3rd POST - My proposed NEW OPENING for THE PHANTOM MENACE
While some may baulk at the idea of including the entire PREQUEL TRILOGY in their own ideal ‘viewing order’, I definitely want to include it in mine…because I happen to like a LOT of the imagery and soundtrack music featured throughout it overall…
…just NOT BEFORE watching the ORIGINAL TRILOGY first…and NOT in it’s existing form either, ideally! 😃
So to start things off, here’s my proposed NEW OPENING for THE PHANTOM MENACE which I’d like to see…as a way to introduce and reinforce the PREQUEL TRILOGY’s entire ‘backstory/flashback’ storyline at some point AFTER I’ve watched the ORIGINAL TRILOGY first…
…and as with all my future examples, I’ll put an ‘asterix’ beside the word ‘CUT’ to indicate every time I’m showing a COMPLETELY NEW CUT that’s different from how things appear in the actual movie…and will use the words ‘and then we continue on as normal’ to indicate where a scene transitions into the next scene as it currently does -
WE START OFF with the familiar 20TH CENTURY FOX FOX/LUCASFILM logos and short music fanfare -
…and as the silent blue wording fades to black, we then CUT* to an ENTIRELY NEW OPENING incorporating some footage from A NEW HOPE, which acts as a short ‘reprise’ of certain events from that movie…beginning with an ‘establishing shot’ of Obi-Wan’s dwelling on Tatooine as we hear Artoo’s faint whistles -
…and then we CUT* to the close-up of Luke saying “YOU FOUGHT IN THE CLONE WARS?” -
…and then we continue on as normal, as Obi-wan discusses Luke’s father, then hands over his lightsaber -
…and then we continue on as normal, as Obi-wan tells Luke what happened to his father, before this introductory ‘prologue’ ends with the close-up of Obi-Wan declaring “…BEFORE THE DARK TIMES…BEFORE THE EMPIRE!” -
NOTE - By adding this short ‘reprise’, it ensures that I would NEED to watch A NEW HOPE before watching my proposed version of THE PHANTOM MENACE to give these characters their proper context at this point, which suits me just fine…and it would help to kick off this ‘middle section’ of my preferred Episode 4-5-6, 1-2-3, 7-8-9 ‘saga’ viewing order with some additional ‘gravitas’ for myself…and of course, I’d ideally use adywan’s STAR WARS REVISITED footage for this, seeing as it’s his enhanced version of A NEW HOPE that I’d choose to start off my ‘saga’ re-watch with in the first place! - CLICK HERE FOR EXAMPLE
…and then we CUT* to the majestic music of the receding STAR WARS main title against a black starfield at this point, as this PREQUEL TRILOGY ‘flashback’ to the CLONE WARS ‘backstory’ begins -
…and then we continue on as normal, as we see THE PHANTOM MENACE’s receding description ‘scroll’ -
NOTE - I’m content to stick with the integrity of George’s underwhelming ‘scroll’ wording as it is, seeing as it WON’T be the introductory description at the start of my overall ‘saga’ viewing order any longer. And adding the ‘prologue’ scene with Luke and Obi-wan beforehand will help to improve it’s dull scenario a little for me too.
…and then we continue on as normal, as we see the red Tantive ship heading towards us -
…and then we continue on as normal, as the Tantive ship passes us and heads away towards the planet Naboo which is surrounded by larger ships -
…and then we CUT* to the close-up of the Tantive ship’s Captain clicking on a switch, as she says “WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, THE AMBASSADORS FOR THE SUPREME CHANCELLOR WISH TO BOARD IMMEDIATELY” -
…and then we continue on as normal, as we pan upwards to the monitor to see Nute Gunray saying “YES, OF COURSE…” -
…and then we CUT* to the interior of the Tantive ship as Nute Gunray says the words “…AND WE’D BE HAPPY TO RECEIVE THE AMBASSADORS” -
…and then we continue on as normal, as the Tantive ship dives downwards, and then lands in a docking bay -
…and then we continue on as normal, as the two hooded Jedi are met by a silver droid and led along a corridor -
…and then we continue on as normal, as the silver droid leaves the waiting room, and the two Jedi finally reveal themselves, as Obi-Wan says “I HAVE A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS”, followed by Qui-Gon saying “I DON’T SENSE ANYTHING”, followed by Obi-Wan saying “IT’S NOT ABOUT THE MISSION MASTER, IT’S SOMETHING…ELSEWHERE, ELUSIVE…” -
…and then we CUT* to the hologram of Palpatine telling Nute Gunray “WE MUST ACCELERATE OUR PLANS” -
…and then we continue on as normal, as the close-up of Palpatine then says “BEGIN LANDING YOUR TROOPS” -
…and then we CUT* to Nute Gunray saying “AND THE JEDI?” -
…and then we continue on as normal, as Palpatine says “THE CHANCELLOR SHOULD NEVER HAVE BROUGHT THEM INTO THIS, KILL THEM IMMEDIATELY!” -
…and then we continue on as normal, as Nute Gunray bows, and then says “YES, YES MY LORD, AS YOU WISH”, as Palpatine’s hologram fades away -
…and then we CUT* to the silver droid entering the doorway as it brings refreshments to the Jedi -
…and then we continue on as normal, as Obi-wan says “IS IT IN THEIR NATURE TO MAKE US WAIT THIS LONG?”, while Qui-gon taps his hand impatiently -
…and then we CUT* to the Tantive ship in the docking bay, as the pilot says “CAPTAIN LOOK!”, followed by the captain saying “SHIELDS UP!”, as the ship gets blown up -
…and then we continue on as normal, as the Jedi jump up igniting their lightsabers, and the silver droid drops it’s tray, as gas begins to enter the room, and the Jedi hold their breath -
NOTE - This way, the pace of the opening scenes of THE PHANTOM MENACE move along with a greater sense of urgency overall, compared to the existing movie…while retaining the particular Nute Gunray/Palpatine dialogue I want to keep…and by having Nute Gunray in mid-conversation with Palpatine this way, it makes it look as if he was ALREADY aware that the hooded ‘ambassadors’ are actually Jedi, and didn’t just rely on that silver droid happening to mention it in the passing, for him to realise that fact!
Additionally, it also gets rid of Palpatine’s silly-sounding “I DON’T WANT THIS STUNTED SLIME IN MY SIGHT AGAIN!” retort which really grinds my gears ( is that REALLY the best dialogue that George could come up with for Palpatine towards this impertinent lackey?! ), while also removing the whining Neimoidian he’s referring to…so that we stick with the DUO of Nute Gunray and his advisor Rune Haako right from the start.
So that’s the exact opening to the PREQUEL TRILOGY’s ‘backstory’ which I’d like to see…and NEXT UP, I’ll describe my proposed NEW ENDING for REVENGE OF THE SITH which shows how I’d prefer to conclude the PREQUEL TRILOGY’s ‘backstory’/‘flashback’ in a certain restructured way for myself…which would feature MUCH LESS dialogue overall, and a MUCH MORE uninterrupted flow of John Williams’ evocative soundtrack music to end things on…