Am I the only one that thinks the PT shouldn't be as good as the OT?

Yes, I think this thread should go here. Why? Because it all ties to Episode III.

Anyway...shouldn't the end of a saga be stronger than the beginning?

I mean everyone wants the PT to be better than the OT and that's okay.

But what if the PT WAS as good, and better, than the OT? Personally I like the PT just as much, but I'm saying- what if it was better?

When we watch the whole saga back to back in three more years, would you want the beginning to be better than the closing? I sure wouldn't. In fact, I don't think Lucas wants to beat the OT because of this. If he made the PT better, people would feel weird that the first three episodes are better than the last three, and the last three episodes, being the most important, SHOULD be more powerful and well, better, than the opening episodes.

When Episode III comes out, some of us may look back at the PT and think it is superior, but the majority of us will either think the PT is only just as good, OR not as good. Personally, I hope we don't think its as good. If we do, then the prequels will seem better than the originals, and this means that, when we do watch all the movies back to back, the beginnning would be better than the closing, and that's just not right.

I hope that Episode III sets us straight on this, which it will of course. Personally, I hope the PT ends up being as good as the OT, but if not, that's okay, because I would rather have a stronger ending than a stronger beginning.

 

I see your logic, but as a filmmaker, you want your work to improve, not to make your older work look better, so I doubt this is what Lucas is really thinking about.

 

pooja-

I don't really you think you have much to worry about.

TPM desn't even come close. AOTC maybe just a tad better than ROTJ. And even if Ep3 is the best MOVIE ever, it still won't be enough.

 

TPM desn't even come close. AOTC maybe just a tad better than ROTJ. And even if Ep3 is the best MOVIE ever, it still won't be enough.

First and foremost, this isn't a gush/bash thread. We aren't doing that here.

Second, I know that perhaps Lucas isn't THINKING that per se, but I'm sure he has thought about it.

Next, I'm not exactly trying to imply that Lucas is TRYING not to make the PT as good. I'm sure he really is trying to make it better. I never once thought that. However, I do think that the PT shouldn't be as good as the OT because the latter half of a saga SHOULD be better, more interesting, and certainly more diverse.

When I have all 6 movies for my viewing pleasure, I dont want them to degrade each movie. I want it to get better. If the PT was better than the OT I'd probably stop watching somewhere around A New Hope.

 

Whether or not you wanted this to be a gusher/basher thread, your topic title alone is baiting it.

 

I totally understand what you're saying, but I don't think it will be a problem. IMO, each of the movies has it's own distinct, awesome flavor that separates it from the rest. They're all great, but different. I want all the PT movies to be as good as they can possibly be, and the OT will always have a fond place in my heart.

I honestly can't imagine thinking that the saga will get worse as the episodes progress, when watched back to back. And if they do, you can always watch 'em in some funky order if that makes you feel better.

 

Whether or not you wanted this to be a gusher/basher thread, your topic title alone is baiting it.

Discussing likes and dislikes is okay. Bashing is not. If someone said something like "well, I don't like the PT as much because-" it would be okay. But "the PT SUCKS and-" is not.

 

So far I think the OT is WAY better than the PT. I'm not worried because I don't think George has the potential to top himself. Oh wait. I don't think George has the potential to top those two directors that directed ESB and ROTJ.

Endureth

 

The way I see it:
TPM is slightly better than ROTJ
AOTC is almost as good as ANH

So if Episode III is as good as or better than ESB, then the prequels will rival the original trilogy.
But I see your point. In a good story, the ending should always be more dramatic than the beginning.

 

I think the one sad fact is that while the OT appealed to the broad public, the PT only appeals to the core fans. Of the people I know who saw AOTC, everyone who is a Star Wars 'fan' loved it. People who aren't big 'fans' hated it.

So Star Wars has finally sunk to the level of Star Trek, where you are a true geek if you like it. What a shame.

 

whoa whoa whoa!! "sank to the level of star trek" How could you say that? Star Trek has tv shows i dont know how many movies and thousands of books i mean i know alot of people who arent big fans who reall y did like the movie and like star wars in general

 

I'm not saying that the quality of Star Wars is the same as Star Trek. The Star Wars movies are far superior, and I believe AOTC was fantastic. I am just saying that the public has now put Star Wars into the Geek Corner. It no longer has the broad appeal it used to.

I think the problem is that in order to understand the PT, you need to be a lot more into it. I don't think you can walk into AOTC knowing nothing about the backstories of the characters and be able to truly enjoy it. For the fans, that makes it more enjoyable, because it has more depth. To the casual moviegoer, it leaves them feeling lost and bored.

 

I completely agree. However, you could say that about any of the SW movies after ANH.

 

Perhaps, perhaps...

I guess we won't know for another 10 or 15 years, when we can look back on the PT and see how it has stood the test of time.

Think we'll all still be here posting messages then?????

 

All? probably not. There won't be much to discuss. Just look at the Classic Trilogy board.

 

Perhaps we will be discussing whether or not "The Jedi Knight Adventures" TV show on Disney Digital Channel is as good as the PT. Or perhaps the release of the Special-Ultra-Super Deluxe Editions in the theaters.

 

Good ideas once again Pooja! How your threads get lost, ignored and stepped on is beyond me. ? Anyway.....

First of all, I love all of the Star Wars flicks. Just thought I'd get that out of the way.

Next, I don't think that Lucas is trying to make the Prequel Trilogy worse so to speak. I have the opinion that he is structuring all of these movies, especially the new ones, like a novel. Each episode is a chapter of said novel.

Episode One: (Or chapter one): Like the beginning of any novel. Introduction of characters, some action, some drama, etc., etc. This chapter isn't going to spend to much time on resolution, if any at all. It moves kinda slow, like any novel. That's why some people may find Episode I to be kinda boring. I don't, however.

Episodes Two thru Five: (Or Chapters 2 thru 5): These chapters are where the story really begins to pick up. You have the most character development, lots of action, lots of drama, surprising plot twists, etc., etc. Once again, some resolution on certain things, but pretty much none at all. These chapters, like most novels, are where it starts to get really exciting.

Episode Six: (Or Chapter Six): The story is at full throttle at this point. This is also the chapter that caps the whole story off. This is where mostly all of the resolution takes place. Everything is resolved: either the good guys win and the outcome is happy, or the bad guys win and the outcome is grim. (Or as McCallum whould say: "****ing grim." ) And, of course, in the case of Star Wars, the good guys win.

Structurally, this is the way I feel it is set up and I love it. It is compelling, intriguing, dramatic, action-packed, fun, and kick-ass all at the same time!! My personal opinion is that when it is all said and done this will be the greatest 6-part saga of movies of all time!!

"Now, where was I...?" ? -Lenny

 

I agree, it'd be pointless to get bored with the OT as it goes along, stories should always get stronger.

On the same level, I don't think that Lucas should make Episode III bad or lackluster, though. I'm just glad that all signs point to there not being a huge space battle to top ROTJ in Episode III.

But I don't think we have anything to worry about, ROTJ is really emotional, and I doubt it can be topped.

 

Good ideas once again Pooja! How your threads get lost, ignored and stepped on is beyond me.

Eh don't go pumping up my ego like that.


j/k, thanks. I think its, like SOMEONE said, the little May 02 underneath my name.

And believe me, all my thread ideas aren't good. If you want really good topic posters, seek out Oakes, PadmeBra, CommanderAntilles, you know people along those lines.

Another thing. I don't really post a lot of topics. Most people post new topics at the drop of a hat, while I don't post anything unless I fully believe it constitues discussion. That may be why my threads are halfway decent, at least in your opinion.

Also, this thread isn't exactly an episode comparison thread. Although I know my thread title is bash/gush bait, my point is that if the prequels WERE better than the originals, watching them back to back would make the OT seem "degraded" at least in my opinion. I'd rather END the saga with the BEST movies, rather than BEGIN it with the best, and end with the latter. It's like, if you get pulled into a TV show series, and the episodes just get worse and worse as they go along, you are going to lose interest REAL fast.

That's why I think the PT shouldn't be better than the OT. I want them to be either AS good, or just a tad less worse. Not too much worse though.

Now, this doesn't mean I want Lucas to just kinda breeze by with the prequels. If Episode III totally beats the living crap out of any movie in the OT, GREAT.

 

The PT could have and should have been better than the OT, and it's a shame that it will most likely end up falling short.

I never bought into the whole "crafting a 12 hour movie for future generations" nonsense. These movies are being made here and now, for current audiences. If the movies are good, they'll stand the test of time, regardless. And as someone said earlier in this thread, Star Wars today just doesn't have the cultural relevance that it had back in the days of the OT. Future fans are not going to be as into Star Wars as fans are now. Why short change us, the current and die hard fans, who are the ones footing the bill?

But anyway, back to my point. Look at all the aspects of the PT that should overshadow the OT:

* Special Effects - Need I say more?

* Cast - In theory, the cast of the PT (Ewan, Natalie, Liam, Ian, Sam, Hayden, etc.) should be blowing the OT cast out of the water with overall talent. Whether they are or not is a debate for another thread, my point is that the potential is there (not counting jake Lloyd ).

* The Story - What could be more sweeping and epic than Anakin Skywalker's transformation to Darth Vader and the Fall of the Republic? Younger versions of great iconic characters like Obi-Wan, Anakin, Yoda...how could you go wrong? It seems like a fool-proof idea.

In theory, there's no reason the PT shouldn't be surpassing the OT. Because even if it were, it wouldn't make the OT any less relevant, but more so. Seeing the back story of these characters told in an effective and ultimately satisfying way would only make their fates - and the story told in the OT - more involving and dramatic. How is intentionally toning down and holding back on the PT going to make audiences care about what happens in the PT?

 

The PT should be just as good as the OT. No I don't think the PT should try to top the OT in every respect as it would make viewing all of the films a bit disappointing as you went along... but the idea that Lucas would purposely make the first films bad so that the ending is strong... I'm sorry if I have misinterpreted your thread Pooja but I just can't buy that.

However, just to contradict myself, Episode 3 should have a space battle top all space battles. I doubt it will top the ANH battle, but it might top the ROTJ battle.

 

but the idea that Lucas would purposely make the first films bad so that the ending is strong... I'm sorry if I have misinterpreted your thread Pooja but I just can't buy that.

Yeah, that is silly.

However, just to contradict myself, Episode 3 should have a space battle top all space battles. I doubt it will top the ANH battle, but it might top the ROTJ battle.

With the effects capabilities they have now, the Episode III space battle SHOULD destroy any space battle in the OT.

 

Yes but special effects alone won't make an Episode 3 space battle any better than the battles in ROTJ or ANH.

It needs to be tension-filled like the ANH battle filled with combatants that actually have faces so that we care about them when they die. In ROTJ they did a nice job of this by showing the rebel pilot about to be destroyed saying things like," I'm HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT!" and then boom. You saw that the person in that cockpit wasn't just another face and actually was a living breathing person with history of their own.

 

Yes but special effects alone won't make an Episode 3 space battle any better than the battles in ROTJ or ANH.

It needs to be tension-filled like the ANH battle filled with combatants that actually have faces so that we care about them when they die.

That's what Episodes I and II are for.


In ROTJ they did a nice job of this by showing the rebel pilot about to be destroyed saying things like," I'm HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT!" and then boom. You saw that the person in that cockpit wasn't just another face and actually was a living breathing person with history of their own.

Agreed. And this is why I didn't like Black Hawk Down. Just 3 hours of constant gunfire and no character development.

 

Well this is the thing. Lucas is actually creating a trilogy that will enhance the previous trilogy he has done.
And he isn't trying to make the PT better than the OT, once EP3 is done we'll have a complete saga no trilogies or anything. Of course we'll have our own preference of which of them is best.
But Lucas wants it to be a complete 12 hour movie.

And anyway with the PT enhancing the OT, in importance and the overall story you could say that the PT is better because itsets up powerfully everything that we see in the OT.