First, I would've used film cameras instead of digital cameras. Digtal cameras don't capture the image with the aesthetic beauty you get with film. Digital camera technology is improving, capturing image quality closer to film all the time, but it is still not good enough, so if making them today, I would choose film over digital media. Working with digital media is a hell of a lot easier than working with film because there is no developing time, the video is recorded and ready to work with immediatly. But I would be willing to go through the hassle of dealing with film to get the same look as the OT.
I agree, but this is probably the least critical problem plaguing the PT. If the PT was great - or even very good - I wouldn't have cared if they'd used digital, analog, or daguerrotype.
Second, I would've used models, physical gags, for special effects, little or no CGI. I would use CGI subtly if I could make it fit in with the film, But if I couldn't, I wouldn't use it at all. Why spend $300 million for CGI work when I can get infinatly superior work done for a fraction of the budget with artists seasoned in the work of physical gags and models. People didn't like the CGI in the prequels because it reflected the maturity of the work. In the OT they had model and physical gag artists working on the movie. These people were seasoned artists who had a mature eduacation on what looks good on film. They were pasionate about the films. With the prequels I don't get that impression. To me, it seemed like the people who worked on the prequels were a bunch of video game nerds. These are people who are good with video software and not the art of filmaking. They didn't have knowledge of good filmaking, their practice is still in its infancy and the CGI reflected the maturity of their work.
CGI is like a gun. Used responsibly, it's very effective. In the wrong hands, it's a disaster. As Mike J. Nichols (The Phantom Editor) pointed out, GL and company wrote entire scenes just to show off visual effects. That's unconscionable.
Third, I would've picked the best writers and directors to help me with these films. I would've kept the script and directing as far away from Lucas as possible. I'm not sure who I would pick if I could pick anyone, but I would be sure to stay far far away from Hayden Christiensen when it comes to casting.
I would have gone another route. You seem to imply here that you would have gone for established talent, big-name guys like Spielberg. My approach would be to bring in young people with an edge, people with something to prove. I don't think an older, well-established director would have had the right kind of mindset and energy for Star Wars; hell, Mr. Star Wars himself couldn't do it anymore, so why would Spielberg? The magic of Star Wars (the original movie, not the OT or the "saga") owes not a small debt to a previously unknown cast and crew. The PT gave us faces we already knew and it colored our perceptions (Samuel L. MF Jackson) - and the big names in the crew (Lucas, Burtt, John Williams) only proved that they lack much of what they once demonstrated a mastery of.
As for Hayden, you're spot on, of course. Even during his good acting moments, he seldom showed any real presence. In his darkest scenes, he wasn't fearsome. I was more scared of Blair Underwood in Diary of a Mad Black Woman than I ever was of Hayden Vader. Jake Lloyd was scarier when he said "I'm a person and my name is Anakin!" during TPM.
Forth, I would've kept the dark, gritty, realistic tone the OT in the prequels. The prequels have this disney feel to them, I would've gone completely in the other direction. I would've had the force remain a subtle metaphorical kind of thing like it was in the OT. Not have it escalade to this rediculous thing were it enables you to jump around like Mickey mouse on crack. Oh and no midiclorians bullshit.
I'm not a fan of the Flying Jedi Brothers, but I have to admit that there wasn't too much of it. It was utterly stupid at times: Count Dooku somersaulting off the catwalk before the duel in ROTS, Yoda the Hedgehog in AOTC, Obi-Wan's dramatic and totally convincing reversal against Darth Maul at the end of their duel in TPM. Take those out (somehow) and the Super Jedi thing isn't so bad. But turning the mystical Force into some sort of Force quantifier was weaker than a 50-cent martini.
Two simple steps would have darkened the tone of the PT: more convincing storytelling and returning the "used future" to Star Wars films. Everything looks so nice and clean and the storytelling is so awkward and clumsy, of course it comes off childish and unrealistic.
I can't wait to do some fan editing.