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Episode II: Attack of the Phantom Edit


Jedi_Monk

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Back when The Phantom Menace came out, some fan took the film and reedited it, calling his work "The Phantom Edit". Though I've never seen it myself, I've actually heard it was a much better version of the film. I won't say whether I believe it, but I do think that with a very little tweaking, Episode I could've been a better movie.

 

But anyway, this just got me curious: If you had the opportunity--using only the footage available on, say, the DVD of Attack of the Clones--how would you reedit AotC? Would attempt to reedit it, for that matter?

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Well, if I could have some additional footage, this is what I would do:

 

1. Eliminate the droid factory scene. I just don't like the scene...I think it is far too obviously computer-generated and it doesn't really move the plot along for me or add any cool action. Without either of those things going for it, it is an easy call for me.

 

2. Expand on the relationship between Anakin and Padme. A lot of people don't buy the love story and I can't blame them. I'm not sure how Lucas could have improved this, but more scenes would have developed their love better I am sure.

 

3. Extend the Battle of Geonosis and Dooku/Obi-Wan and Dooku/Yoda lightsaber duels. The Dooku/Obi-Wan duel was weak in my opinion. How could Obi-Wan's skills deteriorate so much since the fight with Maul? He was awesome in that, but against Dooku (an old man), he was weak. For the opening battle of the Clone Wars, geonosis should have been a lot larger and more dramatic...they could have added a scene similar to when Chewy saves Han, Leia and crew at Endor...something to expand the characters and make the battle more meaningful.

 

I think those changes would help out the film...the biggest problem I see with Ep2 (and I love it, just trying to be constructive) is the lack of attachment with the characters. Now, I attached to the characters since I am a SW fan, but people who aren't fans had a hard time. Adding more love scenes and some drama to the war would help that out I believe. Those are my ideas, love em or hate em.

 

Swoosh

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I think those changes would help out the film...the biggest problem I see with Ep2 (and I love it, just trying to be constructive) is the lack of attachment with the characters.

 

IMHO...you are so right. I mean, the movie was really shibby and all...but I just didn't care about most of the characters! I cared about and...Jango and Boba, Yoda and Dooku and...that's all (well, Obi a little bit. ^_^). And there were alot more characters in that movie I think I was supposed to care about :(

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Well, you have to understand that the love between Anakin and Padme is critical to the story of Anakin and his turn to the dark side. Plus, if they didn't fall in love, where would Luke and Leia come from?

 

Lucas could have done it a lot better, but he simply doesn't have much experience with love stories and I imagine it's hard for him to even write one when he hasn't had many himself. I think that if the love story was done effectively and was slightly longer, then we would have felt a whole lot more attached to Anakin and Padme, therefore Ep2 would be a lot better.

 

Swoosh

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  • 2 weeks later...
Originally posted by Swoosh

 

The Dooku/Obi-Wan duel was weak in my opinion. How could Obi-Wan's skills deteriorate so much since the fight with Maul? He was awesome in that, but against Dooku (an old man), he was weak.

 

This is because after Maul killed Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan got really mad, and even though he tried to control his anger, his anger was still the reason why he fought so quick and agressive in that duel. But in that duel, him being affected by the dark side also was the thing that made him lose, because he didn't care about defenses, so Maul got the chance to push him.

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Originally posted by JM Qui-Gon Jinn

This is because after Maul killed Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan got really mad, and even though he tried to control his anger, his anger was still the reason why he fought so quick and agressive in that duel. But in that duel, him being affected by the dark side also was the thing that made him lose, because he didn't care about defenses, so Maul got the chance to push him.

 

Plus, let's face it, Dooku's style of fighting is incredible. He's really fast and its hard for someone used to blocking blaster bolts with his saber to really put up a good fight against someone so fast, even if he is old.

 

That being said, i would have made the fight scenes alot longer. I could have done a better job or choreographing the fight myself. I would have made them more fast-paced and longer and just overall better. Of course, there are lots of time restrictions when you have to have 3 (4 really since Anikan's is two parts) saber duels. And i don't think it is "unrealistic" as far as Star Wars goes, just could have been better.

 

I definately would take out the droid factory scene and add in the Federation ship invasion scene with the Jedi that they took out.

 

Then i would have added a covered walkway on Kamino. I mean, if your entire planet was always covered in storms then wouldn't you at least have a way for not to get wet when they went landed? ;) Made for a good figh between Jango and Obi-Wan.

 

Also I would have taken out the torpedo scene, that just wasn't realistic as far as Star Wars goes. I know, I know, the movies are cannon, but Proton or Torpedoes or Concussion Missles, whatever it was supposed to be, are much faster than astarfighter though they are as manuverable as seen. They also wouldn't have that kind of pathfinding capabilities, it would have ran into the fight astroid in came across. I'm not quite sure what i would have done, but it wouldn't have been that.

 

Plus some of what others said that i won't mention again.

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I think there's a lot of improvements that could have been made in AOTC. Swoosh was right, we didn't really get any attachment to the characters at all. I think I'd have made it so that all the "developing love" scenes between Anakin and Padmé were less wooden, and show that by the end of the film, they did actually fall in love instead of being so distant from each other. The once part-scene I would have kept in was the "rolling in the long grass section, because that did actually look as though they were enjoying being together. But somehow, I'd have made all the scenes shorter, because to be fair, even thought they were the most important scenes in the entire movie as far as the bigger picture is concerned, they detracted from the whole feel of the Star Wars universe. They were slow, dull, and horrifically badly acted. Now, I know the acting's not exactly great in the rest of the films, but this was worse! Alost as bad as Padmé in Ep I... well, ok not that bad, but still... :D

 

I would have included a scene where Jar-Jar got completely vapourised in a most painful way (and probably left it on the cutting room floor, releasing it on the internet only, seeing as Star Wars is supposed to be all U-rated... :smirk2: I would then have had a Dormé come in and take over the ambassadorial duties from Padmé whilst she was away.

 

I agree with TIE Guy - the Droid factory was pointless. I'd have had Anakin and Padmé caught some other way, like trying to infiltrate the prison where Obi-Wan was being held, and Jango Fett tracking them down and capturing Padmé, forcing Anakin to drop his saber, or something like that.

 

And I'd definitely have changed the script in so many places. Dooku's speeches were so horrifically cheesy. "It appears that this contest cannot be won by our knowledge of the force."

 

:barf:

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Originally posted by Swoosh

Well, you have to understand that the love between Anakin and Padme is critical to the story of Anakin and his turn to the dark side. Plus, if they didn't fall in love, where would Luke and Leia come from?

 

 

Maybe Luke and Leia came from the stork? :)

 

I think the love story itself is fine, it's the dialogue that ruins it, actually I probably would have taken out the scene where Ani tries to feel Padme up at Naboo and added the scene where Padme takes Anikan to meet her parents, I think that scene would have been much better, it shows Anikan's feelings towards Padme without him looking like a desperate sleaze.

 

I also think that the droid making scene thingie could have seriously been edited down, most of it wasn't needed, the only bit you really needed is 3po saying "goodness me, machines making machines"

 

Also that whole asteroid chase between Jango and Obiwan was so not needed, there is no way rockets or whatever they were would be able to dodge asteroids, it was so Empire Strikes Back

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I loved the asteroid chase scene! Take that out and what space battle are you left with? None. It also had the best sound effect on screen ever...the seizmic charges.

 

The only things I would change are:

 

Make the end duel a lot longer in place of the droid factory scene.

Show Anakin killing the Tusken Raiders.

Expand on the love story.

Take out that silly bit where they dodge in and out of the flames on coruscant.

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:explode:

 

OMG! I thought the seismic charges noise was the worst sound effect in the whole movie! Lol! Sorry leXX! But yeah, you're right, the Jedi Starfighter vs Slave One scene was one of the most impressive and tense scenes in the movie, or even in the enitre saga, IMO... Having said that, putting aside the entertainment factor of the movie, the fact does remain, as Tie Guy says, the speed & accuracy of the concussion missile doesn't really fit in with the EU stuff, but hey, it's a fact now that it's canon. :p

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Originally posted by Darth_Rive

The speed & accuracy of the concussion missile doesn't really fit in with the EU stuff, but hey, it's a fact now that it's canon. :p

 

But it just doesn't make sense logically. Think about it, if the concussion missle went about the same speed as your ship, then when you fired it wouldn't appear to go anywhere, because it'd be at the same speed you are. It would just stay a few feet or less in front of your ship and be completely ineffective.

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Well, either way, it would seem then that Boba made some modifications to the ship... and buggered it up. He must have made it slower, by my reckoning. This is why:

 

As written in "STAR WARS: The Essential Guide To Vehicles And Vessels"

 

"Two-thirds of Slave 1's interior is dedicated to the powerful Kuat Engineering Systems F-31 drive engines and the four Kuat X-F-16 power generators, giving Slave 1 the speed of an Alliance Y-Wing fighter."

 

And following on from this:

 

"Slave 1 also conceals a forward-firing concussion-missile launcher..."

 

So we know exactly what it was that he fired at Obi-Wan.

 

We also know for a fact that the A-Wing is the fastest ship in the fleet during Eps IV-VI, and I reckon the Jedi Starfighter is roughly the same size as one of those, so that gives you a rough idea of the speeds it could achieve.

 

Bear with me, 'cos I am actually going somewhere with this... :p

 

As written in "STAR WARS: The Essential Guide To Weapons And Technology"

 

"Concussion missiles share many of the advantages of proton torpedoes..."

 

OK, so this establises that the two missile types are similar. So getting the info from the Proton torpedo section (because there's nothing relating directly to the Concussion missile, even though they're very similar in many ways)...

 

"...although fast-moving craft can outrun... a torpedo.""

 

So yeah, ol' George and his buddies at ILM got that one wrong. However, it does go on to say(back in the concussion missile section):

 

"... their warheads are very powerful - but also have the same primary disadvantage: they are short-range weapons with an optimum range of three hundred meters and a maximum range of seven hundred meters. The missiles' homing sensors are outstandingly effective against stationary and slow-moving targets, making them ideal for planteary bombing runs and attacks on capital ships.

 

So in other words, there's no way in hell that that scene could have happened.

 

So yeah, basically Tie Guy was right.

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Well I can't really see how a 300-700 meters weapon could be of much use in space... Hell you could shot it from one side of a Star Destructor and it wouldn't reach the other.

 

And well you said fast moving ships can outrun it, and i suppose the jedi had more budget than the rebellion... Plus I think A-Wings had hyperdrives while the jedi starfighter had to attach to these big roud things.

 

Oh and I think between Y-Wing speed and A-Wing speed theres plenty of place for the missile...

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Actually, I would say that when Jan Dodonna was put in charge of the Rebellion's interceptor development program, he must have looked the plans to the old Jedi starfighter.

 

The resemblance is there...

 

As for redoing EpII...

 

Geonosis as a whole could use work.

 

The duels... would redo the duels...

 

Have the Yoda/Dooku fight have a little more grit to it. Was too flashy and not enough pith to it.

 

And yes - the asteroid field sequence - the missile actually seemed to slow down once it reached the fighter. Very Tom and Jerry!

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