Open Hatch

My sister sent this link about a Dark Crystal sequel:

http://www.muppetcentral.com/news/2005/051305.shtml

My first response: Uuuugh. My second response: I fear this might be bland opportunism. My third response: I resent that I am going to see this movie.

The original film is one I have a love/hate relationship with. The art, music, and puppets are wondrous. I even like the story, except for the ending. Light and Dark are expressed as one yet dual in two different entities, fantastic races linked to each other - the Mystics and the Skekis. The plot of the thing is that they were formerly one, and split thousands of years ago because of hubris (I see this as an analogy of the Christian concept of the fall). The film’s resolution is the dual creatures reuniting into.. I don’t know, a state of absolution from either good or evil, I suppose, a merge back to “perfect”, and perfectly boring, beings.

I’m only just aware that this plot employes philosophy different from my own, which of course I nither understand nor like. It seems, though I say it without authoritative observation, a mixture of elements from Taoism and Hinduism.

I would have the film differently: I’d have it resolve by subjecting and destroying evil; however this would be expressed in the film’s analogy, and even if it meant substantially altering some of the ground rules and back story.

Besides being one of the films I feel a compulsion (if more weakly) to re-write, I don’t think the original left any room for a sequel: perfection in whatever express form by the film’s philosophy was attained. A sequel would be striving for perfection after perfection. I think a prequel could be very interesting, potentially. Also, while it’s scripted by the same fellow who scripted the original, the concept and story was Hensen’s, and I haven’t heard that he left any notes lying around for sequels or prequels (though I would welcome this).

Note - I think some as-yet unspecified event brings Luke’s grief for his father to the surface. Further, he may feel rage over a sense of betrayal. In THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK he called to Ben for closure, and hasn’t had it. I think he wants three things - 1)The ability to grieve for his newfound identification with his father 2)His father back - which he doesn’t realize right now - too much distraction with greif and also distraction with 3)His mentor back and a sense that someone in the universe understands him.

Someone said not to make a person’s objective to be understood/loved. Why? On the contrary I think this is the core objective of most people: the paradox is that acceptance comes (from those who will give it) when you understand and accept them first.

Also - I employ what I suppose must be an archetype here: sight of the sightless. The 3rd Matrix film used it and probably pulled it from the “collective unconsious” of humanity.

EXT. TATTOOINE ? BEN KENOBI’S ABANDONED HOME ? DUSK

A lone X-wing lowers to Ben’s home and lands. A figure jumps out of the X- wing and runs to the entrance of Ben’s home. It is Luke, his soul rent and enraged. R2-D2 lowers out of the X-wing droid slot and follows Luke into the home.

INT. ? BEN KENOBI’S HOME - FRONT ENTRY

Luke runs into the home in a furor, forgetting to close the door. Standing in the front entry and calling for Ben, who doesn’t show, Luke flies into a rage of SCREAMING AT BEN/VADER, his two fathers, and while he is at it Owen, about abandonment and turmoil (writ unknown). It is more than he can bear and he settles into a post-traumatic memory burial trance. The trauma won’t bury. His unconscious is aware of available help: consciousness isn’t. It exhausts him and he collapses unconscious.

EXT. - BEN KENOBI’S HOME ? NIGHT SANDSTORM ?

The sandstorm SCREAMS VIOLENTLY across the land. Impenetrable, powerful dark umber and orange gashes of sand SCREAM ENDLESSLY along our view.

INT. ? BEN KENOBI’S HOME ? MAIN ROOM

The SCREAMING of the sandstorm continues outside. Luke lies unconscious on the ground. R2 has dragged Luke into the main room and sealed the inner door. LUKE’S POV - All is deaf silent as Luke awakens. His bearing is off. 3RD POV - the sandstorm screams outside; Artoo CHIRPS a greeting to luke. LUKE’S POV - DEAD SILENT - Luke recollects consciousness and remembers why he is here. Vader, the unburied dead. Horror, grief. He inhales slowly, exhales sharply:

LUKE

(MUTED)

Vader. Father.

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Of Star Wars encompassing core ideas of myriad religions, philosphies, and myths: Lucas pays tribute to the works of Joseph Campbell for this. Cambel said that Lucas was his best student.

So to understand Lucas, go to Campbell. I tried that in High School - the Hero with a Thousand Faces was indegestible. Maybe my brain has stretched since then (for mercy’s sake I hope so!)

Or perhaps more easily - at least for a primer (if you know me you know that I’ll read Campbell’s books eventually) - there are myriad books that set out to educate on one religion/philosophy or another by way of comparative study to Star Wars.

I began reading in the bookstore a book entitled CHRISTIAN WISDOM OF THE JEDI MASTERS. I found it extremely compelling. To distill precisely the virtues and ills inherent in the films is something I’ve wanted to do for this rewrite project. Problematically, that it is a comparative work isn’t clear: people of slipshod thinking would take it as integrative and start referring to themselves as Jedi Christians. Bad idea. If media and religion marry, let’s at least stay clear that they are different people. Similar titles: THE TAO OF STAR WARS, THE (DHARMA?) OF STAR WARS, PHILOSOPHY AND STAR WARS. I also want to read a work entitled PHILOSOPHY AND THE MATRIX.

This entry is based on what information I have prior to watching the final installation of the STAR WARS films - being EPISODE III THE REVENGE OF THE SITH, to be released in theaters only a week from now.

My present view is that mercy cannot redeem Darth Vader.

This is a terrible problem! I know from my young fan days reading STAR WARS insider and other sources that Lucas’ focus is really on the idea of a fall and redemption for Vader: Vader is the main character of it all, I-VI, if Luke is the major character of episodes IV-VI.

Watching Return of the Jedi, I want a sense of closure for Vader’s redemption terribly, I even get caught up in the drama and believe it, and then afterwards.. I don’t. I do not mean that a person who had commit crimes to the extent of Darth Vader’s would be irredeemable. On the contrary I believe that someone with Vader’s crimes could be redeemed if the circumstances are right.
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STAR WARS is dying. EPISODE III will shortly be released, and the series will be all done, all over.

But for me the films have long been dead. This death came as my realizations emerged of Return of the Jedi’s impossibility. I am not talking about discarding my childhood belief in my telekinetic powers.

Many years ago my email correspondence with a friend, and also my family, evolved from complaints about the film Return of the Jedi to thoughts and ideas on what generally would satisfy us in the film, if it were different, and from there to the ambition of re-writing the entire film.

Here, I’ll pull from those summaries, and post the gripes, questions, and proposed revisions, peacemeal. I invite you to comment on each. I begin with my own present summary of what I view as the film’s most critical flaw.

I was delighted when my brother spotted an article illustrating that Orson Scott Card has the same primary complaint with Return of the Jedi.

[Update: this script has been revised and archived here in Adobe Reader format (with this collection of my scripts).]

I’m going to make a short film from this script, which is based on an application I.. um.. found..
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I just put this blog up. This is for short film scripts and philisophical ramblings related to art and creating it. I love hearing other people’s perspectives on anything, and at this blog it’s easier than at a wiki).

Anticipating [later insertion: fearing] a wake of grief for the death of Star Wars, I may soon create and begin archiving older correspondence into another blog dedicated to a Return of the Jedi Rewrite.

This Moveable Type tool manages multiple blogs (making it easy to create a blog for larger script projects) - cool!

I’ve inserted this from my wiki which I was morphing into a blog

I read a book in one sitting at Barnes and Noble: 9 Things Every Graduate Must Do (that link sells it under a slightly different title). This book is frankly religious, thank you, but even besides (though I would argue naturally because of) this, it is excellent. Succinct but not lacking detail, pithy, right on target, illuminative, compelling. Probably a desperately needed read for every 3rd person you know A sentence that made me gasp, reel, and made me have to explain to a bemused nearby person that I was having an epiphany: “Successfull people go against the odds if the odds go against doing what is right.” Why does this strike me so? I am an actor. I know this deep inside. Nothing inside or outside of me except the most profound apathy can remove this fact (and has in times fading). It is right that I should be an actor: I know this. This irrefutable and overruling fact has emerged from the ashes of forgotten imaginations (the first of the “9 Things”). It is worthy of much more writing (which I have done and I think I ought to post here). Does this mean I will stop every other thing of my life and only be an actor? No. It means that I’m adding it. Of course I already have been adding it. This sentence just reinforces that I am adding it. Trying to be an actor would be going against the odds of failing at it. Well, good then, alright then. And I might fall down many times. Japanese Proverb: Fall down six times, get up seven (the 8th thing).

Confessions: I must buy and read a book entitled Christian Wisdom of the Jedi Masters. I started reading it and found it extremely compelling. To distill precisely the virtues and ills inherent in the films is something I’ve wanted to do for another project. Problematically, that it is a comparative work isn’t clear: people of slipshod thinking would take it as integrative and start referring to themselves as Jedi Christians. Bad idea. If media and religion marry, let’s at least stay clear that they are different people. Similar titles: the Tao of Star Wars, the.. Dhamra? of Star Wars, Philosophy and Star Wars. I must also read a work entitled Philosophy and the Matrix.

But first I will finish a scriptural survey of my own religion (really.. I’ve never read the Bible through) and a fairly detailed survey of the world’s most prominent religions/philosophies.

Here is a movie (just below, in quicktime format) of me variously reading a difficult line Mark Hammil had at his Star Wars audition. Actor Validation Disclaimer: I’m being a “spaz”; this is not work suited for film. Also, I think my Napolean impression is a bit off.

Fear is their greatest defense. I doubt if the actual security there is much greater than on Aquili or Sullist, and what they do have is most likely directed towards a large scale assault.

[Update: this script has been revised and archived here in Adobe Reader format (with this collection of my scripts).]

Years ago my brother improvised a silly, short thing of an old lady melodrmamatically rattling off to a mute listener about the departed Dear Mr. Johnson or some such, insisting that the listener “cherish” such-and-such (the sunrise, the day, the sunset) instead. That inspired this.

EXT. — THE SKY — MORNING

We soar down through SKY, CONTINENTS, then FARMLAND, to a FARM. A FARMER sits in a lawn chair outside his farmhouse. He cooks bacon over a campstove. JIMMY comes and sits in a lawn chair opposite. Jimmy is like a good friendly dog — meek, silent, observing. The farmer speaks in a southern drawl.

FARMER

Mornin’ Jimmy, how ya doin’?

Jimmy emotes pleasantness.

FARMER

Beautiful morning, isn’t it?

(Beat)

It’s a hard cold winter comin’ on, Jimmy — I can feel it in ma bones. So I up and slaughtered the pig, so we could have some bacon for the long, hard winter ahead. It was hard to do, but I had to do it. I sure am gonna miss that pig.

The farmer offers Jimmy some of the cooked bacon, and Jimmy takes it. The two eat. Thinking of his former pig, the farmer laughs with a memory.

FARMER

I remember, he used to poop in his trough when he was a piglet!

The farmer laughs hard, and his laughing turns to crying.

FARMER

Oh I sure DO miss that pig, Jimmy! …But that’s over now and, well we’re here, and… cherish the bacon with me, Jimmy. Cherish it.

The two continue to eat the bacon, and we soar up, up, and away from the farm…

THE END