MF CUT SCENES: Unkindest Cut Of All

[Master Larvell]

http://www.millenniumfalcon.com

Part of the original final montage was of Yoda arriving on Dagobah.

The Jedi Master was to have been seen going into exile after the fall of the Jedi, but Lucas has decided that the film, with brief finales on Naboo, aboard a Star Destroyer, and on Tatooine has too many endings.

Dagobah has now been cut.

I hate it!

[cheese_boy]

Makes sense to me. The only thing we need to know is that Yoda is alive and in hiding.

[CoGro]

It doesn't need to be there at all anyway, I've always said it.

Either way, you're going to find out he's on Degobah.

I agree with the cut...I hate the 10 endings of the LOTR finale...I wanted to leave.

[Master Larvell]

whatever... I like your optimism, but I loved the idea of seeing younger Yoda at Dagobah- the idea of this progression was so so nice.

This is the first spoiler that has really pissed me off.

[AchillesLastStand]

I agree it was nothing that had to be seen, but I still think it would have been cool to see Dagobah again.

[Indiana]

I would cut Naboo too. Do we really need to see Padme's funeral? The character's purpose is over once she dies.

[Master Larvell]

Agreed, it's not vital, but I guess it would be a nice sentimental nod to "sheep", and you're right if you're thinking that's not the way to make a movie- that Lucas should not be thinking about "sheep". But I suppose I am one, and I really liked the idea of that shot a lot. It was one of the things I was most looking forward to.

BTW, chwjohns, it's so cool that you actually have a picture of Darth Plageuis as your avatar!

[Treadwell]

If the movie didn't flow with it in, then it is best it was cut.

These decisions are obviously not taken lightly - time and money going into making this shot, only to see it shelved.

We know where Yoda ends up, and if you cling to this ragged notion that in the future there will be kids watching the whole saga from 1-6 with absolutely no knowledge of SW lore is (like you saw Citizen Kane not knowning what Rosebud was, right.... and I care about someone else's experience of the saga in the future, right....) then so what?
They find out in ESB.

It is not a problem.

[Master Larvell]

Tern, Riffic, etc. - have any of you actually seen the scene in question? Just curious what we'll actually be missing.

Resigned to the truth. Oh well.

[Bastoska]

Kind of a bummer, but I agree with the above LOTR post...too many place where the movie should have ended.

I like the Anikan VS. Obi-Wan Duel avitar above, where did that come from?

[Master Larvell]

I like the Anikan VS. Obi-Wan Duel avitar above, where did that come from?

Wasn't that a fan-art by Pixelmagic?

[Treadwell]

I like the Anikan VS. Obi-Wan Duel avitar above, where did that come from?

From a fan made trailer - but it rocks...

[Bastoska]

You know, I've seen bits and peices of that Fan-made trailer but have never seen the whole thing.

Maybe I should.

[Caback]

I don't see why it should even be on the DVD. It's not overly important.
I think people are letting their nostalgic love for all things ESB cloud their idea of what is essentially Yoda getting out and walking in a swamp. It's not like there was going to be an extra ten minutes of enlightenment.

Would you be just as disappointed if a cut scene in the finale included a Wampa taking a shit on Hoth? It doesn't add anything, but by golly it's Hoth and we wanna see it!

Naboo is infinitely more important as it's where closure to one of the main PT characters comes in. It's emotional for more than just nostalgia, and is a more powerful montage than a swamp walk.

In other words, it's not about the planets, but what happens on the planets.

[Master Larvell]

I don't see why it should even be on the DVD. It's not overly important.
I think people are letting their nostalgic love for all things ESB cloud their idea of what is essentially Yoda getting out and walking in a swamp. It's not like there was going to be an extra ten minutes of enlightenment.

Would you be just as disappointed if a cut scene in the finale included a Wampa taking a shit on Hoth? It doesn't add anything, but by golly it's Hoth and we wanna see it!

Naboo is infinitely more important as it's where closure to one of the main PT characters comes in. It's emotional for more than just nostalgia, and is a more powerful montage than a swamp walk.

In other words, it's not about the planets, but what happens on the planets.

Thanks Caback- you put it very eloquently. I'm still not buying into this shit that ROTS is somehow gonna be better than ESB, so maybe I was just excited that a piece of ESB would make it into ROTS. Now that Lucas has gone against that, hopefully it means that ROTS didn't need a piece of ESB. Hopefully it means it stands up okay without it.

[VT-16]

sheep nods do not make a great movie, which is of most importance.

Besides, I think this movie has enough sheep already.

Hopefully it means it stands up okay without it.

If a movie can´t stand on it´s own without showing a scene where a green midget walks in a swamp, then I fear for the future of filmmaking. ;P

[Jotun]

What's with Luke's sense of Dagobah feeling familar supposed to be?

[VT-16]

What's with Luke's sense of Dagobah feeling familar supposed to be?

Sensing Yoda, one of the few people there at his birth, perhaps?

[Wrath Mania]

Sensing Yoda in the force.

Isn't a big deal, I suppose.

Padme's funeral isn't that relevant TO US, but someone watching the saga in order will need that closure... maybe....

[Toggle]

If it messes with the pacing of the ending or is unnecessary, I see no reason to keep it in, despite how much I love the characters and wish the film was 10 hours long. . . .

I just hope that actually relevant material isnt cut to accomodate a specific runtime.

[Caback]

If anything, cut the Naboo scene.

So... cut a funeral for a main character, in favor of Yoda walking around a fucking swamp? More important things happen on Naboo other than Dagobah. Just cause you love ESB doesn't make Dagobah more important than Padme's funeral. Read my previous post for more ideas about the matter.

Thanks Caback- you put it very eloquently.

I'm just glad people here can be reasoned with to some degree...

[son of stanley]

Dagobah is one of my favorite things about the OT. And its fine by me if it stay's that way. Perhaps just seeing the little guy shoot out into deep space in his pod is enough of a farewell. We find out eventually where he ends up.

[ImperialBA]

Here is something for the Special Edition that you know will come out after ROTS is put on DVD...

[Pax Britannia]

This is probably the worst news I've heard about ROTS so far.

[Bandersnatch]

This is probably the worst news I've heard about ROTS so far.

I've heard a rumor that we might see Yoda on Degobah in Episode 5, so don't worry about it...



Seriously, why do we HAVE to see him there in Episode 3? We see it later in the story, so who cares?

[Obi]

Yeah, who cares. Its not like we don't know where the fuck he ends up.

We need some more duel dialogue! "I was but the learner now I am the Master" or something....

[Chilly]

It doesn't need to be there at all anyway, I've always said it.

Either way, you're going to find out he's on Degobah.

I agree with the cut...I hate the 10 endings of the LOTR finale...I wanted to leave.

indeed

the 10 endings on LOTR were very irratating and spoiled the film somewhat
they should have ended it after the "you bow to no one"
or even b4 that

[Toggle]

As long as EGGPLANT PARMESAN makes the final cut, I'm happy. I wonder if any tasty spoiler pics of him will come out soon?

[PTGrievous]

I'm completely fine with this.
Nothing meaty

[nomad]

yoda isnt seen again till ep v so there is no continuity broken, on the other hand padmes death scene is closure and ben, vader and the emporer all mesh into ep iv even though the timeline is greatly split.

[texapocalypse]

I always hate to see criticism of production decisions made before a movie is released. Especially when it concerns some unnecessary detail. It's so... Trekkie.

Seriously, it's just not right, what some people are doing to these movies. You should go to a movie, watch it, and have a shitload of fun. By all accounts, ROTS is going to deliver that in a big way.

After the movie is released, you can critique it all you want, and you may even come up with some valid arguments. But nitpicking a movie for its details before it even comes out is almost indefensible.

Sorry, I'm drunk.

[CoGro]

I disagree.

Jar Jar only got negative publicity when people heard his voice for the first time a few months before the movie.

In march, when the trailer came out, the movie was anticipated to be the BEST of all the films. We know the rest of that story.

When Episode 2 came around, the only worry was the love story. Other than that, the story, characters, script were held to be the best of the saga and now people thought Episode 2 would redeem TPM and come close to toppling ESB.

Here we are with Episode 3 a few months before the film is released and while I do agree there has been next to no NEGATIVE feedback from what we've heard....I would suggest not to count your chickens before they hatch. That's especially not what the general moviegoer is doing.

[offspringboy]

Lucas does this all the time, just look at the DVD versions of TPM & AOTC, he takes a couple of bits out for the theatre's then re-instates them back for DVD release. Of course some do not make the cut, but we get to see them in their full glory of Disc 2, so who gives a flying f**k if it is cut out, we'll see it soon enough.

[CoGro]

I like AOTC a lot, but that's a bunch of bull. It's a good film in my opinion. But it doesn't come close to toppling ANH or ESB, and I think ROTJ is better, ewoks and all. As for script, story, and characters, it's not the best. ANH and ESB are.

You misread my post, apparently.

I was referring to the hype that was built up around AOTC prior to the film's release. The Clone War trailer only heightened that feeling, though the acting/dialogue started to bring doubts.

Personally having seen the movie, I don't think it comes close to Empire/ANH, but a hell of a lot of people including me sure thought it might have.

[Nightmare721]

It's more important to have Padme's funeral at the end - this ending is going to draw parallels to the ROTJ ending. We have Anakin's funeral at the end of one, and Padme's at the end of another. All of the PT final shots parallel the OT - with the gang looking outward at the end of ROTJ, and likely Vader and Sidious looking outward at the end of ROTS. Kenobi walking into the Tatooine desert is for continuity with ANH. More than three locations in the montage may have been tedious, so Yoda (whose exact fate is irrelevent for the time being) got the ax.

Just my two cents.

[Ethril]

The only purpose to this scene would have been to provide Yoda's arc in the film on the proper emotional note to lead into his appearing in ESB.. done well it could color those scenes very powerfully.. but not done at all it might leave people watching the films in chronological order with a distracting questions about the character when they see Yoda reappear in ESB.. but just so long as the last shot of Yoda in the film, wherever it ends up, is a powerful shot and lets us know what's in his mind.. in some way implies his feelings on what has happened and his thoughts for what he is going to do now.. then the location of that final shot doesn't matter at all. I think we'll probably get enough closure on Yoda's character during his dialogue with Qui-gon, really.

[CoGro]

have we heard anything/seen anything about jar jar in episode 3?

I can't remember hearing ONE thing about him off the top of my head.

[darthpsychotic]

Pablo Hidalgo pretty much comes outright and confirms this to me in this HyperSpace thread about it:

http://forums.starwars.com/thread.jspa?threadID=206991


Oh no! What does this do to property values?! I had a lot of acreage invested there!

ph


I've heard tell that the hundreds of hours shot have been cut down to about two. But you didn't hear it from me.

ph


The context of Spider's mocking tone is that the thread's posters were pretty pissed.

[Daredevil]

I don't mind the cut. It leaves a nice little surprise when you watch ESB and see where Yodas' been all these years.

[Mike_Droideka]

Something to look forward to for the DVD release!

[Ethril]

We don't need closure on Yoda, because he'll be back in ESB. Closure for him comes in RotJ, when he dies.

Personally, I was actually glad to hear this scene being cut. There's just way too much "bridging the saga" going on already. Let Revenge of the Sith be its own movie in some respects, or at least the final film of the Prequel Trilogy. So we don't see Obi-Wan pick the name Ben out of a baby names datapad. So we don't see Yoda go to Dagobah specifically when he goes into hiding. So we don't learn that Anchorhead has the best power converters in the Galaxy, and that's why Luke really wanted to go pick some up. None of these things ruined our enjoyment of the Original Trilogy, so why should it suddenly become an issue? Some things aren't explained in depth simply because it's not necessary. It's simple and not worth wasting time on. Yoda goes somewhere, we'll see him again later. We don't need to see him building a hut, just like we didn't need to see him gathering plants or cooking dinner before Luke ate some of it in The Empire Strikes Back. Frankly, I think this shot would have been overkill, and taking it out will probably help move the ending along quite nicely.

I agree.. I didn't mean that Yoda's story needed closure as a whole, because obviously that happens in RotJ.. what I meant was that the prequel portion of his story needs to end in a fashion that leads well into the OT portion of the story, and makes it one logical continuous thread. I was just making the point that wherever we see him last in RotS should flow logically into where we see him next in ESB.. but flow EMOTIONALLY.. not geographically.. if Yoda's character in ESB comes off as a logical progression of who he was in RotS, then it will be a cohesive story, regardless of whether that moment happens on Tantive IV or on Dagobah.. personally I prefer Tantive IV.

[Dogg Thang]

Agreed, location does not matter all that much. If anything I sort of like the idea that we don't see it. Even though I'm sure we will see it on the dvd, part of me likes the idea that maybe Yoda wandered the Galaxy for several years as a student of the Force before finding Dagobah.

And I've also said before that I think almost too many things are leading straight into the OT and not taking into account the time gap so this helps for me.

Dogg.

[Hade]

The Luke line in ESB does make for a problem here.

[grumblegrumble]

What's with Luke's sense of Dagobah feeling familar supposed to be?

Sensing Yoda, one of the few people there at his birth, perhaps?

He most likely saw Dagobah in a dream before he knew his dreams were actually premonitions brought on by the force. (This ties into the next scene as well.)

[AnonyJones]

If you say a scene on Dagobah is useless, you could say Obi-Wan riding into the Tatooine sunset is useless. Maybe we don't really need eaither of these scenes. Maybe we don't even need Palpatine and Vader on the Star Destroyer bridge because we've seen the Death Star in AOTC and we'll see it again in the OT. Why not just cut out the whole montage?

I really don't care if they're useless or not; I still wanted to see them. We know Yoda ends up on Dagobah, we know Luke ends up with Owen and Beru, and we know there are Star Destroyers and Death Stars. You can't say Yoda's scene is useless without saying the other montage scenes are useless.

Some people are calling the Naboo scene "Padme's death scene", which is of course horribly incorrect. If any scene should be cut simply because I don't care about it in the least, it's Padme's funeral.

Bah. Maybe when I'll see the movie I'll just accept it. Even though the cut scenes will probably be on the DVD, I'm still not very happy. When I watch the deleted scenes on the other prequel DVDs, I just find myself wishing that they had all been left in. ROTS is the first prequel that has stuff fans want to see, I wish they'd just leave in that good ol' "unimportant" montage stuff.

[Master Larvell]

like I'm being watched

sorry, couldn't leave that hanging.

[vanillazinger]

Dagobah was never necessary to ROTS. I'm glad it's gone.

[Master Larvell]

I wonder how many people would be upset if they'd never heard it might be included?

yeah, but that's not the case. We had heard it was in the film. This has been completely verified now, as we know it was cut. There was never a "might". So the debate, which I admit, is getting a little bit tired, even though I kind of started it, is really about whether the decision to cut it was wise.

[Ethril]

If you say a scene on Dagobah is useless, you could say Obi-Wan riding into the Tatooine sunset is useless. Maybe we don't really need eaither of these scenes. Maybe we don't even need Palpatine and Vader on the Star Destroyer bridge because we've seen the Death Star in AOTC and we'll see it again in the OT. Why not just cut out the whole montage?

I really don't care if they're useless or not; I still wanted to see them. We know Yoda ends up on Dagobah, we know Luke ends up with Owen and Beru, and we know there are Star Destroyers and Death Stars. You can't say Yoda's scene is useless without saying the other montage scenes are useless.

Some people are calling the Naboo scene "Padme's death scene", which is of course horribly incorrect. If any scene should be cut simply because I don't care about it in the least, it's Padme's funeral.

Bah. Maybe when I'll see the movie I'll just accept it. Even though the cut scenes will probably be on the DVD, I'm still not very happy. When I watch the deleted scenes on the other prequel DVDs, I just find myself wishing that they had all been left in. ROTS is the first prequel that has stuff fans want to see, I wish they'd just leave in that good ol' "unimportant" montage stuff.

Wrong.. those other scenes are very important TO ROTS.. the Yoda scene is mostly important TO ESB.. it's forshadowing another episode, rather than giving closure to the episode at hand.. that's the difference. Padme's funeral, and seeing what becomes of the twins and Vader are all important to the story of episode 3.. that's the difference.

The other difference is, if you think about it, all three of those scenes are about what has happened and what will happen to the Skywalker family specifically.. Anakin, Padme, and their children.. that's what the three montage scenes boil down to.. it focuses the story on the family, and sets up the shift in the next episode from the parents to their children. Yoda doesn't help that.

[Master Larvell]

the Yoda scene is mostly important TO ESB.. it's forshadowing another episode, rather than giving closure to the episode at hand.

A lot of people are saying that, but isn't showing where Yoda retreats to part of the overall closure to the "episode at hand"? I agree with some arguments that the scene may not be completely necessary, but not this one.