What If... The Phantom Menace came out in 1987?
July 1, 2024 7:40 AM Subscribe
What If The Phantom Menace came out in 1987? 1hr 2min video from Empire Wreckers. Alternatively a 25 minute version with just the synopsis
Apparently so! "Shatnerians" didn't quite work so they became a version of "Nimoydians". And also the battle droids have Star Trek uniform colour coding in their insignia.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 11:16 AM on July 1
posted by TheophileEscargot at 11:16 AM on July 1
If they were Shatnerians they would have to sustain themselves by chewing the scenery.
posted by Ishbadiddle at 11:28 AM on July 1 [4 favorites]
posted by Ishbadiddle at 11:28 AM on July 1 [4 favorites]
I really appreciated how the plot of this hypothetical really dug into the early drafts of Star Wars to develop its story. It shows, in interesting ways, how much Lucas himself ultimately would repurpose for The Phantom Menace that we got in 1999.
The problem with Lucas's films was always the editing. It was his wife's edits that made the original as good as it was, and the fact that other directors had the helm that kept the quality up in the subsequent pair. He didn't have that in the prequel trilogy. The problem is that Lucas's success got him to the point where no one could tell him no and fix the issues in the film as it was. There's a lot of interesting material in the prequels, which is why I think they've had a comeback in popularity, but I think the lack of a hand to rein in Lucas made them a bit of a mess.
posted by graymouser at 12:58 PM on July 1 [2 favorites]
The problem with Lucas's films was always the editing. It was his wife's edits that made the original as good as it was, and the fact that other directors had the helm that kept the quality up in the subsequent pair. He didn't have that in the prequel trilogy. The problem is that Lucas's success got him to the point where no one could tell him no and fix the issues in the film as it was. There's a lot of interesting material in the prequels, which is why I think they've had a comeback in popularity, but I think the lack of a hand to rein in Lucas made them a bit of a mess.
posted by graymouser at 12:58 PM on July 1 [2 favorites]
And the writing, and the acting, and the...
posted by Windopaene at 2:37 PM on July 1 [2 favorites]
posted by Windopaene at 2:37 PM on July 1 [2 favorites]
I don't think it's fair to blame the actors. No performance was going to save that script.
posted by automatronic at 4:36 PM on July 1 [2 favorites]
posted by automatronic at 4:36 PM on July 1 [2 favorites]
That was a weird video but also weirdly fascinating.
I do think the good version of the movie uses the early parts of this plot, but sticks to Naboo/Aquilae. It's probably true that Lucas would have been looking for more things (big battles, pod racing) but going off-planet to Tatooine is just plot bloat. I was more into it before I realize they kept the plot-bloat that the trip to Tatooine is; there should be enough to do on a world occupied by evil droids and with a queen-in-hiding.
posted by mark k at 10:15 PM on July 1
I do think the good version of the movie uses the early parts of this plot, but sticks to Naboo/Aquilae. It's probably true that Lucas would have been looking for more things (big battles, pod racing) but going off-planet to Tatooine is just plot bloat. I was more into it before I realize they kept the plot-bloat that the trip to Tatooine is; there should be enough to do on a world occupied by evil droids and with a queen-in-hiding.
posted by mark k at 10:15 PM on July 1
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posted by the antecedent of that pronoun at 10:04 AM on July 1 [1 favorite]