Prequel Script Writing quality: The whole debate

Agreed...

Fair enough...it wasnt the music that bothered me....it was moreso the butchering of the score in certain places....

but that does belong somewhere else so I will end that topic as of ......NOW!

 

I find it hard to believe anyone can call the scriptwriting for AOTC bad when A Beautiful Mind won Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay (over LOTR!). Honestly, if Hollywood can go gaga over an Akiva Goldsmith screenplay, then AOTC should never, ever have another complaint uttered toward it.

 

Maybe this will clear up some of the whole script writing quality debate:

Diary of a Star Wars Co-Writer
by Jonathan Hales

Day 1

Arrived at Skywalker Ranch. McCallum shows me my office. "****ing great to have you here!" he says. Ask him when George and I will get started on the script. McCallum says "just ****ing take it easy for a few days."

Day 4

Tell McCallum I have a few ideas for the script. McCallum takes my handwritten notes, stuffs them into the back pocket of his jeans. Says he'll "be sure to show this to George."

Day 7

McCallum drops by, says "Jonathan, we're so *****ing excited about the work you're doing on the script. George is ****ing excited too." "But I haven't done any work on the script, Rick," I say. "Just keep up the good work!" McCallum says. Says I'll be having lunch with George in a day or two.

Day 13

Still haven't been given access to the computer. McCallum promises he'll send a tech guy around "in a day or two." Weather here in California is lovely. Am drinking heavily.

Day 22

Ask McCallum if I can see an outline of the story so far. "You know, security's pretty ****ing tight around here, Jonathan. We don't let just anyone see this stuff."

Day 39

McCallum hands me airline tickets. "I can't tell you how much we appreciate the work you've done on this thing, Jonathan," he says as he escorts me off the premises. "But I didn't do any work," I say. "You're ****ing great," McCallum says. "George will be giving you a call. He wants to do this again for Episode 3."

 

However, to make a meager attempt at reproducing a Han-like character would only make a mockery of Han Solo himself and would jeopardize his integrity.

Yeah. I think Lucasfilm learned its lesson with Shadows of the Empire.

Dash Rendar so fully filled the Han Solo "hole" among the group that I basically forgot he was missing.

 

What did I do?

I never expected this thread to last.

 

This thread has been very interesting. I have to agree with most of the people here. I loved AOTC and I thought the dialogue was good. I know the lines may sound cheesy, but that's because we aren't used to lines like these. I mean 20 years from now, the lines we use in romantic comedies nowadays will be seen as archaic. Lucas wrote the script not for the present times, it is in a different era and different way of life. As many people have said, just go watch movie and enjoy yourself.

 

Jar Jar wrote:
>Yes, he is a clown/comic figure, so that argument is valid. I
>don't see why that argument makes you sick because there must be
>about a 3-1 ratio of forumites here that dislike Jar Jar to the
>ones that do, so your side is heard plenty. On the opposite end
>of the spectrum, the "fart jokes" thing is old and sickening to
>hear as well.
>

I disagree - the clown figure argument is not valid as it is used by the PT gusher crowd. Archetypal figures are archetypal because they are universal to many stories. So you can take just about any story and overlay some archetypal characterizations on it. Did you know that Scrappy Doo was put into the Scooby Doo series because the creators were into mythology and wanted an archetypal clown figure on the show? Sure hope Scrappy is in that new movie

PT gushers specialize in taking the most inane aspects of the PT and turning them into grand mythological strategies on the part of the director - so I have no doubt that someone somewhere has made the fart joke you mentioned into a mythological example of "symbolizing the expelling of fear that is inside Jar Jar" or some such nonsense.

Not to mention that just because someone has attempted to insert certain mythological archetypes into a film, it does not follow that the characterizations work well in the film. And certainly labeling some aspect of the film as mythology doesn't excuse it from being badly done - as some PT gushers would have believe. Jar Jar bumbling around taking up too much screen time is exactly that - regardless of any mythological strategy on the part of the director.

Oh - and I didn't say I was "sick" of anything in my post, although you used "sick" and "sickening" in your post. But then you do have a tuff road when it comes to defending Jar Jar. It would give me a headache

 

Jar Jar wrote:
>That's what counts when it comes to making fans bro, because adults
>are way too fickle. I remember for me when I was young that it wasn't
>"I am your father" or any of the serious storylines of the OT that made
>me like it, it was the funny-looking aliens and the wierd ships that
>stuck out. When I got older I could appreciate the other things, but
>I wasn't able to get it back then. Oh btw, ANH was my least favorite
>film back then, because it was "boring".
>

Then I guess any director who plans a sequel should add plenty of kiddy aspects to the film - so as to ensure fans that are not fickle? I see it now, Coppola could have had Don Corleone make an offer that couldn't be refused - and then offer up a triple fudge sunday No - you don't need to kiddy up a film in order to make it have good fans. Take a look at ANH. It didn't have some kid running around accidentally flipping levers and destroying the central enemy vessel - and yet kids and adults were both able to enjoy it. Well except for you who found it "boring".

 

Take a look at ANH. It didn't have some kid running around accidentally flipping levers and destroying the central enemy vessel - and yet kids and adults were both able to enjoy it. Well except for you who found it "boring".

NO DUDE IT WASN'T AN ACCIDENT IT WAS THE FORCE IN HIS BLOOD MAN. THAT WHAT MAKE IT TPM SO GENIUS.

I wonder if people think ANH is boring now because Lucas censored out the distinctive burning holes that appear when the officers get shot by Luke and crew.

 

Revolution, comparing Jar Jar to Scrappy Doo is like comparing ESB to Tomb Raider, they are two very different things for very different reasons.

Jar Jar is essentially the archetypal "jester," the clown-fool seen in most of Chaucer's writings as well as some of Shakespeare's. The reason we can say this is because Lucas has used archetypes since the very first Star Wars. Hell, if you know anything about mythology and Joseph Campbell's "Hero" theory, then you can see the obvious parallel between that and the Star Wars saga. So, it's not like Lucas started pulling archetypes out of his ass; he's been using them since the beginning. For this saga, the innocence of a young farm boy is replicated by a young slave. A parallel, yes? But GL needed something else. No, not something to bring the kiddies in or anything. He needed another embodiment of innocence to A) essentially hand the devil the keys to Heaven and B) be a tragic figure that helps show another facet of the main hero's fall. Because of Jar Jar's fatal flaw (an overeagerness to please), he does A in Attack of the clones and will most likely become B in Episode III.

So, any other questions?

 

Yeah when I'm designing a Large Space Craft I like to put the main reactor really close the hangar. That way if I have any crashes it motivates my damage control teams to be extra villigent in containing the fire. Else everything gets wiped out.

And yes ROTJ was pretty similiar but at least was a half built death star and it was a series of fighters that penetrated it.

 

> Yeah when I'm designing a Large Space Craft I like to put the main reactor really close the hangar.

I didn't like the whole "Anakin" stumbles into the control ship and accidentaly blows it up, but at least blowing up the main reactor from the inside of the ship was more believable than having a "trench" with it's end having the "self-destruct" hole.

I mean c'mon, these type of weird designs and designs are part of the Star Wars universe, unless you think a legged machine is better than one with wheels!

Oh well.

 

i think that the script in tpm was fine the way it is. it still felt like star wars to me.

the only thing i would change in aotc are the words chosen for the fireplace scene between anakin and padme. those lines totally sucked @$$! keep the scene...lose the lines.

 

I have to agree with you there. Although the trench was there for other purposes. In hindsite that fight could have been handled better, but hey, it was all new to everyone. But reversing an exhaust port is slightly more beleivable that Anakin's little jaunt.

In ROTJ they fighters had to break off because of Death Star sheilds being up. And the bridge of the SuperStar destroyer was only hit after the sheilds had been destroyed. Yet all the Naboo pilots complained their fighters didn't have the power to take out the sheilds, yet little Anni dives right into the landing bay.

 

800, I disagree. I think those lines are some of the most real love dialogue in recent memory. That scene to me is just amazing, if only because I've been in that EXACT situation saying almost the EXACT same thing.

 

It was shown on the ground battle, that "shields" stop lasers but not objects passing through them. So it made perfect sense. This film is not dealing with the ROTJ shield, so why do they have to bother keeping it consistent with that?

 

I thought that the script was fine. I recently rewatched the OT for this very reason. I found that the script (especially in ANH) was HORRIBLE. Man, I couldn't believe some of the lines and dialog. Even the highly coveted ESB (my favorite as well) has some very bad elements as well. Leia calls Han a "nerfherder" for goodness sake!

All in all, you guys have to take it for what it is, Star Wars. It's not meant to be super-realistic. Don't you think it would be out of place for Lucas to change his whole style of scripting and writing for the PT?

 

Well your defense has merrit. In keeping the the movie it could be deduced that shields don't stop objects. I can accept that. However it could be said that ground shields, especially ones created by a race that favors organic matter, may be different in order that the aggressor might advance as well. Just a thought. Also space shields keep the air inside the craft. If I remember right that had to be deactivated when a ship was passing through.

 

Hey Jabbadabadoo, I'm glad to see you emerging from your 'hole' to make an appearance and yet another witty, factless and pointless remark (much like this post)

Why'd you disapear? Run out of Kleenex at home?

 

>> Just a thought. Also space shields keep the air inside the craft. If I remember right that had to be deactivated when a ship was passing through.

I've never seen a Star Wars movie were that is established, and it doesn't need to be of course.

Star Trek tries to explain these things, and even there they make less sense (Holodeck, Holograms as sentient beings, etc).

 

Has anybody ever thought about sitting down with the bashers and explaining the whole mythology angle to them?

Maybe they wouldn't be so confused.

 

What's the point? They've convinced themselves that they don't enjoy, and they don't want to...

Why should it be up to us to convince them or change their opinion - if they hate it, they hate it...

Where I come in, is if inane, throw away comments are made with no justification or proof, I will chanllenge them... that is all - but I don't care to convince them it's a good movie... At the end of the day, I have enjoyed all 5 Star Wars movies, and am glad to have something so enjoyable in my life... That's one things bashers cannot take away from me...

How much you wanna bet Jabbadabadoo over there owns the TPM DVD and will be one of the forst to buy the AOTC one...

 

Jesus, are you infatuated with Jabbadabadoo?

The guy isn't even directing comments at you. Nor is he the terrible "basher" or "troll" you make him out to be, at least not in this thread. Judging from your sign up date, you have probably seen much more extreme examples of bashers.

Seriously I am not trying to insult you so please don't think I am. I think you have made some very valid points in this thread and I think that Jabbadabadoo has too. But why are you taking such personal issue with the guy. If you think he is a "basher" ignore him. If you think he is a "troll" report him.

Otherwise please move on and discuss Star Wars. All the attention you pay him is bizarre.

 

He takes my comments partially (half quotes) - and criticizes them, he makes silly comments - and then disapears - I'm sorry - but he just likes to stir the pot, and I'm stupid enough to fall for it...

And I've been here long enough to know what he operates...

But whatever - my points have been made... And if you can't see that he's just causing crap in this thread - then I don't know what is...

 

I gotta say this for Jabba, though. He's got Rick McCallum's number