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Topic:
TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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Moleman1138
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Aug '04
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Date Posted:
12/11/04 9:04pm
Subject:
TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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Until the release of ROTS on 5/19/05, I would like to discuss TPM chapter by chapter on the DVD. There are 47 chapters to discuss over the next eight months, excluding Chapter 1: Opening Logos, Chapter 2: The Phantom Menace and Chapter 50: End Credits.
Each discussion will last 5 days. At the end of 5 days, the following chapter will be posted.
Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path
DISCUSSION: December 12, 2004 - December 16, 2004
DVD TIME INDEX: 71:13 - 76:15
Synopsis:
Back at the Queen's starship as everyone is preparing to depart Tatooine, Qui-Gon tells Obi-Wan that he is going back to Mos Espa to deal with some unfinished business. Obi-Wan believes that he's bringing another pathetic lifeform alongside for the journey. Qui-Gon responds by telling him that the boy who was responsible for getting them their hyperdrive generator will be joining them. He tells this apprentice to install the hyperdrive promptly. Obi-Wan responds in agreement and Qui-Gon heads back to the spaceport on an eopie. Back in the slave quarters, Qui-Gon and Anakin enter the Skywalker hovel. Anakin tells his mother that they sold the pod and in return got much money. Shmi is pleased. Qui-Gon tells his young friend that he has also been freed. Anakin is amazed and bursts out in joy. Shmi tells him to make his dreams come true. Shmi questions if Anakin is to go with him? The Jedi Master tells her that it was the will of the Force that made this all occur. Anakin is delighted, but Qui-Gon tells him that it is a hard life. He doesn't care, he wants to do it. It has been his lifelong dream. Qui-Gon tells Anakin, who is still full of happiness, to pack. Anakin stops and wonders if his mother has been freed as well. Qui-Gon says that Watto wouldn't do it. Anakin is heartbroken. Shmi encourages him to go and that her place is here as well as her future. Anakin doesn't want things to change, but Shmi tells him to go off and make his dreams become a reality. They hug. Anakin heads for his bedroom, packs and says his goodbyes to Threepio. Anakin and Qui-Gon then head off away from the slave quarters. Anakin stops and comes running back to his saddened mother. Anakin just can't break away. Shmi tells she will see him again, but don't look back. Her son promises that he will come back and free her. He walks away with his new mentor. END OF CHAPTER
Opinion:
This chapter starts out very amusing, but ends on a sad note. This is the last time all the innocence inside Anakin will be pure. The last time he will not be exposed to the corruption in the rest of the galaxy. A very touching moment in this film.
I did like how Obi-Wan already refers to Anakin as "another pathetic lifeform." His skepticism of the boy starts here and is an important element throughout the movies. The scenes in the hovel are well executed. Anakin is free, but his mother isn't. This is where he needs to take that one step and live out his dreams, but in a sense become nothing more than a nightmare.
The exchanges between Shmi, Anakin and Qui-Gon are exceptionally well. Here can see some emotional bonding between mother and son. She's very brave for letting go of Anakin, but we know ten years from now that they'll be together again for one final time. I didn't really care for how Anakin treated Threepio at the end. It was like he cared only a little for him, with just a simple bye.
A very important chapter ending with the ever important Force theme. It's powerful, just like Binary Sunset as the most important moment before departing Tatooine. Very good chapter indeed.
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Host of CBC (Chapter by Chapter) for PT, CT and SFF forums and Box Office Game
ROTS-DS Chapter 3: Seeds of Rebellion
FOTR Chapter 29: Bilbo's Gifts
TSS Chapter 17: Facts and Feathers
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Obi_Frans
Registered:
Jul '03
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Date Posted:
12/12/04 7:28am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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Anakin leaving his mother is one of the most powerful scenes in SW, i cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can NOT appreciate what Jake Loyd did there
Beautiful scenes, topped off by a breathtaking one.
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"He only wanted to save them. Padme, from death. Obi-Wan, from ignorance
But they failed to recognize his power. Instead, Padme was dead & Obi-Wan was running for his life
As stripped of everything as Vader was. Without friends, family, purpose"
- Vader
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Tyranus_the_Hutt
Registered:
Nov '04
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Date Posted:
12/12/04 7:52am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
- Date Edited:
12/12/04 7:53am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Tyranus_the_Hutt
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I like this scene very much. It's one of the most emotional in the film. One thing that does bother me about the scene, though, is the fact that I felt that Lucas needed to draw it out a little more to fully exploit its emotional power. In other words, it seems slightly truncated. This scene obviously corresponds to the "shadow-hug" scene in Episode 2, and the "binary sunset" scene in Episode 4, so its place as a thematic reference point is quite valuable indeed.
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"The screen is a magic medium. It has such power that it can retain interest as it conveys emotions and moods that no other art form can hope to tackle." - Stanley Kubrick
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The_Nameless_One
Registered:
Apr '02
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Date Posted:
12/12/04 8:07am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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One of the absolute best scenes in the Saga is Anakin saying goodbye to his mother - and the music just takes the whole thing to a new level.
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In time you shall all know me for who I am. www.pointlesswasteoftime.com/starwars/lucas.html - George Lucas  Do fat men understand Tolkien?  Comforter of noobs
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DarthyMarkyMark
Registered:
Nov '03
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Date Posted:
12/12/04 8:32am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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One thing that does bother me about the scene, though, is the fact that I felt that Lucas needed to draw it out a little more to fully exploit its emotional power.
He deals with that a bit on the commentary. He says they shot some takes which were a lot more emotional, with a lot of crying and things like that, but he didn't use them because he didn't feel they were consistent with the SW style. The thing about SW is it's not supposed to be hysterically emotional in the way that LotR is - it's very quick, cuts from one scene to the next, without dwelling too much on things like this.
Having said that, this is by far one of the most emotional scenes in the saga. It's beautiful and it's just perfect - the acting from Liam Neeson, Pernilla August and Jake Lloyd is wonderful, it's well written, and John Williams' music is absolutely stunning.
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SLAVE2
Registered:
Apr '00
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Date Posted:
12/12/04 8:49am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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Anakin leaving his mother is one of the most powerful scenes in SW, i cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can NOT appreciate what Jake Loyd did there
Yeah I think Jake did a great job in this scene, after watching TPM again recently this was one of the scenes that stood out for me the most, great acting, great music, and takes on extra meaning when you think of how Anakin evolves and his resistance to change and desire to control things.
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Episode I: 10/10 Amazing!  | Episode II: 10/10 Outstanding!  Episode III: 10/10 Unbelievable!  | Episode IV: 10/10 Incredible!  Episode V: 10/10 Brilliant!  | Episode VI: 10/10 Fantastic! 
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Obi_Frans
Registered:
Jul '03
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Date Posted:
12/12/04 8:53am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
- Date Edited:
12/12/04 8:53am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
Obi_Frans
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He says they shot some takes which were a lot more emotional, with a lot of crying and things like that, but he didn't use them because he didn't feel they were consistent with the SW style.
I also think that, even as a kid, it doesn't really fit Anakin to start crying and tugging at his mothers clothes.
Shmi cannot get overly emotional anyway because she has to put up a front so that the burden on Ani will be lessened (much like Padme does in Clones), and Anakin responds to this - he wants to be strong for his mother (the promise) and he acts like it.
Thats why he stops crying the moment she asks him "what does your heart tell you".
It's particularly examplified in Shmis reaction when he walks away, she very uncomfortably crosses her arms and you can even see her grimace in her face slightly as the camera pulls away.
Anakin keeps looking at the ground and has his fists balled up, his face betrays one of complete sadness but otherwise - he's putting up a pretty good front for a 9yearold.
Qui Gon also goes along, instead of hugging or comforting Anakin - he just lets him walk on his own and steps beside him.
It's the music that starts "crying" so to say, and thats mostly always the case with Star Wars, John Williams is just a crybaby 
-----signature-----
"He only wanted to save them. Padme, from death. Obi-Wan, from ignorance
But they failed to recognize his power. Instead, Padme was dead & Obi-Wan was running for his life
As stripped of everything as Vader was. Without friends, family, purpose"
- Vader
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lovelucas
Registered:
Mar '04
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Date Posted:
12/12/04 3:06pm
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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powerful punch ...it all begins here. the torn child anakin between his mother and his mentor; his new life and his old; hating change but accepting it as necessary. mother and child both being brave for the other. the acting and reacting between pernilla august and jake lloyd is believable & heartbreaking. john williams nails yet again.
something i noticed, at least to me - qui gon is very unemotional and perhaps he must be but is this a selfish or selfless reaction? selfish because he believes anakin is the chosen one and wants to prove he is right or selfless because to show the non-jedi trait of emotion would make things even more difficult for the child and mother?
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HookLineAndSinker
Title:
Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Oct '01
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Date Posted:
12/12/04 3:21pm
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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Great chapter. It was odd hearing Obi-Wan call someone a "pathetic lifeform" before he has even met them. It certainly wasn't the Obi-Wan we all knew from the OT. We had learned that Obi-Wan was reckless (though not shown) but not a jerk.
Now to Anakin being freed. Great music. Jake Lloyd does well with the acting in this scene. But was he worth a couple scenes of good acting with a couple scenes of terrible? Pernilla does a good job as always. I guess we are to assume they took out Anakins tracking device. I still don't understand why Padme couldn't have later purchased Shmi as a gift to Anakin for getting her off Tatooine and saving Naboo. Especially the saving Naboo part. State funds could have been used for that.
Then C-3PO was left on Tatooine. That poor naked droid. I was surprised with how short his role was in TPM though. With Jar Jar running about, it felt like we were saying goodbye to humor in the film.
The deleted scene of saying bye to Kitster was a good cut. The audience would have expected his character to return in EP2 or something since it didn't feel like closure. Well not as much as Jira's good bye scene with Anakin. Plus there were too many goodbyes.
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Tyranus_the_Hutt
Registered:
Nov '04
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Date Posted:
12/12/04 9:59pm
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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I know, DarthyMarkyMark. I have the DVD and have listened to the commentary track more than once. I just meant that personally, I am a sucker for that kind of emotional material, and would have liked Lucas to have embellished it just a bit further; as much as I like this scene, though, it pales in comparison to the "shadow-hug" scene in AOTC.
One thing that I thought was interesting is that Roger Ebert, who gave "The Phantom Menace" 3 and 1/2 stars, mentioned in his initial review that he thought that Shmi's line to Anakin stating that "My place is here" was indicative of the film's psychological shakiness - who would want to stay on a desert planet as a slave? He has a point, but in principle, I disagree. I felt that Shmi's line was a bit of a 'white lie' used to make it easier for Anakin to leave her. What do others think?
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"The screen is a magic medium. It has such power that it can retain interest as it conveys emotions and moods that no other art form can hope to tackle." - Stanley Kubrick
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lovelucas
Registered:
Mar '04
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Date Posted:
12/14/04 10:36am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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i agree, tyranus. shmi tries to convince anakin that he needs to embrace his dreams and that requires change. she will tell the white lie to enable him to make that change even though we all know (especially after aotc) how much this sacrificial action/statement costs her. mothers are like that...yeah.
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The world will never have lasting peace so long as men reserve for war the finest human qualities. Peace is not just the absence of violence but the manisfestation of human compassion.
Yub Yub makes the world go 'round
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GRAND_MOFF_KEVIN
Registered:
Jul '04
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Date Posted:
12/14/04 11:33am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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Powerful, trully showed Anakin as a nice little kid.
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adamlee
Registered:
Mar '04
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Date Posted:
12/16/04 9:39am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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I liked this scene and the next one is awesome as well. Ultimately i think Lucas's dialogue is what made Lloyd seem so lame. I wish it could have been longer as well.
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Moleman1138
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Aug '04
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Date Posted:
12/16/04 11:14am
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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Longer, this chapter is just a five minute dialogue piece. Granted it had the emotional value, but the actual getting ready to leave Tatooine was a bit long IMO.
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Host of CBC (Chapter by Chapter) for PT, CT and SFF forums and Box Office Game
ROTS-DS Chapter 3: Seeds of Rebellion
FOTR Chapter 29: Bilbo's Gifts
TSS Chapter 17: Facts and Feathers
(8/24/07)
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Billy_Dee_Binks
Registered:
Mar '02
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Date Posted:
12/16/04 12:17pm
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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Two details I'd like to add:
That one wheeled droid looking at Anakin as he walks off with his back facing the camera.
Then there are those children running playfully in the background (same shot).
Both add to make this scene even greater, IMO.
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Moleman1138
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Aug '04
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Date Posted:
12/16/04 8:48pm
Subject:
RE: TPM Chapter 24: Choosing a New Path DISCUSSION
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Thank you for all your participation in CBC (Chapter by Chapter). TPM Chapter 25: Darth Maul Attacks DISCUSSION will be made available 12:00 AM EST. Although the discussion timeframe has passed, you may still discuss this chapter at your convienience. However, we will be moving on to the next chapter.
-Moleman1138
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Host of CBC (Chapter by Chapter) for PT, CT and SFF forums and Box Office Game
ROTS-DS Chapter 3: Seeds of Rebellion
FOTR Chapter 29: Bilbo's Gifts
TSS Chapter 17: Facts and Feathers
(8/24/07)
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