• Most new users don't bother reading our rules. Here's the one that is ignored almost immediately upon signup: DO NOT ASK FOR FANEDIT LINKS PUBLICLY. First, read the FAQ. Seriously. What you want is there. You can also send a message to the editor. If that doesn't work THEN post in the Trade & Request forum. Anywhere else and it will be deleted and an infraction will be issued.
  • If this is your first time here please read our FAQ and Rules pages. They have some useful information that will get us all off on the right foot, especially our Own the Source rule. If you do not understand any of these rules send a private message to one of our staff for further details.
  • Please read our Rules & Guidelines

IFDB Review: Fall of the Jedi: Episode I - The Phantom Menace:

MCP

Well-known member
Messages
12,820
Reaction score
440
Trophy Points
168
I started off by watching Q2's version of Ep 3, since that's the only prequel that the infamous "Phantom Editor" (the man who started the fan edit revolution) didn't do. I really liked that cut so I decided to go back and watch his cuts of the first two movies. While I applaud his effort and enjoyed most of his decisions, I think he went WAY too far in his edits. Q2 cut out material that may have been silly, but were still essential to the story, and took out bits that left me scratching my head (and no I don't have dandruff). For example, he totally removed Anakin being the one who takes down the Droid control ship (he made it seem like it was some random Naboo pilot). Ok, sure, I cringed at Anakin "bungling" his way to an accidental victory, but it's still an important part of his story; without it, there is essentially no payoff to Anakin's story arc and his character becomes completely unimportant - and almost absent - from the last act of the movie. If it were in my hands I would have just tried to make it seem more like he was acting deliberately, calling upon both his skill as a pod racer and, albeit unwittingly, being helped by The Force. Like it or not, the movie still needs this to work. Other odd choices is his removal of Subulba sabotaging Anakin's pod. Now it just seems like he has a part come lose at random. I liked the tension that was present when WE knew the pod was sabotaged, it added a strong element of suspense. I have no idea what he thought he was achieving with that cut; there was nothing silly about it and it was a major element in the setup of throwing every obstacle you can in the path of the hero's victory. On the other hand, he left in the whole "immaculate conception" speech, which had always been a major cringe moment. And it's very easy to cut, just snip where Qui-Jon asks about his father until the end of her explanation. It lifts out very easily. So why cut stuff that isn't silly and helps the drama but leave in one of the worst moments in the movie?? Unless Q2 is a religious fellow and has personal reasons for wanting to leave that in. But once again, if you're going to leave in a moment that cements Anakin's role as a Christ figure, you can't cut out his "miracle" of saving everyone at the end of the movie! He also chops out not just the explanation that 3PO was made by Anakin (I totally agree with that choice) but he cuts him completely out of the movie! In some of his comments he said one of his goals was to remove the droids from the trilogy as much as possible. I'm waiting for him to explain why, as we all know they are supposed to be - more or less - the heart and soul of the franchise and the only characters meant to be in every film. There are plenty of moments of stupidity that center on the droids, so I agree that a lot of R2 & 3PO moments have to go, but given their importance to the Star Wars saga, I would have made it my goal to keep as much of them as I could. I mean look, like it or not, R2 is the wonder droid that often saves the day. That's just who he is, and most of the time he does it in Ep 4 and 5 are fine and I don't think anyone has a problem with it. So while I agree flying artoo crosses the line and has to go, the pilot's comment in Ep 1 "that little droid did it!" is the very first time that R2 proves his worth and thus starts the saga-wide thread that R2 is everyone's favorite pint sized hero. So while I applaud his success in cutting out dumb humor and tightening up story focus, he just goes too far and cuts stuff that either needs to be there or material he seems to have some personal issue with. Personaly, I think the goal of any Ep 1 edit needs to be REDUCING the elements that are so bad they pull you out of the movie, but I think Q2 got so caught up in gettjng rid of ALL of them, he lost sight of the big picture and wasn't paying enough attention to silly moments that, even if we hate them, are necessary to complete the movie. Besides, I think most of those moments, even if you have to leave them in, can be made a little better with skillful editing. When Anakin accidentally destroys the droid control ship, some good sound work could at least get rid of most of his lines like "what does this do? Ooops!" Which are the real cringe inducing moments. But cutting the whole thing leaves the movie incomplete. In conclusion, I'd implore everyone dojng a fan edit to remember that the goal of these works is not simply to chop out stuff you hate, but to make a better movie! So when you cut those moments out, you need to pay careful attention to how those edits effect the movie as a whole. I've done some edits myself, and at some point you lose all objectivity since you get so wrapped up in the project; that's why having friends whose opinion you trust is a vital part of the process - they become your test audience and can often be a better judge of the big picture than the editor is. How many stories have you heard about the reaction of a test audience having a big impact on how the movie gets edited? Without the voice of a test audience being heard we never would have gotten "I love you, I know!" So all fan editors should make sure they screen their cuts with friends before making their final cut. Ok, I'm done ranting. I only say all this because I care :)

More...
 
Top Bottom