Recasting the Prequels

[Faqa]

I'd grab the Hayden from the end of ROTS and send him back through a time-warp to replay AOTC. The difference is simply astounding. Sorry guys, but the "wooden" criticism ain't baseless. Anakin lacked emotion in way too many scenes in AOTC.

Portman needs reverse treatment - we need to drag AOTC Portman forwards in time so SHE can pull off ROTS properly, which she didn't, while AOTC, she did well.

That may sound funny, but that's my honest opinion.

And BMF needs to go. He wasn't all that great. I don't know who'd replace him, but damn sure there's a score of actors out there ready to play a badass battle Jedi. Sorry, Mace Windu just didn't work for me. He wasn't convincing.

[Battlehymn Republic]

Did Keira watch the OT/was an SW fan before TPM? Or the actress who played Corde in AOTC? Because I have no idea where to start on recasting Padme, besides any of the handmaiden actresses already in the movies.

[FSTargetDrone]

If you could have recasted the prequel films, who would you recast, and would replace the actor/actress?

Apparently most are unhappy with Natalie Portman's performance. And Lucas's writing. Or was it directing?

I think Lucas is clearly a competent (at worst) director. American Graffitti, for example, is a fine film and on balance many of the performances are excellent. In that, McKenzie Phillips, who was even younger than Portman, was very good.

Portman's effort is a real negative in the PT, no doubt. Compared with the main actors in the OT who I think all did a fine job, (including Hamill), especially in ANH and TESB, hers is a real lowpoint. Jake Lloyd conveyed more emotion than she did.

The writing could have been better, especially in TPM and AOTC, but has been said elsewhere, a good performance can do wonders for an othewise mediocre script.

I agree with the above poster who liked McGregor in his role, and Liam Neeson delivered a nice performance.

All that said, I'd first lose some of the terribly forced bits of humor in the PT. It galls me to no end to see the droids' (especially 3PO and the battle droids in ROTS) weird behavior and horrendous lines. "This is such a drag" and the like are gawd-awful.

[Vympel]

The "this is such a drag" part of the Arena battle was incredibly inappropriate. It just had no place there. However, we're talking about the cast.

Re: Portman, do we have any sources that indicate that her not being babied or not taking the role seriously etc was the problem?

[Vicious]

I'd like to put in my vote on the issue of Portman being replaced by someone else. Keira Knightley, who impressed the hell out of me in Pirates of the Caribbean would do nicely. I'd keep Hayden as Anakin. A lot of people bash him for his "wooden" dialogue. Let me mention something: he's a teenager under extreme pressure and stress. Let's see you handle being 19, in love when it's forbidden, having to live up to an extremely high set of standards and then include just being a fucking teenager. I'd say you'd be pretty angsty and whiney and would hide a lot of your emotion for fear of it getting you in major shit.

I've seen Hayden act in other things, namely Life As A House and I thought he was just fantastic. Plus, he seems like a true fan of the series and is really into the character. Everytime I watch AotC, I empathize more with Anakin's situation. At first I found it awkward, but seeing it a few more times and really thinking about it, it just makes sense. Why should he be laid back and act ultra-cool when it would fly against his situation in every conceivable way except maybe as an extreme defense measure?

Also like others, I'd cut out all the droid "humor" dialogue. It shatters the mood and rips the audience out of the movie and dumps 'em back in their shitty theater seats. C-3PO's is bad enough, but the wise-cracking SBDs in RotS are just awful. These are uber war droids, not a fucking comedy act.

[Spiny Norman]

Hello, first post.

First off, from all evidence, Lucas is an excellent technical director, but lacks in the area of actually eliciting a believable and emotional performance from an actor. The comaraderie of the OT cast certainly lent to their performances, the lack of such being evident in the PT. Notice that ESB was the strongest of the stories and performances with Irvin Kirshner directing (incidentally he came out of retirement for that). ANH follows a strong second and RotJ a pathetic third (directed by Richard Marquand who should have gone into retirement beforehand thus forcing selection of a new director). So in the PT, all directed by Lucas you have excellent layout and vision, yet the character performances seem uneven or completely lacking for some. Other veteran thespians turn in solid performances throughout.

So perhaps and blame for poor performances should start with Lucas.

That said, while Jake Lloyd did an adequate job as young Anakin, the only other real contender for the role would have been Osmont (and still preferred). Alternately, rewriting TPM so Anakin is a bit older would have been better (the whole slave/immaculate conception crap gets tossed) and fit more concisely with Obi-Wan's dialogue in ANH

Hayden could be replaced by any number of actors. Sean William Scott actually can turn in very good performances with the right script and director and has the physical stature to handle the demands. He's also good natured enough in most of his films that it would be expected and provide additional emotional impact to Anakin's eventual downfall.

Portman. Hmmm, obviously Knightly would be an excellent choice. Let's try something a bit different. Katie Holms. Why not? She has turned in any number of good performances and has an appearance close enough to Carrie Fisher in ANH to make the maternal relationship believable.

Still I think the whole PT would be better served by a good rewrite and a director who is good with directing for emotional impact. JMHO


Hi.

[THEHOOLIGANJEDI]

Keira Knightely in Pirates is fucking awesome. She had an incrediable performance.

Personally I really don't see where her performance was Awesome in POTC. She was okay but overall forgetable. But then I didn't like the movie. (still even when I don't like a movie I do note good performances and Depp's was the only one that stood out) Overall, I really think Keira is overrated. She's not bad but she hasn't done a single remarkable performance.

The more I think about it, and re watch, I think I dislike Portman more and more. There are some parts where she is just spot on, especially in TPM, but the chemistry just isn't really there. She was great in Garden State. I don't know who to put in her place. maybe Keira Kinghtely, especially since she's willing to do a topless. (You played a stripper Portman, be the part!!!)

Hayden was awesome. It was a great connection of Anakin to Luke, with hte obvious Anakin being selfish more so. His RotS is just fucking brilliant in many places. His choice at Mace's and Palpatine's showdown, you could see it and feel it. Just over all he was strong in this movie. Wong has said it before and I'll echo it. People that mimic the 'Wooden Christiansen' shit need to watch the movie and stop parroting.

Overall both Hayden and Nat's perfomances in both AOTC and ROTS varied greatly to me. Ranging from forced to pretty good. Overall they did decent jobs, not their best but certainly not the worst I have ever seen.

[THEHOOLIGANJEDI]

It is said that Natalie Portman can turn in a good performance with other directors, but not with George Lucas. This is often interpreted as a criticism of George Lucas. Quite frankly, I interpret it as a criticism of Natalie Portman. It shows that she's an unprofessional person who doesn't put in the effort unless the director babies her.

I don't know why people make so many excuses for actors. If you had an electrician who did good work when somebody carefully watched over him and constantly instructed him in every way but shitty work when given simple instructions and told to use his own judgement, you would not say "oh, the guy who told him to use his own judgement is obviously a horrible boss". You would say "this electrician is an idiot".

Anyway, I would replace Natalie Portman with an inflatable sex doll. It would probably turn in a better performance.

You also have to realize that, in the end, it's the director who chooses what appears on-screen and directs the actors. If Lucas kept steering Portman toward a progressively more wooden performance, there's not a whole lot she can do about it.

On the other hand, Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid were both good in Episode III, so Lucas obviously did okay directing them. Why was it just Portman and Christesnen's acting that seemed to suck?

I gotta agree. But I do think there were still some uneven part in some of Ewan and Ian's performances as well. I do think for the most part most of the blame still sticks with George. His one big Flaw is working with actors.

For me I wouldn't change a single actor, because there would still be the same or similar problems.

[Cykeisme]

Hrm, Portman may indeed be the biggest problem with the PT.

Observation: The scenes in which Hayden appears, that people have problems with, were done opposite Portman.

[THEHOOLIGANJEDI]

I'd grab the Hayden from the end of ROTS and send him back through a time-warp to replay AOTC. The difference is simply astounding. Sorry guys, but the "wooden" criticism ain't baseless. Anakin lacked emotion in way too many scenes in AOTC.

Portman needs reverse treatment - we need to drag AOTC Portman forwards in time so SHE can pull off ROTS properly, which she didn't, while AOTC, she did well.

That may sound funny, but that's my honest opinion.

It doesn't sound that funny to me. I think both did good jobs but in different movies. Portman was Good in AOTC and Hayden was good in ROTS. I just think they weren't that bad. I've seen a lot worse.

And again I gotta Say this LOUD, but: KEIRA KNIGHTLEY IS OVERRATED!!! I really don't see what was soo special about her performance in POTC. Johnny Depp was the clear standout in that movie. (granted he didn't deserve an Oscar nom for it)

[THEHOOLIGANJEDI]

Hayden could be replaced by any number of actors. Sean William Scott actually can turn in very good performances with the right script and director and has the physical stature to handle the demands. He's also good natured enough in most of his films that it would be expected and provide additional emotional impact to Anakin's eventual downfall.

Portman. Hmmm, obviously Knightly would be an excellent choice. Let's try something a bit different. Katie Holms. Why not? She has turned in any number of good performances and has an appearance close enough to Carrie Fisher in ANH to make the maternal relationship believable.
Hi.

Hey. For the most part I agree with you. But Hayden was fine in both movies. Inconsistent? Sure. But I really don't see how some other actors could have done much better.

My real issue is Natalie. I think both her and Hayden were on the same boat. I again don't see how Keira would fare any better. As for Katie Holmes bad choice. She's less talented than both of them. (while not a bad actress) She's not remarkable. Batman Begins comes to mind.

[Pint0 Xtreme]

...anyone who didnt cringe at the' your soft skin unlike the harsh sand's of my homeworld...

URGH!!! He didn't compare her skin to the sands of Tatooine god dammit!! He just said he doesn't like sand! Not like Naboo where it's fucking beautiful!! I hate it when people say that. It's like one of the most common misconceptions of the dialogue ever!!

/rant off

[Jalinth]

On the other hand, Ewan McGregor and Ian McDiarmid were both good in Episode III, so Lucas obviously did okay directing them. Why was it just Portman and Christesnen's acting that seemed to suck?

I gotta agree. But I do think there were still some uneven part in some of Ewan and Ian's performances as well. I do think for the most part most of the blame still sticks with George. His one big Flaw is working with actors.

For me I wouldn't change a single actor, because there would still be the same or similar problems.

But both are extremely good actors. Personally, I think they just created a personality and stuck with it throughout the series and told Lucas to like it or lump it (likely after an initial agreement over how to play them). Loved McDiarmid - he basically made the whole changeover from Republic to Empire believable.

For young Anakin, you are dealing with a child actor. Most have inherient limitations due to their age - so either direct/script around them or pick someone older. So bricks to Lucas on my loating for young Anakin.

Otherwise, down with Portman. This wasn't her cup of tea and it showed. Don't think Keira is a great replacement. Maybe pull an unknown (at least to most) off the stage in the UK.

[Elfdart]

I don't think Portman was bad so much as miscast in Episodes 2 and 3. In TPM, she looks and sounds all of 13-14. She was a royal version of Dorothy in Oz. AOTC comes around, set ten years later -and she still comes across as all of 13-14. Putting her in those "sexy" outfits made me think the movie was ghost-directed by Woody Allen or Roman Polanski. Howard Stern of all people hit the nail on the head: Portman's a beautiful girl -a beautiful little girl.

They should have re-cast the role of Padme for Episodes 2 and 3 with an older, more mature actress.

Hayden Christiansen was fine as Anakin. He was supposed to be a whiny, self-serious teen living a lie and pretending to believe things he didn't believe.

As for Lucas not being much of a writer or not being able to get good performances from actors... Oh bite my ass! He didn't have any problems with performances in THX-1138 (aside from Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasance, the cast was made up of nobodies), American Grafitti or Star Wars. Harrison Ford recently put the "You can type this shit" line in perspective when he pointed out that that same "shit" earned Lucas an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.

I look at it this way: The actors in the Star Wars movies turn in more conventional (i.e. "better) performances elsewhere and Lucas gets that kind of performance out of actors in his other movies. So the obvious conclusion is that when you see acting in Star Wars that reminds you of old serials and adventure movies of the 1930s-1940s, Lucas did that on purpose because that's what he wanted.

[Zwinmar]

My opinion-Hayden...meh..didnt like him must though he pulled thru in RoTS.

Portman-could have done better...like actually getting involved with the role than just acting it.

...I never saw Windu die, so for all we know that 'BMF' is still around somewere...and for those who say the fall could have, just watch AOTC, seems to me that if Anikan can pull a stunt Windu could do it better...ie..training and all

[Noble Ire]

...I never saw Windu die, so for all we know that 'BMF' is still around somewere...and for those who say the fall could have, just watch AOTC, seems to me that if Anikan can pull a stunt Windu could do it better...ie..training and all

Anakin wasn't missing hand when he fell. Nor had he just been subjected to enough force lightning to vaporise ten lesser men. Mace was dead long before he hit the ground.