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Laser Swords.

post #1 of 15
9/22/05 at 1:44pm
Thread Starter 
Does George Lucas own total rights to the "Laser-Sword"?

I mean, no other film maker from now until the end of time can ever have a sword with a glowing blade with out going through Lucasfilm and getting permission first?

As far as I know, Mel Brooks and Kevin Smith had to obtain the rights to use a "lightsaber-like" weapon in their films.
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post #2 of 15
9/22/05 at 1:45pm
Well, Frodo had one, long before Star Wars.

As did David Hassellhoff in the classic STARCRASH.
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post #3 of 15
9/22/05 at 1:49pm
This so odd, because I was just thinking about this. While any movie that uses a "laser-sword" from now on will draw comparison to SW, I think the idea is very good and could be altered.
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post #4 of 15
9/22/05 at 2:04pm
Thread Starter 
The lightsaber sound effect has kind of become the new Wilhelm scream. It pops up in movies sometimes, like Toy Story 2 and The Incredibles. I think it caught it in a few non-Pixar films as well.

I watched a DTV movie once that had a woman on the cover holding a lightsaber-like weapon, she never had one in the movie itself though. Some Manga DVD covers appear to have lightsabers on them, I never watched the flicks to see for myself though.
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post #5 of 15
9/22/05 at 2:04pm
A laser-sword very similar to a lightsaber (in sound effects, and a bit in appearance) was a weapon used by Tenchi Muyo in an anime series.

I think a lot of people shy away from using laser-swords because lightsabers are ingrained in pop culture. It takes the majority of the audience out of the film if you have this detailed fantasy world and all of a sudden someone pulls out "that weapon from Star Wars."

-DD
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post #6 of 15
9/22/05 at 2:23pm
The sound was also used in Hitchhikers Guide for the toasting knife
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post #7 of 15
9/22/05 at 2:23pm
What is your laser sword was more of a curved Far Eastern influnence?

Orr.. we could get a bow that's like that magic bow in the old D&D cartoons that were on in the 80's. While I know it was magic, it sure looked like a laser arrow.
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post #8 of 15
9/23/05 at 2:40am
I always thought the crystal swords in HALO were a pretty good alternative to the light saber.
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post #9 of 15
9/23/05 at 3:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by barbelithbomb
The sound was also used in Hitchhikers Guide for the toasting knife
If you watch the credits all the way through, they had to obtain permission to use it. Thanks to Lucasfilm!
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post #10 of 15
9/23/05 at 5:29am
I think Lloyd Bridges has a lightsaber duel in Hot Shots Part Deux.

And on the anime front Gundam is full of them.
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post #11 of 15
10/8/05 at 6:34am
Transformers: The Movie also featured laser swords in a couple of scenes (Optimus vs Megatron and Hot Rod's training session on the shuttle).
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post #12 of 15
10/8/05 at 6:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dariodevil
A laser-sword very similar to a lightsaber (in sound effects, and a bit in appearance) was a weapon used by Tenchi Muyo in an anime series.

I think a lot of people shy away from using laser-swords because lightsabers are ingrained in pop culture. It takes the majority of the audience out of the film if you have this detailed fantasy world and all of a sudden someone pulls out "that weapon from Star Wars."

-DD
I think you pretty much nailed it. Star Wars is too damn popular for any kind of laser sword or weapon to be used without drawing comparisons, unless you are doing a tribute or something any kind of laser weapon would have to be drastically different to avoid a cute pop culture reference. A totally different sound effect would help a lot I think, that 'whoosh' noise is instantly recognizable.
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post #13 of 15
10/8/05 at 7:20am
I vaguely recall a number of cheesy straight-to-video space operas (circa early eighties) that were pretty shameless about deploying laser swords.
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post #14 of 15
10/8/05 at 7:26am
My Schwartz is bigger than yours.
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post #15 of 15
10/8/05 at 9:36am
"Did I teach you that?"
"Nah, saw it in a movie once."
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