The prequels: what if Lucas hadn't directed them himself?

Editor, Europe; Rotterdam, The Netherlands (@ardvark23)
The prequels: what if Lucas hadn't directed them himself?

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So... ten years ago we Star Wars fans were picking up the pieces of what had been a close-knit community a scant few weeks earlier. "Episode One: The Phantom Menace" had arrived and had split the fanbase into more different factions than "Return of the Jedi" had ever managed. Forget whether or not you liked Ewoks, now we had Jar-Jar Binks to worry about...

Today, we have groups of fans being "Lucas Apologists" , or "Prequel Deniers", and even the dreaded "Lucas-Raped-My-Childhood Victims" (although these can again be split into "Prequel Caused", "Special-Edition Caused" and "DVD-Release Caused"...).

Me, I'm a staunch fan of the holy trilogy. The original first one from the Seventies and Eighties. Han shot first, dammit!
And while I like bits and pieces of the prequels and am glad to have seen them all in the cinema, I do also think they are staggering disappointments that don't hold a candle to what had come before.

There are many reasons for this, but I'll run with a fun one today and do a what-if concerning the director's side. What if George Lucas had concentrated on the look of the film as much as he did, but had allowed someone else to direct? Someone who is a better so-called "actor's director" than Lucas?

After the break is my list of directors who I'd have liked to tackle the prequels... and feel free to join in with your own choices!

Rules first: the directors I mention should have been alive, of workable age and somewhat known during the time the movie was made. It should be feasible that George Lucas had heard of these people when he made the decision to direct. This also means I can use people who were still alive back then...

Seriously, I think the prequels are marred by the singular (tunnel-)vision of George Lucas. Some outside creative input might have greatly improved them. But in 1998, who could force Lucas to change anything? Very few, I dare say. And his movies suffered from it.



Episode I: The Phantom Menace

I see the first prequel as a children's movie, first and foremost. The whole point is to introduce the very young Anakin, and the kid who has to play him has some stiff scenes in front of him. There is a war going on too, and a race of sorts, but those parts will be closely supervised by Lucas and the effects crew anyway, so let's focus on the acting and specifically the child's acting.
Possible nominees:

Steven Spielberg.
Didn't see this one coming, did you? Few people can be said to have a better grasp of both children's acting and special effects. I've always wondered what went through his mind when watching Phantom Menace, made by his good friend George, and seeing the stiffness of all actors.

Richard Donner.
Another director with a good grasp of special effects and big-budgeted crowdpleasers, but can he direct children? Well, he sure managed good enough with "The Goonies".

Cameron Crowe.
This guy knows how to get memorable performances out of everyone, and his films always contain a certain timing and wit. These are things that were much, MUCH needed for the first prequel.



Episode II: Attack of the Clones

This one is the big romantic epic of the three, with Amidala and Anakin falling in "lurve". The important thing here is to show believable chemistry. After all, this is the love that will be used as a lever to "turn" Anakin towards the dark side later on,so the two should positively sizzle on screen! At the same time it ends with an almost ludicrously ambitious battlescene.
Let's see... romantic epic. Hmmm...

Irvin Kershner.
After the first prequel's mixed reception, what would have sent a bigger thrill through the fans than the announcement that the director of "The Empire Strikes Back" would helm the second one? That film's mixture of epic war and the budding romance between Han Solo and Leia is one of the most beloved in movie history. This would have restored hope for a good trilogy in an instant.

James Cameron.
No way in hell that this was going to happen, but then again maybe he wouldn't turn down the chance to do Star Wars. Can you just imagine what this would have become? No, I didn't think the couple in "Titanic" did much sizzling, but there certainly was chemistry enough to make it work, so why not for the second prequel? Also, Cameron would have insisted on some much-needed plugging of major plotholes.

Ang Lee.
After "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" became such a monstrous success, I think in 2001 you couldn't find a hotter director to create your romantic epic. Just wonder how this might have turned out. In tears, probably, but oh if this had worked...



Episode III: Revenge of the Sith

Here is the big one: Anakin becomes Darth Vader. From hero to the pinnacle of villainy in the space of one movie, who can depict such an utter fall from grace? George Lucas, of course! Well, he thought so. But who could do it in a BELIEVABLE way, such that it evokes an EMOTIONAL RESONANCE in the audience?

Francis Ford Coppola.
He did maybe the most legendary fall from grace in his "The Godfather" and especially "The Godfather: Part II". And he is a good friend of Lucas so a collaboration between the two might seem possible.

David Fincher.
Again a director who has proven to be uncannily skillful with both special effects and actors. And after "Se7en" and "Fight Club" who could doubt his ability to give Anakin a believable mental breakdown. The emergence of Darth Vader would have looked awesome under Fincher.

Park Chan Wook.
Yes, in 2003 "Oldboy" was making major waves and "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance" had high credit in the arthouse scene. Park Chan Wook had entered the international market and was there to stay. And he can make any fall from grace awesome.


So, anyone willing to react? And ehm... am I now banned from the ranch?

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