Macross Live Action definitely do-able

[Kamion]

Guess everyone with a TV in the UK would've seen the Citroen C4 advert, but here's a link to download it for those who haven't.

Right click and save:

http://uk.download.yahoo.com/ne/fu/oa/eurcncs185030.mpg

AND, there's another transformer clip of a VW beattle. Pretty cool!

Right click and save:

http://home.comcast.net/~themichaelsmith/VWHiRes.mpg

You can go to the website to read how the made the VW clip at:

http://www.themichaelsmith.com

So it's definitely do-able for Macross live action movie with fully transforming Valkyries that look real.

Heard they've got a Transformers live action movie in the works.

[Hikuro]

I don't think its actually do-able for a few reasons...

1) Sponsership....who'd buy it? Your talking about a show with a limited number of fans...its comparing Macross with something like Transformers....both shows in the 80's yet we saw more of a fan turn out for Transformers than we do with Macross....Transformer sales still continue to this day....Macross........*looks around*.....Wait oh Japan....they got......well.....some sales.

2) Storyline to sell.......you gotta have a story to sell to a movie company. If you don't have a convincing storyline that they think can make money off of, well you just get rejected.

3) Budget, The Transformers movie is getting a very generous movie budget because it carries practically a house hold name. But the movie while with a large amount of CGI will still have a setting on earth, with humans, and buildings and such. Macross would be like Starwars....98% CGI/fake-ish over done.

Okay there are a number of reasons I can say, and I used Transformers as my comparison cause Transformers is being produced into Live Action.

[mechaninac]

Unfortunately for Macross fans, Transformers has mass appeal, and Macross does not; besides, if not done properly, and seriously, a live action movie based on SDF would be absolutely atrocious.

[Hurricane29]

Honestly I hope that a live action Macross is not made, and yes I still have some reservations on the TF Movie.

[ManxoChu]

I don't think Macross would be a viable live-action movie. The live action movie of The Guyver comes to mind. I remember seeing it a number of years ago so I can't recall it well, but I do remember I was thinking "GAH".

When it comes to a Macross movie I think it should be cel, cel and CG, or full CG.

[Hikuro]

Now the first Guyver movie was a joke...it wasn't taken seriously at all. However the second movie was a VAST improvement and you can tell it took alot of elements from the anime and manga and spliced it to its own creation. However some of the Zoanoids that appeared from the first movie reappeared.

But there was more violence and more blood shed than the first one

And like Anyone else I also hold some reservations to the Transformers movie coming out...but I still think we got another 3 years before we even see it if that...same with Evangelion...I mean Ninja Scroll and DBZ live action movies were announced in 2001 I think, and still nothing.

[Fatalist]

Personally IMO, the reason Macross doesnt have a huge fan base is because they don't release new series and storylines like Gundam and Transformers. Look at it, Macross has a whole 2 actual TV series seasons, whereas Gundam and TFormers have tons. The more exposure, the bigger the fanbase.

So untill someone get's their head out of their rear and starts releasing series after series, a live action Macross movie just won't happen. Besides, Val Kilmer is getting a tad too old to play Roy.

[Opus]

Necrobestialbuttsex is also doable. That doesn't mean it should be done.

[JB0]

Personally IMO, the reason Macross doesnt have a huge fan base is because they don't release new series and storylines like Gundam and Transformers. Look at it, Macross has a whole 2 actual TV series seasons, whereas Gundam and TFormers have tons. The more exposure, the bigger the fanbase.

So untill someone get's their head out of their rear and starts releasing series after series, a live action Macross movie just won't happen. Besides, Val Kilmer is getting a tad too old to play Roy.

But do you really WANT Macross whored out like Gundam?

[UN Spacy]

Waiting for A7's live action cast recommendations.

[Hikuro]

Your right on 1 account....Macross has only released 2 full TV shows, a few OAV's and movies....but their in a span of years between each one. While you take Gundam and Transformers which almost every year they got some new show coming out now.

But you also gotta take into account that HG will wanna RAPE the benefits, not weep.

[Sephiroth]

Well, Evangelion is getting a live-action movie...and if it does well, who's to say Macross couldn't have one someday.

[valk1j]

If they ever do live action Macross, I think they should start out with a M+ movie. This project could easily be done in a two hour movie and not break the bank like SDF Macross would. M+ stands on its own with out SDF Macross, has a broader appeal, and easier, less ambitious story to tell in a limited running time. SDF would have to be done in at least 2 three hour movies.

If it does good, then do SDF Macross.

[Hikuro]

Honestly, you shouldn't make a movie that's already been done. A Macross Plus movie would be pointless when ones already out. If you wanna create a movie with the same type of atmosphere as Macross Plus then that's different.

[Kamion]

Well, all I wanted to show you guys were the cool clips.

Wait until I'm as rich as Bill Gates and I'll commission a Macross live action movie with my spare cash. (In other words, never).

[lt.actionjackson]

Two words people: ROBOT JOCKS!

If that doesn't scare you out of live action giant robot movies, then there's no help for you.

[Ali Sama]

Two words people: ROBOT JOCKS!

If that doesn't scare you out of live action giant robot movies, then there's no help for you.

so?

lots of bad moives are made.

[Knight26]

This brings to mind two great quotes I was brought up with:

1) If it ain't broke, don't fix it. (Macross is fine and works well as an anime, why run the risk?"

2) Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. (I could, if I wanted to go out and just start randomly blowing away all the bad drivers I encounter, and there are times I am tempted, but it doesn't mean I will.)

Yes a live action version of Macross "could" be made if big west wanted to, and could be made in the states if HG would allow it. However should it be made, probably not because no matter what when an animated feature translates to movie there are far too many comprimises made to make it work and very few fans of the original end up satisified.

[lt.actionjackson]

So, you're willing to let some hollywood hack try to ruin something good? Please, let Macross remain animated, CG or otherwise. There is no need to do it up Jerry Bruckheimer style and ruin it for the rest of us. We have enough angry fanboys in the universe as it is. Besides, there's other anime franchises I'd rather see ruined by Hollywood, like DBZ....

[mechaninac]

so?

lots of bad moives are made.

True, but nobody will stop seeing romantic comedies because of a few stinkers, same goes for horror flicks and many other genres. However, for something with the limited appeal of giant robots all it would take is one turd to make audiences avoid the genre like the plague for a decade or more.

[Knight26]

Ok how about a better example, let's list all the animated series/movies that have been translated to live action with comments about them. I'll start:

Flintstones: Let's not even go into how bad they messed this up

Scooby Doo: Decent, but only becuase they were making fun of themselves the whole time.

Gundam: I think the reasons for why the gundam LA movie was bad are too many to list

Those are all I can think of now that weren't comic books first. I know someone may bring this up, "what about going the other directions, look how many good LA movies/shows have gone to animated well." Just think about that first, it is so much easier to do sci-fi and fantasy in an animated format, you can go more extreme for far less money and go into more depth on the characters and give them more adventures. The "Real" Ghostbusters is a great example, good movies, lots of fun and translated well to small screen cartoons because of its partially comedic nature. WHere it ran into trouble was after the second movie and the cartoon tried to work the continuity of the movies back into the cartoon despite the fact that the second movie destroyed the cartoon continuity.

Basically going from any animated medium, or comic medium to a live action medium is going to be extremely difficult and its not just the technological considerations. There is so much history in the story of any anime or comic before it goes to film that you cannot hope to fill in all the back story successfully and please all the fans.

[Yang_Neumann]

NO MORE STATESIDE LIVE-ACTION ANIME ADAPTATIONS. EVER! (except NG Eva)

Doesn't anyone here remember Fist of the North Star? Gods only know I try to forget it.

Malcolm MCDowell, Chris Penn, Melvin Van Peebles (...the hell was he thinking?), "Downtown" Julie Brown (meh) and that goofy kid that played Rufio in Hook.

Edited February 4, 2005 by Yang_Neumann

[EXO]

I'm not totally against people maiking movies of whatever they want to make as long as they pour heart into it. I for one would love to see live-action looking valks in space combat... even if they just did two hours of a continuous battle with no dialogue, or a faux-documentary or whatever.

But there are some projects I don't agree with, like a live Akira or the live action Kiki's Delivery Service they have planned, where even though the story is good, animation is 90% of the presentation.

Eva, I don't mind if they make as a movie. Gasaraki I would prefer if they made into a movie and completely change the story, I would love to see some TA in a Black Hawk Down type situation without all the mystical mumbo jumbo...

So if they present it right, I'll go see it.

[CoryHolmes]

Gasaraki I would prefer if they made into a movie and completely change the story, I would love to see some TA in a Black Hawk Down type situation without all the mystical mumbo jumbo...

Best idea in this whole thread.

[Sarensaas]

If the NGE movie does good business, the chances for a Macross movie go up. I see a Gundam movie happening before that though, which is scary because it will probably be aimed at Seed fans and end up looking like Thunderbirds: The Movie.

[lt.actionjackson]

Didn't they already do a horrible live action Gundam?

[Graham]

Macross Zero and the opening movie of VF-X2, proved that CG Valks can look convincing.

However, while I don't mind watching well done CG Valks in an anime, I have absolutely no interest in seeing a live action Macross. Live actors and giant robots do not mix...period.

However, if they ever did make a live action Macross I just hope they keep the flared trousers and wide collars of the SDF TV series .

Graham

[hellohikaru]

However, if they ever did make a live action Macross I just hope they keep the flared trousers and wide collars of the SDF TV series .

Graham

And behold the Starsky and Hutch version of Macross

[Oihan]

I think it's doable if it's done right.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I say cel shaded cg with anime 'face actors' (ala lotr gollum) is the best.

We are reaching a point now where it's hard to tel the difference (see final fantasy spirits within) and imo you need cg to attract people who may not have an interest in anime in general.

If you present a story from an anime without the audience knowing or caring that it is based on anime or comics then you can pimp the movie to the masses easier.

I know that friends of mine who don't like anime or watch it, sometimes get turned off by the fact that a movie is actually based on characters from comics or anime as they tend to look down on 'this scene' as just some sort of fad that people are cashing in on. (forgeting that the story itself and what it has to say just might be good enough and on the strength of that alone, the movie is worth seeing)

But there is one thing that needs to be integrated from anime and comics and that is the ability to create exciting action scenes and stuff you wouldn't see in real life. When akira first came out, one of the things that I loved was the way in which characters could do insane poo that you wouldn't see even stuntmen do in real life. They would want to translate that energy into the movie to wow the people who expect Macross plus-like dogfights and action scenes. Too much realism and no style or personal touches added to the movies action sequences can really spoil a fans impressions.

Live action has limits, cg can solve those and make doing some things easier and cheaper. (imagine in a mech battle for example where you want to create the impression of thousands of mini dogfights in space on an epic scale. Much easier to have a program like what they used in lotr for the random sword swings, and apply this randomness of behaviour to battroids engaged in some one-on-one gun fights)

The only thing is when cg starts to look half assed and fake. It gets a bad rap sometimes because of the fakeness seen in star wars ep1 (the fake cg cities) and when people know they are going to see a movie only for the fx, and those fx tend to suck, they will rate the movie low because of this.

Mac Zero imo did a good job of translating realism in movements to the cg, that you almost didn't care if it was real or cg. Now, taken to the next level, and put it in space, with enemy pods and Qraus ...that would be awesome. (but scrap the "hand drawn" anime faces in macross zero, and instead use LOTR/Appleseed face actors with realistic "FF:Spririts Within" models)

The thing I most want to see is a Max vs Milia cg mech battle done in the style of macross Zero but with ten times more detail than what you see in the tv series, (have tons of CG micromissiles all over the place with max dodging through them all) and a sense of believability to the way those things move around as if they were real vehicles with thier own sense of weight. With matrix style camera rotations and close ups and zoom outs to look at the battle from far away they can play around and have some flexibility with cg without offending the fans of hand drawn animation. With enough money put behind it they could depict hundreds of mechs fighting in the background on an epic scale like a war movie, rather than a just a few pilots like in mac zero.

Edited February 5, 2005 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Keith]

I just don't understand. If you enjoy something animated, why do you need it to be remade live action. If something is good, it's good, irregardless of what medium it's made on.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

I just don't understand. If you enjoy something animated, why do you need it to be remade live action. If something is good, it's good, irregardless of what medium it's made on.

Because the animation in sdf:macross was pretty choppy when it was made. You can do a lot more with today's technology with less hassle. Imagine an epic sweeping battle like that seen in empire strikes back, but with cg mechs and silky smooth animation, but with a touch of realism as opposed to pastel colours and black lines associated with cartoons?

Take Gollum for example. He looked real to me that I was no longer cynical of cg anymore and the technology got to a level that it would make doing things like say, having thousands of soldiers fighting in the background, much much easier.

Apply those thousands of soldiers in lotr with armies of zentradi battle pods and vf1s in battroid mode shooting them down in the darkness of space with realistic lighting, convincing actors, but with no sacrifices. A celsahded 3d model of a MKII Monster animated with realistic movement and weight is no different to a handdrawn one in the long run right?

When making a movie it should appeal to as many people as possible not just fans of the comic or anime. It has to impress them with fx, good acting, and story. The goal should be to get people who are not familiar with the story or content to watch it but at least make it worth forking money over for.

Edited February 5, 2005 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Keith]

Difference being, LotR had never been told adiquately in any type of watchable medium. Macross has been told superbly with its low budget early 80's animation. There's no way the story can be improved with live action & cg.

[1/1 LowViz Lurker]

My point was people hold predjuidices about the medium. Like they won't bother seeing an old 40s movie in black an white so upgrading everything to be more impressive so that they will watch it, is the the incentive for doing it. When you fork out money to see a sci fi action movie and notice how crap the effects are, you start questioning where your money went. As technology gets better, expectations rise and what was once impressive to you, is pretty average over time. (compare gollum 1 to gollum 2)

I didn't really think the original animated version of appleseed was that impressive, even for its time, but the cg version with its realism and 3d models really helps to put you in that creators world because you feel you are right there in there with the characters. Smoother animation also helps the eye to follow the movements in action scenes and note the finer smaller motions that would be missed with choppier animation. Essetnially the story is telling the same thing but the newer updated one is more entertaining. Instead of a static picture of a city, you get camera panning over the city and rotating as if it were real. Instead of detail-infested linedrawing of the mechs, you see those things shaded in reliastically with effects that help you to visualise the object in space. Small details like that.

In the context of macross, what I would love to see is hundreds of cg mechs instead of only the 1 or 2 at a time like you see in the tv series, macross zero, or macross plus. Also dramatic camera pans, roatations, 3d zooms and focusing on different depths can help draw you into the action scenes as if it were all real. Because it is a 20 year old series, those who never got to see the tv series could enjoy what the story was about without having to watch old animated versions.

Edited February 5, 2005 by 1/1 LowViz Lurker

[Keith]

People hold prejudices about a lot of things. Look at people & their prejudices against widescreen movies on home video. Just because they think they like fullscreen better, doesn't mean that we should abandon the vastly superior widescreen presentations, it just measn we need to educate. I hate when movies are redone, they're 9 & a half times out of 10 far worse than the originals. And a good film holds up as good regardless of how old it is, or how old its effects are. I'll take Macross TV any day over crap like sky captain. Or a more suitable compairison, the Giant Robo OVA over crap like sky captain. I'd take Gunbuster over Alien vs Predator every day of the week (not just any!). I'd take Yamato TV over any of the new Star Trek series/movie.