cutnshut

I like the way this discussion is headed. I think that Han Solo and Governor - Moff Tarkin's comments about hokey religions (and ancient religion) and ancient weapons - do indeed indicate that the jedi - would seem to be somewhat of a myth or legend. To most of the general inhabitants of the galaxy....

However, Obi Wan Kenobi ...who was a general during the clone wars. Taught by Yoda a great Jedi Knight. Upon meeting the skilled Pilot - Anakin Skywalker, realised how strongly the force was with him and took it upon himself to teach Anakin as a Jedi.

When Ben/Obi Wan Kenobi originally tells Luke about his father being a Jedi Knight - all Ben is trying to do is get Luke to embrace the idea of learning to use the force. He tells Luke that "Oh no you father was never a captain on a merchant vessel...or what ever..." ...pause for effect "He was a Jedi Knight!".

Therefore in Lukes mind (and the audiences) he is the heir of a far more heroic type of character and just the sort of inspiration/motivation that Luke needs in order to leave the farm behind and set off in his fathers footsteps to join the fight against the empire. It also resolves Lukes need to know what happend to his father in very exciting way.

Ben Tells Luke that his uncle made up some some boring story about who his father was to keep him at the farm out of harms way.

I like to think that Ben decided not to tell Luke of the truth that Anakin became Darth vader, to protect him. Which i think is what most people would choose to do until the "young man" becomes old enough to handle the truth. Unfortunately Ben never gets the chance to tell him..... thus the shocking revelation from Vader that comes later.

...think ive rambled off topic for a bit but i like the idea that episodes 1- 3 ...if they are even needed, portray what few followers of the jedi there are as idealist's who follow a strict code of honor.... perhaps more akin to a warrior/samurai practice than monastic/pacifist/worshipfull type religion.

These are rare individuals, that follow the ideals of an ancient cult/order that once numbered into the thousands and protected the republic. But even in this time when Obi Wan is a young man fighting in the clone wars the jedi are considered an ancient religion and followers are scorned much the same way as some people today might scorn other religous individuals due to their belief in a spirituality. Although as we see during the movies their spirituality which is the Force does manifest itself on a physical and on a sub-conscious level.

The Sith are the anti-thesis of the Jedi, a cult that also has a secret following even less well known to the inhabitants of the galaxy than the jedi. Though legends often protray the jedi causing as much harm and strife as the Sith - therefore there is also a fear around the galaxy of force users Jedi or Sith. Although generally the Sith are a purely devil like nature. The Jedi are generally more honorable but not without tales of their fallen heroes.

Therefore when "Return of the Jedi" comes along it is mysteriously a young follower of the Jedi way that restores the balance of light to a beaten people - (with a little help from the rebel alliance)

shanerjedi said:

sluggo

OH!  What if an ewok spy can be matted into the foreground of the scene where the rebels first exit the shuttle tyderium.  If the rebels are seen exiting an imperial ship, the ewoks would see them as enemies, the same as the imperials.  R2 and 3PO would have to be matted out of that shot until the ewok spies left, of course.

Cool. Just like a shadowy figure in the bushes that watches them and makes those Wicket growling noises as he watches them. Could add some early suspense for the audience too. The ewoks would certainly know the Imperial equipment by then too. Shuttles, Walkers, AT-STs would all be regarded as containing the enemy.

I think it would be good just for comedy factor, but plot wise - the Ewoks try to cook Han Solo & Luke and also tie up poor Artoo... I think that already suggests they dont like them.

Frakking Awesome!

thats it im lost for words lol :)

With Adywan's idea to kill off Lando, it got me thinking about Luca's original idea of nine movies and what the third trilogy may have been about.

I remembered Lucas said years ago that originally after the success of the first film he realised he could make 9 films. Years later after the release of the special edition movies and then the prequel trilogy, he has said that there will never be any more star wars movies (post- Jedi) because the Skywalker Saga was resolved.

So what would an alternative version of Return of the Jedi have been like if the idea had been to continue the franchise with episodes 7,8 & 9?

I happened to pick up a copy of the novel - Splinter of the minds eye (re-issue) and in it theres an Intro supposedly written by Mr Lucas (his signature is on the last page) - as he began making the original Star Wars movie he realised the full story would take 9 movies to tell (3 trilogies) and what he was setting out to write was the middle trilogy (OT). So.... it seems originally he was thinking of making 3 triliogies, I would think that after the release of Return of the Jedi the final version of the story wrapped up all the loose plot points so in the end there was no need for a third trilogy.

I wanted to find out what may have been the plot for the third trilogy so i tried to find transcripts of interviews with George Lucas to see if he gives any hints of what he had thought about.

In one he says that he never had much to do with the EU, apart from now and again saying "No" when asked if Luke could be killed or if a story on Yoda's origins could be done.

He then says, my story was always about the Skywalkers and it ended with the son redeeming the father, but... if he had written anything after episode 6 he would have gone in a different direction to the current EU, for example... Luke never gets married!

I then read another interview with one of the producers of Return of the Jedi and he said in an early draft, the film ended with Anakin Skywalker joining the Rebels, he then asks Luke to help him to kill the Emperor, Leia is made Queen by the survivors of Alderaan - which would become the plot for the next trilogy.

I dont think Han or Lando were mentioned in that particular interview.

Sorry I havnt included any links to where i found this information but it is there if you google - George Lucas Interviews

Hope my writing makes sense, i put it here mostly to get my own thoughts straight on an alternative take on Jedi that could lead to a third trilogy.

Hello all,

where can i download episode 4 revisited? I have the .avi version and i'd like the DVD version, to replace my "2004" dvd.

Im from the UK so PAL would be best if possible.

I'll even pay adywan for it, if it will help him with buying his modelling stuff! its all for a good cause.

thank you :)

Good point. forget what i said about putting the flashback in ROTJ, I liked the way others put it "to edit the PT to fit the OT not the otherway around".

For years I had been wondering what episodes 1 -3 would be like long before they actually made them. I would have gone in a different direction in the end. I certainly wouldnt have made anything that ruins the surprises/shocks of the original movies, but adds to the mystery/suspense leading up to the next trilogy.

But i am not a movie maker at the end of the day...

cutnshut

Hi Adywan,

Been following this forum for some time as i was amazed by your star wars ep4 revisited its now my favorite version of the movie. From the clips you have uploaded so far for empire I now can't wait to see what the final version is going to be like.

Whats totally mind boggling to me is that you have out done lucasfilm at their own game! - I am wondering if your job is tv/film media related? - not that it makes much difference.

Good work :)

PS. I am aware that this next thought doesnt really belong in this thread, but as there have been a few thoughts about the prequel trilogy - I just NEEDED! to get out things that have been on my mind! (sorry) I agree that the on the matter of continuity between the 2 trilogies, the PT should be edited to match the OT - not the other way around - which was lucasfilms main mistake i think. Hence a few things that bother me mostly when i think about people with no prior knowledge of star wars watching the 6 films in order of episode 1 - 6.

With the movies the way they are, it seems to me to get maximum enjoyment and the surprise/shock factor of the revelations in the OT (which is what i think made the movies so captivating) it makes sense to watch ep4-6 and then 1-3.

I would prefer to watch the movies in episode order 1- 6, but to do that and not ruin the (i suppose you could call it..) punchline that "makes" the original triliogy. I was thinking that Yoda should not be in the PT - he might be referred to by other characters but you never see or hear him talking. On the subject of Anakin's fall to the Sith, in a similar way - in episode 3 leave anakin's fate more of a mystery (a cliffhanger). So that the audience is left unsure exatly what has happened to anakin possibly that all the Jedi are wiped out including Obi Wan (hence uncle owen's comment at the dinner table in ep4). Padme is pregnant and alive at the end of the movie - but no talk of twins, its not necessary that she dies at the end of the movie or that you see her giving birth, as Leia's line in ROTJ resolves that part - when luke questions her about her mother. References to Bail having a wife in ep3 can be edited out - thereby the mystery of Padme also remains a mystery - did she die at the end of episode 3 or did Bail end up marrying her sometime after the events of episode 3. As episode 4 begins - her fate is irelevent to the story of Luke Skywalker.

If necessary footage of Anakin's fall to the dark side, Padme's birth of the twins and her death and palpatines "order 66" could be incorporated as a flashback/big reveal sequence in return of the Jedi after Luke questions the ghost of Obi Wan about the "Truth".

I think editing Return of the jedi for this reason would be acceptable, but not sure if you need to actually see Anakin's fall to the dark side or the fight with Obi wan - I think Ben's revelation to Luke (and yoda's) about the truth of his father - ups the mystery factor surrounding his fall from grace and the emotional impact of the whole saga.

I'm gonna stop there! sorry this became bit of an essay....

Thanks

Cutnshut