- Post
- #1251744
- Topic
- Info Wanted: New Member/new to fan edits - Direction pleased re "Prequels"
- Link
- https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/1251744/action/topic#1251744
- Time
Overall, I think Hal’s are the best (I’ll also give a shout out to his The Force Awakens: Restructured, which has definitively replaced theatrical TFA for me in a way no other fan edit ever truly has, even prequel edits). There are places here and there where I’d do things differently, but they’re the most polished and professional quality prequel edits I’ve seen, indistinguishable from an official release bar the unavoidable low quality of some of the deleted scenes.
L8wrtr’s edits are also excellent, but not quite at the same technical level as Hal’s (as in, you can see the “seams” here and there).
Seciors’ Episode I is great too, and unique in that it cuts Sidious out of the film altogether, keeping the “Man behind the curtain” a little more mysterious and ambiguous.
NFBisms’ ROTS New Canon Cut is also fantastic, especially for a first time(?) editor. It’s laser-focused on building up Anakin’s character to be a bit more in line with his The Clone Wars TV series portrayal.
I should also note that MalaStrana has made an alternate audio track for Hal’s Episode III that takes some cues from NFBism’s edit as well, though I don’t know how widely available that audio track is yet (I only recently converted it to DTS and sent that encode back to Mala and Hal for distribution).
Thoae are the ones I’m most familiar with. They’re all great in their own ways - it really depends on what kind of changes you’re interested in versus what things you’d prefer to remain as they are.
I will, however, say that I’ve yet to see an Episode II edit that comes anywhere close to Hal’s The Approaching Storm. Nearly flawless work. Episodes I and III have other edits that give Hal’s a run for their money, but not Episode II, for my money.
Wow, excellent write up here, pretty much exactly what i am looking for, good to know my layman research of Hals being right at the top is pretty accurate. In regards to what i am looking for, I am more than happy to have it not 100% tailored to my needs, my biggest gripes in the whole series was when the story plots took on swashbuckling adventures over the actual Jedi story line, bad Anakin acting, Jar Jar, Anakin acting rapey & awful romantic dialogue and just the generally cartoony & (ironically) Disney feel to certain enviroments and characters. I hate all the clumsy stuff like Anakin just accidently flying a space ship and blowing up a space station - all the same gripes everyone had. I actually think the plot is very good in these films - its just awful side adventures and dialogue & inappropriate childish tones that undermine it.
I guess for me is what you have already said - I don’t want to see the seams. I thought the job Hal did was incredible - he is a very talented guy. Will definitely check out TFA’s cut as well. Did he do one for TLJ? I do think that TLJ is a film that if it shaved about 15- minutes off the total running time (mainly with Finn’s storyline) - it would have been an exceptional film - as it is, still a great film!