REVIEW: Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian
The penultimate episode of Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian aired on Friday and thought it would be a good time to write a review for those who are planning to binge watch everything all in one row before the final episode.
I found the whole series so far amazing and a wonderful insight into the making of The Mandalorian. I didn't know what to expect as the whole series sounded like they created it as an afterthought. But, watching the series, it is carefully crafted together. Series showrunner Jon Favreau hosts various round tables while peppering the discussion with great behind the scenes footage. The informal round tables Favreau has with his directors, cast and crew remind me of a show he used to have called Dinner for Five in which celebrities informally discuss various topics or The Chef Show where he cooks with celebrities and digs deep for insights on their careers.
Each episode focused on a various aspect of filmmaking from directing to special effects to score and so on. Here is a list of the episode themes:
"Directing"
"Legacy"
"Cast"
"Technology"
"Practical"
"Visualization"
"Score"
"Connections"
One of my favorite episodes was episode 5 on practical special effects. The thing I loved about the original trilogy and appreciated about the sequel trilogy is that they were loaded with practical effects. We have gotten so used to being dazzled with computer generated effects that we forget the magic and majesty of seeing something "real" in front of you. Getting to see behind the scenes footage of the puppetry behind both Kuiil the Ugnaught and Baby Yoda ("The Child") was a treat.
Another moment I loved was in episode 2 when director Dave Filoni shared his insights into what Star Wars is about. That its more about family and the relationship of father and son than it is about lightsaber battles and X-Wing fights. It's about giving hope to the children. And, you could see at the end of his talk that he really touched the other directors at that table. It was a really powerful moment.
And, finally, I loved in episode 7 when they talked about drawing musical inspiration from the likes of Ennio Morricone, an Italian composer that scored many famous westerns, and the Kurosawa films. It only went to show how much they really tried to make a show based on what inspired George Lucas' original vision instead of trying to create the same old Star Wars.
If you are a Star Wars fan and enjoyed The Mandalorian, the behind the scenes footage is eye candy enough. If you are a student of film, the round tables are really a master class on film making.
I'm looking forward to seeing the final episode with you all next week, although, I will surely miss the insight the show has given me on a weekly basis. I am so glad Disney+ did this show and I hope they will continue to give us this kind of docuseries with more of its shows and movies.