Star Wars: A Phantom Edit

[Sabby]

Apparently, someone went and edited the Star Wars prequels down into one 2 hour movie that is getting nothing but praise. I'm only just now sitting down to watch it, but from what I've heard, it does away with most of the stuff that people hated, cleans up the storyline, removes filler, swaps some scenes and entirely changes the context of some scenes. It's freely available on Youtube, but I won't link it here, since it's still a lot of footage owned by Disney.

If you're not entirely sold on it, here's how the movie ends...

Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide

Padmes funeral procession juxtaposed with Anakins body being moved. Suit applied. Darth Vaders helmet rises. Black screen. Breathing. Credits.

[Stella]

I've heard it cuts out Jar Jar, too - is that true? Also, that ending sounds far better than Vader standing there going, "nooooooooooooooooooooo!"

Recently I watched a great cut-down fan edit of the Hobbit movies. It still ran for about 3 hours but dear god, what an improvement!!

[Sabby]

Jar is just another alien in the Senate.

[CuriousEyes]

Are you referring to the one that Topher Grace did?

For anyone who says "that name sounds familiar" - he was ostensibly the star of the late-90s/early-00s television show "That 70's Show." He was also Eddie Brock (Venom) in the last of the Raimi-directed Spider Man movies. Which was a really odd bit of casting for me, but whatever.

Anyways, yeah. Apparently he was/is a Star Wars superfan and got interested in the process of film editing. He decided to edit all three of the prequel films into one movie, and held a one-time (that I'm aware of) screening event for friends, family and press. Due to concerns about copyright, etc. he never actually made it available beyond that one screening, so if you saw the actual thing it would be kind of interesting in that it would imply a leak or what have you.

Here is an article that summarizes the creative decisions he made. Just as a warning, it is a relatively complete synopsis of all the creative decisions made in Grace's cut, so if you have found some video of this and want to go into it fresh, you might not want to read about it.


Edit: Actually a quick Google search tells me you're not referring to directly that one! Although the creator did indicate they were heavily following the blueprint of Topher's edit (I assume based on similar synopsis articles to the one I linked above).

[Mikem]

Poor Jar Jar, I just don't see why the distaste. He's humorous and he has a role to play. Plus when I discovered ditzy Jar Jar became Senator Binks, I was all, "...respect".  :P

Welp I'mma search for this now. Pity you can't link it here, hope it's not hard to find.

[Sabby]

It's right on Youtube :) Easy to find. I just know that Disney could come down on it any time they want.

Jar Jar in the movie is just another weird alien in a sea of weird aliens, no more out of place then Palpatine constantly being flanked by a pink guy with devil horns.

[Mikem]

But aren't Aliens supposed to be "weird"? They're Alien. Besides he and the Gungans had a role to play in the film, which made him even just a bit important. Having him appear in the following episodes was just a way to let us know he was still around. But if people don't like something who am I to say they're wrong. Eh.

[CaptainNexus616]

I think the issue with Jar Jar was the fact his comic relief was more hit and miss. Like the moment at the dinner table when Qui-Gon stoppedhim was pretty funny.

But really Jar Jar ddidn't interact with anyone and just found something dumb to do to kill time while the others contributed to the plot. Even at the end I'm sure a lot of people were pulling their hair out when he was made a General in the Gungan Army. Didn't help when he really didn't improve things with the battle he was supposed to he commanding.

[Sabby]

Jar Jar is literally the guy on the road trip no one invited or knows.

[CaptainNexus616]

L. O. L.

I died at that post its so accurate.