Oh no, yet another about topic about Haydens Force Ghost? Yes, but this thread will not deal with the hot topic if Hayden Christensen makes more sense than Sebastian Shaw. This thread is a discussion about how accurate or how sloppy Lucas created his digital Frankenstein.

So i want to start this thread with the question about a specific detail, that always bugged me: Haydens head movement in his first shot.

The way he reacts (smiling, nodding) to Obi-Wan and then to Luke does not look natural at all. I heard/read somewhere that Hayden wasn’t aware that Lucas wanted to use this footage for that scene, so that could be one reason why Haydens reactions to Obi-Wan and Luke do not match 100% in that shot. But i think there is more to it. We know Lucas likes to digitally manipulate actors heads (Han Solo dodging Greedos shot for example).

My assumption is, that the movement of Haydens head looks kinda awkward & ghostly (no pun intended) because the spliced-in footage we see in his first shot is actually played BACKWARDS.

Sebastian Shaws body moves forward…
Hayden Christensens head moves backward…

I hope you guys know what i mean. Haydens head footage (played backwards in real time - i know, this is confusing) suggests an unused ROTS scene where Anakin saw Padme in the distance. At first he smils and then reacts with an amorous shy nodding and looks to a person next to him. Maybe Obi-Wan or Bail Organa in an early senate scene shortly after Palpatines rescue?

What do you think about this?