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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Opinions: Who was the better Obi Wan Kenobie ?

Discussion in 'Star Wars Saga In-Depth' started by Jinn-N-Tonic, Sep 17, 2006.

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  1. Lord_Of_Sith

    Lord_Of_Sith Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Feb 28, 2005
    Alec was the greater actor, but Ewan was the better Obi.
     
  2. Obi-Ewan

    Obi-Ewan Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 24, 2000
    Tough question. I love watching an actor attempt to recreate the mannerisms of either another actor, or a historical character--sometimes more than the subject being imitated. I love to watch Robert DeNiro in The Godfather Partk II. I don't watch much Katherine Hepburn, but I loved Cate Blanchett in The Aviator. I've seen even less Truman Capote, but thought Philip Seymour Hoffman was spot on. Part of what I loved about Ewan McGregor was his ability to encorporate Alec Guinness's performance into his own. And I might have to admit that while I loved what Alec Guinness did with the role, I really like the moments where Ewan McGregor references them, and am impressed by the challenge he met in doing so. I watch Episodes II and III a lot, especially the Jedi Mind Trick, arm severing, "Hello there!" and binary sunset scenes. But at the same time the reason I like it so much is because it matches up so well with Guinness.
     
  3. _Sublime_Skywalker_

    _Sublime_Skywalker_ Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 8, 2004
    Ewan played a great young Obi Wan Kenobi, and Alec played a great old version. But I have to think in realistic terms, Obi Wan is more a 'jedi knight' and alec is more of the 'jedi master'. Ewans wise as the character but also concentrating too hard on humour and sounding like a sincere jedi. Don't get me wrong, I love Ewan but I think in the part of being a Jedi master Alec was better because he was calm, wise and strong.
     
  4. Jamiebacca

    Jamiebacca Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2003
    I agree. I mean, Ewans was very derivative. He did a good job at what he did, put he had big shoes to fill. It's almost completely unfair to say this, but there's no way Ewan could have been better. And this is no slight on him at all, I'm a Ewan McGregor fan. I'm glad he was Obi Wan in the prequels.
     
  5. JFuchs77

    JFuchs77 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 5, 2006
    I definitely liked Ewan McGregor more.
     
  6. Jedi-Queen

    Jedi-Queen Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 16, 2005
    I like AG as O-W in the original movies b/c he seemed perfectly cast as the
    older yet wiser Jedi Knight with enough patience to put up with Luke.
    However, O-W seemed like a secondary character to me and didn't miss his
    presence in the movie when he died. Of course I seen him later in ROTJ,
    but at the time he died I didn't know I'd see him again.
    Ewan however, made me really like O-W and even at times drool over O-W lol
    b/c let's face it, Ewan is a good looking man.
    Ewan showed us the young, brash, confident, witty and wise Obi-Wan.
    He made him so likeable and necessary to the saga I would have missed him
    a lot of his character died during the preqs.
    I now can't picture O-W as anyone else, but Ewan's character.
     
  7. Garrett_Skymaster

    Garrett_Skymaster Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 22, 2006
    After much consideration, I have decided that Sir Alec Guiness is better. While I like what Ewan brought to the role, Alec had an air about him that lent him to a seasoned character who is slightly troubled by his past, but still has a hope for the future. I have seen many actors in my time, but Alec Guiness has a special place in my mind for his unforgettable portrayal of an equally unforgettable role.
     
  8. SEPARATESICKLEROOK2

    SEPARATESICKLEROOK2 Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Sep 1, 2003
    Well, we got to learn more of what ObiWan was about from Ewan.
     
  9. TheJediReturns

    TheJediReturns Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Aug 17, 2006
    I think it'd be cool if we could send these posts to Ewan McGregor. I think it would really confirm to him it was worth it taking up ten years of his life and a LOT of bluescreen to play Obi Wan Kenobi. I think he expanded and improved on the character also. Gave him much more dimension to add to when you see Alec Guiness come on the screen for the first time.
     
  10. SEPARATESICKLEROOK2

    SEPARATESICKLEROOK2 Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Sep 1, 2003
    Yeah it would be cool if he saw these. I think Hayden and Natalie need one too.
     
  11. Aeneas_Falco

    Aeneas_Falco Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    May 19, 2005
    I like the OT films better than the PT films, but I'd say Ewan McGregor. I'm not saying he is a better actor than Alec Guiness (after all he was chanelling Alec Guiness in his performance), just that PT Obi Wan is a more developed character. He is the protaganist of the PT while in the OT he's just the mentor of the protaganist, (Luke) and even then he shares that role with Yoda. There is really no comparison since Obi Wan is a major character in the PT, but a minor character (comparatively speaking) in the OT.
     
  12. Grand_Moff_Jawa

    Grand_Moff_Jawa Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    May 31, 2001
    I see them as two different characters.

    Ben Kenobi was the wise old man that reminded you of your grandfather.

    Obi-Wan Kenobi was the young, brash Jedi doing acrobatics with his lasersword.
     
  13. Jinn-N-Tonic

    Jinn-N-Tonic Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 17, 2006
    Alec may have originated the role but Ewan owns it!
     
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