This is going to be a slow process, as I did not expect to have to take over the project so completely. It's a new experience for me and I hope to be able to deliver. Once again, any assistance of any kind would be more than welcome.Now, onto the discussion of late:
DarkHelmet:
Your Episode III opening had some interesting editing choices. The space battle reaequencing has potential, but editing out the Dooku duel? I can't agree with that; it's just too important to the story. It was also my favorite duel in the movie!
Your re-editing of the Mace/Palpatine confrontation was amazing though! All the right cuts and just the right pace. If a way could be found to show Palpatine first shooting the lightning, it would really sell it for sure.
As for Padme, she should die as a result of Anakin's force choke. It's really the only way to do it. The best solution I've come across to the RotJ inconsistency with Luke and Leia's conversation is just cut Luke's "I have no memory of my mother. I never knew her." This could imply he silently recalls the same thing Leia does, then she changes the subject and they move on to a different topic: Vader.
PaulisDead2221:
The plan for lightsaber colors is that Jedi have Blue and Green, and Sith have Red (I would like them to have purple as well, but that's a discussion for another time). The one certainty is that Mace will have a blue lightsaber. As as aside, I've always been partial to yellow, and it's my lightsaber color of choice on video games. I always thought Yoda would have looked good with a yellow lightsaber. It's a shame Lucas chose not to incorptorate the variety that exists in the EU into the PT, but that's the way it is.
shanep:
Your suggestion for Coruscant on RotJ isa fanboy dream of mine. Part of me wishes Lucas would tackle this in a future Special Edition, as it would improve the story so much. Unfortunately, short of remaking the entire film, turning Ewoks into Wookies and moving Palpatine's throne room to Coruscant is simply not feasible. Especially not in a fan edit. If someone thinks it is though, please let me know. I'd love to see it but I just can't imagine it being possible.
Erikstormtrooper:
You lay out the pros and cons of such an altertions nicely. Sadly the pros seem to seriously outweigh the cons.
Troy:
Your ideas are certainly worth discussion, and in fact have been dicussed in the thread before IIRC (Erik's ideas I believe). However, those kinds of radical changes to the OT are better suited for another project. There will be a Death Star battle at the end of Episode 4 in this edit. That is a certainty.
Sluggo:
We've talked about that kind of scenario for a while now, but I honestly don't see it working with what we have to work with.
Here is the rough plan I have for the Death Stars in the OT:
-New scene in Episode 4, in between Luke returning to Yavin and the end celebration:
EXTERIOR: SPACE -- EXECUTOR
Darth Vader's TIE fighter flies towards the Executor. (Shot of TIE from Vader regaining control at end of ANH, tilted to the side. Shot of Executor from ESB SE shot of Shuttle flying back to Executor.)
INTERIOR: EXECUTOR -- VADER'S CHAMBER
Vader walks to a large holographic communication pad and kneels. A large hologram of the the Emperor materializes before Vader.
VADER: What is they bidding my master?
EMPEROR: There is a great disturbance in the Force.
VADER: I have felt it.
EMPEROR: I have no doubt the young Rebel who destroyed the Death Star is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker.
VADER: How is that possible?
EMPEROR: Search your feelings, Lord Vader. You will know it to be true.
Vader breathes in silence, pondering his master's words.
EMPEROR: This turn of events is unfortunate. We must accelerate our plans.
VADER: (Something about the death of Tarkin; altered Brock Peters dialogue might come into play here.)
EMPEROR: His death was a necessary loss. (Something about Vader being in command of the fleet now.)
VADER: Yes, my master.
Vader kneels.
So that's what I have in mind. The last couple of lines need some work obviously. And where does this leave Palpatine in ESB? That remains to be seen.
Then, Episodes 5 and 6 would have altered crawls to accomodate the new edits.
Episode 5 would now have RotJ's opening scene, with Vader arriving at the Death Star. The establishing shot would be altered to make it seem less completeted than it is in RotJ. The reference to the "Emperor coming here?" would be cut. This would wipe to the Probe droid appraoching Hoth. The movie continues as-is until the wipe to the Imperial fleet. The SE shot of Vader's shuttle approaching the Executor would be utilized here. If we can make it work via special effects, we would incorporate the Death Star in some shots of the fleet. Vader would not be shown on the bridge, his fist line being "You found something" as if he has just arrived. I've completed a rought cut of this sequence of events and it works well.
The opening of RotJ is still up for discussion. It will either be Dagobah, Tatooine, or Palpatine's arrival on the Death Star. The ESB opening was always rather weak, inspiring the Death Star arrival scenario. It's Star Wars tradition to open in space with a ship of some short, but starting 2 films with back-to-back arrivals at the Death Star may be too much though, so we'll see.