THE 'MARIE CELESTE'
  • MAR 05
Andrew Clark wrote: "Both the Virtual Edition and Force.NET seem to conclude from the leaked Call Sheets published on 3rd March that the Naboo Spaceship is called the "Marie Celeste". I think this is most unlikely. Firstly, it is just plain ridiculous to have the name of a famous real ship used in the Star Wars universe, I can't believe they'd even use it for a dummy name during production. Second, looking at where it appears on the call sheet it seems more like part of the scene name rather than the name of the ship which has already been refered to in the title as "Naboo spaceship". A clue comes from the fact that the only actor codes for this scene are those for Darth Maul and Nute Gunray. The idea of the Marie Celeste would then be that they enter the ship to find everything exactly as it should be but the crew strangely missing. (This was of course the fate of the original Marie Celeste found  adrift minus its crew, who were never found). This would of course recall the scene from Star Wars where the Millenium Falcon is searched when first drawn in to the Death Star. Would Lucas pull the same trick again? Perhaps, and my guess would be on a different ending; don't expect any smuggling compartments this time! 
  
Another interesting feature of the call sheets that you have missed is from the list of props on the second one. It refers to "Padme and Paneka's Laser Lights". The laser light has been mentioned as the name for Darth Maul's double headed light sabre. Could this explain why Paneka and Darth Maul have been confused in some earlier rumours? The idea of the fourteen year old queen using such a weapon (indeed any weapon) is quite interesting as well. It would suggest that her character is not as helpless as all that. (Anybody feel like doing a drawing of Natalie Portman spinning a double headed lightsabre ?) 
  
P.S. Thanks for the best site on the Internet."
Jamie Wire wrote: "Andrew Clarks post has jogged my memory. 

Natalie Portman, Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor all had to do some basic swordsmanship work before the filming of Episode One began. Maybe this is confirmation of Natalie having some kind of link to swordsmanship. I remember this becasue Natalie said in an interview that she could hardly lift the sword up, and George (or  someone) said that was no problem as the one she'd be using would be very light. 

This doesn't mean that she's a Jedi, remember Obi Wan in A New Hope (approx) 
Luke: what is it? 
Ben: Its your father's lightsabre, a more civilised weapon from a less violent age. 

Perhaps non-Jedi use lightstaffs, and Jedi's use lightsabres?? 

Just a thought."
  • MAR 08
Matt Hecht wrote: "I just had a quick thought... 
What if Marie Celeste is the Millenium Falcon?  I think that you should do a picture of the Falcon with the landing gear pictures from the official site.  Also try adding some blue and white trim to the Falcon, and I think you've got your Marie Celeste."
Arkady Hodge wrote: "I've just had a look at the pics of the 'royal ship' set on Tatooine and at Leavsden, and - although I was thinking about something else - a thought just struck me that I can't believe no-one else has had before me. That rounded hull. It's really too small for a whole ship, isn't it. Two words. 

        Hammerhead Corvette. 

It seems to fit, doesn't it? The little bit that's actually built is the right colour, the right shape, and the idea of seeing the Tantive IV 'actually' landing and rearing up behind the set...  

So will we see the Tantive IV (or even III?!) in the prequels. Opens up a whole lot of interesting ideas, doesn't it? "
  • MAY 01
Nathaniel Reed wrote:
"I've been thinking about the 'Marie Celeste' reference. Surely the 
Falcon's appearance in the first Death Star could have been described as 
a 'Marie Celeste' ? The link between the two episodes is Ben, who 
suggests an alternative to fighting to Han. I don't particularly like 
the almost identical parallel - I'd want something a *little more* 
original - but it got me thinking."