Something odd about Return of the Jedi?

Question

I was watching this the other night on my HD tv, and i noticed somethign that i had never spotted before.

When the Emporer enters the Death star, the bay is full of troops and officers.

However for many years i assumed these were extras or statues.

Now i see different

has anyone ever noticed that (at least in HD) it looks more like painted pictures of troops? I swear i can see outlines of the pictures-walls.

Answer 1

That might be possible, considering that cut-outs have been used before to depict ships in the distance. They might have done that because it was cheaper to paint pictures than to make costumes and hire extras to stand around.

Answer 2

At the time, one of the highest art forms in movie-making was "matte painting", highly realistic paintings of background (the facade of Tara in Gone With the Wind, or more fanciful places like the Emerald City in The Wizard of Oz). Didn't usually include people, but in that scene the people were expected to be static scenery as much as the Death Star structure itself.

I imagine you will be noticing a lot more of that in your older movies now that you have HD.

Answer 3

I haven't had time to re-watch the movie, but I do think that with HD TV the quality of the picture is superior enough that special effects will be more obvious. In the future, Hollywood will be forced to work harder to disguise their cinematic tricks

Answer 4

I don't like Star Wars that much. Sci fi means Star Trek. You need to open your mind and broaden your horizons. The Jedi way.

Answer 5

they r extras, ur tv is on the fritz

Answer 6

you need your tube replaced

Answer 7

No