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The legendary "Starkiller Ranch" Thread — Page 37

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that we decided to save talk of title changes for when the edits were completed.

That's not a bad idea. Personally, I don't have a problem with TPM or ROTS. But the real reason you should save it is because the content of the edits is what really matters.

The titles are window dressing,imho.
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Ranch window dressing???
Light speed too slow??
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Originally posted by: boreddusty
Ranch window dressing???


Can you explain what your talking about???
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boreddusty hehee. That has triple meaning here!

Darth Richard
It was a joke. As in: window dressing and Ranch(house) flavour. Get it?

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Originally posted by: boreddusty
Ranch window dressing???


This is why we should generate another title for this series

Anyway, as most of you know, my vision was always a set of prequels that actually fit with the OT to begin with, no re-editing of classics necessary. I also don't think you can get much better than "Revenge of the Sith" for Ep. III; that's really a perfect title. And again, unless someone generates a very good original name, I'd just leave it as "Star Wars".

I also want to let you know about another idea I've had for an editing project, which I think would be very fun for all involved. It probably will not fit with the "Ranch" idea, but I might actually do this after "Shroud of the Dark Side" is finished, before Ep. III is started. Maybe not, but I want someone to do it eventually...

Watching old b-features and old detective movies like "Laura" really got my brain cranking. I thought... what if Star Wars was originally a noir movie from the '40's and '50's, very old-fashioned and in black & white? Later on in the seventies or eighties, they made the very popular Star Wars trilogy, but this is the original film made a long time ago. Imagine that it's another thing Lucas suppressed!

My idea is to make "Revenge of the Sith" black and white before editing, and make the whole film about Anakin's fall. None of the Grievous stuff, or most of the opening battle, or other stuff that's both unneccessary and would give away the CGI as being modern. There would be no crawl, but instead an old-fashioned title sequence, perhaps with stills of close-ups of the characters. The title could be "Anakin Skywalker."

The major point is that everything is made to give this movie an old feel, older than the '70's-80's. Lounge music is used for the temptation scene at the theatre. Classic Bernard Hermann music is used for most of the rest of the score, "Marnie" and "Vertigo" type stuff (but not as well known). I know we can't use the iconic "Pyscho" music, but I always envisioned the shower music when Anakin walks into the room of children.

Here's the other big thing: In this version, Anakin is dubbed, and he is narrating the entire story. At certain points in the movie, when you have a close-up of Anakin, the narration can take us back to flashbacks from "Episode II", from the love story. A very "noir" thing to do.

And lastly, the audio will have more treble, more of a raw feel, and it'll be stereo or mono. I don't know if I've explained my concept very well or if it'd be enjoyable to watch to any person but me, but I just love the idea of getting into Anakin's head through him narrating the entire picture and showing flashbacks. The cinematography in Episode III (at least the dialogue scenes) was very good this time around, making this type of thing possible. But here's the thing: how much better can you illusrate Anakin's fall than walking around with him the entire movie as we hear his thoughts? Obviously, some GREAT scriptwriting would need to go into Anakin's narration, but

Anakin: That's Palpatine. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. The most powerful man in the galaxy and one of my dearest friends. Ever since I arrived at the Academy, I had spent long hours talking with him in his office (as we're fading to a flashback of the Anakin/Palpatine scene from Ep. II).

Anakin: Yes, I never realized how naive I was until I met him...


Obviously that was just off of the top of my head, but do you see what incredible character depth could go into this "old" movie, a single prequel to the Star Wars trilogy?

-TM

Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side

Emperor Jar-Jar
“Back when we made Star Wars, we just couldn’t make Palpatine as evil as we intended. Now, thanks to the miracles of technology, it is finally possible. Finally, I’ve created the movies that I originally imagined.” -George Lucas on the 2007 Extra Extra Special HD-DVD Edition

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Wow. So make it look like it was shot in the late '40's-early '50's?

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Originally posted by: shanep
boreddusty hehee. That has triple meaning here!

Darth Richard
It was a joke. As in: window dressing and Ranch(house) flavour. Get it?


Sorry i'm a bit slow today hahaha.

And Trooperman I was actaully thinking the same Idea. But definately not for the ranch. I was also thinking some other things which I'll talk aobut once at least episode one is done.
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Originally posted by: shanep
Wow. So make it look like it was shot in the late '40's-early '50's?


Yes, which works nicely because this time, the rotten CGI was mostly confined to Upatu and the wookie planet. Using everything else, especially in black and white, would give this the right feel, especially with Hermann music. I know this wouldn't be popular with some, but maybe even editing off of the full-screen ROTS DVD might be the right way to go for this project. That was pretty much the aspect ratio back then, after all.

Also, I think this project would really appear to the strict OOT fan, who hates all of the prequels because no matter how much you edit them, all of the Geonosis/Upatu/Wookie planet stuff can't be removed. If we do a single, old-fashioned prequel with flashbacks and Anakin's narration, and the script is well written, I can envision lots of people enjoying this movie at the same level as the OOT.

The point is that going into the noir style of filmmaking/editing would let me get away with a lot of stuff that I would love to do for Anakin's backstory, but simply can't due to the original framework. The best part is that this project wouldn't take as long as "Shroud of the Dark Side", and I'd have some of the dubbing already completed for the "big budget" Starkiller Ranch ROTS.

And this project would involve such incredible creativity in scriptwriting. I mean, we were unhappy with Anakin's portrayal throughout the PT; Shroud of the Dark Side is going a long way to fix that, but a black & white noir film with narration (kind of like "Blade Runner") is also a great excuse to completely rewrite Skywalker's corruption and his rationale for what he did.

This is all stuff I would be afraid to do in the "official" color edit, of course.

-TM

Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side

Emperor Jar-Jar
“Back when we made Star Wars, we just couldn’t make Palpatine as evil as we intended. Now, thanks to the miracles of technology, it is finally possible. Finally, I’ve created the movies that I originally imagined.” -George Lucas on the 2007 Extra Extra Special HD-DVD Edition

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HOLY CRAP!! that would rock!!

*deep breath*

One of the things I would like to see with such a project (aside from its own thread) is a detailed commentary track explaining why perhaps why you went with certain creative decisions and maybe a special feature with side by side Episode 3 shots and any any corrosponding 40's and 50's noir/serial feature shots. Mostly, I just would like to see this often influence on the Star Wars movies paid its due instead of largly ignored. Maybe that's just me. Or maybe this is too much. Eep.
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Trooperman, how do you come up with these ideas? First Shroud of the Dark Side now this! I like old black and white movies so this sounds awsome! I can't wait!


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Trooperman,

This really does sound like a great idea - a film noir Star Wars. I can't wait for it.

You know of the rebellion against the Empire?

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is there anyway to matte paint on a medal for Chewie for ANH?
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Trooperman, that sounds like a great idea.

I'm a big X-Files fan and every now and again they would go out on a limb and shoot an episode in an unusual style, or have it all form the POV of one character, etc. I used to really enjoy those 'alternate' episodes, and I think this could work the same way.

War does not make one great.

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I don't know how a medal on Chewie would work. Since he only stays in the back, there is no chance for Leia to give him one. Unless he had one before this, but why would he get one before Han and Luke? And I certainly wouldn't want to try to animate a medal on Chewie while he was walking.
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Originally posted by: Sluggo
I don't know how a medal on Chewie would work. Since he only stays in the back, there is no chance for Leia to give him one. Unless he had one before this, but why would he get one before Han and Luke? And I certainly wouldn't want to try to animate a medal on Chewie while he was walking.


great points, I was jsut thinking out loud.
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Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
No medal for Chewie is blatant Wookism.


hahahahaha
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I always thought it would be cool if Chewie got a medal at the end of Return of the Jedi.
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Guy
I always thought it would be cool if Chewie got a medal at the end of Return of the Jedi.

He does help turn the tide of the ground battle.
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I'm very happy that people seem to share my enthusiasm for an Star Wars film noir. However...

Originally posted by: Marvolo
I can't wait!

Originally posted by: Erikstormtrooper
I can't wait for it.


NO!!!!!! Why did I just commit myself to another project, when I haven't even finished my first yet!

I'm kidding- it's all right. I probably should've waited until a little later to bring the idea up, though, because I want to start discussion now, even though it's much too early. But I find this idea fascinating. The best part is that you could perhaps finally preserve the secret of Darth Vader and Luke in TESB, by removing any reference to "Skywalker" that might exist in ROTS after the other footage had been edited out. You could also make Palpatine's line, "It wasn't the first time, Anakin. Remember what you told me about your mother?" CUT. You can really use your imagination here without having to adhere to the backstory provided by Ep. I and II. Also, to preserve the surprise, we don't see Padme give birth to the twins. In fact, Anakin can kill her on the spot, on the lava planet, through a couple extended shots.

Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
Trooperman, that sounds like a great idea.

I'm a big X-Files fan and every now and again they would go out on a limb and shoot an episode in an unusual style, or have it all form the POV of one character, etc. I used to really enjoy those 'alternate' episodes, and I think this could work the same way.


I'll have to wait to discuss it fully, but what does excite me the most about this is the medium, which allows for so much creative opportunities. Really, I had this idea of ROTS as a complete departure from the style of the other films, long before I saw it. Some of it (like a title-card sequence) actually came to me in my sleep. Fancy that! When I actually saw the film, I was more impressed with the cinematography in general, and then just recently this idea started to develop.

-TM

Episode II: Shroud of the Dark Side

Emperor Jar-Jar
“Back when we made Star Wars, we just couldn’t make Palpatine as evil as we intended. Now, thanks to the miracles of technology, it is finally possible. Finally, I’ve created the movies that I originally imagined.” -George Lucas on the 2007 Extra Extra Special HD-DVD Edition

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Trooperman, the Noir thing is an excellent idea. You are right, it is not for everyone, but I am sure there will be a fair amount of us there to support you on this. If you get around to doing this, I will follow your progress with great interest. Also, the little bit of sample dialogue you wrote for Anakin's voiceover was pretty good.

"Every time Warb sighs, an angel falls into a vat of mapel syrup." - Gaffer Tape

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Ok I know I'm going out on a limb here because I haven’t read all of this thread so I don’t know if someone has said it already. But an idea I had for my own edit (similar to this one) but only concentrating on the original trilogy into one film and forgetting there is two Death Stars, was to use the scene at the end of ‘Sith’ where you see the Death Star being built. I’m using that scene at the beginning of ‘Hope’ and replacing all the exterior shots of the DS in ‘Hope’ with shot of the DS II from ‘Jedi’.

Anyway, point is, if you missed it, is that could that scene be used in a different way, maybe edited to help the Starkiller Edit.
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Troy you read my mind, well sort of. I was watching ROTS on HBO last night and thought of something like what your saying! I was hoping to that the scene could be put in ESB somewhere maybe. So that when you get ROTJ your not like where the hell did this DS come from!


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So what are you saying? That in ANH the rebels destroy a half built death star and in Jedi the are up against a complete one? Wasn't the whole point of the attack in Jedi that the Emperor tricked them into thinking it was incomplete when in reality it was fully operational?

Or are you saying there is only one death star throughout the 3 movies and we see it develop over the course of the 3 films until it is finally destroyed in the finale of Jedi? If that's the case, what happens at the end of ANH? Han and Luke rescue the princess then go straight to Hoth?

War does not make one great.