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Lucas' Writing and Directing - What's Wrong?

Discussion in 'Prequel Trilogy' started by adamclark83, Sep 20, 2014.

  1. Jedi77-83

    Jedi77-83 Force Sensitive

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    The Godfather trilogy mimics the SW Saga as Lucas & Coppola are very good friends.

    Godfather Trilogy is about the rise of Michael Corleone with his redemption in Part 3, while SW 1-6 is about the rise of Anakin Skywalker with his redemption in Episode 6.

    Both start out good, as Anakin is a Jedi & Michael Corleone is a WW2 hero. Both do EVIL things in the movies which includes murdering people. Anakin is redeemed in Episode 6 and Michael seeks redemption in Godfather 3.

    Sound pretty similar to me!
     
  2. Darth Pimp

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    Eh, I wouldn't go that far. Also, we're comparing sci-fi-fantasy with real-world-crime-drama-fiction; not exactly an identical palette for a basis of comparison, but I get the analogy that you're trying to draw.
     
  3. Jedi77-83

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    But as you said, its all about the character. Coppola & Lucas are asking the audience to follow a character who does VERY bad things and in the process care for their eventual fate. No matter if its SciFi or crime drama you still asking to follow a character who isn't a good person, and that's a tougher sell then a blue blood good guy like Superman.
     
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  4. Darth Pimp

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    Don't get me wrong, I totally get where you're coming from as the analogy is not without a measure of merit, however, the difference is that Michael was born into- and subsequently- in complete acceptance of the villainy that he was to conduct, whereas, Anakin was not, and thus, had a choice in which direction he was to go. One could argue that Michael had a choice too, but did he truly?? Crime and murder was a family affair from the beginning for Michael- not so in Anakin's case, therefore, their respective individual redemption journeys are not fully quantifiable by identical measures. Two different roads to a seemingly similar end.
     
  5. Jedi77-83

    Jedi77-83 Force Sensitive

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    I don't want to derail this thread into a Godfather thread, but Michael had a choice as even Brando said to him he didn't want him to go into the family business. Michael is underestimated by everyone including his family.

    If you look at Michaels kids, they weren't involved in the family business so nobody is destined for that role.

    The bottom line is at the beginning of each saga Michael & Anakin are good people and are portrayed that way to the audience. The tough job for Coppola & Lucas is to make those characters likeable to the moviegoer even as they are doing bad things.
     
  6. Darth Pimp

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    Right on for not wanting to derail the thread, but let me ask you this: In all honesty do you REALLY believe that Michael's choice was truly that simple and cut-n-dry??? Michael comes from an actual crime-invested family. Can the same be said of Shmi and the Jedi Order, as it relates to Anakin? Michael was, for the most part, innately able (and, from being raised around such an element) to deftly manage a "bad guy's" position in such a situation, whereas, Anakin basically rushed to a brash decision and ended up, for the most part, bungling the maneuvers inherent to said position- primarily because he wasn't bred, nor, naturally skilled in such a role.

    I like your position on this, but I don't feel that the two situations (stories) are intrinsically, nor, superficially the same- with regard to "the anti-Hero's redemption".
     
  7. Jedi77-83

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    Of course the stories aren't EXACTLY the same as it would look very transparent coming from 2 director friends in Coppola & Lucas. People would say they copied each other if was exactly the same.

    The point they are both making is both protagonists are good at one time in their life. The one thing I will give Lucas credit for is he didn't make Anakin a bad kid from the beginning.

    The point is no matter HOW Michael & Anakin arrive to the evil ways, THEY do evil things. The point of the OT is to contrast Luke that he is not corrupted by evil and he would chosen a different path then Anakin. I actually appreciate Luke even more after the PT, and that's the point.

    Again, I have never had a problem with the PT story (I really enjoyed the Episode 3 novel), its just the execution and the character of Anakin just doesn't work for me. Whereas characters like Michael Corleone & Tony Soprano, work for me as evil protagonist.
     
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    ^^^On this, I'm right there with ya boss ;).
     
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  9. Qui-Riv-Brid

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    Please, Please!

    Braveheart is somewhat historical. Last I saw Gladiator the bad guy lost. Goodfellas is also somewhat historical and in the end of Godfather he hardly wins.

    You know what I am talking about. Harry Potter. LOTR. Superheros. Bond etc.

    The point is that in Star Wars overall the good guys do win but in the PT first half they don't. We don't often see that story.
     
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