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From a Certain point of View...

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I was thinking, what if GL had decided to release the saga in order. Would we charish the PT more than the OT? Would the first half have more or less significance than the latter half? Would Star Wars have died a painful existance than, instead of the success that it has right now? Would I even be writing on this forum? Would the prequal movies have had the same impact on movie goers as the original trilogy did in the late 70's early 80's. Think back to the quality of Sci-Fi material back in the Late 70's, you can almost count the good Sci-Fi movies on one hand.... 2001: A Space Odessey and Alien. Would the PT have fueled the love for Sci-Fi as much as the Original trilogy? Are we just so overwelled by the amount of Star Wars and Sci-fi content today that the PT today just did not have that much of an impact on us as the OT?

My whole point of this topic is to think how those that were old enough to see the original trilogy for the first time back then, if they would have reacted the same for the PT like the OT? (I was not old enough to see them when they first came out.) Was society ready for such a story considering the political and economical situation of the time? If the star war franchised fail after TPM what would the movie industry be like today?

So what is your point of view?

"Who is more the foolish, The fool or the fool that follows him"

"Hump, what hump?"
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I think that the PT wouldnt be the PT that we know had it been made first (besides not being called the PT, we would have the OT and the ST)

But the point is, if I-III were made first the special effects would not be cgi, so a lot of the more elaborate shots would be done totally differently or not at all. The story in general would be different because Lucas had different experiences at the time (not bashing him, but one's experiences effect ones outlook, so the story he told as the first 3 chapters back then would be different than the one he told now).

In short the movies would be totally different, and could possibly be just as good as the OT we all know and love, could have been worse, but could also have very well been better than the story told in the OT.

-Darth Simon
Why Anakin really turned to the dark side:
"Anakin, You're father I am" - Yoda
"No. No. That's not true! That's impossible!" - Anakin

0100111001101001011011100110101001100001

*touchy people disclaimer*
some or all of the above comments are partially exaggerated to convey a point, none of the comments are meant as personal attacks on anyone mentioned or reference in the above post
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Here is the thing, if the films stay the way they are, no changes in effects and the OT came out later, the public would have been totally enamored with the Star Wars Saga. The point being, they get better, well...until the end. 3, 4 and 5 are the best with 6 just being a somewhat worthy end to the whole thing.
The Jedi are all but extinct.......
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I agree with you there... Darth Simon, from a film stand point the trilogy would be different... GL considered himself a "rebel" in the film industry and he put that into the OT. Now that he has ironicly become what hated the most, a hugh controlling business, in all aspects of the film industry it has effected his movies as well. Do you think the story told by TPM would have the effect on the crowds of the late 70's as they did in ANH?
"Who is more the foolish, The fool or the fool that follows him"

"Hump, what hump?"
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I've thought about that extensively as well: would we have like the PT better if it had come first? After a long spring in the Himalayas meditating and pressing wild flowers, I've come to the conclusion that no. In the states that they are in now, the PT is dissapointing because in the end, they are just plain bad films. They are bloated, self-congratulatory pieces of crap that wouldn't have made it past Episode 1 had that been the first film. If Lucas had done his "original vision" and kept midgets, Han as a green monster etc, would he have had as equal success? For me, the answer is no. Star Wars would have died a painful death right in 1977 and we'd only be talking about these films in terms of its kitche factor. Kinda like Howard the Duck.

From what i've observed, Lucas' "original vision" is severely flawed. The only reason Star Wars became what it is was because of talented people like Gary Kurtz, Marcia Lucas and many others who helped him create balance and shell out a story that was magical and facinating. When Lucas has complete control, he just can't get it together.

The reason the PT was bad for me was not so much the story (although a few tweaks here and there would have helped), but the fact that Lucas, to me, looks like he has no idea what he's doing. It's so painfully obvious, and I feel that the only reason people even LIKE these films is BECAUSE they are Star Wars.

Look at what Lucas has done virtually solo: Return of the Jedi, Howard the Duck, Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith. Now look what he has done in collaboration: American Graffitti, Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

See the pattern?

What’s the internal temperature of a TaunTaun? Luke warm.

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Originally posted by Mavimao
Look at what Lucas has done virtually solo: Return of the Jedi, Howard the Duck, Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith. Now look what he has done in collaboration: American Graffitti, Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.


Yes based on his current works, Lucas alone making movies does not meaure up when he collaborates with others on projects. Put he usually is the one that provides a lot of the Raw ideas. Just think we could have had Indiana Smith!

But GL has more good movies than he does bad movie!

"Who is more the foolish, The fool or the fool that follows him"

"Hump, what hump?"
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There was no saga to release in any kind of order . There was a single film - Star Wars. In 1977, he released all there was of the story .
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Hence your signature, I presume.
Don't forget: with Lacuna, you can forget.
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Yes, It would have just been Star Wars... non of this A New Hope thing or Attack of the Clones. But I just wanted see what other peoples view point are if things were done by the norm... and if the Prequel trilogy could have stood on its own back in late 70"s early 80's as well as the Original Trilogy. Obviously they would look different in terms of technology, but would the characters or the story have attracted as much attention as the Original trilogy. I believe if Lucas started with the Episode one that it would indeed look different, but as he was back then he would have found away to make the movies.
"Who is more the foolish, The fool or the fool that follows him"

"Hump, what hump?"
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I guess we're going to assume that, for this scenario, in terms of story and character at least, everything would have ended up the same as it is now? As in, each movie would contain the exact same plot and dialogue that they ended up containing. If that's the case, then the prequel trilogy probably wouldn't have been a hit on its own two feet. As it stands, all the prequels do is flesh out the story of the original trilogy, so they're dependent on those movies to stand. By themselves, they're not nearly as interesting. Conversely, the original trilogy can stand on its own.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

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I would agree... the Original trilogy has shown how well it can stand on its own.

In my humble opinon I think we Owe Lucas a lot for bucking the norm and doing things completely out of scope!
"Who is more the foolish, The fool or the fool that follows him"

"Hump, what hump?"
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OK, let's asume that GL HAD an original vision and wrote the siex episodes back in the early 70s, which we know NOT to be true. So, if he had made Phantom Menace as the first Star Wars film, it would be dull and weird. First, there would be no pod racing, so it would be mostly dialogue. He would have edited the film in a slow pace, more like the first rough cut of ANH. I doubt there would even be a Darth Maul, he would probably be Vader, and the fight would be slower and more like swordfighting. There would be no Yoda, and no Jedi aliens. Palpatine would be someone younger... And the movie would most certanly flop, or not even be completed at all...

OK, so asuming he does complete the films and they become hits: they would have more of a cult status nowadays, and would be considered a weirdness of the late 70s early 80s. It would be what Tron is today. I doubt there would be another trilogy, he would kill off Anakin on episode 3.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
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If George Lucas had made Phantom Menace in 1977 with the same script, different cast and cheaper special effects I can't imagine it make that much of an impact on the public. Heck, if there had been no OT and Lucas had made Menace in 1999 as the first SW movie the way it was, I think it would have grossed considerably less.
George Lucas was seduced by the dark side. The OOT ceased to exist in his mind and became the Special Editions...." "They're more maching now than movies. Twisted and evil."
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Originally posted by: Mavimao
I've thought about that extensively as well: would we have like the PT better if it had come first? After a long spring in the Himalayas meditating and pressing wild flowers, I've come to the conclusion that no. In the states that they are in now, the PT is dissapointing because in the end, they are just plain bad films. They are bloated, self-congratulatory pieces of crap that wouldn't have made it past Episode 1 had that been the first film. If Lucas had done his "original vision" and kept midgets, Han as a green monster etc, would he have had as equal success? For me, the answer is no. Star Wars would have died a painful death right in 1977 and we'd only be talking about these films in terms of its kitche factor. Kinda like Howard the Duck.

From what i've observed, Lucas' "original vision" is severely flawed. The only reason Star Wars became what it is was because of talented people like Gary Kurtz, Marcia Lucas and many others who helped him create balance and shell out a story that was magical and facinating. When Lucas has complete control, he just can't get it together.

The reason the PT was bad for me was not so much the story (although a few tweaks here and there would have helped), but the fact that Lucas, to me, looks like he has no idea what he's doing. It's so painfully obvious, and I feel that the only reason people even LIKE these films is BECAUSE they are Star Wars.

Look at what Lucas has done virtually solo: Return of the Jedi, Howard the Duck, Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith. Now look what he has done in collaboration: American Graffitti, Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

See the pattern?



Beautifully written!
"Drink the Kool-Aid. Wear blinders. Cover your ears. Because that's the only way you can totally enjoy Revenge of the Sith -- the final and most futile attempt from skilled producer, clumsy director and tin-eared writer George Lucas to create a prequel trilogy to match the myth-making spirit of the original Star Wars saga he unleashed twenty-eight years ago. Fan boys, of course, have convinced themselves otherwise. So have several critics, if you go by early reviews."