Well, I'm kind of new here, but I saw adywan's ANH edit... it was great. No, really, it was. Now, I know of some adywan's intentions, like, no Vader in ROTS... but... that will be quite pointless. Anakin turns to the dark side and stuff, if only it would be a Godfather-like movie, where the story of the present and the past (or how you would like to call it) are parallel.
Anyway, I've got some ideas, maybe someone will use them. Before I start, I want to point out that I started watching Star Wars with... TPM. That's right, TPM. Then came the SE OT and then AotC with RotS. So I'm kind of one of those who didn't really care if Han shoot first (though that moment did look quite choppy in SE) or about midichlorians. I'm fine with both the "mystical" OT version and "scientifical" PT version. And I do like more the idea that was introduced in PT (and not so badly realized, though not without flaws) about, you know, greyishness of things more than OT's "this one's good, this one's bad, this one's good turned bad then turned back to good". Not that I don't like OT. ESB and ROTS are my favorite SW episodes (with ESB being the best of OT and ROTS being the best of PT).
Let's start.
TPM is actually a pretty nice movie. I mean, it has it's flaws, and... well... differences from the OT, but actually, I found it quite close to ROTJ. And the structure is quite the same. First part of the movie - rescue, second part - journey on a planet (well, in TPM case - two planets) with a race, and the third part - lightsaber duel, space battle and ground battle all going on at the same time. There's even a Jedi funeral in both movies. But, unlike ROTJ, it has politics. I know some people don't like politics in SW. Well, I like politics in SW, and think they should not have to be cut.
Well, probably the main gripe of all SW fans is Jar Jar. Mine too. Now, I don't think Jar Jar should be cut at all. And I don't think he should be remade to, you know, a serious creature (let's see, 3PO in EpV is... well, not annoying as Jar Jar is in this one, but he's quite annoying too. That's my opinion), but tone down the sillines. And cut the poo and fart jokes, I mean... This is Star Wars. No poo and fart jokes in Star Wars... I just don't think, considering his on-screen actions, that it's quite possible to make a fully serious character out of him, but I've heard about some miracle in MagnoliaFan edit, didn't see it though.
Now, this conerns all battle droids scenes throughout the movie. Remove the "uhhhh", "oh-oh", "ah" parts. They're droids, after all. So, instead of always saying "Oh-oh, blast 'em!", just make them say "Blast 'em!".
Tatooine. Well, there's this "Anakin has no father" scene. Cut it? No. I just came to a thought that it works better with the "Mystical Force" version of things, not the scientifical ones. So... there's one advantage of the OT mystical Force version, it seems. The scene with the probe droid should be put back in. It's, like, the reason Qui and Ani are running anyway. The fight with Greedo is essential to be put back. Not only because of Anakin's "dark side", but also because of Qui-Gon's teaching manners. "Well, you know you're right, fighting won't change anything. Let's go". It's great, really.
Battle for Naboo... Well, there is a gripe I have with Anakin. I propose to somehow move the line "Qui-Gon told me to stay here and that's what I'm going to do" line while he's still in the hangar. Before or short time after he launches the stargihter, on PURPOSE (not searching for anything), and on PURPOSE destroying droidekas and flying to the Battleship, without any autopilots. He IS eager to prove himself, isn't he?
When I first saw AOTC, I thought it was utter crap. Then, after watching it again, I thought it was... not so bad. But I have to watch it again to actually put some type of list. And here comes ROTS...
ROTS is my PT favorite, but it's the one I think that should be edited the most, if someone would edit it. Pretty ironic, eh?
Battle of Coruscant. It's long and... well, the first few minutes are ok (I would say that the very beginning is, well, great), but then there's all this buzz droids stuff. I mean, it's pointless! I propose to make so that after going through the Vulture droids (well, somewhere after the phrase "they're doing their job so we can do ours") edit stuff as necessary so they would get straight to the Invisible Hand and land there. It would be much more paced and less-dragged.
The Invisible Hand. I know, some would like to get the Shaak Ti deleted scene back. But please, don't. At least without big graphical work, which would require quite some time. Besides that, Shaak is seen elsewhere in the movie, I think, so... no Shaak Ti death on IH scene. Anyway, now what about those things that are already in the movie. The thing that buggers me the most (and not only me) is the elevator scene with R2 vs. Super Battle Droid. Up, down, up, down, and... well, pointless. Duel with Dooku could use some music, but not necessary. Removing Palpatine's "Yes!" is necessary, though. Everything else on Invisible Hand is ok in my book.
Coruscant... It's quite hefty as it is, but I think that returning all three Rebellion scenes (especially the third one, with Anakin standing near the Chancellor) is essential. Besides, if Battle of Coruscant would be shortened, there will be enough time and for these three things. The chat on the balcony... I'm not against romantic scenes, and, like, in AotC many didn't like the dialouge, but come on, Anakin is an ex-slave boy, how can he know how to talk nicely? But the whole "so love has blinded you?" stuff on that balcony is really corny. From Grievous straight to the dream, that would do the trick.
One thing that I had with Anakin's turn to the dark side is that it was... well, it was fast, but we do know about Palpatine slowly playing over Anakin's mind all over the time. Anyway. The Jedi Council room with Ani and Padme is cool, IMO. Fix the sun thing if possible (so light would fall always from the right direction), and remove Chancellor's line. Then. Cut the Sidious-Mace lightsaber duel. IMO, it would be so much cooler that after Palpatine says "It's treason then" we cut to Anakin getting to the Office, and... we see Mace over an already deformed Palpatine (without that "Only I can help save your wife from death" and "Don't listen to him, Anakin!"). Well, even if to leave the battle in the movie, still, Palpy must be deformed BEFORE Anakin's arrival, IMO. And he must look weak, tired and battle-scarred to Anakin. That would make much more sense. The first time we see Palpatine cast lightning from his hands is when Anakin chops Mace's hand. No "What I've done" thing. Just "Pledge myself to your teachings", and well, maybe 'bout Padme. After that, Anakin doesn't say a single word. I think, what made the fall look so fast, is all those "Thank you, master", "Agreed, the next move bla-bla" and stuff. Like, he was "OH MY WHAT I'VE DONE" and suddenly "I'M A BADDIE YEAH!". Cutting that will make Anakin's turn more believable, IMO. Maybe have him somehow shut all the way through, even no "Pledge myself to your teachings", dunno. I mean, sometimes silence is more powerful than words. And... If Palpy says that he knows how to save from death, why he says that together we can DISCOVER the secret? Well, that whole turning to the dark side scene needs a revamp, don't you think? I may write some time later a little more clearly how do I see it.
Jedi Purge stuff is cool. There's one thing I'm not really sure about. I mean, Anakin cries a bit after killing the Mustafar leaders, but doesn't have a tear while killing younglings. I think it should be the other way around, and... digitally adding some tears going from his eyes before activating his lightsaber won't be too hard?
There's one thing in the Jedi Temple security room I think is not quite right: as soon as they see the Hologram, both Obi and Yoda start to call Palpatine the Emperor instead of Palpatine. I think, if possible, this should be replaced. Oh, and I'm not sure about the yellow eyes during the Mustafar scene. Are they really necessary? I mean, they're cool, but... Dunno.
Anakin vs. Obi-Wan duel is... well, the duel itself is cool, at least while it's inside. I know some didn't like the "Only a Sith deals in absolutes", considering that it totally broke the point of "broad point of view stuff", but we have to remember that it's a JEDI who says that line, not a Sith. The real confusing stuff, for me anyway, is that there's a half-alive pregnant woman lying over there, there's those two best friends yelling at each other, and they talk about... democracy and stuff. That's a little strange, I think. Oh, and... I heard there was some unused Ani-Obi duel footage. It would be nice to get it back somehow. If possible.
But then again, there's this "Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil!". "From my point of view the Jedi are evil!". Well... it will be hard to do anything with these. I don't have anything "I have failed you" and "I should've known the Jedi were trying to take over", but this evil stuff... Don't know. It's just... well, it does make sense, but something is not right.
I'm not sure about adding Qui-Gon's talk with Yoda, I've heard this was done before. I think that Yoda's talk with Obi-Wan about Qui-Gon should be cut as well, or redone. I mean, why this ghost thing is something that has to be... teached? Especially when Anakin didn't have anyone to teach it to him. It just doesn't go along well.
And I think that "She has lost will to live" thing is crap. For god's sake, Anakin has choked her for quite some time, and she's dying because she doesn't want to live? When she gave birth to two babys and thinks Anakin has some good left in him? And she doesn't want to live? Bullshit. And I dunno about the names... Well, you can leave them in, you can cut the naming altogether.
There is an idea how to remove the mother controversy, but it would require editing ROTJ, not ROTS. Just a bit of change of the dialouge.
Luke: Do you remember your mother?
Leia: Just images, really... *other stuff she says there*
Luke: (maybe after a bit of silence) Your REAL mother?
And Leia doesn't have anything to answer.
Now, in the OT, there were three big revelations. That little green creep is Yoda, Darth Vader is Luke's father, Leia is Luke's sister. We all know PT ruins all those surprises if to watch the SW saga chronologically.
The Yoda stuff is ok. As long as the scene in the mud on Kashyyyk is cut, one may think "oh my, what has happened to Yoda during his exile! He's gone insane!". I mean, one may KNOW it's Yoda, but he doesn't act like Yoda.
The Darth Vader stuff is a bit... well, more complicated. I already said that not mentioning Vader in ROTS won't do the trick in my opinion. It would require a drastical change of ANH, really. Not only the dialouge in Obi's hut, but also Vader's lines and their talk during their duel and stuff. It's not that hard to keep Leia a secret to the public, but the fact that Darth Vader is Luke's father... It has to be thought deeply, just keeping Vader out of ROTS won't do it, really.
Now, what are the revelations of PT? The main revelation should be, Sidious = Palpatine. I think it's there, I don't know. I knew for a long time Sid was Palpy. Any other stuff?
