Jabba the Hutt

I was thinking about the Jabba scene in HOPE, and complaints about the lousy CGI, repeated exposition from the Greedo scene, and the early intro to the Falcon.

My idea was that the scene COULD potentially be reworked - it'd involve drastic editing and effects, but it could solve some of those problems problems.

Pretty much the only original footage used in the scene would be that of Han and Chewie. It's not in the hangar anymore, it's just the backroom someplace Jabba uses as a front. Jabba's mostly stationary in a dark room like in JEDI - the original stand-in is can be replaced by a pig guard or some other goon he keeps around. It's cut so that it's like Han is talking to him across the room while walking up to him. The subtitles can be edited however to make the scene work.

Think it'd work? I know the logistics are a pain in the ass, but it's a start.

I think the scene makes no sense when inserted into the film. Han is trying to escape Tatooine in a hurry due to the bounty hunters that are pursuing him; yet in the middle there's this scene where he manages to buy some time with a 15% extra. I feel it makes the price on his head much less dramatic.

The scene was a fun extra treat for the '77 rerelease, but it was not necessary for the story, and it does not make sense when taken in context of the larger story. As PCITSCH said, it doesn't make sense for Han to be talking with Jabba if he's trying to get out in a hurry. He says to Luke and Obi Wan, "We're a little rushed, so if you'll just strap yourselves in we'll get out of here." Why would Han say this if he just finished buying himself time with Jabba. Also, if Jabba is the most wealthy and powerful person on all of Tattoine, why is he hiking all the way out to Mos Eisley to shake down one of his former employees for money? Doesn't he have better things to do, like feeding Twi'lek strippers to his rancor while getting baked on spice? I thought that he had bounty hunters to take care of debt collection?

The scene is totally useless and should not be integrated into the actual film. Not on a permanent basis, at least. Like I said, it was fun to see it in theaters, but long-term it should stay as an extra on the side.

I always thought they should replace that bad Jabba with a hologram of Jabba being projected by an R2 unit. We've seen other characters have a walk-and-talk with various sized holograms before and they can paint out the original actor without needing something big enough to just cover over him. The scene is still lame though. Han would never be standing that close to Jabba's mouth for one thing.

The hologram from a droid is actually a great idea, but even with the technical issues solved the scene still has no place in the movie.

My issue with the scene is that Jabba seems entirely inconsistent with the ruthless, merciless gangster we see in Return Of The Jedi.  This scene makes Jabba seem like a bit of a pushover, and not someone to really be afraid of.  Also, has anyone else notice the OBVIOUS editing continuity error here?  The cutaway to Chewie walking away from the entrance to the hangar when he was already walking behind Han & Jabba in the previous and following shots?

-NJM

@Easterhay - Your last paragraph speaks volumes.

I always thought the TPM Jabba looked great. Why couldn't they have used that one in the 2004 edition? It looks like him, whereas the 2004 Jabba looks less like Jabba than the 1997 one. His animation is better though, because when Han steps on his tail you can see him get ticked off and he makes a fist, whereas the 1997 Jabba just stood there and took it. But the scene has so many problems, technical and storywise, plus editorially, the whole thing just so clearly doesn't belong in the film. It was fun in 1997 to see because the 1997 release was just sort of a fun bonus in a way, "hey, here's what Star Wars looks like with enhanced effects and new material, cool", but as a permanent part of the film it has no real place. But I guess if you consider the SE as a permanent part of the film the Jabba scene is just the tip of the iceberg so it seems kind of pointless to complain.

I think if the 1997/2004 Jabba were replaced with the TPM Jabba, and the "stepping on the tail" thing could be somehow removed, I wouldn't mind the scene ... with one caveat.

The Greedo scene should also be reworked to more closely follow the shooting script.  This honestly wouldn't be that hard.

Dialogue as is now:

Greedo: Going somewhere, Solo?
Han: Yes, Greedo, as a matter of fact, I was just going to see your boss.  Tell Jabba that I've got his money.
Greedo: It's too late.  You should have paid him when you had the chance.  Jabba's put a price on your head so large, every bounty hunter in the galaxy will be looking for you.  I'm lucky I found you first.
Han: Yeah, but this time, I've got the money.
Greedo: If you give it to me, I might forget I found you.
Han: I don't have it with me.  Tell Jabba--
Greedo: Jabba's through with you.  He has no time for smugglers who drop their shipments at the first sign of an Imperial cruiser.
Han: Even I get boarded sometimes.  You think I had a choice?
Greedo: You can tell that to Jabba.  He may only take your ship.
Han: Over my dead body.
Greedo: That's the idea.  I've been looking forward to this for a long time ...
Han: Yes, I'll bet you have.
[BLAM!]

Now, my proposal for the revised dialogue (this only requires removing some of Han's dialogue and changing Greedo's subtitles), mostly taken from the revised fourth draft of the script:

Greedo: Going somewhere, Solo?
Han: Yes, Greedo, as a matter of fact, I was just going to see your boss.  Tell Jabba that I've got his money.
Greedo: That's what you said yesterday.  I'm not going back to Jabba with another one of your stories.
Han: Yeah, but this time, I've got the money.
Greedo: Then I'll take it now.
Han: I don't have it with me.  Tell Jabba--
Greedo: It's too late for that.  Jabba would rather have your ship.
Han: Over my dead body.
Greedo: That's the idea.  I've been looking forward to this for a long time ...
Han: Yes, I'll bet you have.
[BLAM!]

That mostly solves the redundancy issue between the Greedo scene and the Jabba scene.

Easterhay said:

I am not anti-CGI by any means.  But what does it say when the rubber puppet in ROTJ still looks more convincing than the CGI versions in ANH and TPM?

Yes. And even if ILM was somehow one day be able to get the CG to look exactly like the great ROTJ puppet, the scene still wouldn't belong in the movie no matter how much it's changed or tinkered with.

I believe the 2004 DVD Jabba was the model from TPM, but the coloring was off. It was shaped more like the ROTJ Jabba than the First SE one. What could have been done if a long shot with a stand in having Han walking in the other direction which would eliminate him having to step on Jabba's tail.

You know what else would have eliminated him having to stop on Jabba's tail?  NOT HAVING THE SCENE IN THE MOVIE.

:p

I knew that, but it was nice to have a bonus. I don't hate the scene.

Knightmessenger said:

Then right at the beginning of Jedi, he's like "the Emperor is not as forgiving as I am" and kind of is a weak character who feels trapped in the situation, rather than someone who gets off on being a BAMF.

The only possible decent use for that scene is to roto Boba fett into another part of mos eisley so he could have a very minor character appearance skulking around mos eisley... Probably when Luke and Ben are on there way to the falcon.