbing being performed by the S.A.C. cast)

Already "cast" Aramaki:

Daisuke_Aramaki_(SAC).JPG

1081959980er.jpg

Seizo Fukumoto

LOL thats a very good likeness to aramaki!!!

hmmm, any suggestions for motoko (of course).....

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I spotted him while watching The Last Samurai (American production, filmed in New Zealand and with a predominately Japanese cast) and that photo above really doesn't do the likeness justice. I don't recall him having any dialog, but that actually works as he still had a great presence that you know Aramaki would have. And when he does speak, people listen.

Casting the rest of Public Security Section 9? That'll take some time. The Major may prove to be the hardest to cast I fear.

Back on topic - while in my mind's movie projector, I still can't picture Tobey McGuire at the controls of a VF-1A, I can see Matthew McConaughey commanding a squadron from a certain Jolly Rogers VF-1S...

vf1s_800x600.jpg

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For me, the biggest mistake at all is doing it as "Robotech" (for those who don't understand how the american version differs from the Japanese, spend some time reading through things over on www.macrossworld.com)

For me, Macross: Do You Remember Love (I have the "perfect edition" DVD, it is the grail of my collection) is the end-all-be-all of Macross. It should be left at that.

Macross Zero is certainly great eye-candy and has some really good story moments, but the whole thing kinda scatters from hell to breakfast in the last episode.

There has been a new Macross TV series announced in Japan ("Macross: Frontiers I think?) it's already in production.

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