Episode III Thoughts

So I'm watching Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith on DVD. Because I work, and work-out, I haven't got to the climactic light saber battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin Skywalker. I will note, however, that this was one of the events that excited my imagination from the age of nine or so until . . . May 2005. Well, actually, it still excites my imagination. I think I'll restart the DVD now.

Update: A little too much going on in the climactic scene. My take is that the light saber duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin should be enough to hold the viewer's interest. As a young person, I always imagined that this would just be two guys, two light sabers, and the edge of a volcano. That would be enough, with a few lines of dialogue. No need for Hong Kong-style martial arts. No need for hovercraft, lava plumes, etc. I mean, some of that stuff is pretty cool. But a little too much.

There's a DVD extra on Disk Two called "The Chosen One." Lucas has some strange ideas about Darth Vader, which I will post on over the weekend.

But a preview: My major complaint is that the Emperor/Darth Sidious/Chancellor Palpatine is really the main character in Lucas's vision, even though Lucas thinks that it's Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader. Why Palpatine? Because he is the one who brings all the events in all six films about, and it is his death that restores balance to the Force. In so many ways, Anakin/Vader and Luke are just Palpatine's pawns. (Not to mention Yoda. The Jedi Council never conducts a thorough inquiry/investigation into just who the Sith Lord could be . . . why not? It would seem that there would be a limited number of suspects . . . .)