I am very impressed by a lot of the changes you are making here. The new visuals look excellent, and I have a lot of respect for you because of that.
One of my only problems though is that I don’t like how this edit tries to hide that Anakin becomes Vader in Revenge of the Sith. The whole crux of the prequel trilogy is that it explains how Anakin became Vader. It’s the very reason audiences are invested, the reason the movies exist. Sure, there’s also the fall of the Republic and the Jedi and Palpatine’s rise to power, but let’s be honest, everybody was most invested in the birth of Vader. There’s so much forshadowing all over the place. Besides, everybody and their grandma knows the twist, so trying to preserve it is pointless work. It’d be like if in the new Planet of the Apes trilogy they tried to hide the fact that it’s on Earth to preserve the twist at the end of the original film that everybody already knows and is essential to know to understand why those movies are being made and the story they are telling (in that case, to show how the apes took over Earth). Anakin’s transformation into Vader are some of my favorite parts of the whole film, I don’t want that erased. Knowing Anakin is Vader and his backstory adds so many layers to the OT as well that weren’t there before, and I’d hate to see that gone too.
And without it it doesn’t make any sense. Obi-Wan says in ANH, “Vader betrayed and murdered your father”, but what we see in Revenge of the Sith is that Anakin betrayed and killed a ton of the Jedi and then was left to burn… and then Darth Vader shows up. Right there everybody will know that Anakin is Vader. According to Obi-Wan’s lie, Anakin remained good and was a victim of Vader’s betrayal. So seeing Anakin betray the Jedi and do evil things only makes sense knowing he’s Vader. We also know that Vader was NOT Obi-Wan’s apprentice, Anakin was; there was no “young Jedi named Darth Vader”, so the lie also falls apart there. With the information that Anakin is Vader we already know Obi-Wan is lying, but it’d be really weird to try to change the films so we won’t know he’s lying when it’s obvious we would.
I also disagree with removing Yoda. It just seems so… weird, that he wouldn’t be there. He’s just rotting away on Dagobah the whole time, letting the whole world crumble? How did he supposedly train Obi-Wan? And I love Yoda in the prequels.
I apologize if I sound like an ass. I am really thankful that you will be making purist versions in this case (and that I’m making my own fan-edits), 😛 as I absolutely love what you’re doing with the visuals and a lot of your ideas (like Dooku in TPM? Genius!), but as I said I disagree with the things above.
I have zero plans of cutting Anakins journey. The only cuts to Anakin are small things to do with dialogue and snipping a couple creepy looks at padame. Mitachlorines obviously. Not much in ROTS to do with Anakin is being snipped. This is his story and journey. I won’t be hiding Anakin getting maimed by Obiwan or becoming Vader (Except maybe if i do an alt cut to fit Ady’s rough ideas.- He was going to have all sabers blue, and Anakin’s transformation to Vader.) but thats it. I never had a problem with Anakin being shown to be Vader, as i prefer to watch in the Machete order. So to be clear.
Revised Version
Purist Cut Version
Machete Cut Version
Revised/Revisited Version to fit with Ady.
I do understand why Ady wants it removed though as watching in chronological order spoils the reveal in Ep V., but it’s not the general direction im going. Other than the Purist Cut versions, my Revised and Machete Cut Versions can be watched before the main Trilogy but are meant to be watched after Ep V and before Ev VI. Difference between the two versions is that one is a trilogy, the other is a 3-1 cut that focuses strictly on Anakins journey. Unlike most Machete cut’s though, mine doesn’t begin with the end of Ep I. It includes quite a bit of Ep I, as i feel the finding of Anakin and the who QuiGon was is important to the narrative. I alter quite a bit though as there is no pod race scene, how Anakin is freed is different, there’s no Space battle and Gun Gun battle in Ep I, and a few other changes.
Yoda will only appear in the Purist Cut in which Dooku will not be apart of. Dooku will be in all other versions. Dooku isn’t my idea though in conception, this is just my take on the idea, as it was a great idea. There’s a few ideas that are not mine, and are things ive heard mentioned for years. Like the visible cord to Padame’s dress, shifting shadows, and see through sabers. There are a tonnnnnnnnn of ideas of mine that would take too long to list though haha i will try though. Things like the saber glow visible on people, replacing the planets and moon, fixing sabers passing through body parts, Swamp gun gun home, attack on Theed, Escape of Naboo with fleet guarding Queen’s ship, saber sparks and flashes, Emergency lights kicking on as lights go out on space station in beginning, replacing background during Maul speaking to Palpatine, adding lightening flashes and moving cars, the destruction of theed as Jedi rescue the Queen, the force push causing smoke and ash to fly out of the way, added camera shakes for dramatics, lighting docking bay in beginning, Emergency lights on Queen’s ship when hit, and bunch of other weird lighting effects and i can’t remember what all else right now off the top of my head haha.
I don’t know where the idea came for Mace to fight Sidious alone, i found a pic online i think on Adywan’s site, so probably him doing test. I never got to see it in motion so this was the first thing i ever tried to do. I will be crediting people on the films who have contributed ideas like Ady or Snooker.
Lots of work though and more ideas i havn’t shown or done up yet and im constantly trying to learn new tricks. Im an artist and have worked in photography and photo editing professionally as a background along with music, but VFX has been a new learning experience but a very fun one.
I greatly appreciate the comments of things people like, don’t like, and or ideas people have. I want these to be enjoyable by all and appreciate the time and interest people have in any of it. Thank you!
(Hope i cleared up Anakin’s Arch a little. Ill try to eventually get separate threads eventually for the main cuts so as not to confuse people. Ill probably wait till closer to being done though)
Edit- Altered main post to reflect this about Vader/Anakin.