Switch Radic:
I really enjoyed your alternate synopsis, it seems you get the idea of totally forgetting the Lucas prequels and doing what you can to make something that fits with the original trilogy. That was the idea I was trying to get across, anyways. But I don't think you need to redo RotJ, because it doesn't contradict itself or any of the other OT. Contradict either in a continuity/story way, or a storytelling way. (i.e.: ruining surprises). I agree that Jedi wasn't Lucas's original intention for Episode VI... but then again, neither was ANH for Episode IV.
theredbaron:
Thanks for your script. I'll look at it when I can.
TheCassidy:
I agree. Pretty much everything Obi-Wan said in ANH can be dismissed as egging Luke into action. Heck, he might have even sent the Stormtroopers to kill his Aunt and Uncle... Oh wait, I guess we know that Beru was the actual responsible one due to those scenes that were cut...
Everyone else:
I think the other surprise from Empire that I would like to see preserved is the Yoda reveal. When all we knew of the Jedi were old men with grey beards, no one suspected that that funny little green creature was the great Jedi master that Obi-wan thought was so great. To have him all over the prequels will make new generations have contempt for Luke when they see that he can't recognize the very famous Yoda. I think it can only help to have his name mentioned all the time, perhaps Obi-wan constantly telling Anakin that he should really go train with a real Jedi Master like Yoda, unlike Ben who really isn't qualified to be an instructor. Besides, the PT managed to take a favourite character of mine and make him one of my least favourite. When I watch the OT, I really have to force the PT Yoda out of my mind.
In my view, I think the primary responsibility of the PT is (1) to convincingly show the fall of Anakin Skywalker. The word I keep coming back to is "seduced" by the dark side of the force. I just don't see that in Lucas' PT. I don't believe that the kid I'm watching becomes the Dark Lord of the Sith in the OT (dispite the new ending to Jedi).
Which brings me to my primary question in rethinking this whole thing: Why would someone like Anakin/Vader willingly server someone like Palpatine for 20 someodd years? If I could answer that question to my satisfaction, I would really have something. Lucas' PT doesn't do it for me.
(2) To preserve the OT and enhance it if possible, not destroy it. My preferred watching may always be OT first, then PT... but I don't think there's any excuse for not being able to watch them "in order." I mentioned the Yoda thing (talking about him instead of showing him enhances the surprise in Empire, instead of deflating it), of course the Vader bit. And people mentioned the twins.
Here's my solution to the Vader problem. If the PT doesn't link Anakin with Vader=no problem. We know Anakin's last name was Skywalker (a la Luke, of course) and we know that his wife was pregnant when we last saw her. So when the OT opens up with Luke Skywalker, we conclude that he is the child of the aforementioned pregnancy. The other part to this solution: Leave Anakin for dead after the Obi-Wan VS Anakin show down. We show that he became corrupted by the dark side and we his "death." As long as other Dark Jedi are show throughout the PT helping Palpatine accomplish his goal of total Galactic Domination!, then we don't suspect that Darth Vader is anything but another cronie. I think the continuos bad-guy-shuffle hurts the PT, but if trying to preserve the OT's surprise, it actually helps. (only, of course, if you don't show DV at the end of Episode III).
Anyways... I've got to go wrap my wife's birthday stuff. So maybe I'll tune in a little later.
Xhonzi