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

Will ROTS change your opinion about GL picking SLJ to play Mace Windu?

Discussion in 'Archive: Revenge of the Sith' started by r8hitman, Feb 21, 2005.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. JediPrettyBoy

    JediPrettyBoy Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 10, 2005
    Maybe Mace Windu belongs to a group or race of people like Whoopi Goldberg's and Malcolm MacDowell's species in the Star Trek series and movies.
     
  2. JawaStew

    JawaStew Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2005
    Morgan Freeman is probably a bit too old - and I don't think he really looks enough the part of the warrior. SLJ looks it, but he wasn't so hot in the saber fights (not terribly bad either, but he's supposed to be close to if not the best duellist).

    Larry Fishburne would have made a good Windu IMHO. I think his speaking voice would have been better suited to a Jedi. He's a better, and more diverse actor too. I tend to think he appears to be more athletic given his performance in the Matrix too.
    Seeing him in the Matrix and Star Wars may hay been too much though, and detracted from his believability.
     
  3. YYZ-2112

    YYZ-2112 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 3, 2004
    SLJ was great as far as I'm concerned concerning the character of Mace. I thought his line in TPM "But which was destroyed; the Master or the Apprentice?" was a bit redundent and could have been shortened to "But which was destroyed?". I thing the actor's saber skills could have used some work or the use of a double would have helped the characterisation greatly. But again, as far as the choice of actor to speak the lines and create the personification, SLJ was a great choice and I'm glad Lucas chose people to partisipate in his prequel trilogy who were enthusiastic about the priveledge.
     
  4. RamRed

    RamRed Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 16, 2002
    Interesting . . . you're urked by the presence of two non-white actors in the SW movies.


    I saw nothing wrong with SLJ as Mace Windu. I cannot help but wonder about the real reason so many were against him. By the way, I had noticed in the starwars.com database, the following passage on Mace Windu:

    ?After Qui-Gon's death, the Council rescinded their original decision, and granted Obi-Wan Kenobi permission to train Anakin Skywalker. Still, Windu fostered a mistrust of Skywalker, feeling that he was too powerful for his age and too unpredictable.?


    One question, if affirmative action was not in place, do you think Mace Windu would have been black?

    I don't think so.


    Samuel L. Jackson was cast as Mace Windu, because of Affirmative Action? Are you kidding me?

    Now, this was odd. Yes, Mace had expressed reservations about allowing Anakin into the Order. But so did Yoda. Yet, the starwars.com Database failed to mention this. Nor did Mace continue to express mistrust of Anakin, after he was accepted into the Order . . . at least not until ROTS. Yet, Yoda said this to Obi-Wan at the end of TPM:

    YODA: Confer on you, the level of Jedi Knight the Council does. But agree on you taking this boy as your Padawan learner, I do not.
    OBI-WAN: Qui-Gon believed in him. I believe in Qui-Gon.
    YODA: The Chosen One the boy may be; nevertheless, grave danger I fear in his training.OBI-WAN: Master Yoda, I gave Qui-Gon my word. I will train Anakin. Without the approval of the Council if I must.
    YODA: Qui-Gon's defiance I sense in you. Need that, you do not. Agree, the council does. Your apprentice, Skywalker will be.


    Why didn't the SW.com Data base mention this?
     
  5. RamRed

    RamRed Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 16, 2002
    These complaints are so ridiculous and petty. And I don't care if I'm being hostile.
     
  6. JawaStew

    JawaStew Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2005
    No, actually my friends and I all noticed this too. It just seemed very un-monklike. I think SLJ got more 'Jedi'-ish as he grew into the character but you're not the only one who noticed his nonchalance in TPM. Relax RamRed, he's not the only actor to get grief - Christensen and Portman get all kinds of flak for their 'romance'...
     
  7. TheCat

    TheCat Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 21, 2001
    SLJ = perfect choice
     
  8. COMMANDER76

    COMMANDER76 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 12, 2005
    Yes Lawrence Fishburne would have been a perfect choice. He's done Shakespear and Broadway and would have been awesome in the role in both verbal delivery and action scenes. SLJ is "the man" but he kinda slouches and walks and fights like he has a bad back or something.
     
  9. Sosanya

    Sosanya Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 10, 2005
    SLJ was wrong with this role. If they were gonna use him, he should have been given more attitude in his lines..that's where he does best. Otherwise, if you have to diversify the council racially and wanted Mace to be black, I would have picked Morgan Freeman or even Denzel Washington if you were going for dignified, wise, and powerful.
     
  10. JawaStew

    JawaStew Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2005
    Fishburne has much more posture in many ways I think. SLJ isn't a bad actor - he's quite a good actor I think, but he has less range. I think he would carry more Jedi-brand aloofness to the role, without sacrificing any toughness.
     
  11. The_Dark_Knight

    The_Dark_Knight Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 15, 2004
    I don't know about Denzel but if we had to pick someone besides SLJ I would have picked Lawerence Fishburne to play it. But SLJ is the best to play the role of Mace Windu ROTS.
     
  12. Sosanya

    Sosanya Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    May 10, 2005
    I don't know about Denzel but if we had to pick someone besides SLJ I would have picked Lawerence Fishburne to play it. But SLJ is the best to play the role of Mace Windu ROTS.[/quote]

    OK DUUUH, I don't know why I didn' think about him. Lawrence Fishbourne would have been perfect. Yes! Oh well....I can't really see him saying of those corny lines anyway. I don't think the character of Mace was really fleshed out that well..but I still love ROTS.
     
  13. MacetheCouncillor

    MacetheCouncillor Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 4, 2003
    No, this movie hasn't changed my opinion on Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu. Not really. Except if you count...He was cool before, he is awesome now.
     
  14. COMMANDER76

    COMMANDER76 Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 12, 2005
    Like I said SLJ is "the man"....he personifies the traits of coolness, boldness, toughness, and even intelligence in today's action star. And as far as the thread topic is concerned...my opinion of SLJ has only grown since TPM in 99. He is by FAR the most versatile actor in the entire saga....I mean who else can pull of action/drama/romance/or even comedy???
     
  15. farrellg

    farrellg Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 17, 2005
    I love the character of Mace and I like the idea of Lucas selecting SLJ for the role but one thing did bother me....it was the way he screamed after he lost his hand.

    I mean now after I've seen it a few times, it doesnt bother me as much and doesnt seem AS BAD, but when I first saw it I was like "that scream was a little over the top".


    I thought that Mace's scream was realistic for someone who just lost a hand. I would except him to be in a lot of pain. Luke also screams really loud when his hand is cut off, but Dooku and Anakin don't. It mind depend on the person, but I would think that crying out in pain is the most natural reaction.

    In terms of acting, I feel Jackson was the right choice for Windu. He projected an appropriately stern, no-nonsense demeanor. Jackson didn't look that fast with a lightsaber, though. I don't think they used a fencing double for Mace at all, although I did see Dooku fencing double Kyle Rowling rehearsing with both Palpatine double Michael Byrne in one of the extras. Maybe he was originally going to do some of the fighting for Jackson, but was discarded as there is no double listed for Mace Windu in the credits.
     
  16. one_armed_scissor_14

    one_armed_scissor_14 Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 24, 2005
    Man, I love Windu. The character, the actor, just everything about him. He's really the driving impetus behind the Jedi Council. Without him, they wouldn't get anything done. Yoda's over there philosophizing and Obi-Wan's arguing with Anakin and such...come on, you've gotta love him.
     
  17. Darth_Sidious-

    Darth_Sidious- Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Nov 14, 2005
    I love Mace, he's an awsome character and one of the greatest duelist of all time. Sam Jackson was a great pick, and nothing is better then the purple saber.
     
  18. lordvicious

    lordvicious Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2005
    My issue with him casting SLJ in this role has never been his race nor performance (he did a good job with his lines and projecting the serious, grim Jedi), but his stature as an actor. Mace Windu is a senior Jedi that dies in the purge. Period. There are a bunch of other ones too. Ki Adi Mundi, Kit Fisto etc. GL filmed the OT first thus setting a hierarchy of characters. Yoda was set up from the beginning to be the top Jedi (GL has never changed that in interviews). The Emperor naturally becomes the top Sith. Mace's win causes irreparable damage to both of those images with his "clutch" victory. Seriously, who cares about the Mace Windu character in the whole view of the saga? Even after GL threw him this bone who gives a hoot? What gain did the movie get from it? Not much. What was lost by doing it? The aura surrounding two of the indisposable characters of the story for starters. None of the other disposable Jedi Masters had a chance (Sidious took out three of them), yet all of a sudden there is another Jedi who is on par with Yoda. It is my opinion but that was a horrible decision, and I truly believe that the clout of SLJ, and I would wager to bet that comments and concessions by him on set helped propel him to his level 9 rating.

    In conclusion here are my top three worst decisions by GL in his series
    1) Mace Windu legitimately beating Palpatine (sub-decision: casting SLJ as Windu). Heck he could have cast an up-and-coming African American actor (like he did with Harrison Ford-maybe give it to Ahmed Best in addition to the Jar Jar character) and helped make his career and it wouldn't have required this "pampering" (read at least to include a special lightsaber and a spectacular death).
    2) Greedo fires first. Han is only alive in the OT because Greedo needs to go to the range more often.
    3) Ewoks beat Armored Storm Troopers with rocks and sticks. No explanation required.
     
  19. LordoftheSaber

    LordoftheSaber Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Apr 24, 2001
    GL should have picked an unknown. We all make mistakes and I think GL made one with SLJ. I'll still enjoy the prequals... SLJ did a good job. Snipes, Denzel, Fishbourne(the matrix come on!) would not have done any better. Ahmed Best is way too young.
     
  20. r8hitman

    r8hitman Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 30, 2004
    Ahmed Best would have been just plain wrong.[face_talk_hand]

    Once we all found out that he played Jar Jar can you imagine all of the Sidious vs. Jar Jar jokes and photos we would see?:p


    Like I said before, Avery Brooks would have also been another good choice.


    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    I'm going to address the main subject of this one ( I highlighted it).

    Now, Mace was the perfect person IMO to set up the event of Anakin turning. It doesnt do damage to Yoda or Sidious at all because there has to be a third party in the room when Anakin makes his decision to cross over, and it couldnt have been Obi-Wan or Yoda because they both survive, and if it had been an unknown actor or character then the turn wouldnt have been as dramatic.
    It had to be a very powerful important character for this scene to have any emotion, and picking an actor like Sam gives more credibility to Windu. He needed a character that he could elevate to Yoda and Sidious' level for just 2 movies and then have Anakin strike him down in the third. But all the other main characters survive and picking an unknown jedi to defeat Sidious (or having hang with him) would have been absurd, so I dont think this was Sam's doing, I think Lucas wanted this to happen from the very beginning (Anakin turning on Windu in the office) and that's what he brought Jackson in for.
     
  21. one_armed_scissor_14

    one_armed_scissor_14 Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 24, 2005
    But Mace beat Palpatine, not "Sidious", if you want to get technical. And technically Palpatine actually shot the Mace scene instead of having a computer do it, because he is supposed to be weaker then without the Dark Side flowing through him.
     
  22. sithrules70

    sithrules70 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 28, 2005
    unlike vader and anakin who can be separated as 2 different beings,palpatine and sidious are exactly the same man.the fact that palpatine fakes in front of everybody for 13 years doesnt mean that he is not evil or that he is less of a sith lord.

    palpatine is just as evil and powerful as sidious is because he is exactly the same man.
     
  23. one_armed_scissor_14

    one_armed_scissor_14 Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 24, 2005
    But the fact that one scene was acted while another was done on computer can't escape you either. I don't think you can equate the two scenes.
     
  24. r8hitman

    r8hitman Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 30, 2004
    I edited my last post.;)
     
  25. one_armed_scissor_14

    one_armed_scissor_14 Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 24, 2005
    I like that theory :D :D.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.