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Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones

Special IMAX Edition · Scene Deletions from the Theatrical Release of May 2002

No doubt there's an official list maintained somewhere. This is just the obvious observations of this student of the motion picture arts.

Why are there any scene deletions? Because the original movie is twenty minutes longer than can be accomodated in an IMAX feature film. I guess that two hours, which is either six 20 minutes reels or eight 15 minute reals, is the maximum that the heavy duty machinery in the IMAX projection booth can juggle.

The following list is not necessarily in order...

  1. The bar where Anakin and Obi-Wan go looking for the shapeshifter that was trying to kill Padme -- am I misremembering from one of the other Special Editions, but wasn't there Yet Another Stars War musical act that got the axe?
  2. I believe that there's a scene with members of the Jedi Council, especially Master Yoda and Master Mace Windu, in the office of the Supreme Chancellor. This may be where Mace Windu begins to complain that the Dark Side is clouding the vision of the Jedi and that they may not be able to protect the Republic in the future.
  3. After Senator Padme has left Corosant, Jar-Jar Binks is conned into sponsoring the motion to give the Supreme Chancellor unlimited special powers. Gee, we missed a scene with Jar-Jar? Oh, too bad. On the other hand, Jimmy Smits' like one line in the movie is therefore lost, so when we see Smits at the end on the balcony watching the new clone Grand Army of the Republic, and he's clenching his fists, he merely looks ill. Not a frustrated man who will eventually be the yet-unborn Princess Leia's stepfather...
  4. The scene with the new Queen of Naboo is completely gone.
  5. The Jedi Library scene that happens before Obi-Wan Kenobi goes to see Master Yoda at his Kiddie Jedi class -- that's all gone. (Interesting sidebar -- there is a college that is suing Lucas because its trademark library has some great similiarities to the Jedi Library.
  6. When Padme and Anakin are on Tantooine, then go see Shmi's husband at the moisture farm. The two younger adults I believe are Owen and Baru (who will Luke Skywalker's "Uncle Owen" and "Aunt Baru", whom he rails against, only to get crisped by Imperial Storm Troopers), but we miss their introduction.
  7. After the reckless Anakin Skywalker goes after and finds his mother, he slaughters the Tuscan Raiders. I think we're missing some of that. We only see the first few seconds of his rage.
  8. But we're definitely missing this next bit. When Padme tries to comfort him with a sandwich and some more of that yummy Tantooine blue milk, Anakin is what will be Luke Skywalker's workshop. He complains that he is really good at fixing anything mechanical. We only see the end of this, where he vows to become such a powerful Jedi that he will end death.
  9. See the note on the closing credits in the main discussion.

The DVD of Episode II comes out soon, and so I will eventually be able to see more scenes. 

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Last update: 10 November 2002