PT Star Wars Prequels Appreciation Week

I saw this on Twitter and thought it was an excellent idea.

 

Favorite actor: Hayden Christensen

 

Favorite Actor: Ian McDiarmid

 

Ah, yes, I saw this on the Tumblr page Samnz runs. Thanks for all your analysis on there too!

Favourite actor.... that's a very difficult choice. Ewan was the perfect choice to play a character represented by Alec Guiness in my opinion, yet at the same time, Hayden not only managed to accurately portray Prowse's body language and gestures, but gave life to the character and performed excellently. At the same time though, many other actors/actresses deserve credit. Natalie turned the concept of a pressured young queen turned senator who was to marry the man who would fall to the dark side into something even beyond that, I think. Ahmed Best MADE the character of Jar Jar. Andy Secomb was able to make an otherwise somewhat minor character into a very memorable personality.
Let's of course not forget we had plenty of already famous actors - Liam Neeson, Samuel L. Jackson, and of course Christopher Lee, all of whom delivered to the tee. Let's not also discredit the actors who would reprise roles from the OT as well!

After some long thought and time spent staring at this quick post box.... I'm gonna go with Ewan. I plan my next SW viewing to have my attention centred on Obi-Wan, as I believe his character can be perceived as just as tragic as Anakin's.

 

Just took a fresh look at @Samnz's Tumblr page -- it's really come on! And he gives an exemplary visual tribute to Obi-Wan, fully justifying, just in a handful of carefully-chosen images, why Ewan is a great pic(k)!

In a way, I'm tempted to give it to Ahmed Best, based on all the life he breathed into Jar Jar, and the fact that Jar Jar is my favourite character. Not to mention the fact that Jar Jar could always do with some love.

I'm going to have to go with Ian McDiarmid, though. Why? Not only does he give an entirely sneaky and commendable performance in all three films, rising to scene-stealing brilliance in ROTS, elevating these films and making them, on a dramatic level, all they can and should be, but he really gets Lucas as a story-teller, and what all these movies are trying to be.

There's also the small matter that I saw Ian McD. acting for real, in the flesh, in 2008, from about three feet away. I know this guy is good. Goooood, Anakin. Good! No, but he really is! One extra thing that impressed me in-person was the crystal-like clarity and genuine softness of his voice. Take what you hear in the clearest parts of the dialogue track in ROTS, through good headphones, and double it.

So Ian is my choice. There can be no other.

 

BTW... guys...

Bazinga'd
heels1785

Can we get this thread pinned for the week?

 

Please

 

Favorite actor: Ewan McGregor.

 

Looks like the gods have answered.

I dunno how many people are going to add to this -- almost missed it myself (though I did first see the notification for this, elsewhere, about a week ago).

But anyone who misses any of the days should feel free to still cover them when they come in. That's my view, anyway.

Could be a lively thread.

 

Ian McDiarmid, Ewan McGregor, and Liam Neeson -- I guess, now that I think of it, basically anyone from Britain who's in a main role!

 

Favorite actor: Ewan McGregor, hands down. He absolutely owned the role of Obi-Wan, particularly in Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith; I felt like Obi-Wan's more interesting and enjoyable character traits were absorbed by Qui-Gon for The Phantom Menace, so McGregor had less to work with.

Favorite Main Character: Obi-Wan. I just really, really like Obi-Wan Kenobi, period. From his mano y mano duel against Darth Maul after his master's murder, to his investigation of the clone army conspiracy on Kamino, to his heart-breaking confession of "You were my brother, Anakin... I love you," as his former padawan lay broken at the edge of a river of lava, Obi-Wan was the character I emotionally followed throughout all three films. I also dressed up as him for Halloween 1999 at my pre-school's fall harvest festival, so there's that.

Also, for anyone interested in taking a trip back in time (or down memory lane, depending on how old you are) I sometimes find it fun to visit the Inactive JC Forums section, click on some of the prequel boards, and set the thread creation time to ascending order so I can pour through some of the earliest available threads for each of the three prequels. It's really interesting to see what people were saying about the movies in the years before and immediately after they came out.

 

Favorite Main Character: Obi-Wan Kenobi

 

Favorite Actor: Ewan McGregor

Favorite Main Character: Qui-Gon Jinn

 

Time for the next round!

Favourite main char: Anakin

A character deeply complex and with a story which touches my heart in more ways than one, a character I can personally relate with, connect to, and empathize for, and a character from whom I believe many essential life lessons may be learned

 

Favorite main character: Obi-Wan Kenobi.

 

Ewan/Obi-Wan!

 

Favourite Actor - Ian Mcdiarimd - Just an outstanding actor, Star Wars was so lucky to have him. And as Cryogenic points out, he absolutely "get's" what George was trying to do with these films... I don't think there's another actor in the series (maybe Mark Hamill?) Who truly understands Star Wars like Mcdiarmid.

And in real life he seems to be a thoroughly nice man as well.


Favourite Main Character - Obi-Wan Kenobi - "Hello there". I'll admit when I saw TPM I just couldn't see the connection between Ewan's Obi and Sir Alec's Obi... But by the time ROTS rolled around, suddenly I could make that connection but in many way's what Ewan achieved with Obi was greater than Sir Alec Guinness.

Ewan Mcgregor IS Obi-Wan Kenobi for me.


I'll try and remember to add an entry each day.

 

Fav Actor (Sat) - Ian Mcdiarmid

Fav Character (Sun) - Palpatine/Sidious

(My SW tumblr: Bly's Eye)

 

Just whipped this up... still a little rough, but it's my little contribution for SWPAW. Enjoy!

 

- Saturday, 01.08: Favourite Actor : Ewan McGregor
- Sunday, 02.08: Favourite Main Character: Obi-Wan

well, that was easy!

 

Favorite Actor: Liam Neeson
Favorite Main Character : Anakin Skywalker

This is my first post btw .

 

Welcome!

 

Good work!

Welcome to the madhouse!


Favourite Main Character: Jar Jar

Runner Up: AOTC Anakin

Nice to see all this Obi love! I have to go with Jar Jar, however. I love the design, the energy of the character -- loud and soft -- and all that he represents. Depending on how you look at it, Jar Jar is almost completely without guile (well, even looking at him more naively, he has his moments), or he's actually the smartest dude in the universe. Think about it. While, on the one hand, he's pretty animated (literally and otherwise), clattering about, gesticulating wildly at times, and generally saying "Look at me! Look at me!", there are also signs of him being more tactical: like when he stoically advises Amidala on Coruscant. Jar Jar could know more than anyone else in the story; the mark of an intelligent person would just be to keep everything that might make you a target to yourself ("The ability to speak does not make you intelligent"). Whereas, if you assume that Jar Jar is pretty innocent, you still arrive at the same theme: things perceived to be "useless" may actually have other qualities, and if sentient like Jar Jar, may possess their own way of seeing the world. Then there is the all-around sensuous nature of Jar Jar. He's part forest sprite, part amphibian, part bandicoot. And the way he experiences the world, half the time, is by tasting or crashing into it. Or just screaming at it. This is a guy with different priorities to the norm. There's something very fetching about Jar Jar's unique way of being.

I pick AOTC Anakin as my runner-up because, somewhat like Jar Jar, he's both callow and anything but. Here is a guy juggling so much and chafing under the strictures of the Jedi life, looking for validation, looking to grow, and privately hankering for more. There is no-one he can fully open up to, so he spreads his anxieties between Palpatine and Obi-Wan: imperfect father figures both. Then Padme re-enters his life and there's a bit of fire in his belly again. It's interesting to watch him being pretty open about Padme around Obi-Wan in the first act of Clones. "I don't think she liked me watching her"; "Just being around her again is intoxicating". He has a new form of release; and something tangible (rather than philosophical or political abstractions) to passionately devote himself to. It's a very compelling period of his life. I like watching this version of Anakin struggling to make his way; and ruminating on the hot-tempered humanity nestled within. The character has some pretty high standards for himself, but is also morose, tempestuous, fiery, dynamic, and intense. A wonderful cocktail! I don't think any other character in Star Wars presents so many shades. Also, I like how, in the end, he gets the girl. But Jar Jar remains my top pick.

WAIT -- Is Jar Jar a main character? Have I just Jar Jar-ed this thread? You know, too bad. He's a main to me. A main and a side. That's the added beauty of Jar Jar. I'll pick someone different tomorrow.

 

Favourite Actor: Temuera Morrison, he was great a Jango, and showed different sides as the Clones.

Favourite Main Character: Palpatine, I just love that guy, he's so sneaky and crafty in TPM and AOTC, and has so much fun in ROTS.

 

Its good to see Jar Jar getting some much deserved praise. I think he's an awesome character.