FlipBoard
Lucasfilm
One of the more noticeable differences between the original and prequel Star Wars trilogies are the lightsaber duels. These blaster-less skirmishes were abrupt, timid and paced in a manner so as to reveal less about the characters’ physical abilities and more about their personalities in the first three films. The prequels, however, seemed to trade story for spectacle. (They even hired a stuntman instead of an actor to play a villain.) So consider writer and director J.J. Abrams’ credibility increased significantly by his comments on the matter.
In Empire magazine’s recent cover story dedicated to The Force Awakens, Abrams explained his fascination with the original trilogy’s use of lightsabers and the duels their users sometimes engaged in.
“When you look at Star Wars and Empire, they are very different lightsaber battles, but for me they felt more powerful because they were not quite as slick. I was hoping to go for something much more primitive, aggressive and rougher, a throwback to the kind of heart-stopping lightsaber fights I remembered being so enthralled by as a kid.”
The argument could be made that, since the prequel films happened before the first three movies’ chronology, the use of lightsabers was much more prevalent throughout the Republic. The Jedi’s numbers were much, much higher, meaning that users were better-trained and equipped to handle the ancient weaponry.
It’s a nice thing to say, but let’s face it — watching Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Ray Park hop over one another in a ridiculous display of choreography, CGI and composer John Williams’ “Duel of the Fates” is just that. Ridiculous. At least, when you can actually see what’s happening on screen.
(Via Screen Rant)
![[avatar]](https://profilecdn-woven.netdna-ssl.com/photo/62964/profile)
Since this place is filled with liberals, I’ll be the first to say it for them…”As aggressive as Trump?”
I really hope he let the Raid crew choreograph that movie, only reason to be excited for it…well other than Max von Fucking Sydow somehow getting cast.
Rogue One has Donnie Yen in it, and I’m legitimately excited about that.
I remember when those light saber fights in Phantom happened it was just like… okay, we’ve been talking up the skills of the jedi for decades, we’re finally seeing that taken to it’s logical conclusion here and it’s… silliness. Jedi are apparently acrobatic video game characters, and we’re retroactively making Vader and Luke look like untalented dorks. Send Darth Maul into the climax of Jedi and he takes all three of them out. It was nonsense! Ultimately, I have no interest in rewatching the zany prequel light saber fights that I thought I wanted way back when, but Vader/Luke still carries so much weight, and that’s more important and rewarding than me and my friends picking up kendo sticks and twirling around with each other like maniacs.
You complain about Phantom Menace, but at least that was over-the-top fun that (mostly) relied on stunt work. Attack of the Clones is by far the bottom of the barrel, pitting a stiff 80 year old against a three-foot tall, pointlessly flipping CGI monster.
I agree wholeheartedly. My 7 year old was asking me the other day what was my least favorite star wars movie and after reflection I had to say attack of the clones. Its just so terrible.
I’ve always been a bit weird. How else would Yoda use his lightsaber against opponents twice his size? Extreme agility, hitting them from every angle, walking in with a cane and then turning into Spider-man to throw off their expectations. I loved it.
Dooku was played by a classically trained fencer and they utilized that.
It’s an interesting dichotomy. The original trilogy had very gritty lightsaber duels as Luke was a rookie and Vader a stiff cyborg with a lot of power.
The prequels by contrast were filled with monks so it was Wuxia Jedi.
Both in my view are fine. I hope that the aggressiveness of the new films is finding its own identity. Because trying to duplicate Luke vs Vader will also fail since it’s new characters. There can be a balance to the force between making an engaging battle and showing who the characters are through that fight.