Over a month since the last viewing, so this one was much anticipated. My mother came this time, and she was looking forward to it. We'd actually went the previous night - a Sunday - and were amazed at the length of queue buying tickets for the 9pm session. With 5 minutes until start time, we were never go to get them in time. So we went the following night for the 9pm session when things were much less chaotic.
While it was great to have an almost empty cinema to ourselves, the disconcerting thing was the poor quality of the film image. It was very scratchy, and especially noticeable in the very bright scenes, like on Kamino. Surprising, really, given the quality of past viewings at the same cinema. Maybe a worn-out film? Regardless, it barely affected the experience and my mother mentioned nothing of it. In fact, she found the film totally amazing, and in disbelief how perfectly realised and imaginative the Star Wars world is.
This viewing saw a few more oddities picked out, and few others finally committed to memory long enough to write them down before forgetting. Forgetting the oddities has been a regular occurrence on previous viewings simply due to the bulk of information to absorb.
Before the Clones list of stuff, during a conversation about the Phantom Menace, it occurred that the entire underwater sequence through the planet core was illogical. The two Jedi landed with the army ready to invade the nearby palace, yet the Jedi had to travel via the planet's core to reach this palace. That implies the palace was on the opposite side of the planet to the landing spot. Wrong! There's no way the army would have been landed on the opposite side of the palace and be forced to travel (on ground) to it. Just some of the gratuitous padding that plagued Menace, which I've subsequently mentioned in the main Clones review in viewing 2.
* Some of the language used in Clones sounds out of place in the Star Wars universe. "Deep fried", which Anakin mentions when chasing the "creep" that was bounty hunter Zam Wessell through Coruscant. I hardly think deep frying is a legitimate cooking style in Star Wars. Owen introducing Beru as his "girlfriend", I've not liked since the first viewing. It just sounds wrong. Introducing her simply as Beru would have been enough. Finally, Captain Typho mentioned he'd be "downstairs" during the scene at the start when Padme is placed under guard. Would they even have stairs on Coruscant? A better line would be "stationed at base level" or something.
* Yoda's leer as Palpatine speaks to Padme regarding the Jedi guarding her. That was due to Palpatine completing Padme's sentence regarding whether the situation was dangerous enough to warrant such a measure. That sort of trait is probably limited to those that can use the force, and Yoda's obviously sensed that there might be more to Palpatine than meets the eye.
* In the main battle, the tall-boney-headed Jedi with the grey beard and pig-tail on top of his cranium looks like he needs two goes to activate his light sabre. Then at the rescue, his purple one has become a blue one as he hops on board the transport.
* The guy selling death sticks. There's a 40-something year old balding man of similar species in the Jedi temple. He's talking with one or two other Jedi at the base of a small flight of stairs just before the scene where Yoda (in his floating pod) and Windu are talking about Anakin's arrogance.
* Those Trade Federation spaceships. Other than the hint of Death Star about them, I could never see the connection between them and anything else. It was like the federation had dumped the semi-donut style ships from Menace for these spherical things. But at the end of the film, I finally noticed one of these spheres docking with a core-less semi-donut waiting in space to form the complete spaceships that we'd seen in Menace!
That's about it. Nothing's really changed my mind story-wise from the last viewing. The more worrying thing is whether I'll get the chance to see it again. It's finished at all Village chain of cinemas, and restricted to just one session per day at Hoyts. And that's at only some Hoyts. By the time I get the vibe to go again, it will be gone. I'm certainly not going to see it so soon after this viewing simply for the sake of seeing it. If it ends up that I only see Clones seven times, which is two less than Phantom Menace, then so be it.
As expected, Clones was gone from all main cinemas. The only one that it was showing was Waverley Gardens in Mulgrave - an out-dated centre that specialises in showing films long after all others have finished with them. Problem was that the session was 10.30am on a Saturday or Sunday, which was a drag having to get up so early on the weekend. But we'd decided to hit the Sunday session. The cinema had barely opened and we were surprised to see a significant number of people for such a session.
We were also shocked to see that Lord Of The Rings was still showing - a December 2001 release still on in August. I'd not seen that for fear of being bored witless through the three hours of predicted nondescript action. But there was still a chance, if Bob decided to take up my offer of "If you want to see it again, just come and pick me up and I'll go". I'd given him that ultimatum since February, and to be truthful, was not disappointed that he never took it up. But with this almost certainly the last chance for him to see the film - for his fourth viewing - it looked odds on that my fears of boredom would be tested.
The cinemas themselves turned out to be a blast from the past. They were actually almost identical to the cinema centre on the Gold Coast, and the cinema itself had the same layout of a centre aisle with an almost flat seating plan. That's in contrast to the modern stadium styled seating arrangement we'd been accustomed too. Also in contrast, was the seats. They were a shocker, with small squat sections and no back support. Simo had a back-ache after barely 10 minutes. Even I, being shorter, could not get that comfortable.
Most of the people there sat towards the back, so we were able to pick our favoured central position. I just don't understand why people sit so far back - it defeats the purpose of the big screen. You need impact, but without the distortion of being too close for the optimum viewing experience. Also, the sound system set-up would also be optimised for mid-cinema seating.
While the seating and layout was old-style, we could cope with that provided the screen and sound level did not compromise the actual film. The screen was never going to be a problem, but the sound was quite low during the prelude. Bob expressed concern, but I reassured him that the sound would be OK once the film started. Bob's fear proved true, but thankfully, only momentarily. The sound remained low as the film started, but it was ramped-up as the scroll ran.
Managed to pick up a couple more curiosities.
* Palpatine's chair in his main chamber seems identical to the one used in Return Of The Jedi. We've already noted the red guards that also feature in Jedi.
* The strike that resulted in Anakin losing his army in the duel was poorly done. It looks as though he just presented his arm to Dooku for easy severance.
* When the Trade Federation guy (Nuut Gunray) mentions "This is not supposed to happen", with regard to the Jedi and Padme (especially) avoiding execution, I always get the feeling that he should be saying "This is an outrage". Star Wars is noted for rekindling lines from other films, and this was is a perfect example to borrow the Gunray's line from Phantom Menace (when the Jedi are avoiding death on the spaceship at the start).
Not long after this viewing, I thought I'd check on the internet for information on that mysterious Sifo-Dyas. Nothing much came up other than fans' correspondence on message boards. No one knows categorically. But the consensus is Dooku or Palpatine ordered the Clones, and masqueraded as Sifo-Dyas.
As I stated in viewing six, I don't believe it because the Clones were found by accident, which resulted in a 30 year war (Ep2 is 30 years before Ep4 - just look at the aging of Obi-Wan for complete validation). I can't believe for a second that Palpatine would want such a prolonged war. And if Palpatine wanted the Clones found, the trace to Kamino would have been more obvious rather than the complicated and chancy entire chase of Zam Wessell to a nightclub after two failed assination attempts, to then be dragged outside by the Jedi for Jango to conveniently use a Kamino dart, which the Jedi archives did not know about. Obi-Wan had to rely on a quirky friend to find out. Was all that part of the Palpatine plan? No, the droid armies were to be used simply against the Jedi and the loyalists' armies.
It's the critical 30-year time-span that mostly debunks the Palaptine theory. It really is so incredulous that Palpatine would design such a protracted war against the republic by providing the republic with such an army.
One interesting concept that came out of the message boards was that Sifo-Dyas was Dooku's apprentice. Now we know that with the Sith, there can only ever be two. But does that mean there can't be two lots of two? If Dooku turns bad, what stops him from gaining an apprentice? He would not have been aware of Palpatine. Dooku could very well have had power-plays of his own, and ordered the Clones for himself. Though, it's difficult to see how he could commandeer the military hardware and spaceships for the army unless the Kaminoans created those as well. However, we did see troops entering a ship in the dock, so that could quite possibly be so.
When Darth Maul dies, and obviously Sifo-Dyas, Palpatine and Dooku then supposedly join forces. But Dooku is still a bit of a rogue, hence his 13th-hour plan to recruit Obi-Wan on Geonosis. Only problem with that theory is that it means a lot of stuff had to happen within a very small timeframe period around 10 years ago: Dooku orders Clones; Palpatine's Trade Federation friends lose the battle of Naboo; Darth Maul and Sifo-Dyas die; and, Dooku and Palpatine somehow find each other and form an alliance. Again, too fanciful.
My final act of working out this mysterious plot is to simply use known facts from the film and not hypothesise about anything other than the motive. The motive is most critical because it's the very base that theories are built around. Most people feel that Palpatine's motive is to create the Empire that we see from Ep4 onwards, and therefore have built the totally incredulous and complex theory as mentioned above. My theory is that Palpatine's motive is simply to kill the Jedi by simply starting a war against the republic. Once defeated, this would give him full military control of the republic. This, in effect, would be almost everything that the Empire is in Episode 4. It's just a name change, really.
Another unknown motive is the reason behind the separatists. What's their beef with the republic? What are they receiving from Dooku in exchange for their armies? What would commit them to a 30-yr war? It's not that relevant in the context of the Clones plot, but it would be nice to know.
* When did Sifo-Dyas die? Obi-Wan said to the Kaminoans that he died 10 years
ago. However, to Yoda he said he was under the impression it was before then (and
before the Clones were ordered). The truth is most likely the latter. Telling the
Kaminoans that Sifo-Dyas died before the Clones were ordered would raise suspicion with
them.
* Who is Sifo-Dyas? Most likely he is Sifo-Dyas. Obi-Wan seems to have a
knowledge of him. If Sifo-Dyas was an alias for Dooku, Yoda and Windu would have
mentioned it, or at least reacted to the revelation that Dooku ordered a clone army.
They didn't.
* The Clones were created for the republic.
* Jango Fett was recruited by Dooku to be the Clones' host.
* The Clones were found by accident when investigating the assassination attempts on
Padme.
* Obi-Wan discovered the separatists droid armies when tracking Jango to Geonisis.
* The loyalists committee (Padme's role) was referred to as the "opposition"
during the film. The sentiment and momentum within the republic was therefore to
create an army. The situation on Geonosis was the final trigger.
* Yoda went to inspect the Clone Army, while the Jedi went to Geonosis to rescue Obi-Wan
and capture Dooku.
* The ambush of the Jedi on Geonosis failed because the of the surprise intervention of
the Clones.
* Dooku's and Palpatine's desire is to start a war against the republic, against the Jedi.
* The Clone Wars start and last for up to 30 years (the time between Ep2 & Ep4,
validated by Obi-Wan's aging).
We can now deduce the only logical and credible theory that all these facts support.
* The Trade Federation is aggrieved at the heavy imposition of taxes.
* Palpatine uses the Trade Federation's grievance to spill the supreme chancellor from the
senate to gain control himself and promising to lift the taxes. Further plans (could be
war against the republic or the separatists movement that forces the republic to create an
army) with the Trade Fed are abandoned when the Battle of Naboo is lost
* Palpatine is deserted by the Trade Fed.
* Dooku is approached by the betrayed Trade Federation and learns of Sidious's
(Palpatine) existence and history with them.
* The Trade Fed and other commerce guilds are still under the imposition of high taxes and
are keen for some action.
* Dooku approaches Palpatine with this news and they form an alliance. Palpatine takes on
Dooku as an apprentice, but the rogue Dooku also has independent ideas for ultimate power
of his own. But he needs Palpatine's influence to control the senate and direct the Jedi
council just as much as Palpatine needs Dooku's alliance with the Trade Federation to
create the separatists movement to undermine the senate into war.
* Dooku fosters the separatist movement, whose armies are to be used against the Jedi.
* Dooku, masquerading as Sifo-Dyas, orders the Clone Army and recruits Jango Fett to be
the clones' host. Their role is unclear. It could be for use post-war to
"keep the peace" once the Jedi are all dead and/or as insurance in the event of
a fallout with the separatists and/or to quell the separatists once the war against the
Jedi ends. They were certainly NOT intended to participate in the main war against
the separatists because the clones were supposed to remain secret from the Jedi.
When the decision from the senate was made to form an army in Episode 2, it turned out to
be a clone army only because the Jedi had recently stumbled upon them. Had they not,
the army to be formed would most likely have come from the loyalists. But regardless
of the type of army, creating one from scratch would have been too late to save the
overwhelmed Jedi. The only reason the war lasted for any length of time was because
a SURPRISE 200,000 strong army was ready to roll, with a million more ready shortly later.
* Dooku, as a result of some form of post-Naboo inquiry that resulted after his former
student Qui-Gon Jinn's death, learns from the Trade Federation about Sidious and conveys
what he learnt to his former apprentice and current Jedi Council member Sifo-Dyas
(assuming he did not die before 10 years ago). Realising the weakened state of the
Jedi Council and their failure to recognise, or even to accept, that the Sith controls the
senate, Sifo-Dyas orders the Clone Army for the republic to protect themselves, and then
erases any trace of Kamino from the archives.
* Jango Fett is recruited to be the Clones' host, most likely by the Kaminoans themselves
(they mention his considerable pay). Jango mentioned he was recruited by Tyranus
(Dooku), but he's lying. Since there's no reason to lie that his recruiters are the
Kaminoans, or even Sifo-Dyas, it could have been a deliberate ploy to place the Jedi on
the scent of Dooku and the ambush on Geonosis. Remember, Jango is currently working
for Dooku and would be well aware of the separatists quest to start war.
* Dooku is expelled from the Jedi order and links up with Palpatine. Palpatine takes on
Dooku as an apprentice and his plans with the Trade Fed armies are rekindled.
* Dooku obviously kills Sifo-Dyas, whom he'd told about the Sith. Unbeknownst to
Dooku, Sifo-Dyas ordered a Clone army. With Sifo-Dyas' death, all knowledge
regarding the existence of the Clones is erased. That, incidentally, is the exact
scenario in Ep2. NO ONE knows about the Clones.
* The Jedi stumble upon the Clone Army. They weren't meant to be discovered.
* The situation on Geonosis is the final trigger that defeats the loyalists committee and
forces the senate to authorise the creation of an army for the republic. Note, that
at this stage, Palpatine and the senate is unaware that the Jedi know the existence of the
Clone Army.
* On Geonosis, Dooku reveals the existence of Sidious, the Sith controlling the senate,
and the widespread corruption in the senate to Obi-Wan in a possible last-ditch effort to
gain ultimate power for himself. It's unlikely it was a jibe to create uncertainty
and fear within the Jedi council because Obi-Wan was supposed to have been executed.
If it was a jibe, it would have only been for cynical reasons. The line in the film
from Dooku to Obi-Wan, "Qui Gon knew of the corruption in the senate but would not
have gone along with it had he known what I knew (that the Sith controlled the
senate)", forms the basis of the most powerful dialogue in the film. Gone along
with what, I wonder? It casts suspicion that Qui-Gon had some heavy involvement,
like maybe ordering the Clone army. But why would he, especially for a corrupt
senate? Dooku's knowledge about the Sith came AFTER Qui-Gon was killed. So too
the ordering of the Clones. Implicating Qui-Gon in the Clones' creation would
require heavy substantiation, but there's nothing even remotely justifiable from the film.
* 200 Jedi are ambushed when they attempt to rescue Obi-Wan, capture Dooku and investigate
Geonosis.
* Yoda retrieves the Clone Army from Kamino. They are used to save the remaining
Jedi on Geonosis.
* Dooku expresses surprise in the war room on Geonosis that the republic could procure
such a large army in such short amount of time. A clearly perturbed Dooku flees
Geonosis and informs Palpatine that war has started. Though, he neglects to mention
the surprise intervention of the Clone Army.
* Begun, the Clone War, has.
* The republic still exists in Ep4, but is under absolute military control (the
Empire).
* In Ep6, Leia makes references to knowing her mother. Therefore Padme survives at least
several years after the birth.
* Palpatine grows increasingly frustrated at the protracted nature of the war
* Dooku dies. Anakin may kill him, which, in a curious precursor of what might have
occurred had Luke killed Vader in Jedi, could be the trigger that turns him to the dark
side. Other scenario is that Palpatine might kill him because of his screw-up
involving the Clones, or his roguish nature may get the better of him.
* Palpatine recruits Anakin to "hunt down and destroy" the Jedi. Although,
given that there's supposedly 9000 of them, it seems incredulous that he's solely
responsible. Most likely most were killed during the war.
* Obi-Wan duels with Anakin, whom is seemingly killed.
* The final battle of the Clone War is on Kamino - to destroy the cloning facilities.
* With the Jedi all but destroyed, Yoda, Obi-Wan and Padme hide.
* The republic actually win the war, quash the separatists, but is in disarray and may
already be under the control of Palpatine. That's all he ever wanted.
* The film ends with the birth of Luke and Leia.
It's been somewhat frantic getting another Clones viewing in. It disappeared from all cinemas several weeks after the last viewing and sensing its demise, I wanted to get a final viewing in then. Disappointingly, no one else wanted to go for the only session available - at 10am. We decided to hand for the following week's schedule, but alas, Clones was gone. Thankfully school holidays meant a brief return to the screens, but only at Waverly Gardens, but I had no hesitation to jump at it, even at the sole 10.15 am sessions. Since everyone lacked the enthusiasm to go at that time, even after at least 3 months since last viewing for them, I went it alone.
For me, it was only two months since the last viewing, so the viewing was eagerly awaited. This ninth viewing also meant that I'd be seeing Clones the same number of time as Phantom Menace. Not that that had any influence in the decision to go. In fact, I was anticipating Clones would recieve more viewings considering it was a superior film. But as it turned out, that would have been over kill. Surprisingly, its novelty reduced at the same rate as Menace.
I was so hoping that nothing more could be gleaned from this viewing that would totally debunk my "final theory" from Viewing Eight. The only thing that did was a line by Dooku to Obi-Wan, "Qui Gon knew of the corruption in the senate but would not have gone along with it had he known what I knew (that the Sith controlled the senate)". It made me tinker a couple of things, but instead of rehashing most of my previous effort, I've simply adjusted Viewing Eight's final theory so the damn thing remains final!
Disappointingly, no light was shared on the Clones mysteries. The missing scenes enlightened nothing. Most were character back-story on Padme, unnecessary dialogue or non-story-progressive scenes, all of which were a complete waste of time and rightly omitted from the final cut. However, I've read that there were many more scenes that never made the cut, but Lucas obviously chose not to complete these for the DVD.
Even the Padme-senate scene that was completed for the DVD was cut short. She apparently mentioned that somebody will stop at nothing to assure war is started. Before that, Palpatine actually announced the assassination of Padme to which other senators expressed their need for an army if the Jedi cannot protect them. But then, much to the surprise and shock of the chamber, Padme manoeuvres her pod to the centre of the chamber showing that she was still very much alive. This is when the deleted on the DVD cuts in with her announcing the assassination attempt on her and the death of her bodyguard and six others (plus a couple of R2 units and Naboo fighters!).
It seems Lucas wants to retain the Clones mystery, especially those responsible for the Clone Army, until the Episode 3. Otherwise, that someone that wanted Padme dead would be Palpatine (if popular opinion behind the Clones' creation is correct). Probably the most important scene not reinstalled is the apparent interrogation of Padme by Dooku, whom explains to her his motives for war against the republic.
As for the film, I've yet to even watch the DVD version of it, only a few scenes. Despite not having the inkling to watch it yet, my sound system is currently in for repair anyway. However, I've seen all the extras - documentaries, trailers and featurettes - which were informative, but again, revealed nothing.
Seems the Clones Odyessy is about to end. Only the Imax version (if and when it makes it to Australia) will extend the it. After that, it will be roll on Episode 3.