What the hell is a Prequel Trilogy Improvements thread doing in the Expanded Universe section? Well, I have a reason or two.
1) I know most of the EU personnel better than the Movie ones.
2) I know that many of you (if not all) are familiar with the movies.
3) I know that many of you EU fans have favorite movie characters.
So, with these three reasons in mind, I am curious as to what you think the improvements - detailed information - regarding the Characters and their portrayals in all three movies.
What went wrong? How should it have been better? Were they portrayed accurately? Which characters should have been done away with?
This thread is for you to step into the shoes of Mr. George Lucas and decide the fate of the PT movies in your hands. Tell me what you would do if you were George Lucas for the filming of the movies. How would you make them better?
Registered: Feb 2005
Location: Hiding from zombies
I personally think the PT should have been more like the originals. Saber battles less pizzazzy and more serious. even if the PT jedi and Sith were better combatants, at least allow them to fight seriously. Spins and twirls and dancing is for guys trying to get laid or girls trying out for ballet, not for fighters trying to kill one another. There were spins in some fights that were just out of place.
Less fake sets. Don't overkill the CGI. Smooth out the dialogue, if you have to hire a secondary script writer to do it. Replace a few actors (Sam Jackson was too uncomfortable, and Smits is just... NYPD Blue, not Bail Organa.) Don't use the words 'constitution', 'amend', and 'senate' outside of US government class (AOTC... ugh.)
I could go on and on, but the point is- I still watch the movies and love them, even for being flawed sometimes. COulda been better, but at least they're here.
To me, Count Dooku and Darth Sidious were all screwed in this movie.
Don't get me wrong. Ian McDiarmid and Christopher Lee are both VERY talented actors. And they both played their parts well, in the movie. But it was Lucas's script and personification of these characters that then resulted in their doom.
To me - Sidious and Palpatine remain two fundamentally different people and characters. Sidious was a subtle and masterful schemer. It was he who kept quietly in the shadows and lurked behind the scenes, scheming endlessly to overthrow the Republic and obliterate the Jedi.
Sidious, in the Phantom Menace and Attack of The Clones, was very mysterious. In TPM, you see him threaten and control the leadership of the Trade Federation -- a powerful consortium in the galaxy. While they have legitimate control over the group, you can see that he rules them. He oppresses himself upon them and uses him to his will.
Sidious, in Attack of the Clones, is featured even less -- but his shadow just as great. You learn that he is not as gone as many people think, when Count Dooku intentionally reveals Sidious to Obi-Wan. You see then that he is very much in the picture. Then, after you see how skilled and how powerful Count Dooku is in battle - you see Dooku bow to that same hooded figure and call him "Master". That there was the very essence of power.
You didn't see Sidious do a damn thing. He didn't cast lightning or use a Force push to personify his powers. He just had them. He commanded and dominated a fearsome warrior like Darth Maul, and a politcally shrewed badass like Count Dooku. And then the countless minions of the Trade Federation.
And then -- biggest of all -- you see that it is through HIS designs that the Galactic Civil War (To me, the Union and Confederacy are very similar to the Republic and Separatists - more so than the Empire and Rebellion dispute). You see that he is STILL the main villain.
I often compare him to Lector. Hannibal Lector is considered to be one of the greatest movie villains of all time. When asked why he deserves such a title - many fans simply state that while he's in prison, he still controls the movie. The major plot devices are based on HIS actions. Sidious is even more so.
Without Sidious -- you'd have no Civil War. No Revolution. No Empire. The plot of Star Wars is fundamentally linked with Sidious and Obi-Wan and Anakin more than anyone else.
In Revenge of The Sith -- they destroy this personage of Sidious. Lucas turned a shadowy badass into an over-the-top cackling dictator, whom no one can take seriously. I dunno about you, but I almost preferred it when Sidious did NOT use the Force.
In Revenge of The Sith, you see Sidious begin off as his character implies. He rids himself of his primary lieutenant through scheming -- and manipulating our beloved protagonist -- proving once more how cunning and clever he is.
In Revenge of The Sith -- you had ONE REAL Sidious moment. In the Galaxies Opera, where Sidious weaves the tale of his long-dead master and how the Jedi aren't to be trusted. THERE - you don't see him cackle. He is subtle and clever. Insinuating mistrust of the Jedi into Anakin. THAT was a pro-Sidious moment. Perhaps the only one.
However. Sidious is DESTROYED - the moment the four Jedi Masters walk into the Republic office to arrest him. He turns from an all powerful badass into an old man with acrobatics trying to take on someone half of his age -- losing -- then freaking out -- and getting his face decayed.
I agree Janus. Also, because Samuel Jackson - while a phenomenal actor in his own right - made too many demands and requests that simply overblew the character of Mace Windu.
Dooku wasn't portrayed as the great duelist he was.
Sidious vs. Jedi Masters duel needs to be redone, and make it remotely believeable.
All duels should be more likelike, less looking like the fighters are aiming for the opponents saber, and not their body.
Expansion on PT Jedi.
Rid of midichlorian theory. I mean, unless the Valley of the Jedi is a implant clinic, then it makes no sense and destroyed the whole, "mysticity" of the Force.
Less obviousness of Palpetine and Sidious being the same, I mean, I knew the moment I saw Episode I.
The Jedi vs Sidious, Anakin and Obi-Wan vs Dooku, Yoda vs Sidious. All need to be redone.
And as for the Sidious suggestion, if you're familar with Tony Jay - from ReBoot or The Legacy of Kain series - he has a highly deep voice and very sinister. Portrays villains such as Frollo in Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame or Shere Khan in Jungle Books 1 and 2.
I say put Ian in a cloak - and make it Tony Jay's. And show NONE of his face.
The excuse would make sense. Sidious would be wearing a vocabulator to distort his voice.
1) Destroy one-shot characters. No jar jar, that guy in the bar, etc.
2) Better dialogue/ inter actor relations. Hayden and Portman are excellent actors, but Lucas didnt' get their full potential.
3) Possibly better direction, Irv Kirshner should have come back.
4) "UNLIMITED POWER!" is for a kid's movie, not one detailing a biblical fall. Keep Palpatine more of a hidden threat (a PHANTOM MENACE), not a power mad lunatic.
5) Less Yoda prancing. It was cool, but chucked all pretenses of believability out the window.
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I really don't have any beef with the PT. I think every movie was done great. don't forget that starwars is for the "whole family" not just adults or kids. so they can't have to much violence, they need to keep it flashy to keep peoples attention. watch tv and see how many times the camera angle changes in a minute. its never just fixed on one person for more than a few seconds maybe 10. so having crazy twirls and lots of flashes when the sabers hit keeps your attention. the only thing I didn't like about the new movies is the fight between sidious and the jedi when they come to arrest him. what was with his face befor he thrusted his saber? maybe he didn't know how to breath properly I dont know but it freaked me out.
Yes, Megabyte - the viral meglamaniac from Mainframe. Yes. He has a truly sinister voice. Megabyte is my favorite character. Reminds me of Sidious - but a foot taller.
Hey. Kinda like Grievous, don't you think? Except his intellect is in both military tactics and manipulation.
Man, Megabyte kicked ass. So very English, and just like Bob, a fair few of witty remarks.
__________________ Recently Produced and Distributed Young but High-Ranking Political Figure of Royal Ancestry within the Modern American Town Affectionately Referred To as Bel-Air.
I could never dislike Megabyte's voice. I really... truly.... love him.
But not if he's not carrying a tasty burger with him. (pulls out gun and blows John Travolta away)
__________________ Recently Produced and Distributed Young but High-Ranking Political Figure of Royal Ancestry within the Modern American Town Affectionately Referred To as Bel-Air.
Aug 30th, 2005 04:44 AM
http://darthglentract.tripod.com/index.html Go Jawa's!!
