Sorry if this had been adressed before, but should James franco have played anakin?

[Agent0028]

Sometimes I feel bad for George Lucas.

 

[Anzik]

He also wanted Anakin to be a lifeless hull. As with the rest of the cast. Yey for Lucas.

Much like Lucas himself?

 

[Ven]

minus the 4 chins of course!

 

[niennumb1]

title says it all Vote and explain your reasoning, I for one liked hayden but his acting was poop.

I think franco would have made him darker..

Don't blame the actor. Blame the lack of directing skills. Hayden's actually a very good actor. They can really only do their best performance to suit the vision of the Director's needs. If George says to say "this line." They'll say just that. Without proper direction is where the acting can fall apart. I've seen many movies with a lot of the actors that are in Star Wars and they do great work outside Star Wars.

Personally I loved his acting in ROTS. Well played in the final chapter.

 

[The Mike]

I beg to differ. James was not an academy award winner in S1-S3, but he was solid at the very least.


Edit - In my own measly little inconsequential opinion.

I agree with that. Receving the same direction Hayden got, I don't think Franco would have done anything superior.

While I though Hayden did a fine job as Anakin, especially in ROTS, I think Franco is a slighty better actor and might have given a better performance.

But in the end, Lucas would be directing him. Portman can act and look how bad her parts turned out (she was pretty bad in ROTS, but still hot hot, hotter than heeeeeeeeeeell)

These threads are so interesting. No matter who you cast in the role, the bottom line is that Lucas took some great talent and directed them into the ground. He could have had Ben Kingsley or Sean Connery as Qui-Gon and I have a feeling it'd be dry.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

Don't blame the actor. Blame the lack of directing skills. Hayden's actually a very good actor. They can really only do their best performance to suit the vision of the Director's needs. If George says to say "this line." They'll say just that. Without proper direction is where the acting can fall apart. I've seen many movies with a lot of the actors that are in Star Wars and they do great work outside Star Wars.

Personally I loved his acting in ROTS. Well played in the final chapter.

I'll agree with you there, Hayden's not an inherently bad actor. He was quite good in Shattered Glass, and I thought he did turn in a good performance in ROTS, but I think Franco might've done a better turn in AOTC.

 

[swabie2424]

I'm going with yes here. Not a huge fan of Hayden's. I don't hate him or anything... but never been a huge fan.

 

[The Craw]

i agree with those who blame lucas's directing skills. lucas may have good ideas but he doesnt know how to get his cast to convey true emotions. some of his scenes look like they belong in a highscool play. im serious. those movies could have thrived off of better directors.

 

[automaton]

as The Empire Strikes Back did...

 

[CelticPredator]

He could have had Ben Kingsley.

Uwe Boll did that in Bloodrayne.

 

[Darth_Maul]

so i`m the only here who liked Hayden ??? and the last trilogy ???

 

[CelticPredator]

Probably. I used to like them, then I became older then 13, and realized they suck compared to the greatness of the OT. Which I grew up on.

 

[TwelveMonkeys]

I find James Franco in the Spider-Man films to have the same annoying whiney traits as Hayden in the prequels, so even if he had taken the job I can't see the results being really any different, specially with Lucas' direction.

But it got me thinking. I doubt he would have taken the offer, but imagine what Heath Ledger could have done with the role. I'd bet he could handle that fall to the dark side much better and be quite a convincing evil bastard, which I thought was Hayden's weakest aspect.

 

[Dr.FeelGood]

as The Empire Strikes Back did...

shhh dont tell Lucas that!!!!




On a serious note, i find it amazing that the film Lucas considers a complete failure was actually the best one of ALL six of them...in my opinion.

On a acting note, i remember a quote from Harrison Ford to George Lucas back when they were shooting RotJ : "George...you can write this **** but you cant ****ing say it", Lucas can write, and direct (to a degree)...he just cant write dialog, which sucks because thats 70% of the drama gone right then and there.

When calling someone a bad actor you need to take into account the four different guiding forces 1) The actors age 2) The actors skill 3) The Script 4) The direction.

Haydens performance seperates more realistically (in my opinion) when you take these factors into account;

1) Age - 10%
2) Skill - 15%
3) Script - 30%
4) Director - 45%


Even the greatest actors struggle with a ****poor script and awful direction.

 

[Anzik]

I think its more an issue of LACK of direction. Neeson had stated about how difficult the green screen was to work with. Combine that with Lucas' vague descriptions and the actors might as well be miming their way through.

 

[YoNoSe]

I don't find Franco to be much better than Hayden (I don't think Hayden's that bad, he just never caught on to the olde-thymey prequel-speak). It comes down to how good you are and how confident you are when considering Star Wars performances. As long as you deliver your dialogue fast enough, George loves it. But strong actors make it work.
I also wouldn't call Lucas a bad director. He's just not an actor's director. His real problem is that he doesn't know how to cast actors that can deal with his technique. I think he picked Hayden the same way he picks creatures at those ILM meetings. "You look fast and intense. Anakin is supposed to be fast and intense. You're hired."

 

[Blackhole]

Reason I don't like James Franco?

"How's the pie?"

"So good..."

*wink*

Cringeworthy stuff...

 

[Dr.FeelGood]

I think its more an issue of LACK of direction. Neeson had stated about how difficult the green screen was to work with. Combine that with Lucas' vague descriptions and the actors might as well be miming their way through.

i thought they did throughout the PT?...seeing as there were only what....9-10 sets total in all 3 films combine that ACTUALLY where all there, not a bit of a set and a mass of blue/green screen

 

[Agent0028]

so i`m the only here who liked Hayden ??? and the last trilogy ???

No, I think he did a fine job, there were other flaws that made the movies come out less than what people wanted. And I also like the PT. They're not as good as the OT, but I'd still rather watch over alot of other movies.

 

[Karaduin]

James Franco is cool n all but I find one his eyes goes a bit squinty at times making him look a bit strange. Besides that he coulda done well as Anakin... wouldn't have made alot of difference to the actual movies which are just weak... except for RotS which was 'mild spicy'.