Author Topic: Question about Anakin's injuries?  (Read 3405 times)

Offline Darth Broem

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Question about Anakin's injuries?
« on: June 13, 2005, 09:31 AM »
Actually it is just one question.  I have seen the film 3 times now.  I understand that Kenobi slices Anakin's legs off with that one swipe.  I know that Kenobi manages to slices the left arm off with that swipe as well. 

This is my question.  When does he lop off the left arm?  I am just having trouble seeing exactly when that occurs?  I am guessing when Kenobi swipes from left to right he must hit Anakin high on the left arm and then sweeps down and hits the legs out?  Or does he hit the legs off first and then somehow the lightsaber hits the left arm off?  I assumed Anakin on the way down is landing feet first and gets those swiped first? 

Sorry, just having touble seeing that.  Maybe someone has bootleg screenshots at another website? 

Offline Darby

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Re: Question about Anakin's injuries?
« Reply #1 on: June 13, 2005, 03:31 PM »
Yeah, it's very difficult to see and I have no clue still how he gets the arm in the same move.  It's not staged properly, either.  At least in the sense that Obi Wan's easiest move here would simply be to cut Anakin in half. 

Offline Matt_Fury

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Re: Question about Anakin's injuries?
« Reply #2 on: June 13, 2005, 05:02 PM »
I've seen the film seven times now and I think he cuts the legs off in the main swing and gets the arm in a slight upswing at the end.

And he couldn't cut him in half....then we'd have no episodes 4, 5 and 6!   ;D

Seriously, I think he could've cut him in half on the bank, but he really didn't want to kill Anakin...in the end, he left it up to the will of the Force if Anakin/Vader lived or died.
« Last Edit: June 14, 2005, 09:13 AM by Matt_Fury »
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Offline Scott

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Re: Question about Anakin's injuries?
« Reply #3 on: June 13, 2005, 05:25 PM »
He even said that he couldn't kill him.  And really, with all of the Jedi dead, what good would have it done to kill him.  Palpatine would just find another apprentice...less powerful but there none the less.

Offline DoctorPadawan

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Re: Question about Anakin's injuries?
« Reply #4 on: June 13, 2005, 07:50 PM »
The thing that bothers me is where the cuts (referring to Vader's) are placed: right at the point where the final reel starts.

For those of you that haven't seen "Fight Club," those little dots in the corner of the screen are called "cigarette burns."  They appear five seconds before the end of a reel and at the very end of the reel and were originally done so projectionists would be able to switch reels at the precise moment necessary in order to keep the film rolling without anyone noticing what was going on.  This system (of a manual reel switcher) isn't used a lot anymore, but the cigarette burns have remained as a guide for the person assembling the reels into one huge reel at their respective theaters.

Okay, that aside, the final reel change on Episode III occurs at the precise moment that Obi-Wan slashes through Vader's legs and arm.  It's probably the worst placed reel change I have ever seen in my life and I'm looking forward to the DVD just so I can see it without the huge "film jerk" that invariably occurs at every theater I've seen it in.  I think that the reel change is leading to a lot of this confusion (e.g. when Obi-Wan takes out the left arm) because not only are you having to pay attention to the action on screen, the reel change runs a kind of subconscious visual interference that makes the action even more difficult to follow.

The cigarette burns also fall into the category of things you notice once and you NEVER stop noticing for the rest of your life.  Thanks Chuck!  Thanks David!  Thanks Brad!   :P

Offline Jediknight760071

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Re: Question about Anakin's injuries?
« Reply #5 on: June 13, 2005, 08:10 PM »
I just watched that scene 50 times in a row (tee hee) and in my own professional opinion ;) I'm going to say that the arm is sliced off first, then the legs.

The scene cuts between the full body shot and close up...you'll see and hear the arm come off first in the close up.

See...the arm is off before the legs..I'd be happy to attempt more screenshots for anyone who doesn't believe me.

« Last Edit: June 13, 2005, 08:16 PM by Jediknight760071 »

Offline Darby

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Re: Question about Anakin's injuries?
« Reply #6 on: June 13, 2005, 08:52 PM »
The thing that bothers me is where the cuts (referring to Vader's) are placed: right at the point where the final reel starts.

Yes!   I was going to say this too.  Good call.  It's horrible placement.  And I'd like to see more screen caps; I've seen the film three times and I still don't have a clear idea of what happened.

Offline Darth Broem

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Re: Question about Anakin's injuries?
« Reply #7 on: June 14, 2005, 08:32 AM »
I just watched that scene 50 times in a row (tee hee) and in my own professional opinion ;) I'm going to say that the arm is sliced off first, then the legs.

The scene cuts between the full body shot and close up...you'll see and hear the arm come off first in the close up.

See...the arm is off before the legs..I'd be happy to attempt more screenshots for anyone who doesn't believe me.



Ohhhhhh, thanks a lot JediKnight.  I would not have guessed the left arm came off first.  It certainly looks like it did there?  I was also wondering if we actually saw any of the limbs hit the ground?  I thought we did but I could be totally wrong.  My dad has seen the film 3 times with me and he still can not see Dooku's head  hit the ground.