tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post8248599123356468089..comments2024-03-05T21:05:36.848-05:00Comments on CommentaramaFilms: Alternate Ending: Return of the JediAndrewPricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-57689104604616293182016-06-12T19:38:43.999-04:002016-06-12T19:38:43.999-04:00Kenn, I agree with a caveat. IF you do it right, ...Kenn, I agree with a caveat. IF you do it right, then cutting away can raise the tension. To do that, you need to build to a near climax and then cut away at the cliffhanger.<br /><br />Lucas tended to cut away either after resolving a tension moment, or right in the middle of the tension without giving you a cliffhanger.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-3401700337423391572016-06-12T19:33:20.240-04:002016-06-12T19:33:20.240-04:00I think another problem - is the cutting away to E...I think another problem - is the cutting away to Endor and the Death Star attack. It took the steam of whatever tension/conflict was building in the Emperor's chamber.Kenn Christensonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15544243933682215263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-32010847964837074532016-06-12T12:49:09.012-04:002016-06-12T12:49:09.012-04:00Koshcat, Yeah, I don't know how he ended up in...Koshcat, Yeah, I don't know how he ended up in Ireland.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-18443706127763861802016-06-12T12:34:15.893-04:002016-06-12T12:34:15.893-04:00Jason, I think that would have been a stronger end...Jason, I think that would have been a stronger ending than the one they used, though it seems rather convoluted, which as we saw with the prequels, is something Lucas trended toward.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-15211418452745799542016-06-12T12:32:37.804-04:002016-06-12T12:32:37.804-04:00Thanks GypsyTyger! I think this would have been a...Thanks GypsyTyger! I think this would have been an amazingly strong ending.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-65919536884779918402016-06-09T01:48:14.242-04:002016-06-09T01:48:14.242-04:00Your's and Jason's are both very good. I f...Your's and Jason's are both very good. I felt the same way at the end as Jason. Luke nearly turned but at the last moment stopped. Vader discovered that Luke was stronger in his soul and wanted a better future for his son. Who then proceeded to become a virgin monk on a deserted Irish island. Koshcathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00552108950848576633noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-234523585726761892016-06-07T10:51:51.115-04:002016-06-07T10:51:51.115-04:00Actually, that scenario isn’t too far off from the...Actually, that scenario isn’t too far off from the early drafts of Return of the Jedi. In those, the Emperor actually took Luke prisoner by his own agents and didn’t want Vader involved. At one point Vader leaves his ship and confronts the Emperor, the Emperor responds by using the Force to deactivate Vader’s breathing apparatus for a moment to discipline him, then tells him to leave. Vader then returns secretly, stalking the Emperor and Luke in the dungeon (I think in this draft they were on the Empire’s city-planet and not the Death Star). There is still a Luke-Vader fight afterwards. Vader does dispatch the Emperor in an apparent suicide move by dragging both of them into a lava pit. <br /><br />There was also a subplot where Moff Jerjerrod (the Death Star commander) had a bigger role and was actually Vader’s rival. He facilitated Luke’s capture and had him shipped to the Emperor. (At one point Vader says, “Luke, beware, you are the Emperor’s prey now.”) Vader goes after Luke and breaks Jerjerrod’s neck when he tries to interfere. <br /><br />I suspect a lot of that material was jettisoned because it pretty much turned Vader too quickly from his villain status into a kind of anti-hero for much of the movie until his final redemption. But I think if done well some intrigue along those lines would have helped the film.<br /><br />That said, I actually like the Luke-snapping scene where he beats the tar out of Vader. It shows how close he would have come to being like Vader – the shot of Vader’s smoldering mechanical stump coupled with Luke looking at his own mechanical hand illustrated it visually. It was like Luke’s “final temptation” moment. When he finally throws away the saber, it marks the moment where the Emperor has lost any grip on Luke’s soul, as well marking a turning point in Luke’s growth as a Jedi knight. You can also tell in the Emperor’s face how this development has pissed him off, as he stops being as smug as he was throughout the picture.<br /><br />Even as imperfect as the Luke/Vader/Emperor arc was, I still appreciate the subtlety in spots, before Lucas figured out to toy with his old movies a thousand different ways. At least Vader wasn’t shouting “Noooo!” just as flung the Emperor down the reactor shaft in the original version…<br /><br />I will say having a lightsaber beam actually be broken in two would be pretty awesome. :)<br />Jasonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-27339644881344673322016-06-07T10:42:19.965-04:002016-06-07T10:42:19.965-04:00I like it alot.
GypsyTygerI like it alot.<br />GypsyTygerAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7059293386881623259.post-8660704620257139042016-06-07T09:33:33.890-04:002016-06-07T09:33:33.890-04:00Thanks, tryanmax. This is really the only ending ...Thanks, tryanmax. This is really the only ending that ultimate makes sense, I think.<br /><br />After <i>Star Wars</i>, the fight we wanted was Luke versus Vader. But then they introduced the Emperor and suddenly, beating Vader only meant beating the second best. At the same time, Lucas introduced Vader's backstory, which made the real fight the one between Vader and the Emperor. So having Vader and Luke fight it out was never the emotionally best choice even though Lucas saw the father v. son angle because he had clouded it with something more important.<br /><br />This ending fixed that issue while addressing both storylines. And it ends with that amazing moment of seeing a lightsaber beam cut in half.AndrewPricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11312364467936820986noreply@blogger.com