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What if someone else had played Obi-Wan instead of Alec Guinness?

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With all the stories that go around about how Alec Guinness hated Star Wars, it kind of makes one wonder why he bothered to get involved with it at all (I guess he thought it would be an interesting little experiment as opposed to something that would become a phenomenon). But without him, would Star Wars still be Star Wars? What if someone else had played Obi-Wan? How different do you think the film would have turned out?
I'd like a qui-gon jinn please with an Obi-Wan to go.

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

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I think that Alec Guinness' Obi Wan performance should be replaced with the aid of computers by a new Ewan McGregor performance to tie them in with the prequels.

War does not make one great.

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Before anyone says anything, that was a joke. To be honest, I don't think the films would be much differnt without Sir Alec, although he did lend the film some credibility when it was first released. Him and Peter Cushing were the only names in the movie, which some people would have probably written off as a lamo sci-fi yarn without the presence of these ditinguished actors.

War does not make one great.

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I think the films would have been very different. Guinness added elegance and class to a space cowboy story. I don't know of anyone else who could have done it as well. I'm sure someone might have been able to. But all we're going to wind up with is a case of what if.

Just remember, rearrange the letters in "Alec Guinness" and you end up with "Genuine Class".
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
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Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
I think that Alec Guinness' Obi Wan performance should be replaced with the aid of computers by a new Ewan McGregor performance to tie them in with the prequels.


I wouldn't put this past Lucas.

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as far as I know Alec Guiness never hated Star Wars, otherwise he would never have done all three, moreso he resented the fact that after all his fine work and wondrous films he had made in a long and successful career, it would be a 2-bit science fiction film that he would be most remembered for, and in interviews he was only ever asked about Star Wars.

although I did hear that Peter Cushing never allowed his likeness to be used as an Action figure, so thats why there was never a Grand Moff Tarkin action figure until after his death.
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Originally posted by: buddy-x-wing
although I did hear that Peter Cushing never allowed his likeness to be used as an Action figure, so thats why there was never a Grand Moff Tarkin action figure until after his death.


I never knew this, buddy. But it certainly explains a lot.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
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Kevin A
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My impression is that everyone who worked on Star Wars hated it, except George Lucas. Harrisson Ford puts it down like it was some sort of porno he did on his early carreer, Alec Guiness ripped letters from SW fans, and the whole Peter Cushing thing...
“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
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Guinness? Yes, please, I'll have a pint.

Alec Guinness was one of the five marquee stars in Ep IV. In Ep V, he was replaced by Billy Dee Williams. Does this mean that Lucas switched from Guinness to Colt .45? Now that's one malt liquor picker.
I am fluent in over six million forms of procrastination.
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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
How could you hate workin' on freakin' starwars???

You have seen the doc on the new DVDs, right?

Princess Leia: I happen to like nice men.
Han Solo: I'm a nice man.

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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
How could you hate workin' on freakin' starwars???


When you've had the long and distinguished career that Alec Guinness had up to that point and then be remembered for some scifi flick moreso than for the rest of his filmography that he spent decades establishing, I might be upset as well. Star Wars should be the icing for him, not the whole damn cake.
"You fell victim to one of the classic blunders, the most famous of which is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia'."
--Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), The Princess Bride
-------------------------
Kevin A
Webmaster/Primary Cynic
kapgar.typepad.com
kapgar.com
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Originally posted by: GundarkHunter
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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
How could you hate workin' on freakin' starwars???

You have seen the doc on the new DVDs, right?


Yeah, I watched most of it. I still don't understand why everybody hated it so much.

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NM I missed a post that explained my question.
"I don't mind if you don't like my manners. I don't like them myself. They're pretty bad. I grieve over them during the long winter evenings."
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This, TheSessler:
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Originally posted by: buddy-x-wing
although I did hear that Peter Cushing never allowed his likeness to be used as an Action figure, so thats why there was never a Grand Moff Tarkin action figure until after his death.


Chaltab: well, we know what is SW now, but back then no one would know... they all thought they were wroking on some crappy sci-fi flick. Besides, it may come as a shock, but... some people don't like SW! Yeah I don't get it either.

Getting back on the topic: I wonder how SW would have come if Toshiro Mifune had been cast as Obi-Wan, as originally planned...
“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
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Yeah, that would be something to see. Also, I wish I lived in an alternate reality where Lucas didn't have a dispute with the Director's Guild and Spielberg directd ROTJ.

War does not make one great.

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Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
Yeah, that would be something to see. Also, I wish I lived in an alternate reality where Lucas didn't have a dispute with the Director's Guild and Spielberg directd ROTJ.


There would be no "Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom", as he would do ROTJ instead. And ROTJ would probably only come out in 1984, as he was busy finishing ET and Poltergeist on early 1982. He would add more senthimentalism to the "Vader is Luke's father" thing, Leia would not be his sister, and Solo would die.
“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
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hmmmm

According to the-numbers.com, given inflation, Star Wars is the highest grossing film ever.
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/records/index.html#inflation_adjusted

I would hardly call that a two-bit sci fi flick.

If I was an actor, I would want to be part of it!
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Yeah, but they didn't know that at the time. everyone was like 'What the hell is this crap? Wookies? some kinda guy in a monkey dog suit? What the hell am I doing here? I need a new agent'.

War does not make one great.

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Originally posted by: cupofzen
hmmmm

According to the-numbers.com, given inflation, Star Wars is the highest grossing film ever.
http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/records/index.html#inflation_adjusted

I would hardly call that a two-bit sci fi flick.

If I was an actor, I would want to be part of it!
Welcome Cups-Of-Zen, but that's inaccurate. According to Guinness the highest box office gross adjusted for inflation is Gone With The Wind.
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When did Guinness adjust for inflation? I thought he died before starwars made all the money it made in the nineties.

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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
When did Guinness adjust for inflation? I thought he died before starwars made all the money it made in the nineties.
Well it's in their 2005 book of records.
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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
When did Guinness adjust for inflation? I thought he died before starwars made all the money it made in the nineties.


He's referring to the Guiness Book Of Records, Not Alec Guiness. Anyway, Sir Alec only died in the late nineties or perhaps even 2000. He hasn't been gone that long.

War does not make one great.

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Originally posted by: Yoda Is Your Father
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Originally posted by: Darth Chaltab
When did Guinness adjust for inflation? I thought he died before starwars made all the money it made in the nineties.


He's referring to the Guiness Book Of Records, Not Alec Guiness. Anyway, Sir Alec only died in the late nineties or perhaps even 2000. He hasn't been gone that long.


He passed away august 5th, 2000.
“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