Maleficent (Live-Action)

[bradk]

Maleficent activity sheets: http://stitchkingdom.tumblr.com/post/85 ... get-to-not

[Musical Master]

I wonder when the "review embargo" will be taken down...

[bradk]

I wonder when the "review embargo" will be taken down...

I was told all reviews under embargo until May 28. But THR and Variety etc usually post before that anyway.

I also think they're delaying showing the film to critics and general audiences which is not a great sign.

[Musical Master]

I wonder when the "review embargo" will be taken down...

I was told all reviews under embargo until May 28. But THR and Variety etc usually post before that anyway.

I also think they're delaying showing the film to critics and general audiences which is not a great sign.

But wait, maybe next week is when the movie will have "special screenings", after all, Godzilla just removed the embargo two days ago and most of the reviews so far have been very positive. I don't think Disney is hiding the movie at all, I think they're going nuts with this.

[bradk]

not sure what you mean by special screenings, but I'm guessing you've heard of some. someone did say they were seeing it in Miami next week, but most public screenings I've seen for it are for May 28. I heard of one in London for the 25th or 26th, that was the earliest I know of.

[Marce82]

Hey Disney Duster,

As you can see in the article that Bradk posted, the fairies ARE computer generated, motion capture. It would have been WAY better had they just used the actresses. THis was an artistic choice from the filmmakers. And, in my opinion, they chose wrong. Computer generated PEOPLE always look fake. At least I have never seen one I bought as real.

Oh well. The film will be what it will be.

[Disney Duster]

Oh Marce, I didn't know you knew the CGI was used on actual actresses. I suppose they could have used them un-CGIed, but they may have been too tall. I don't know which would be better, but I'm actually thinking my choice would have been the CGI, too. At least some CGI to make them similar in size the the original film. And actually the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland did work even though she was CGIed.

[Marce82]

Hey Disney Duster,


No no... the actresses do not appear on-screen. What the article says (and I could tell), is that the actresses provided the voice and the acting FOR THE MOTION CAPTURE technique (article mentions the dots on their faces).
Anyway, they didn't need CG to shrink them (many other easier/cheaper ways to do that... Lord of the Rings didn't use CG to make Elijah Wood smaller than Gandalf). THey used it to make their heads and eyes larger, in relation to their bodies. Believe me, if you see the result onscreen, you'll see that motion capture was not necessary at all.

[WonderNeverOz]

guys please do research... *sigh*

[Marce82]

Ok.... ok.... let me re-phrase:

In the preview I saw, which shows most of the christening scene (the gifts from the fairies and the curse), the fairies were completely CGI.
Apparently, this might not apply to when they are "human size".

[candydog]

Oh, I'm glad that the fairies still become full size "mortals" when they take care of Aurora.

The CGI thing isn't to my taste really, but I can understand why they did it. Although in the original movie, the fairies were able to be big and small while they were still fairies, only shrinking when they needed to. Could they not have had the fairies remain larger for most of the film so that so much CGI wouldn't be needed.

CGI combined with live action has never done much for me. I prefer older fantasy films that used real sets and animatronics. Movies like Labyrinth and Return to Oz created haunting and atmospheric fantasy worlds with limited special effects, although I guess those methods are now too outdated.

I don't mind CGI, but must it be used for EVERYTHING these days? Pretty soon they won't be building sets or shooting on location anymore, everything will just be green-screened and CGIed in!

(And yes I'm aware that green screens and similar techniques have been going for decades, but you get my point)

[Old Fish Tale]

Didn't they use motion capture for their fairy form? It certainly looks that way...

[WillytheDino]

I saw a Spanish TV spot on facebook and it had a scene where Maleficent is turning into a green energy bolb thingy, I don't how to explain it. Maybe this is still the dragon transformation? *hoping*

Anyway, you can see it here at 0:26.

[Musical Master]

I saw a Spanish TV spot on facebook and it had a scene where Maleficent is turning into a green energy bolb thingy, I don't how to explain it. Maybe this is still the dragon transformation? *hoping*

Anyway, you can see it here at 0:26.

I don't think so, she's in her "forest costume" in that scene.

[bradk]

In fairy form, MoCap and CG models BASED on their physical appearances (digitally scanned), but manipulated to give exaggerated proportions. In human form, no MoCap, just filmed directly.

Interestingly enough, I'm not sure in the leaked script if they ever appeared in human form (I don't think they did?) so there was some conscious decision to take it from the animated film (as well as with certain other scenes/changes, even from the novelization).

Clip: Fairy Godmother http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-wat ... her-70947/

[bradk]

I saw a Spanish TV spot on facebook and it had a scene where Maleficent is turning into a green energy bolb thingy, I don't how to explain it. Maybe this is still the dragon transformation? *hoping*

Anyway, you can see it here at 0:26.

I don't think so, she's in her "forest costume" in that scene.

it's not great resolution, but that scene 'clearly' takes place in the Moors (if you pause it right after she appears). Offhand I'm not sure exactly what it is, but it could be all sorts of things really.

[taei]

Clip: Fairy Godmother http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-wat ... her-70947/

The score sounded great! It reminded me of the classic Sleeping Beauty score!!

[disneyprincess11]

Clip: Fairy Godmother http://www.stitchkingdom.com/disney-wat ... her-70947/

The score sounded great! It reminded me of the classic Sleeping Beauty score!!

That clip was adorable

[Musical Master]

Is it me or is it that Elle is giving better delivery on her lines than she did on the teaser? Plus I loved Maleficent's giggle before she says: "I am not afraid", so cool.

[Disney Duster]

Hey Disney Duster,

No no... the actresses do not appear on-screen. What the article says (and I could tell), is that the actresses provided the voice and the acting FOR THE MOTION CAPTURE technique (article mentions the dots on their faces).
Anyway, they didn't need CG to shrink them (many other easier/cheaper ways to do that... Lord of the Rings didn't use CG to make Elijah Wood smaller than Gandalf). THey used it to make their heads and eyes larger, in relation to their bodies. Believe me, if you see the result onscreen, you'll see that motion capture was not necessary at all.

Oh, I understand you now. You mean they were completely CGI, no real remnants of them in it. But just one thing, I still prefer CGI to camera tricks when trying to make characters look a certain size.

Didn't they use motion capture for their fairy form? It certainly looks that way...

Yes, I think that's what Marce was trying to say.

I saw a Spanish TV spot on facebook and it had a scene where Maleficent is turning into a green energy bolb thingy, I don't how to explain it. Maybe this is still the dragon transformation? *hoping*

Anyway, you can see it here at 0:26.

While the green magic shooting to the sky does resemble the kind of magic effect we see in the original animated film when she becomes a dragon, she does not turn into it or grow with it, it is some magic spell she is not casting on herself.