PT I can't believe they cut the footage with Padme's family...

You make really good points defending the inclussion of those scenes. In theory you may be right: those scenes may be great on their own. But in a movie, you always have to look at the bigger picture, and most important of all, to the pacing of the movie.
So let me put this in a different perspective.

Attack of the Clones structure (2+ hour movie, fast and intense):
-30 minutes of Coruscant tension/action/beginning of the story
-30 minutes of Naboo romance/Kamino mystery (no action except at the very end)
-30 minutes of Tatooine tragedy/Geonosis mystery (no action except at the very beginning)
-30+ minutes of climax.

Padme's family scenes belong to the second section of the film, which has to devote around 15 minutes to the Naboo romance, intercutting with about 15 minutes of Kamino.
(So, first of all, more Naboo scenes mean that you have to include more Kamino scenes as well, in order to intercut back and forth like Lucas likes to do)
If you want to add those scenes, there are two options: either you eliminate some of the other scenes FROM THE NABOO SECTION OF THE MOVIE in order to keep the structure the same, or you increase the running time of the second act of the movie (an act that has absolutely no action scenes until the end, remember that!).
Assuming that you have at least about 5 minutes with Padme's family (any less and the new characters would feel useless and shoehorned), and that you need another 5 minutes of Kamino scenes to compensate that, it means that the viewer has to wait over 40 minutes since the end of the Coruscant chase to get to the next action scene (and Star Wars is an adventure movie after all!).
In short, adding a scene or two may not seem like a big change, but structurally and pacing-wise, it IS a big change, specially in a tight-paced SW movie (which is veeery different from The Lord of the Rings). A scene that feels superfluous, a section of the film that runs too long, and you lose the attention of the viewer. It's exactly like music. It's important to look at the bigger picture and know when to cut, even when the material you cut is good on its own.
I admit that the editing of the SW Saga as a whole is something that I admire a lot, and it feels just right to me, more than in any other film.

 

Pacing is important in a film, so I can understand why they cut these scenes. But as you said, it is important to look at the bigger picture. We all see that Padme falls for Anakin on his turf in Tatooine, while he falls for her on her turf in Naboo, which psychologically makes sense. But I still think it would have been more helpful for the audience to see a little bit more of her interest in him early on, a little bit more of the casualness. The way the film stands, it's full of these intense, occasionally playful one-on-one scenes. That's fine and everything but usually the emphasis is on Anakin's feelings. In the end he comes off a bit strong -- both to Padme and the audience -- so she essentially tells him to ease off and he does. Only when she pursues him again does he return in kind. But the problem with that is that it's after the audience has already formed a rough impression of Anakin. I personally don't think Anakin comes off as creepy, just intense, but I can see why people think that because by the time that you see her reciprocate his affection in a more aggressive way it is much, much later in the film. So, out of priority I would find some way to either include the basic beats of the Padme deleted scenes in the already existing scenes -- requiring a reshoot or something -- or I would trim or get rid of other stuff to compensate for the addition of new scenes.

It can get tricky. Lucas already was struggling a bit with the back-and-forth balancing nature, as you said, which is why he felt he needed to include the asteroid chase, which (while very thrilling and exciting) can be completely excised from the movie with no impact on what follows. Basically a bit more focus on the Obi-Wan mystery maybe would have allowed for more Naboo story. And here we see the film is growing quite a bit in size. It's difficult to change after the fact, which is what Lucas realized in the post-production of The Phantom Menace as well. One can argue that the post-production editing (and reshoots) really gave life to Revenge of the Sith after basic production was completed. That's great, when the story is focused on basically one thread like that film is. But when a story is focused on multiple threads, like The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones, it becomes difficult to deal with in post-production because suppose you think that you can deal with it later in editing [which is basically how Lucas looks at it] -- if one goes by that philosophy, it can be hard to get rid of some things without unbalancing other parts of the film. Normally, you'd just reshoot the necessary changes, or put information from deleted scenes into existing ones. But this gets tricky if production is wrapped, especially if it's late in post-production. If it's a small piece of information, you can simply do a cutaway and redo a voice track [which is how Lucas handled a Palpatine line he realized he needed in there at the beginning of AOTC]. But if it's more than that, again, it gets tricky. You'd have to have the shooting script be right on the money, or be tremendously open to do reshoots as you edit [which is what essentially happened in ROTS].

I also enjoy the editing of the Star Wars movies, and I think all 6 do a fairly good job at it. But I do recognize that, although I really enjoy the prequels, it got a little shaky depending on the film. The Phantom Menace arguably could have used a bit more editing. Attack of the Clones could arguably have used less. As for Revenge of the Sith, that one came out the most focused and even, but with the huge story it is telling, I'm still curious about that original 4-hour cut. Overall I think the editing of all three films got the job done. I think they came out about as well as they could without going back to the drawing board, and as they stand they are all good films; besides, they are probably the best example in modern cinema of 'the sum is greater than the parts.' But yeah, on editing, these are just minor observations. Overall you are right as well. Pacing must be balanced with storytelling.

 

Short answer;

It was too much like a Sit-Com. Didn't really match up with the theme of the movie. However, those scenes were important..

 

That's a good point as well that I thought of. Although the innocence and carefreeness of those scenes is refreshing, it's a little bit too nice and cavalier. Nearly every scene in Attack of the Clones is filled with some tiny morsel of foreboding. These have a little bit of that, true, but the style in which they do it is a bit too much like a talkie drama -- or as you said, sit-com [minus the com ]. But overall, yes, there was worthwhile material here.

 

It would have slowed the movie down too much. As it is, the movie still has a minor pacing problem and this would have only accelerated that, however good the scene was.

 

Would've been nice to keep those in so people would know who they were at Padme's funeral in RotS

 

Well, we all know that the pacing of AOTC was perfect which is why it's always #1 on people's lists of Star Wars films. It would be a terrible thing indeed to mess up that streak.

I will say in 2002, AOTC was the first time Star Wars disappointed me in a theater. I didn't care about the dialogue or anything else. My minor quibble was that I started to glaze over during Geonosis a bit, but my major gripe was that the romance seemed rushed and you never got a satisfying glimpse of Padme's POV. When I saw that family scene, it made a world of difference to me. I can't underestimate it, adding it to my head canon elevated AOTC to my second favorite film of the Saga.

Could it have been shot a bit differently? Maybe. Or cut a bit? Sure, I think in particular Anakin and the Dad could have been. But that little dinner and scene with Padme's sister would have added so much for a little slice elsewhere.

 

I like the deleted family scenes as much as the next fan, but this rationale for keeping them in makes no sense.

Let's see, there are these two middle-aged people at Padme's funeral, a man and a woman, and they look really sad that Padme is dead. "I wonder who they could be?" is not a question that is going to enter anyone's mind who has the most basic understanding of biology.

 

That

That would just be one of many reasons to keep the scene in AotC. And there were many people at the funeral walking, some people could've thought they were just random people. So yes, it would've been nice to have some clarification on who they were.

 

That

That would just be one of many reasons to keep the scene in AotC. And there were many people at the funeral walking, some people could've thought they were just random people. So yes, it would've been nice to have some clarification on who they were.

 

I like these scenes, but I don't think they would work in the grand scheme of the film. They're too long, and don't really advance the Anakin-Padme love plot that much.

 

They're clearly her parents. A middle-aged man and woman walking closely to the 20-something deceased. Who else could they possibly be? Random strangers? Of course they're her family. This rationale makes no sense.

I like the cut scenes. A lot. They flesh out Padme's character and subtly clarify that she does have an attraction to Anakin. They're well-acted and well-written scenes. But IMO they don't belong in the finished film, for the following reason:

Padme is on the run, incognito, from her would-be assassins. Those assassins know who she is and where she comes from. Logically, one of the first places they're going to look is her family's home. Merely by going there she is putting her mother, father, sister, etc. in mortal danger. I don't believe that's consistent with Padme's character, for one, and Anakin would never have allowed it (without strenuous argumentation) as head of security.

 

It is the action scenes most of all that hamper the pacing of AOTC. The speeder chase with the ridiculous jumps and cringey banter and the droid factory are the worst parts of the film. If anything was to be cut or trimmed, it should have been those. The middle is the strongest section of the film and more of it would only bolster the overall piece.

 

I agree with that. The droid factory of all the scenes made me cringe.

I think this debate might come down to whether a person has a taste for romance or not. If a person doesn't care for it, then it makes sense that those scenes would drag on. I think for the romance lovers out there, the movie is only really improved by those scenes.

It also eliminates the fan criticism or theory that Anakin just beat Padme down emotionally until she agreed to be with him. If you see her POV, you know that can't be true. You also see more people that had a good impression of Anakin, which makes the overall fall more tragic.

 

That is interesting.

I equate it to the deleted Luke scenes and with Biggs in particular.

Overall nice scenes that would make the story of the characters in the movies slightly better but not necessarily make them better movies in the theater.

It's true that for some who have trouble with the Anakin and Padme relationship that it does give clarity for those who can't simply accept that Padme is attracted to Anakin. It's the whole old school aspect of how formal societies work and the conventions they work under about being professional and doing public service and duty to your position. Which is all covered in the fireside scene but only between them. The objective third view of her family as to how she is missing so much is something that is very informative for a number of people. I have encountered people who wish there was a scene like this in the movie who didn't know about the deleted scenes.

These are the key points:


SOLA Well, this is exciting! Do you
know, Anakin, you're the first
boyfriend my sister's ever brought
home?

PADME (rolls her eyes)
Sola!! He isn't my boyfriend!
He's a Jedi assigned by the Senate
to protect me.

JOVAL A bodyguard?! Oh, Padme! They
didn't tell us it was that serious!

PADME It's not, Mom, I promise.
(glances at Jobal)
Anyway, Anakin's a friend. I've
known him for years. Remember
that little boy who was with the
Jedi during the blockade crisis?

They nod.

PADME (continuing)
He grew up.

JOBAL Honey, when are you going to
settle down? Haven't you had
enough of that life? I certainly
have!

PADME Mom, I'm not in any danger.

RUWEE (to Anakin)
Is she?

ANAKIN ...Yes... I'm afraid she is.

PADME (quickly)
But not much.

INT. PADME'S PARENTS' HOUSE, MAIN ROOM - AFTERNOON PADME, SOLA and JOBAL are clearing the table.

SOLA Why haven't you told us about him?

PADMÉ What's there to talk about? He's
just a boy.

SOLA A boy? Have you seen the way he
looks at you?

PADMÉ Sola - stop it!

SOLA It's obvious he has feelings for
you. Are you saying, little baby
sister, that you haven't noticed?

PADMÉ I'm not your baby sister, Sola.
Anakin and I are friends... our
relationship is strictly
professional.
(to Jobal)
Mom, would you tell her to stop it?

SOLA (laughing)
Well, maybe you haven't noticed
the way he looks at you. I think
you're afraid to.

PADMÉ Cut it out.

JOBAL Sola's just concerned... we all
are.

PADMÉ Oh, Mom, you're impossible. What
I'm doing is important.

JOBAL You've done your service, Padmé.
It's time you had a life of your
own. You're missing so much!

 

I have to opinions: I LOVE those scenes and would have loved them in the film. HOWEVER, they would have maid it even longer than it was. But, it would have improved the characters....

Sepra, I absolutely hated that scene...

 

I love these scenes, especially the diner and the girls playing with R2.One detail that I like is Anakin's attitude towards Padme family: he is fascinated, it looks like something he had always wanted to have in his life (not only a wonderful mother. but a real home, large family, etc.)
But I understand perfectly why these scenes are not in the movie, especially the diner. Lucas would be eaten alive for making form SW a regular sitcom.
About the droid factory scene: is very symbolic and important for the movie, I just would make it shorter. Why is important: Anakin looses Padme, she almost dies there, he cannot do anything to save her and also he "looses" his arm: pretty much what happens, after all.

 

I never said I would prefer them in the film but they are good scenes.

 

To be perfectly honest, that was the first time I really felt that a scene that deserved to be deleted actually got deleted.

It's too much smalltalk that shouldn't be in a SW film, IMHO.

 

Which scene? Droid factory or Padme with her sister?

 

Droid factory. Sorry...

 

I was never too fond of those scenes. I would much rather kept some of the scenes on Geonosis, like Padme addressing Dooku in the Separatist council room, and especially her plea with the senate, which I think would have been more essential, and showed her taking a more active role in solving the conflict like in TPM.