LexX said:
Did they really need trash compactor scene in SW?
Did they really need TIE Fighter chase in SW?
Did they really need asteroid chase in TESB?
Did they really need Sarlacc battle in ROTJ?
Did they really need to make the films?
No.
No need to exaggerate. You missed the point of the question. They needed trash compactor scene - it was the only way to escape the prison block AA-23. Yes, they need TIE fighter chase because Grand Moff Tarkin had to create illusion of them successfully escaping the Death Star I in order to trace them to the hidden Rebel Base and after all in a film that has such title you'd expect to see a lot of starship battles and alike stuff, otherwise it would be strange indeed. Yes, they needed asteroid chase, because it directly followed from the context of words of General Reekan that considering such intense asteroid activity it would make it extremely difficult to detect any approaching ship. Yes, they needed to make Sarlacc battle because such cruel offering fitted Jabba's medieval barbaric style and plus added maximum of logically justified emotional tension. In contrast, the podrace scene in PM, droid factory sequence and Geonosis arena sacrifice scene that seemed like silly imitation of Sarlacc's one could have been easily omitted - the whole story wouldn't have suffered. A main demanding to a movie is that certain course of events would follow inner logic of dramatic composition. Hence where Kershner's and Ford's preoccupation came from.