Here's something that's causing serious Star Wars fans to roll their eyes in disgust. The rumor going around is that in the upcoming DVD release of the Star Wars series, George Lucas has altered the ending of Return of the Jedi (Episode VI) so that Hayden Christensen has replaced Sebastian Shaw in the final scene that shows the ghosts of Darth Vader, Yoda, and Obi wan Kenobi standing together. As some have pointed out, this doesn't make sense because why would Darth Vader's ghost be young, while the ghosts of Yoda and Obi wan are both old? Nevertheless, there's photographic evidence to back up the rumor, as well as a film clip hosted over at Waxy.org. If it's a hoax, someone has put a bit of effort into manufacturing these altered scenes.
Comments
It doesn't even make sense. Obi Wan didn't all of a sudden become young again in his ghost, so why did Anikin? They should have kept the original scene. That was so stupid.
Darth Vadar basically changed the outcome, he is responsible for ending the evil by throwing the emperor over and destroying him. He took the pain of the energy from the emperor for Luke. This LAST extremely powerful act of good to me changed him back to good, and thus a Jedi. This means his image of his older self like the origional older scene was right.
Also it's good to have a fitting father image look at you, a kind and gentle face finally happy to be out of a suit and at peace with his friends. The last image luke saw was an older man when he lifted the mask off, i'm sure luke would want to feel comforted by that man he rescued not a 20 year old kid who looks like he should be in a boy band.
To me, you don't change a movie especially if there is not thought put into the change. Movies are supposed to be made, and then ended. Not made and changed constantly, as those changed make it a new movie, and the old movie you liked no longer exists. The new generations will see the new movies and never understand how good the origionals were. I guess in the future we will see all our old movies remade or edited to suit the need for companies making money.
1. A young, boyish-looking Anakin (Christenson) replaces the more appropriate, older looking one (Shaw) in the Jedi ghost shot
2. Shots of other cities like Theed and Coruscant are added. These shots are totally out of context and take the focus away from the rebel team on Endor
3. Most egregious change: the Ewok victory song is removed!
I was stunned when I realized the Ewok song was edited out. It was a great song. It was upbeat and it had an exciting crescendo that segued perfectly into the Star Wars fanfare that singles the end of the movie and the beginning of the credits. The new melody is nowhere near as exciting.
Boooo!
Not a good director.
Toyseller.
The only 2 real problems/questions that there were for me were these, but I have also solved/answered them and am satisfied:
1. Obiwan kept saying that Yoda trianed him. I agree with the person above that he was trained as a youngling by Yoda. I also think that even though Obiwan was pretty much ready to become a Jedi Master after Qui-Gon was killed he still needed some further training and got it from Yoda since Qui-Gon prematurley died. He was edgy when he was younger and probably especially edgy and rambunctious since he saw his master die, and had some problems controlling his feelings and whatnot for a while. Also at the end of Episode III didn't Yoda say he needed to train Obiwan to speak be able to speak to the dead and his old master Qui-Gon while he gaurded the boy (luke). I know that Obiwan in Episode V sounded like he was talking about his early training but still.
2. Leia talking about how she remembered her mother. The way she talks seems to me like she's describing the force. Not that she actually remembers her mother, but that she remembers her through the force, can feel her through the force.
I hope these "answers" satisfy some people.
To me, another poor afterthought on Lucas' part. It's obvious to me he keeps changing his mind as he goes along. He made Darth aged for a reason, had he thought out the fact that Darth would be 40, then he would have gotten a younger actor. Obviously he hadn't thought that through yet. Remember, he also cast Shaw for a reason, and that's because originally he was going for the fact that being scarred and evil made you look... not great. Old and decrepit like. It's been hinted as much in the other official publications.
As for the reasons that Anakin's soul is frozen in time, and he appears as he was at that time, I think is invalid. He physically looked old, and he actually doesn't go back to his old self but turns good -again- while old --, and looking the way he does. Lets not forget that 'young' (Hayden Christensen) Anakin is never *truly* good nor evil for a long time. His transition to the dark side started *before* he gets rolled over in lava and all of that and put in the suit. When he killed 'younglings' was he more good or more evil? He was not Darth Vader yet, either. Therefore, when was his soul frozen to the time where he was 'good'? It makes no sense. Lucas changed it but never seriously thought it through. He turns good, at the end, redeemed by his son, and it makes sense that the man he looks like then (even if unnaturally aged), should carry on to the vision Luke sees. Simply because Lucas is a) insane and b) wishy washy with his own creations doesn't mean we should take his word as law. 'Because he intended it like that' is not true, he had the means to cast a younger actor, but didn't. So he just changed his mind. Had Da Vinci changed his mind and painted a pink beret on the Mona Lisa's head suddenly, would everyone say 'well he made her so it's not ruined, he wanted it that way?' psh.
Anyway, I think anyone who liked Episode III probably likes the changes, and anyone who doesn't, probably doesn't. I'm of the latter persuasion, so I hate them. Especially the Ewok song. And I'm only in my 20s, so I'm not an old fuddy duddy. In my opinion, 'The Greatest Page In the Universe' has the best review on Episode 3 up, ever. http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=episode3
Also, they removed the Ewok song "Chub-chub chubbity chub" which is just a travesty. The Ewok happen to be a very rich and culturally diverse culture.
But seriously, that ending was fucking awkward. I mean they totally removed the part where Han and Lando were bouncing up and down and hugging. Great movies just have to have gay and boisterous hugging, take for example LOTR. So what the hell?
Lastly I would like to say, that replacing the old Anakin with the young Anakin makes as much sense as spanking a tiger with a crucible, you just don't do it!
to Return of the Jedi. Hayden looks great
in that roll, and Whatever George wants with
his screenplay is Etched in stone. I look foreward to more characters and movies from the
great one, "George Lucas,"
", I was never satisfied with the actor who played Anakin Skywalker at the end of Return. I mean, he was *way* too old!"
Well no offense , pal, but Old Vader didn't have the easiest of life's y'know. These things can age a body. And he's all scarred anyway, so wrinkles are inevitable.
It's not the years, it's the milage.
And please don't sell Sebastian Shaw's portrayl of Vader. He had, what, 3 or 4 lines at most, and it was a Death scene.
For what, twenty years, he was who Darth Vader was meant to be under all that armour
(I know it was Dave Prouse most of the time, I mean in the Star wars canon)
Vader was not a healthy human. It ages a body.
If anything, that makes MORE SENSE than having young Anakin at the end. A lot More sense, you see an idealised Anakin Skywalker as an adult.
Anakin didn't 'die' when he became Vader. It's made very clear in the film that he was burried deep inside; so that idea doesn't make sense.
He also didn't look too old at all to me in the original ending. I agree with 'WILL GILLIES' on that. In fact, he didn't seem nearly as old and disfigured as he should, concidering what he's been through.
Furthermore, in the new ending I don't understand how luke skywalker had any idea who he was looking at. He wouldn't recognize young Anakin. I suppose he might just have assumed it was his father, but the look on his face should have been very differant if that were the case.
Having said all that, I've seen the Star Wars films several times and each time I realize something more in the plot that I didn't see before. I can understand the idea that maybe a young person now watching them all together might be confused as to who he was. They would have to either not be paying attention, or be painfully stupid, but it could happen.
I also respect the fact that this is lucas' film, and if this is what he wants he has every right to do it. We're just the humble audience to the greatness he's created.
RIP Anakin Skywalker