PT Why did C3-PO, R2-D2 and Chewbacca work for comic relief but not Jar Jar?

Jar Jar represents many aspects of character that we are taught to despise. He is dopey; clumsy; somewhat irresponsible. He takes life as it comes and lives day to day. He is easy going and carries no prejudice. These characteristics don't fit in with the concept of a civilized society, which requires above all else order and predictability.

These are all things we are taught to hate because we are taught they are signs of weakness, signs of, well, stupidity. We are taught that no one wants to be labelled these things. So when they see a character who contains all of these superficially negative characteristics, no wonder a natural sense of repulsion arises. Jar Jar is the goofiest kid on the playground; he always gets picked last for team sports.

This is why I like Jar Jar. Lucas uses him most ingeniously to tell us a bit about the GFFA. Jar Jar's diametric opposite is Qui-Gon Jinn. Both represent completely different ends on the scale of civilization, and it's their juxtaposition that explains so much about the state of the GFFA. We see how the Jedi regard "lower" forms of life, which tells us everything we need to know about the state of the Jedi Order. The attitudes towards and treatment of Jar Jar tell us so much about every character in the film. Jar Jar's inclusion tells us more about the GFFA and its citizens than anything given to us in The Force Awakens, but that is a different topic.

I feel this line of thought extends into the real world. People dislike Jar Jar because of their own flaws and their own baggage. Ahmed Best was upset with Jar Jar's reception because he said he put so much of himself into the character. Then people say Lucas was racist? Perhaps the people who think Jar Jar represents a negative stereotype are in fact the ones with prejudice?

The hatred towards Jar Jar is a sad reflection of our society. If everyone had a little more patience for Jar Jar, and all the Jar Jars of this world, I think the world would be a much friendlier place.

 

I don't think Chewie is there for comic relief.... most of his banter with Han wasn't too much different from Luke/Han or Anakin/Obi-Wan

 

Great post. Jar Jar is the most innocent of all the innocents in Star Wars. He's endearing for that alone.

In some ways Qui-Gon and Jar Jar are opposite - in just as many ways they are the two most similar characters.

Qui-Gon tries to listen to the living force and live his life that way. Jar Jar's happy go lucky way of life is what Qui-Gon strives for but in a more serious way. And while Qui-Gon may get annoyed with Jar Jar at times, he respects the Gungan and treats him with dignity. And Jar Jar is nice to everyone he meets, seeing the best in them. Other characters will say demeaning things about Jar Jar, but I don't think Qui-Gon does. Qui-Gon tries to improve Jar Jar's table manners.

It's interesting how much Obi-Wan is bothered by Jar Jar and Anakin. I see Obi-Wan as more of a reflection of the leading attitudes of the Jedi of that time than Qui-Gon.

My biggest surprise seeing the Star Wars Special Edition in theaters in 1997 was how funny the movie is. Watching the movie at home for years with just a few other people I'd forgotten how much fun and how funny it is. In a full theater Star Wars kills as a comedy.

Pretty much everything Chewie did got a huge genuine laugh. It's very much situational comedy, and Chewie isn't doing anything purposely funny. But he's a giant dog / space ape that behaves like a person most of the time, but other times behaves like an animal. That alone is funny. How people treat Chewie is funny. He really is charming and evokes a lot of emotions because he is so alive. Sometimes Chewbacca is scary. Other times he is funny. It's a well rounded character.

 

They are similar, Qui-Gon and Jar Jar, in that they play for the same team. They are both good people, just people from opposite ends of that spectrum.

And I think that Obi-Wan fact is very interesting also. I think it's meant to convey the lineage of teaching Obi-Wan belongs to, and how each generation is becoming more arrogant, losing focus. Obi-Wan did fail training Anakin, whereas I don't think Qui-Gon would have. Qui-Gon was more open to different ideas, not as rigid as the Jedi Council.

The prequels are a great deal about the failure of the Jedi. The attitude we get from Obi-Wan in TPM shows us some insight as to where/why they began to fail. Had the council began to embrace a philosophy more akin to Qui-Gon's beliefs, I don't think Vader would have been born.

 

The script describes Jar Jar's tongue going numb & him trying to signal Anakin to cut the engines:

QUI-GON approaches the GROUP and gives ANAKIN a small battery. JAR JAR gets
his hand caught in the afterburner and tries to tell Anakin, but can't get
words out that make sense.

ANAKIN jumps into the little capsule behind the two giant engines. He puts
the power pack back into the dashboard. EVERYONE backs away, except for JAR
JAR who calls for help. Finally PADME frees him and the engines ignite with
a ROAR. EVERYONE cheers.

So it seems far more likely he was gesturing to Anakin & the others bcs he couldn't speak, rather than some 4th wall breaking incident.

 

Who are you going to believe, my eyes or some script?

It's still open to interpretation. It doesn't say Jar Jar signals with his hand to cut the engines. It says Jar Jar can't get words out and that he calls for help. Nothing about making a cut gesture or any gestures.

I'm finding a couple slightly different scripts for the Phantom Menace online. One of them does have this -

JAR JAR looks at ANAKIN and gives him the thumbs-up and walks away.

That goes with Jar Jar not breaking the 4th wall, but it's not in all the versions I found. And shooting scripts and published scripts are usually different - with the published script changed to exactly reflect the movie. I should see how the script for Who Framed Roger Rabbit writes Roger Rabbit when he breaks character and talks to the audience.

I'm still not convinced Binks isn't looking in the camera.

 

That's easy, your eyes every time. Case closed

 

Perfect. I like you Darth Downunder.

Even though you've been swayed to see this topic from my point of view - it's still open to interpretation.

The script doesn't say Jar Jar signals with his hand to cut the engines. It says Jar Jar can't get words out and that he calls for help. Nothing about making a cut gesture or any gestures.

I'm finding a couple slightly different scripts for the Phantom Menace online. One of them does have this -

JAR JAR looks at ANAKIN and gives him the thumbs-up and walks away.

That goes with Jar Jar not breaking the 4th wall, but it's not in all the versions I found. And shooting scripts and published scripts are usually different - with the published script changed to exactly reflect the finsihed movie. I should see how the script for Who Framed Roger Rabbit writes Roger Rabbit when he breaks character and talks to the audience.

I'm still not convinced Binks isn't looking in the camera.

 

I can definitely buy that the "cut" gesture was improvised by Ahmed Best. There's nothing to prove it wasn't an outtake type of gesture & GL liked it & ran with it. Happy to go with your theory.

 

I thought Chewie was comic relief. I don't have the movies in front of me, but the whining, the situations he gets into and whatnot seem to me to be a play for kids as much as adults. He's like a combination teddy bear and best friend all rolled into one. He doesn't like losing his board game! He chokes Lando in a funny way! He doesn't like mouse droids! He punctuates tense moments with that yell to get laughs. I would say he's less so in TFA and ROTS, but he was definitely kid humor in the OT.

I find that Chewie annoys me in the same way Jar Jar annoys me. I think it gets a little slapsticky at times.

 

I never had a problem with Jar Jar and have always found him far less annoying that C3PO. Maybe its because I'm an Englishman that I can't stand that stereotypical prissy English butler thing. I don't know, all I know is that he bugs the crap out of me and always did.

Jar Jar on the other hand is silly in a way that I can tolerate. I mean, it's obvious he's put there to entertain the little ones and that's absolutely fine with me. Star Wars is meant to be for kids and it always was. My 8-year-old son liked Jar Jar right away. So what if he grows out of that type of humor a few years down the line? I don't see what difference that makes. It still worked for him when he was the target audience.

So I see Jar Jar as a pretty successful character. Not only did he entertain the kids, but he annoyed some of the adults. And as Mark Hammil said, “Jar Jar was supposed to be irritating! He’s irritating to the other characters in the movie!"

 

I don't mind Jar Jar. Given that the level of vitriolic he receives almost to an asinine proportion. He might be one of my most underappreciated characters with Star Wars in a sense. Many of his jokes don't work on me anymore I'll admit, since that I am older so I'm more jaded. But a few still get a chuckle out of me. So he is hardly nuisance for me.

I always respect Jar Jar for the fact. Jar Jar wasn't a warrior. He was still willing to put his life on the line to save group of strangers.

 

I think JarJar would've been a far better character if he was brave. Lucas wanted to make him a bumbling idiot. Fair enough, but making him a buffoon and a coward made him too unlikable to too many people. As well as his slapstick antics Lucas had him constantly cowering, getting scared, nervous, running from a fight, passing out even. It left people asking "what the hell is this guy here for? What is his use?" IMO people would have warmed to a buffoon who was also tough & brave. Still clumsy & silly but more admirable. Would've been a very interesting character then, IMO.

 

I liked his portrayals in the Clone Wars. He was seemly able to lead a group of elite soldiers out though through thick and thin.
Yet, his goofy nature was still in tact. And It was quite believable.


Are you suggesting they made him like an hero from like an shonen anime? Like Goku from Dragon Ball Z. Who seems to be an idiot yet a strong warrior in every sense of the word.

 

Well worded post but dude you are giving way more thought/credit to this character then he deserves. Your thoughts on society as a whole are interesting as well but not sure if this is really the thread to get into it? I read it as a your the kind of person who thinks everyone should get a trophy?

 

We're discussing why Jar Jar doesn't work as comic relief, which is basically his entire character, so I felt it fitting to analyze his character a bit.

And yes, I actually do feel everyone should get a trophy. In this modern age where most people are glued to the television or soon to be virtual reality headset, I think those that do enter real competition and form real human bonds and learn about teamwork and hardship and overcoming adversity really do deserve a trophy for these things. A participation trophy never hurt anyone.

 

Maybe it's just because I've seen those movies so many times, but I just never found those moments funny. In fact, when I was a little kid, I feared for 3PO and R2 when they were attacked by the Sand People and the Jawas respectively. Also, I found the little blurp that R2 gives Luke funnier than being attacked by the swamp monster. And I didn't think that was meant to be a puking effect, I thought he was just trying to get the mud out of himself.

 

Agreed. If the OT had a few minor examples of toilet humor & slapstick then TPM turned that up to 11. The only examples of toilet humor in the OT was the burping frog & sarlacc. Hard to compare that with a loudly farting animal followed by a character waiving & holding his nose. Or someone stepping in **** complete with squelching sound effect & then saying "icky icky goo". As for slapstick, a few examples of physical comedy don't compare to JarJar's Benny Hill antics, like in the Naboo battle. Or him repeatedly sticking his thumbs in each ear & poking his tongue out. Even Anakin joins in on the zany hijinks by "whoops", accidentally destroying TF fighters & ships. Fair to say (for some viewers) Lucas went a bit far with his Wacky Races style of humor in that film.

Side note: check this out & notice the similarities with the Pod Race. Esp the announcer & "Sebulba" twirling his mustache when he plays an underhanded trick. Maybe George was a fan

 

I never put those two together. The Podrace really is Wacky Races in the Star Wars universe with equally odd but less easily recognizable characters - even the announcer works the same way. All this time I was thinking it was Ben Hurr, but it's much much more Wacky Races. I think of Episode 1 as the most fantasy like of the Star Wars movies. Really Episode 1 is such a cartoon movie.

Did you see this?

 

Its a mix of both I guess if you think about it.

 

It's slapstick humor mixed in with tension, which Lucas does all the time in the movies. It's a way to alleviate the stress of the moment.

3po smacking his head on the falcon when Chewbacca forgets to bend down.

After Artoo gets zapped by the power terminal in ESB he's a little messed up, his head spins, makes funny noises and bumps into the doorway...

ROTJ... Artoo cutting the rope trap and they all fall down and go boom...

The OT has more than enough moments of falling, funny noise, bumping into stuff, ya know..slapstick humor in it.

And at 40, well now 41 years old I grew up with the OT as a child, and I always found those moments humorous. To me, it's a matter of convenience if some don't find those moments even slightly humorous.

I can definitely see some having the opinion that Darth Downunder expressed, that some may think that Lucas went too far with the slapstick (or toilet humor). I personally don't feel that way, but, I can see why some have that POV. However, your original statement asserting that Star Wars had no slapstick humor in it, so Jar Jar didn't fit, is just a false statement.

Edit: and for the record, I always smile at Jar Jar when he zaps his face...It's funny..

 

Having kind of re-watched T.P.M., I'd say that one reason he is so annoying is simply that he is loud. He is extremely intrusive, and his 'humour' is usually little beyond somebody jabbering annoyingly or doing embarrassing slapstick-y things. This will involve a struggle for the correct words, but he displays little 'finesse' in his 'humour', and it involves little 'wit' compared to the humour in the O.T.; it also often either has no 'reference' to the other characters, or they become a bit annoyed with him at the most --- he is just acting funny to be funny, by himself; there is also often a lack of any connexion with what is happening in that sequence. Furthermore, Jar Jar is by his introduction a character who is there to be funny, whereas this is not the case for the others. And no, the sort of 'humour' from C3P-O and R2-D2 in the P.T. doesn't do it for me much of the time either, certainly not the elongated sequences.

 

Because... Jar Jar is Jar Jar.

 

That Wacky Races thing is uncanny. Definitely a deliberate homage. Sebulba = Dick Dastardly

 

It's quite possible that Lucas saw the cartoon Wacky Races when he was about 22-23ish. However, if he did watch it, it was because the cartoon was an homage to the movie "The Great Race" that came out a few years before Wacky Races did. Seeing how Lucas was more a movie guy, I have to imagine he saw The Great Race first, and I would bet the Pod Race was more an homage to that movie, and maybe a secondary nod to Wacky Races.

Mustache twirling bad guys was a pretty common trope/motif once upon a time in the old silent films. The motif then made its way into many movies and cartoons after silent films disappeared. There was the guy from Wacky Races, the bad guy from Dudley-do-right among others. In the trailer for The Great Race the voice over even makes a comment about the bad guy of the film being the classical mustache twirling villain (paraphrasing).



So again, it may be possible Lucas was a fan of wacky races, I'd really have to believe it was the movie The Great Race that was what first drew the inspiration.