Almost ten years of episode 1 !!!!

[Deak Starkiller]

ROTS is a bloated mess of a film narratively and aesthetically.

And the crappy TPM transfer currently on DVD is not a true HD transfer... it was a compressed transfer with horrible edge enhancement and artifacting. A true HD transfer of TPM should look quite nice.

Ok, I'll give you narratively but aesthetics, really? Also the HD transfer I was referring to was the one from HBO. Ugh, the original trilogy looks lightyears better than TPM.

 

[icruise]

Unfortunately, Rumsfeld's enemy didn't exist and had to be manufactured.

Just like in Star Wars. The parallels have occurred to me over the years, believe me.

 

[pixletwin]

I came out of Ep I hungry for episode II and I have a feeling that most of you all did as well. I can't help but feel a lot of derision TPM has culled is due, largely, to Group Think.

Now AOTC on the other hand...

 

[IrishJedi]

Ok, I'll give you narratively but aesthetics, really? Also the HD transfer I was referring to was the one from HBO. Ugh, the original trilogy looks lightyears better than TPM.

Yes, aesthetically ROTS is also a bloated mess. It's far too busy and the film never breathes. The only scenes that even remotely look/feel like a SW film are the brief ones on the Tantive IV and Star Destroyer bridge. Visual continuity between EPISODES III & IV is all but nonexistent.

As far as the TPM transfer on HBO... it wasn't a true HD transfer. They simply took the telecine from the original transfer to VHS/DVD and made it 720p without as much compression. But it still wasn't a true HD direct from the source material and masters. We still have yet to see that.

 

[IrishJedi]

 

[manowar]

 

[Darth Madden]

I hate to say it but thats so true... and sad.

 

[Anzik]

Somethings need to actually be on the set, not everything can be virtual. You need something for actors to respond to. A director, for example would have been very handy to have on set instead of editing in direction in the cutting room.

 

[galactiboy]

I came out of Ep I hungry for episode II and I have a feeling that most of you all did as well. I can't help but feel a lot of derision TPM has culled is due, largely, to Group Think.

Now AOTC on the other hand...

Yeah, I think that's fairly true. Jar Jar has always been a paint to me, but even with him I have waves of disdain followed by periods of acceptance. I still say its my favorite of the series... but if I could remove/shorten the Pod Race and detard Jar Jar I'd be over the moon

 

[ProgMatinee]

pod race is great. removing it entirely would be horrible. much rather remove stuff like the underwater monster scenes or gungan city.

 

[LOTRFan]

That's classic!


I can remember going to see TPM like it was yesterday; my first thought was hmmmm esp after the racially charged opening scenes with the Seperatists. I think I was somewhat prepared due to the SE that were released and seeing all the tinkering - or more specifically the direction that they took.

 

[p!tu]

 

[spy-d]

I really enjoyed TPM! Can't relate to all the bashing...it is one of my favorites from all 6.

One big criticism I have is how Darth Maul was used as a major marketing tool but his screen time was so short. I really felt misled and conned. At least when Vader was the marketing tool, he lasted three movies and had a major part! Love darth maul, but felt cheated.

K.

 

[ProgMatinee]

I really enjoyed TPM! Can't relate to all the bashing...it is one of my favorites from all 6.

One big criticism I have is how Darth Maul was used as a major marketing tool but his screen time was so short. I really felt misled and conned. At least when Vader was the marketing tool, he lasted three movies and had a major part! Love darth maul, but felt cheated.

K.

kinda disagree with that. having him last past the first film was unnecessary from a story telling perspective. within episode 1 I think he had plenty of screen time.

the problem was episode 2 didn't have as good a villian. jango was dull and dooku was straight up DOOKIE.

 

[spy-d]

kinda disagree with that. having him last past the first film was unnecessary from a story telling perspective. within episode 1 I think he had plenty of screen time.

the problem was episode 2 didn't have as good a villian. jango was dull and dooku was straight up DOOKIE.

Ah yes...I see where you are coming from...but they could have used him a lot more than they did in TPM...I meant his screen time on that film is too short...remember all the EP1 toys? His face was the main marketing tool...yet, his spoken lines were less than 30 seconds combined AND his screen time is maybe 15 minutes total? Maybe I made the assumption he was going to have a leading role with the marketing hype (including being on the cover of SW Insider), but that's where I come from when I say I feel "conned"...

However, since you did bring up the story telling angle...there was a lot more depth to the character development when they span across the trilogy...maybe the story telling could have been different too...introducing a new leading villain in each film was like introducing a "flavor" of the month...a little superficial and viewers/fans like myself don't have the same emotional level of attachment...

K.

 

[OSCORP]

I think it's just about universally accepted that Maul would've been a cool baddie to have in all 3 movies.(woulda loved to see anakin off maul on his way to the darkside) I also read in an interview around the time TPM came out that Lucas didn't want Maul to become as popular as Vader and that was one of the reasons he was offed in ep1.

 

[IrishJedi]

The reason is the same as all of them: Lucas makes the ^^^^ up as he goes along.

 

[ProgMatinee]

The reason is the same as all of them: Lucas makes the ^^^^ up as he goes along.

100% agree with that.

 

[Customikey]

I think that was a terrible mistake, personally. If Maul had been allowed to grow as a character over the course of the films into a formidable villain, then a final duel between him and Anakin for Sith Apprenticeship in ROTS would have served as an excellent parallel with the ROTJ fight.

Think about it. Both Dooku and Greivous were sadly underdeveloped characters in the films. Now place Maul where they were! Imagine Maul showing some chops as a negotiator amongst the Separatists, spearheading the battle on Geonosis (hell, actually getting INVOLVED in the arena fight), fighting Kenobi and Anakin, defeating Kenobi and maiming his padawan, fighting Yoda to a standstill, leading the droid armies, and finally being killed by Anakin to replace him at Palpatine's side. Killing Maul (something Kenobi fails to do twice), might've also given Anakin the overconfidence to believe he could take on Kenobi.

Ah, to dream.

Regardless, I've come to love TPM, for all it's faults, and I enjoy it for what it is: a fun popcorn flick.

 

[Darthrazz]

I think that was a terrible mistake, personally. If Maul had been allowed to grow as a character over the course of the films into a formidable villain, then a final duel between him and Anakin for Sith Apprenticeship in ROTS would have served as an excellent parallel with the ROTJ fight.

Think about it. Both Dooku and Greivous were sadly underdeveloped characters in the films. Now place Maul where they were! Imagine Maul showing some chops as a negotiator amongst the Separatists, spearheading the battle on Geonosis (hell, actually getting INVOLVED in the arena fight), fighting Kenobi and Anakin, defeating Kenobi and maiming his padawan, fighting Yoda to a standstill, leading the droid armies, and finally being killed by Anakin to replace him at Palpatine's side. Killing Maul (something Kenobi fails to do twice), might've also given Anakin the overconfidence to believe he could take on Kenobi.

Ah, to dream.

Regardless, I've come to love TPM, for all it's faults, and I enjoy it for what it is: a fun popcorn flick.

Good points , Mikey, I like your ideas. I just think that Lucas was afraid that Maul might become larger than Vader.