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Attack on the Jedi Temple
Although I'm sure many fans would have liked the Temple raid to have been longer it doesn't seem like it was ever intended to be an extended sequence.
What was written and filmed is pretty much what ended up being portrayed in the finished film but there are a few minor exceptions.
The most notable deletion to this sequence would be Shaak Ti's revised death. After her original death at the hands of General Grievous onboard the Invisible Hand was cut, Lucas opted to have her killed by Anakin in a similar fashion during the Temple Raid. This version of her death was filmed during pickups on September 3rd, 2004. Anakin would find Shaak Ti meditating in her quarters. Sensing him she asks, "What is it, Skywalker?" But there's no answer only a stab in the back by Anakin's lightsaber.
According to the set diary The Cruel Fate of Shaak Ti this version of her death was cut because it was incongruous with the proceeding shots of Anakin marching up the Temple steps. If Clones were attacking and a battle was taking place in the halls, why was Shaak Ti meditating? Why didn't she sense anything? Valid reasons but unfortunate for Shaak Ti fans that she was cut twice.
Below is the very brief excerpt of the Temple Raid from the "ROTS Illustrated Screenplay" E-book...
143 EXT. CORUSCANT - JEDI TEMPLE - NIGHT
A JEDI is surrounded and gunned down by CLONE TROOPERS.
144 INT. CORUSCANT - JEDI TEMPLE - NIGHT
ANAKIN walks through the Jedi Temple, where he finds and kills SHAAK TI.
He exits Shaak Ti's room and enters a hallway, where the battle is taking place.
The pic below is from the ROTS Making of book.
Originally there was also an extended shot of Anakin marching through the halls of the temple while the battle waged on in the background. Although this shot had already been cut from the film, it did appear in the theatrical trailer but in a different capacity.
Instead of Anakin marching down a Jedi Temple hallway, a corridor from the Invisible Hand was used in its place. The footage was deemed trailer appropriate, so ILM composited the greenscreen footage of Anakin against a background plate of the cruiser hallway.
Footage of this shot can be seen in the Animatic version of the Theatrical Trailer and the Episode III Animatics Reel both available on Hyperspace. The Animatics Reel features a longer version of the shot. The first three pics are the Temple version, the forth is the theatrical trailer version with the TF Cruiser background.
After Bail Organa witnesses the Clonetroopers shoot down Zett Jukassa on the Jedi Temple landing platform he was originally supposed to have a brief shootout with the Clones before he escaped in his speeder.
This was omitted from the movie but the filming of this firefight can be seen in the Making of EpIII #6 "Video Village" webdoc. If you look closely right before Bail shouts "NOOO!", you we see that he's holding his blaster in his hand. If you got it use it Bail.
Here is the excerpt from the Shooting script which describes the shootout between Bail and the Clones. The published E-Book script does not mention this.
The Jedi Temple is on fire. Large plumes of smoke billow toward the sky as BAIL ORGANA lands his Speeder on a Jedi Temple platform. FOUR CLONE TROOPERS stand guard at the entrance to the Temple. They lower their guns as BAIL gets out of his Speeder and walks toward them.
BAIL ORGANA
What's going on?!?
CLONE SERGEANT
There has been a rebellion, sir.
BAIL ORGANA
What?? That's impossible!
CLONE SERGEANT
Don't worry, sir, the situation is under control...
The CLONES bar the Senator from entering the temple.
CLONE SERGEANT
(continuing) I'm sorry, sir. No one is allowed entry.
The CLONES point their guns at BAIL and cock them.
CLONE SERGEANT
(continuing) It's time for you to leave, sir.
BAIL reluctantly heads back toward his Speeder. Suddenly, several SHOTS RING OUT. BAIL turns and sees a ten-year-old Jedi, TITI JUKASSA, fighting the CLONES. Several more CLONES join in the fight, followed by CLONE COMMANDER APPO (1119), who points at BAIL.
APPO
Take care of him.
SEVERAL CLONES start firing at BAIL. The Senator jumps for cover behind his Speeder, starting the engines and pulling out his laser pistol.
The YOUNG JEDI cuts down several CLONES, including APPO, before he is overrun and shot.
BAIL blasts the Clones. The Speeder takes off with BAIL clinging to the side. The CLONES fire at it as it disappears into the cityscape.
CLONE TROOPER FOX 1010
Don't bother...he's not a Jedi.
There were a couple of lines in the script between Obi-Wan and Yoda after they had taken care of the Clones guarding the Temple entrance.
OBI-WAN
There are several battalions of Clone Troopers on every level. Many are dressed as Jedi.
YODA
Dismantle the coded signal quickly. That group there, soon discovered will be.
****
177 INT. CORUSCANT - JEDI TEMPLE - HALLWAY - SUNSET
YODA and OBI-WAN make their way through the Temple,
avoiding the HUNDREDS OF CLONE TROOPERS. They use the Force
to distract the CLONES when they can.
As decribed in this excerpt, the Temple was still heavily guarded inside and Obi-Wan and Yoda had to be careful not to be spotted. In the film, the Temple seems to be empty with the exception of the troops outside. Another
interesting tidbit was that some of the Clones were disguised as Jedi wearing robes. According to Millenniumfalcon.com's old source Spoileriffic, this was in the animatics. The Lego Star Wars videogame also happens to feature disguised Clones guarding the Temple when you play the Episode III Jedi Temple level. Below is a pic from the DVD photo gallery.
Lastly, is the security holocam recordings Obi-Wan and Yoda watch. The hologram flashes by extremly fast in the movie but many of printed reference materials feature shots with closer angles of the hologram that were omitted from the final film. There was also an extra bit of dialogue between Sidious and Vader that was excised as well.
As ANAKIN surveys the carnage, a DARK-ROBED SITH LORD enters. ANAKIN turns to DARTH SIDIOUS and kneels before him.
ANAKIN
The traitors have been taken care of, Lord Sidious.
DARTH SIDIOUS
Good . . . good . . . You have done well, my new apprentice. Do you feel your power growing?
ANAKIN
Yes, My Master.
DARTH SIDIOUS
Now, Lord Vader, now go and bring peace to the Empire.
Sources:
-Illustrated Screenplay E-Book.
-ROTS Making of book: (Shaak Ti pic).
-ROTS Visual Dictionary.
-starwars.com: Animatic Trailer, Episode III Animatics Reel, Making of Ep3 #6 webdoc.
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