Originally posted by: Adamwankenobi
YIYF, that's my point. He wanted to make a story in the middle of a war. YET, in order to do this, he needed (as all good storytellers do) to write a backstory in order to know where exactly everyone came from, what the origins of the war were, etc. That's where the PT comes in. Now, I know very well that it wasn't completely planned out and that it was merely about seven written pages. As we all know, he wrote the main stopry as Eps 4-6, as that was the one he was primarily interested in telling. HOWEVER, later on he decided that he wanted to tell the backstory in the form of Eps 1-3 so that Vader's story would reasonate better. He explains in "The Chosen One" documentary on the Ep 3 DVD that originally he wanted to dop one movie, Ep4, which would include the stories of what we now know as Eps 4-6. But he couldn't, as it would have been too large for one movie. So, he instead cut it into three parts, so he could tell the entire story. BUT, as a result, people didn't get to see the entire "movie" (Eps 4-6 as one), SO they saw Vader as pure evil until Ep 6, where they reallized he was once Anakin Skywalker, a good person who fell from greatness. But he explains that people still saw Vader as pure evil, despite ROPTJ. That's why he made the PT, he explains. He says he made it to HELP the story of Eps 4-6. Now, whether or not it actually helped is based solely on opinion. But that was his gole. And, of course, he had to stretch out his backstory into three Eps for the PT because, as he said at Celebration three "I could have made TPM and AOTC as Episode I and ROTS as Ep 2, but then I wouldn't have material for an Episode III, would I?"
YIYF, that's my point. He wanted to make a story in the middle of a war. YET, in order to do this, he needed (as all good storytellers do) to write a backstory in order to know where exactly everyone came from, what the origins of the war were, etc. That's where the PT comes in. Now, I know very well that it wasn't completely planned out and that it was merely about seven written pages. As we all know, he wrote the main stopry as Eps 4-6, as that was the one he was primarily interested in telling. HOWEVER, later on he decided that he wanted to tell the backstory in the form of Eps 1-3 so that Vader's story would reasonate better. He explains in "The Chosen One" documentary on the Ep 3 DVD that originally he wanted to dop one movie, Ep4, which would include the stories of what we now know as Eps 4-6. But he couldn't, as it would have been too large for one movie. So, he instead cut it into three parts, so he could tell the entire story. BUT, as a result, people didn't get to see the entire "movie" (Eps 4-6 as one), SO they saw Vader as pure evil until Ep 6, where they reallized he was once Anakin Skywalker, a good person who fell from greatness. But he explains that people still saw Vader as pure evil, despite ROPTJ. That's why he made the PT, he explains. He says he made it to HELP the story of Eps 4-6. Now, whether or not it actually helped is based solely on opinion. But that was his gole. And, of course, he had to stretch out his backstory into three Eps for the PT because, as he said at Celebration three "I could have made TPM and AOTC as Episode I and ROTS as Ep 2, but then I wouldn't have material for an Episode III, would I?"
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CO Reply:
See this is where Lucas is being alittle dishonest Adam, and that is what he said now. When he made the original SW, he didn't know if Darth Vader was Lukes father yet, he may of thought about that angle, but this whole nobody had the real idea of Darth Vader in 1977 is baloney. Darth Vader would have had alot bigger role if that were the case, the only thing he had in mind was keeping Vader alive just in case he could make a sequel. The true star of the movie, and the OT for that sake, is Luke Skywalker.
He wrote one movie, and had more ideas, mostly used in ESB, that he could use for a sequel. But Yoda was only invented because he killed off Kenobi, Leia was never Lukes sister, but Lucas says it was always about these twins and their father. Remember by the time of ROTJ, he ran out of new ideas, that is why there are so many recycled plot points, most of his great ideas he couldn't use for the original were all in ESB, so that dispels this huge three story synopsis. Just watch the original SW again, there isn't a hint of all of this stuff. If Lucas was going to go with the story of Leia & Luke sisters, he would have never played up the love triangle that was hinted in the original, and the Kenobi/Luke conversation about Lukes father would have been different than what was said. Remember, basically in ROTJ, Kenobi had to tell Luke he was lying about that whole conversation to cover up the story they didn't have in the original.
The funny thing is, the scene where Biggs is talking to Luke right before they board their X-Wing fighters before they embark on the death star, part of that scene was cut out for the SE, cause Biggs brings up Lukes father, who wasn't Vader then. Now the whole scene was never in the original cut, but just the fact that they filmed that dialogue tells you Lucas didn't have Vader as Lukes father.
Now I agree with you that Lucas had some sort of backstory, but nothing other than random notes. Maybe a few notes on the duel, how the Empire was formed, and other minor details. But in ROTJ book, Uncle Owen is ObiWans brother, and Leias mom original took Leia in hiding, and never lost the will to live, that is why the Leia/Luke ROTJ conversation doesn't make sense now. If he didn't have an idea on Anakins wife and her fate, how the hell did he have any story for the PT, cause she was central to everything that happens in 1-3!
Did Lucas have this master plan, no way, did he have a plan, no way either. Did he have certain ideas for more movies, I think he did. But after the original, the saga makes such a left turn, that I think after ANH, that is when he really started developing 6, 9, or 12 episodes cause it made so much money. Remember SW was the highest grossing movie at the time, a sequel was a no-brainer, so I think Lucas just started saying to himself, "OK, now I can do whatever I want with this hit movie,"and then realized it was harder than it looks making everything fit. That is why the PT has so many things that just don't match the OT, cause things like QuiGon and Jango Fett, and Padme losing the will to live were never there.
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