Omni

J. W. Rinzler’s excellent The Making of Empire Strikes Back (2010). I have the eBook edition, to me it’s easily the best BTS anything from the OT and pretty much tells the definitive story. I forget the page - somewhat early into the book - around the time of the story development (pre-script), Lucas’ initial ideas for then Minch Yoda and how the name was meant to be eastern sounding, and how he wanted him to speak incredibly strangely, so it would stick out. He was attempting to make the character interesting and not Obi-Wan 2.0, and to make what can be boring mystical dialogue more memorable. I can check the actual page later and tell you, if you’d like, but if you have the book as well I think it would be easy to find! 😃

Sorry, but that paints the wrong picture.

Yoda was always going to talk funny but Lucas struggled with the proper syntax of how exactly he should talk. He never stopped struggling and it’s easy to see how even in prequel dialogue he didn’t have it quite as figured out. Kasdan helped a ton and we got to the final version, and of course Oz and Kersh on set added the final touches to be as good as it was but Yoda was always going to talk funny.

This thread loses much of its point when it’s just shamelessly biased.

If they decide to re-release the movie, it would most likely be in April or around Star Wars Day (May 4), like they’ve done in recent years. It would be wonderful for Star Wars to be back in cinema screens the week it turns 50, but the date is just too good for new movies, so I wouldn’t expect it.

Oz might’ve helped on set no doubt, but the bulk of the dialogue and Yoda speaking that way comes from Lucas and Kasdan mainly.

JoyOfEditing said:

G&G-Fan said:

Are the 2011 Blu-rays a good source for the Prequels? I know they’re definitely not for the OT from all I’ve learned about OT restoration (thank goodness for oohteedee’s D+77/80/83). But they’re the highest quality versions of the Prequels I currently own and I want to know if they’re good to use for sources for edits or if I should get something else.

It depends on how you want to approach it. If you want the closest to the original theatrical color, then the HDTV versions are to my knowledge the best, until the folks doing 4K99 restore 35mm prints of the Prequels.

Just as a PSA, 35mm prints of all three prequels have been found, scanned and released.

Just to add something, I’ve been to quite a few fan gatherings around the world at this point, I’m very lucky and privileged to have lived in the United States, in Europe and in Latin America, and it was very interesting to notice how reaction around the prequels was so different in the US vs abroad (much, MUCH better received abroad). I think it’s about when you read the dialogue subtitled, even if you’re able to judge the original line on some level (and speak fluent English), it’s the sentiment that it gives off that ends up mattering more than the line itself - and the subject of most lines in the prequels is good, it’s just sometimes a bit of a rough line. And when the dialogue isn’t the most important part, when the emotion it’s supposed to give off comes across through other cinematic context and clues that supersede the dialogue, it’s apparently true that the movies tell a far more effective story.

With that said, it’s also worth noting that of all the big franchise IPs, Star Wars is much stronger in the United States than elsewhere comparatively, especially when you look at like Harry Potter or Marvel numbers (abroad vs US), you really see just how strong Star Wars is domestically, even if weaker elsewhere, which is to say, US reaction to Star Wars does have a lot of weight.

Anjohan said:

In other words, brilliant job, Disney, and keep hiring and focusing on Star Wars stories and character above anything else - and leave the real-life politics to the politicians. This is for the fans. ❤️

Hilarious comment considering that these three episodes are BY FAR the most political Disney Star Wars has ever been. It’s not very subtle, either.

Hell fucking yeah. Maybe Cassian should’ve spent more time in the main story as opposed to lost in a side quest on Yavin for a couple episodes but other than that, what is there to say? Star Wars is back.

Connor MacLeod said:

I would love to know how Lucas feels about this! 😂

He’s given mixed signs as of late - very defensive of the SEs around Cannes last year, but he also “gave his blessing” to the two screenings of the 70mm Academy print in LA, so who knows. Bizarrely, I saw some people on twitter upset that they’re “going against George’s vision” or whatever. People are so stupid, they don’t even realize they should also respect 1977 George Lucas’ vision. I’m very happy we’re getting more screenings popping up, it does seem like the air is getting clearer for some of these original prints to maybe see the light of day, and then, perhaps as a pipe dream, the potential public release.

Criteria seems to be “Filoni’s favs”, which is a problem.

These Tales miniseries being forced into focusing only on two characters, each given 3 episodes, is beginning to turn me off from them, given the characters Filoni keeps choosing to focus on.

Tales of the Jedi had 3 interesting Dooku ones, and 3 pointless Ahsoka ones. Then, Tales of the Empire had 3 pointless Morgan Elsbeth ones, and 3 Barriss Offee ones that had potential but were ultimately bad as well. Now, with Tales of the Underworld, I think the 3 Cad Bane ones are inevitably also doomed to pointlessness.

The 3 Ventress ones are the only hope but given what the last two miniseries offered, I’m just not that interested anymore. I will still check it out, the episodes are fairly short, but I’m not holding my breath. I think that if you had a more open format, maybe a couple episodes on three characters, or even just one focus character per episode, that you’d be able to tell more interesting stories from unexplored angles and perspectives, forming a more cohesive season that tells actual tales, as opposed to just telling two stories, about characters that only Filoniheads actually care about.

Val Kilmer, at 65. Rest in peace.

Totally agree the title music lacks any sort of punch in TFA or TLJ, don’t know what happened there. Apparently it was re-recorded for TLJ but to my ears it just sounds like the TFA version. Maybe they didn’t master it well, it’s just so quiet. Can’t speak to TROS however as I haven’t seen that in quite a few years and hopefully it remains that way for many more.

Incredible

I feel a pain in my chest. One of the saddest days in recent memory.

Trap was sensational!

Pablo Hidalgo mentions that the Imperial officer’s attitude towards Vader in each of the three symbolizes how well known he is - Motti in Star Wars, Ozzel in Empire and Jerjerrod in Jedi. I think it sounds reasonable, and extends to most characters in those respective films. The idea, I think, is that after the Death Star he and his Death Squadron became way more hands on in fighting the Rebels across the galaxy. Whereas before he was mostly stoned off his ass in Mustafar or doing Sith/Inquisiting stuff, I’m guessing, which is more in the shadows and less open.

Yeah but in terms of what filmmakers usually say and also in general terms I think I’m mostly on the mark. He’s not entirely wrong mind you I don’t think, but he’s definitely not right either, lol.

I think it’s hilarious and kinda charming that he saw SW at 10 and loved it, TESB at 13 and loved it, and then ROTJ at 16, hated it, and never thought to reconsider his angry teenage opinion, lol. Makes sense he pivoted to Dune, aka ‘proper adult sci-fi’. Anyway it’s such a specific opinion that only really people his age have. Those slightly younger than him love all 3, those much younger love all 3 and the prequels, the kids now love all 9, and it goes on…

A film should work within itself regardless of what Episode it is or something. ROTS is quite competent at establishing their relationship and what is it that falls apart - ditto for Anakin!s relationship to Padmé. Not a surprise it was reviewed more positively than all other Lucas SW films upon release - with the exception of the original.

Yes.

“Close the blast doors!” is a 1977 mono mix change by the way, which is in some respects the “final” mix.

Here’s a direct quote from J. W. Rinzler’s “The Making of Star Wars”:

In enlarging the treatment to what became a nearly two-hundred-page rough draft, Lucas was continually aided by the transference of his Apocalypse Now ideas to the fantasy realm. Some of his notes scribbled on yellow legal pads are: “Theme: Aquilae is a small independent country like North Vietnam threatened by a neighbor or provincial rebellion, instigated by gangsters aided by empire. Fight to get rightful planet back. Half of system has been lost to gangsters … The empire is like America ten years from now, after gangsters assassinated the Emperor and were elevated to power in a rigged election … We are at a turning point: fascism or revolution.”

This is from when he was piecing together what the movie would be about, and is pre-rough draft, so around Spring 1974. You must remember that Lucas wanted to make Apocalypse Now after THX 1138, and the only reason he dropped it was because no studio would make it. But Lucas really wanted to make it, and while I won’t say Star Wars is Apocalypse Now in space, to deny Lucas’ politics and ideas at the time and how they influenced Star Wars is just incredible. It’s definitively kept as subtext - the best part of Star Wars is how it’s so many things at the same time right, not just a western, or just sci-fi, or just fantasy, etc. - but it’s undeniable subtext I think, especially when viewed through the lens Lucas provided with his prequels.

It was always about the very technological imperial US, who at the time happened to be fighting Vietnam. Lucas talks about how the Empire is “10 years after Nixon makes a coup in America and becomes president forever” and stuff. In earlier drafts there’s even annotations like “Make Rebels more like the Viet Cong”. Leia’s hairstyle is reminiscent of Mexican revolutionaries, when it came time to pick an astronaut outfit for the Rebels Lucas decided to go for the Soviet orange versus the American white. Honestly baffling anyone would really dispute any of this, Lucas has been saying/writing/etc about all of this since forever. Not at all a contradiction or a rewrite of history.

Pretty sure Leia was 16 or 17 and Luke 20 - 22.