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Star Wars: The Last Jedi - The Dark Cut (* unfinished project *)

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 (Edited)

Main Goals of the Edit:

  1. Improve the pacing of the movie. Give more focus to the Rey/Luke material.
  2. Cut down any humor that undercuts a scene or feels out of place.
  3. New Music for a few of the key sequences in the film to give further emotional weight.
  4. New Color grade for warmer colors and natural skin tones.

Versions of This Edit:

  1. Standard Edition (Same as cutlist. Nothing more. Nothing less.)
  2. Time Passage Edition (The ending of the Force Awakens is in The Last Jedi. New opening crawl below implies passage of time.)
  3. Skywalker Lives Edition (Luke Skywalker survives. We end the movie with him staring at the binary sunsets in this version.)

I am rescoring two scenes in the movie and if you are not a fan of the replaced music, there will be a secondary audio track without the rescores.

New Crawl:

Below is a rough draft of the crawl.

—It is a time of peril. The warring factions of the Resistance and the First Order have dealt cripplingly blows to one another.
Meanwhile, Rey continues her journey to find Skywalker, certain he can restore a spark of hope to the fight.
But the First Order has at last found the Resistance. As their forces speed to the base, General Leia mounts a desperate escape…—

Detailed Cut List:

-Color Correction over entire film by Dr. Dre. For warmer colors and natural skintones.
-Retro Fox Fanfare Used
-Replaced crawl music with more bombastic version.
-Removed entire opening joke with Poe and Hux. Goes from Poe telling himself “happy beeps” to him pushing a button and then his ship boosting forward.
-Cut Hux’s dumbfounded face when Poe begins taking out the cannons.
-Cut Leia telling 3PO to “get that nervous expression” off his face.
-Trimmed down whack-a-mole joke with BB-8.
-Luke now drops the saber instead of tossing it.
-Cut Luke saying “Go Away”. Sounds childish.
-Cut Luke and blue milk creature.
-Cut Leia slapping Poe.
-Cut Poe saying “We need to get away from those Star Destroyers.”
-Trimmed the end of the bridge explosion so that Leia does not fly out into space.
-Cut Leia space walking scene.
-Cut entire sequence with Chewie and Porgs at the campfire.
-Cut the “doing talking” joke from Rose.
-Cut the “may the force be with you” joke from Finn to Rose.
-Trim conversation when Finn and Rose meet.
-Cut the second time Rose says “They can track us through lightspeed!?”
-Cut Finn’s saying “I can’t feel my teeth, what did you shoot me with?”
-Cut the sexual joke, “Oh yes, he can” from the Maz call.
-Cut Caretakers after the first force facetime.
-Cut Luke tickling Rey with leaf during “reach out” scene.
-Cut Chewie raging at porgs messing with Falcon.
-Cut Porgs nesting themselves in the Falcon.
-Cut Rose talking about how Canto Bight is a terrible city.
-We jump straight from the establishing shots of the Casino activity, to Rose/Finn finding the man with the lapel.
-Cut rock falling on Caretaker cart after Rey slices it in half.
-Cut Rey telling Kylo to put a cowl on.
-Cut voiceover in the cave. Begin the VO when Rey says “I’ve never felt so alone.”
-Yoda scene is now moved towards later in the film right before we see Crait.
-Cut the joke of Finn saying “Look at us”.
-Cut DJ saying “blip-boppity-boop”.
-Cut ironing gag.
-Cut Rose/Finn/DJ in clothing room.
-Cut trash bin being put on BB-8.
-Cut BB-8 tripping storm trooper.
-Cut evil BB unit scanning them. Evil BB-8 is gone in this edit.
-Cut Rose getting medallion back and them arriving at the door.
-Cut evil BB unit looking at BB-8.
-Cut the cringeworthy “May the force be with you” exchange between Holdo and Leia.
-Cut close up of lightsaber turning next to Snoke to tone down the foreshadowing.
-Put “Duel of the Fates” over the throne room guard fight.
-Put second half of “Anakin’s Dark Deeds” over the scene of Kylo pleading Rey to join him.
-Cut entire Phasma fight.
-Cut silly close up of Snoke’s dead face.
-Yoda Scene now comes after the scene of Kylo declaring himself the Emperor.
-Cut Rose telling Finn to stabilize his speeder.
-Cut joke of Poe’s foot falling through the speeder.
-Cut us seeing Rose’s medallion. She doesn’t get it back in this version.
-Cut Porg screaming in Falcon cockpit.
-Cut Porg’s flying around in Falcon when it is being chased by TIE fighters.
-Cut Rose saying “Now that’s a big gun”.
-Cut joke of Hux repeating Kylo’s orders.
-Finn now gets blown out of the way by an AT-AT last second before he reaches the cannon. Rose no longer swoops in and nearly kills her friend.
-Cut the shoulder swipe from Luke. Kills the tension of the moment.
-Cut the “right away sir” joke.
-Cut Luke’s odd looking snarl at Kylo during their fight.
-Cut out both slow motion moments in the Luke/Kylo fight.
-Cut shot of books on Falcon.
-Cut Finn tending to Rose on the Falcon.
-Cut to credits on Falcon, not with Broom boy.
-Last piece in end credits is now Yoda’s theme.

Return of the Jedi: Remastered

Lord of the Rings: The Darth Rush Definitives

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You make a lot of cuts I’d rather not make, but bring up a lot of things I’d like to get rid of too. You wouldn’t mind if I borrowed some elements of your cutlist? I had forgotten a few of these. Our edits will most likely be completely different otherwise, as I’m not planning on reordering the scenes and cutting all humor nearly as much.

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Handman said:

You make a lot of cuts I’d rather not make, but bring up a lot of things I’d like to get rid of too. You wouldn’t mind if I borrowed some elements of your cutlist? I had forgotten a few of these. Our edits will most likely be completely different otherwise, as I’m not planning on reordering the scenes and cutting all humor nearly as much.

That’s absolutely no problem. I’ll also be greatly looking forward to your edit as well.

Return of the Jedi: Remastered

Lord of the Rings: The Darth Rush Definitives

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We all borrow from each other in more ways that can be retraced. There’s no way I won’t do an edit myself eventually, and I’ll definitely be using the best ideas and resources available. I’d rather not release it than not make it the best it can be.

As with Handman, let me know if I can be of any help at all. It’s for selfish reasons, you understand. 😉

My stance on revising fan edits.

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Hal 9000 said:

We all borrow from each other in more ways that can be retraced. There’s no way I won’t do an edit myself eventually, and I’ll definitely be using the best ideas and resources available. I’d rather not release it than not make it the best it can be.

As with Handman, let me know if I can be of any help at all. It’s for selfish reasons, you understand. 😉

Thanks Hal 😉

Return of the Jedi: Remastered

Lord of the Rings: The Darth Rush Definitives

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Dat_SW_Guy said:

Here’s a suggestion: Introduce the Rey/Luke scenes without the saber toss is by cutting to Rey with her saber, sitting on the beach.

I’m not following ya here. So we show her going to hand him the saber, and then just cut to her on some beach? I don’t recall a beach. Are you referring to when she picks it up after the Porgs try messing with it?

Return of the Jedi: Remastered

Lord of the Rings: The Darth Rush Definitives

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 (Edited)

Just a thought darthrush - I liked the way it seemed that Rose had given her life to save Finn when watching the movie (except it was then revealed to be yet another bit of misdirection from the makers, as she hadn’t…) - but if you make it look like she actually died in your edit, won’t that risk a continuity problem with the next sequel which she is highly likely to feature in?

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ImperialFighter said:

Just a thought darthrush - I liked the way it seemed that Rose had given her life to save Finn when watching the movie (except it was then revealed to be yet another bit of misdirection from the makers, as she hadn’t…) - but if you make it look like she actually died in your edit, won’t that risk a continuity problem with the next sequel which she is highly likely to feature in?

In the spirit of TLJ, that’ll just be up to whomever fan edits episode XI to deal with. 😉

My stance on revising fan edits.

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 (Edited)

Hal 9000 said:

In the spirit of TLJ, that’ll just be up to whomever fan edits episode XI to deal with. 😉

True Hal, but it might make for a real disconnect if Rose’s (potential) future role cant’t be easily taken out. Especially if her storyline happens to include some good scenes which no-one wants to take out anyway.

(although I’ve got some initial ideas of how I’d ideally like to re-structure THE LAST JEDI for myself, I think I’m gonna have to wait until the next instalment to see how certain characters are involved first)

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I’m liking this cut already. Probably gonna try my hand at a cut if I can obtain some decent editing software.

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I recall darthrush saying he’s editing this as if it were the end of the saga, hence whatever happens in Episode IX is irrelevant.

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 (Edited)

Handman said:

I recall darthrush saying he’s editing this as if it were the end of the saga, hence whatever happens in Episode IX is irrelevant.

Hand man is correct here. It’s also why the broom boy ending is gone without any hesitation.

However, I will make a second version of the edit that will avoid any possible continuity issues with episode 9.

EDIT: And I’m still not sure if that idea can even work. It’s pretty risky and would require just the right footage for me to work with but I could make it happen.

Return of the Jedi: Remastered

Lord of the Rings: The Darth Rush Definitives

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 (Edited)

Ah, that explains it then. Thanks for clarifying.

Just for the record, I initially thought we were about to get an unexpected Finn death in this movie, as things were shaping up for a memorable bit of self-sacrifice on his part - but then of course he was saved at the last minute - and then I was sure that Rose’s character was getting the memorable self-sacrifice treatment instead, which I thought was really effective and poignant at this point…except the makers didn’t follow through on taking this character out either, as it turned out.

To be honest, considering the characters that we DID lose in these sequels so far, I was fine with Rose being a one-movie deal so that she would go out in such a noble way at this point…and kinda felt cheated that we were ‘played’ TWICE-in-a-row with the same kind of misdirection by the makers.

Of course that’s my ‘adult self’ talking, and I’ve no doubt that my ‘younger self’ would have been very relieved to see BOTH characters survive what ‘seemed’ to be their last moments!

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I would see Episode 9 before deciding to take Rose out or not. She may play a big part

No offense, kid, but I don’t think you know how to boil water.

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liamnotneeson said:

I would see Episode 9 before deciding to take Rose out or not. She may play a big part

This edit is going to work as the finale of the Star Wars saga.

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liamnotneeson said:

I would see Episode 9 before deciding to take Rose out or not. She may play a big part

You should probably read my response to a similar concern. An alternate version will have no possible continuity issues and the main version will work as a finale. So I’ll have options for everyone. I’m considering a third version with the opening space battle and not a drastic restructure.

Return of the Jedi: Remastered

Lord of the Rings: The Darth Rush Definitives

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The crawl’s kind awkward.

It is a time of peril. The warring factions of the Resistance and the First Order have dealt cripplingly blows to one another.
Meanwhile, Rey completes her journey to find Skywalker, certain he can restore a spark of hope to the fight.
Finn and Poe Dameron aid General Leia Organa, in an effort to find a new base for the RESISTANCE to stand against the rising tyranny in the galaxy…

I’d replace the first paragraph with “It is a time of peril. The warring factions of the Resistance and the First Order have crippled one another, and both sides are itching to deal the final blow.”

“Both sides have attacked each other” is a weird thing to say in a crawl.

Reading R + L ≠ J theories

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SparkySywer said:

The crawl’s kind awkward.

It is a time of peril. The warring factions of the Resistance and the First Order have dealt cripplingly blows to one another.
Meanwhile, Rey completes her journey to find Skywalker, certain he can restore a spark of hope to the fight.
Finn and Poe Dameron aid General Leia Organa, in an effort to find a new base for the RESISTANCE to stand against the rising tyranny in the galaxy…

I’d replace the first paragraph with “It is a time of peril. The warring factions of the Resistance and the First Order have crippled one another, and both sides are itching to deal the final blow.”

“Both sides have attacked each other” is a weird thing to say in a crawl.

Updated the crawl with your suggestion.

I appreciate all suggestions for the crawl considering that I ain’t feeling too hot on it as of right now. Especially the third paragraph cause in there I need to introduce that Finn somehow has recovered, and what the Resistance is currently doing.

Return of the Jedi: Remastered

Lord of the Rings: The Darth Rush Definitives