logo Sign In

The Ghost of Anakin Skywalker

Author
Date
Author
Time
Post link
When the original Star Wars trilogy was finally put on DVD in 2004, many of us were disgusted to learn that the ghost of Anakin Skywalker had been altered, with the late Sebastian Shaw's ghost pointlessly replaced by a CGI rendition of a smug, creepy looking Hayden Christensen, while the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi is still the late Alec Guinness.

Now, I'm wondering, taking into consideration the fact that by the time Alec Guinness did the original Star Wars he was already something of an icon unto himself, a well respected actor of high regard and a very impressive career with many memorable performances before Obi-Wan Kenobi.

With that in mind, I wonder if the more appropriate ghost of Anakin Skywalker would have been altered if he had been played by an actor who's name bore star recognition similar to that of Alec Guinness. Imagine, for a moment, if the old-man-turned-ghost of Anakin had been played by someone like Burt Lancaster or Charlton Heston (and yes, Heston IS an icon of the old Hollywood machine, whether you like him or not); would George Lucas have dared to replace the ghost of Anakin Skywalker then?
I'd like a qui-gon jinn please with an Obi-Wan to go.

Red heads ROCK. Blondes do not rock. Nuff said.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/greencapt/hansolovsindy.jpg
Author
Time
Post link
I think he would have. He doesn't seem to care about anyone's fame and respect, since he's trying to tell his story.
Author
Time
Post link
Originally posted by: Han Solo VS Indiana Jones
Imagine, for a moment, if the old-man-turned-ghost of Anakin had been played by someone like Burt Lancaster or Charlton Heston (and yes, Heston IS an icon of the old Hollywood machine, whether you like him or not); would George Lucas have dared to replace the ghost of Anakin Skywalker then?


Good question!

I'm not sure... I really don't know. Perhaps he would show Anakin as an old man, and later he would morph him into Hayden. That way he would have the "respectful" actor there (as if other actors didn't deserve our respect!), and would have his will of having, for some bizarre reason I don't yet fully understand, young Anakin there.

Now, as you've mentioned Burt Lancaster and Chalrton Heston as Anakin Skywalker (which would be mind blowing for those watching the movie for the first time, specially if Heston said "damn them all to hell" before dying), I'd pick Lawrence Olivier, but... I am not sure if he was still alive in the early 80s.
“Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.” — Nazi Reich Marshal Hermann Goering
Author
Time
Post link
i personally believe lucas added hayden just because he CAN. thats to strengthen his artist right crap argument. which i believe in to an extent, if only so they wont colorise 'its a wonderful life' or the original 'king kong'.

other than that i believe studios, or even the directors, should leave their damn films alone! espescially in lucas' case, 20 years after they have been released!
Author
Time
Post link
Originally posted by: battlewars
i personally believe lucas added hayden just because he CAN. thats to strengthen his artist right crap argument. which i believe in to an extent, if only so they wont colorise 'its a wonderful life' or the original 'king kong'.

other than that i believe studios, or even the directors, should leave their damn films alone! espescially in lucas' case, 20 years after they have been released!


they've already colorized king kong. Its only avaible in the Uk though
Author
Time
Post link
With that in mind, I wonder if the more appropriate ghost of Anakin Skywalker would have been altered if he had been played by an actor who's name bore star recognition similar to that of Alec Guinness. Imagine, for a moment, if the old-man-turned-ghost of Anakin had been played by someone like Burt Lancaster or Charlton Heston (and yes, Heston IS an icon of the old Hollywood machine, whether you like him or not); would George Lucas have dared to replace the ghost of Anakin Skywalker then?

Text


No way would Lucas have changed the scene then. He can get away with it because other than SW fans, who really knows who Sebastan Shaw is? If that was Charlton Heston, the hollywood press, would have exposed Lucas for changing an acting icon in his original movies, and Lucas would look stupid then.

Author
Time
Post link
I always thought that Sebastian Shaw was a pretty well-respected stage actor in the UK? Correct me if I'm wrong.

There is no lingerie in space…

C3PX said: Gaffer is like that hot girl in high school that you think you have a chance with even though she is way out of your league because she is sweet and not a stuck up bitch who pretends you don’t exist… then one day you spot her making out with some skinny twerp, only on second glance you realize it is the goth girl who always sits in the back of class; at that moment it dawns on you why she is never seen hanging off the arm of any of the jocks… and you realize, damn, she really is unobtainable after all. Not that that is going to stop you from dreaming… Only in this case, Gaffer is actually a guy.

Author
Time
Post link


Text


No way would Lucas have changed the scene then. He can get away with it because other than SW fans, who really knows who Sebastan Shaw is? If that was Charlton Heston, the hollywood press, would have exposed Lucas for changing an acting icon in his original movies, and Lucas would look stupid then.

I figured as much.

And Gaffer Tape, yeah, I think Sebastian Shaw was a respected stage veteran.

I'd like a qui-gon jinn please with an Obi-Wan to go.

Red heads ROCK. Blondes do not rock. Nuff said.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/greencapt/hansolovsindy.jpg
Author
Time
Post link
He may have been respected on the stage...but its the silver/big screen where major press takes note..
Author
Time
Post link
Originally posted by: maddog00
He may have been respected on the stage...but its the silver/big screen where major press takes note..


As Michael Gambon once said: "Theater actors are only tolerated. You have to be a movie star in order to be a celebrity."
I'd like a qui-gon jinn please with an Obi-Wan to go.

Red heads ROCK. Blondes do not rock. Nuff said.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v72/greencapt/hansolovsindy.jpg
Author
Time
Post link
Why not reshoot the unmasking of Vader if your going to change the ghost at the end
"KILLING IS MY BUSINESS, AND BUSINESS IS GOOD."
Author
Time
Post link
Originally posted by: Rotten Johnny
Why not reshoot the unmasking of Vader if your going to change the ghost at the end


Well, I suppose Lucas must have been happy with that scene or something. Plus, in that scene, there was really no need for Hayden, as he was supposed to look deformed anyway there, and if they really wanted to make him look different there, I suppose they could use CG.
Author
Time
Post link
If Lucas reshoots the Anakin Death scene using Hayden in Make-Up or some CGI, that's it for me and Star Wars.

War does not make one great.

Author
Time
Post link
I really don't think he will. From the way he talks in the "Chosen One" documentary on the ROTS DVD, he used that look from ROTJ as a model for the deformed Anakin in ROTS. I doubt he would do something like that to the very template he was going by.
Author
Time
Post link
Originally posted by: Rotten Johnny
Why not reshoot the unmasking of Vader if your going to change the ghost at the end


If they do, I will lose faith in everything. BTW, too be honest actually I really couldn't care. Star Wars is dead anyway, so that's why the O-OT is the true version and always will be.
"Yub Knub" by Warrick Davis