Was it a mistake to make Ep.4 first?

[Bill]

I think it might of been. Edited June 14, 2003 by Bill

[SOCL]

Your question is whether or not making ANH was a mistake you then stated something about TPM. I am quite confused, so I'll simply answer the poll question and not comment on what you posted.

 

I believe ANH (EPIV) was made originally top be STAR WARS and that's it. It has all the characterisitics that would imply a total ending and a stand-alone movie (except for the fact that Vader got away). First, you'll notice the lack of Imperial fleet (except for a total of three Star Destroyers, two of which may have been repeats) and Rebel fleet (except for a single corvette). You'll also notice that the Imperial insignia is quite different from the other two movies. Granted, it may represent a different pattern completely and, again, granted, TESB has a clear pattern, ROTJ insignia is a blooper, it still shows some...changes. You'll also notice allusions to past situations between Tarkin and the Rebellion, who had apparently been someone very important fighting the Alliance. You'll also notice the subsequent complete lack of mention of Tarkin, which shows that ideas changed quite radically from ANH and TESB. I could go on for quite some time, but I fear I have confused enough people already and, for those I have not, I think I have made my point.

I think making ANH first was not a mistake since it was probably meant to be the only STAR WARS movie.

[Guest Scathane]

I must say that I, as well, am not quite clear on what it is you're asking and whether it is a legitimate question at all. First of all, SOCL's right (that's three times, dude ): ANH was originally just Star Wars. Star wars opened on May 25, 1977. The words Episode IV: A New Hope weren't added until the re-release on April 10, 1981 (although the idea fo making more movies came to GL shortly after the original relase).

 

And even if ANH hadn't been as a stand-alone movie, what are you asking: should GL have started with Episode I? Perhaps. Wouldn't (as you say, because I don't quite agree) Episode I have been a total waste in that case? I don't know but I doubt that GL would have told Episode I differently...

 

So, there's my answer to the poll: no.

[Bill]

Thanks alot for clearing me up on the situation. I do a lot of thinking with my head screwed on backwards.

[ADarkJedi44]

I have to agree with Scathane and Socl.

[SOCL]

Thanks alot for clearing me up on the situation. I do a lot of thinking with my head screwed on backwards.

I hope you didn't take it wrongly, but we just didn't understand what you were asking and stating.

 

I had had a feeling that Episode IV: A New Hope had been added later on, but I hadn't had any confirmation. Thanks, Scath! And yipee, three!

 

Now, was it better for GL to make Episode I first? Well, if he had, I seriously doubt that a sequel would have followed, much less an entire franchise. I think that starting with ANH was the perfect way of kicking off SW. I mean, think about: you're thrown into a catalismic civil war on the scale of a galaxy where you know A LOT has happened before-hand (allusions to the Clone Wars, General Kenobi, "Have you been in many battles?", etc), which intrigues the audience further, making them want to sit on the edge of their seat and lean forward. Had he started with Episode I, he would have been starting from scratch with a fresh story that hand no pretenses at all and would have been "So here's the jedi and here's the bad guys. War will break out soon, probably the next movie, but not yet, so sit back and watch a human dressed up in a Gungan costume (no CGI back then) run around and act stupid and some brat kid ruin the movie." With that, no one would have wanted a sequel and, thus, SW would have been left hanging from the edge of a cliff without any story but a movie that will eventually lead to something. And to add to that, GL had very little money to make Star Wars, so he literally could not afford to screw up. Well, those are my two--three cents.

[Evaders99]

At some point, Lucas decided to make this movie as part of 9 trilogy in 3 movie installments .. thus the episode titles. What better place to start then in the middle of the whole thing? This is in media res - in the middle of things - for a story. I don't think it would be Star Wars without it.

 

Of course, the prequels will never be as good as the classics, but that's just the way things go.

 

He has said he is not doing the sequals.. guess he'd be probably too old to finish them anyway.

[SOCL]

He has said he is not doing the sequals.. guess he'd be probably too old to finish them anyway.

Yes, there's an article at TFN where he mentions that he won't be doing the sequel trilogy because he probably won't be around long enough. Of course, with all the money the movies rack in, I doubt that those at LucasFilm actually care whether GL is in the picture or not, they just need him to sign off on things and, while he's around, make movies. I personally believe that after GL has passed on, the people at LucasFilm will...well, let me illustrate it:

 

As the tomb is closed over and the funeral ends, people come up to those who have inherited LucasFilm and offer their condolences. At the end of this parade of people, one of those staff workers who used to work for George turns to the other.

First Staffy: "So, what do you now that he's dead?"

Second Staffy: "Well, we do what we planned...."

First: "Yes, we do...."

Second: "So...who do you think will be willing to direct the next three movies?"

 

Do you see what I'm getting at? I believe that after GL's dead, LucasFilm is just going to say "Goodbye George; hello sequels." Some fans think that it'll be a bad thing if that does happen, but I do not. I think that someone other than GL running things will be healthy for LucasFilm and STAR WARS.

Again, my two or three cents on the matter.

[Guest Scathane]

Good point! I had never thought about this happening, but it seems as logical as it seems inevitable.

[Trejiuvanat]

That's somthing that could/probably will happen. If Lucas had started with ep i, instead of ep iv. The prequels would have been told different... no 9yo anakin, nor gungans... but again, what we know as the original trilogy would have been different too.

[SOCL]

If Lucas had started with ep i, instead of ep iv. The prequels would have been told different... no 9yo anakin, nor gungans... but again, what we know as the original trilogy would have been different too.

You're right. What we know as the original trilogy today would have probably ended with the movie's hero, a Gungan named Jar-Jar Binks, destroying the Death Star II.

I think things are better the way they are.

[Guest Scathane]

It could even have been worse: Darth Binks!

[SOCL]

It could even have been worse: Darth Binks!

You're right, it could have! 8O

"No, Luke, mesa yous father!"

8O

[glandry]

Thanks alot for clearing me up on the situation. I do a lot of thinking with my head screwed on backwards.

 

You must bump into walls and furniture and stuff a lot...

[Jahled]

....or, he just kinda get's jumbled...

[Trejiuvanat]

It could even have been worse: Darth Binks!

You're right, it could have! 8O

"No, Luke, mesa yous father!"

8O

 

Darth Binks... scary....

I wonder how luke would have reacted....

[Bill]

You guys must be psychic, I do run into walls and tumble around.

[SOCL]

You guys must be psychic, I do run into walls and tumble around.

Makes me think you're not too tall, for some reason.

[wormie]

Getting back on topic, I dont think that it was a mistake that GL made Eps. IV first. In an interview with Leonard Maltin, GL stated that SW was originally supposed to be one movie, but he then realised that it was too big of a story so he broke it into three movies and expanded on some things. Episodes I,II and III were a back story to explain how Anakin became Darth Vader and how the Empire came into power but were not meant to be made into movies( he didn't actually say that last bit about not making them into movies but you could tell what he meant.) So it couldn't have been a mistake because it was not supposed to be.

[Trejiuvanat]

Starting with the prequels would have meant to tell the story of dowfall, a dark and depressing story, instead of the more hopeful one.

[SOCL]

Starting with the prequels would have meant to tell the story of dowfall, a dark and depressing story, instead of the more hopeful one.

And thus, thanks to human nature, would have caused more people to dislike SW than there already are...those damned heathens!

[Trejiuvanat]

Yep... Therefore GL decided to tell the story of lost legacies, heroism, hope and metal bikinis...