Connecting the dots: Can the art style of Episode III mesh with the style of A New Hope?

This is something I'm really concerned about for the next prequel film. Since the clone wars will obviously tremendously affect the galaxy, what sort of event would it take for the style of the galaxy to change into what we see in A New Hope? Will it be because of the destruction? Will it be because of the Empire's choice of "style?" I'm sure Lucasfilm's art department can do this, it's just a matter of if they will or not.

Any thoughts?

The main thing that facilitates the change is the clone wars, I think. Before that time, there's no real war going on anywhere, so when ships and shuttles are built, they can take the time to make them look good, and unique. The Clone War starts and they get to apoint where they need a lot of ships in a short amount of time, so everything becomes mass produced and cookie cutter.

I think the art department can very easily make the design transition. The Jedi Starfighter from AOTC showed this perfectly. It had some aspects of the sleekness we saw in TPM, but also some very subtle shifts towards the desgins from the OT.

I'm thinking that we won't get to see the full transition, but it's likely that we'll see something closer to the look of the OT, just as we saw hints in AOTC with the angular design of the jedi starfighter, and the Republic transport ships, the precursors to the Star Destroyers.

As for the motivation behind the shift in design. I think DDH is at least partially right, but also as the republic shifts into a dictatorship a more uniform look to the ships would be expected, and artists would be pretty much out of work. The emperor doesn't seem too concerned with how fancy things look, only how well they serve his purposes.

Before that time, there's no real war going on anywhere, so when ships and shuttles are built, they can take the time to make them look good, and unique. The Clone War starts and they get to apoint where they need a lot of ships in a short amount of time, so everything becomes mass produced and cookie cutter.

That's probably one of the better theories that has been presented thus far. I hadn't thought of that, really. And another question that I just thought of:

After the Empire's defeat in Return of the Jedi, do you think the style of construct and elegancy will return to the galaxy overtime, and eventually go back to how it was in The Phantom Menace? Or do you think that there will be a different style brought upon?

Also, I personally think that the following would happen. Just as our own civilaztion on Earth has changed stylistically over time, as in from the Gothic period, to the Renaissance, and the Neo-Platonic era, the galaxy would do the same. Sure, planets in the Outer Rim, namely Tatooine, would probably stay the same (if you notice, Tatooine is esentially the same place in Episode I and II as it is in Episodes IV and VI), but I think the "style" would change and develop overtime, just as it did on our planet. Different eras of style, if you will.

I hope you can make out what I'm trying to say.

That makes sense, Pooja. Another real-life trend is the shift from one extreme to the other. It happens in architecture, art, music... pretty much anything. Consider the bighair/glamrock days of the 80s. Then people got sick of that and went to the other extreme in the form of grunge. These things tend to go in cycles, so who knows... soon we may have guys with lipstick and big hair again (how did I go from talking about Star Wars to analyzing Bon Jovi's style sense?)

It's gonna be facinating. We have to bear in mind the 20-year (proposed) gap between Ep3 and Ep4, but AOTC had a nice blend of the stylish technology in TPM and the more grungy mechanicals in the OT. I think it'll be fine.

If anything, I'd want Lucas to Episodes VII, VIII, and IX, even if just to see how he would handle the art style and the stance in technology and/or elegancy after the Empire is faded.

My Money Theory exists in a separate thread here; but basically I think war destroys the galaxy and from the rubble the new ships are made.

As far as I'm concerned, AOTC is already 70% of the way there. And if Episode III takes the action forward 10 years yet again, it will be almost 100% back to what Episode IV looks like.

-JDR.

Interesting subject Pooja-
I think the style transition will be handled quite well and is one of the things Im most looking forward to in Episode III. As much as I love the prequels it will be a big thrill to see some of the designs that we really asscociate with the star wars universe. I also agree in that we wont see the full transition-just turning the industrial factor up a notch. CLONES already made a leap from MENACE with the republic ships and Cloud city-esque Kamino and I think III will make the final leap into more familiar design territory.

Jack-D-Ripper: It´s gonna be more like 3 years, but still, a lot can happen in that time.

I would have to agree with most of the posts here. If there is one thing that is consistent in the new films it's the fantastic design and the attention to detail that Lucas and his artist pay in order to make sure that Lucas' universe has a believable industrial and stylistic development. In the end this brilliant aesthetic sense has always been Lucas' strong point as a filmmaker. The genius of all the films and one of the reasons they're such pop art masterpieces is the way which Lucas borrows from so many cultural contexts in terms of costumes, technology, and design and manages to consolidate it into a consistent unviverse.

Lucas certainly has an incredibly high level of visual style. It's a credit to both his imaginative vision and the excellent designers he's had work for him.

Here's a way:

At the end of Episode III, Lucas can show Anakin waking up in a plain-looking bed, in a non-CG-enhanced room, saying, "Whew! What a crazy dream!" Then he puts on the Vader costume that David Prowse used to wear.

I do agree that Empire will build ships and other types of weapons based on how efficient they are going to be rather than style, as was seen in the PT. I do look forward to seeing if George really does present this in Episode III or whether it is hinted at and implied at rather than explicitly shown.

In a subtle way, the art department has connected the visuals on the various sets of the films. Check out the design of the lighting panels in places like the Coruscant Landing Platform at night in TPM, the Theed Palace Generator Room where Duel of the Fates occurs, the landing platform on Tipoca City where Obi-Wan and Jango fight, all over the Death Star in ANH, the Carbon Chamber in Cloud City, and the Emperor's Throne Room near the lift tube. All of these have a similar kind of lighting panel. It's usually long like a rectangle and the two sides are rounded. They usually are either white or orange/red.

I think in this area things are safe.there being a war on acounts for the design changes.and the wear and tear on the galaxy.also Mr Lucas is well aware of the asthetic (sp)difference between the pt and ot as shown on the pt dvds documentaries.

I hope Lucas isn't afraid to go for a more resricted design to tie it all in a bit better.

The reason for the different look is that before the Clone Wars, everything had a romantic design. After the clone wars, everything started getting masss produced.

I think many of the spaceships/vehicle designs in AOTC were very similiar to the OT which is great especially the Jedi Starfighter, The Refugee Transport and especially the AT-TE. I have faith that they will do it very well.

I personally feel that the design style of the Prequels has been handled exactly right. Instead of making stuff look clunkier and more primitive, they have made it more stylish and more refined, which actually fits in rather well with the way the 20th Century unfolded. In the 1900's, technology was primitive in comparison to today, but things were more stylish and probably better made with higher quality and greater artistry. I think the SW Prequels have been able to convey this concept very strongly. However, I think it would have been stupid to make the visual effects look outdated or less complex on purpose.

-JDR.

During the PT, the system of government has been in place for a long time and mass warfare has occured for many, many years.

By the time of the OT, things are increasingly militaristic and so designs are simplified into creations easier to mass-produce - hence the rougher, boxier look.