Prequels and Proud (Part II)

I recently read a quote from screenwriter Damon Lindelof, who is working on the new Alien prequel called Prometheus.  He had this to say about prequels:

"I've always felt that really good prequels should be original movies. And the sequels to those prequels should not be the movie which already exists, because, with all due respect to anyone who makes a prequel, but why would you ruin the greatest twist in the history of cinema, 'Luke, I am your father,' by showing me three movies which basically spoil that surprise? You can do movies which take place before Star Wars, but I don't need to see the story of the Skywalker clan. Show me something else, which I can't guess the possible outcome of. There is no suspense in inevitability."

This, coupled with my reviews of the Star Wars and X-men prequels, made me think of the difficulty in producing a prequel.  A lot of prequels fail because they're cheaper, have weaker characters, and/or a back story that just doesn't jive with the original.  With that difficulty, I thought I'd give a shout out to some prequels that managed to succeed. (Note: These are from my own viewing experience, I haven't seen every prequel out there)

1. The Godfather Part II: Although many prequels are titled as "Part II", this is one of the few  I've seen that is both prequel and sequel.  The flashback scenes of young Vito Corleone form a very meaty story that's largely independent of the main story of Micheal Corleone.  Vito's story could have been easily been made into its own film (and we've all seen those younger hero prequel) but because the story was integrated into the sequel, it was held to a higher production quality to create a powerful origin story of The Godfather.  I said the two stories were largely independent, but they are tied together nicely at the end as Vito's origins are used to set up Micheal's current story.  Some cuts of the film have the Vito scenes appearing first, before moving to the main story.  Although Brando was supposed to reappear for the final flashback scene, the rewrite for his absence works perfectly for this goal because, chronologically speaking, the film's story officially shifts focus to Micheal and having the iconic Brando would  have distracted the audience from Pacino.  Regardless of these issues, the film is (arguably) the best of the series and is on numerous lists for "Greatest Films of All Time."      
2. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: This has been described as an "unintended prequel."  The film stars Clint Eastwood in his third incarnation of The Man With No Name.  While the dates in the film place it before the other films (A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More), the film stands alone.  It doesn't attempt to set up the other films or further develop the character at all.  The only thing that's introduced is the character's signature wardrobe which is slowly acquired during the film.  Otherwise, The Man acts much in the same way that he does in the other films.  There has been some disagreement about whether this film actually counts as a prequel.  The producers have stated that the dates in the other films were not planned and The Man has yet another different nickname.  If you accept The Man as the constant between the films and that they take place in the same universe, then the film works fine as part of a series.  There is nothing conclusive to place it either way and its success can't be disputed.  The film, especially the title, has become a piece of pop culture and is on most "Must See" lists for the Western genre and for fans of Clint Eastwood. 
3. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom: Most fans think of this as 'the second one', but according to the dates in the films, Temple goes first.  Now, I know it's also extremely unloved by the fans, but some of the negative aspects do work in its favor and, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull makes it look like a masterpiece.  Most of the fans I know don't mind watching Temple, but refuse to acknowledge the existence of 'the fourth one' (myself included).  Temple of Doom perfectly fits Lindelof's description of an ideal prequel.  It's a stand alone adventure that doesn't require any other film to make sense.  If the trilogy is watched chronologically, we see Indy grow and change with each one.  We see Indy start as a pirate archeologist who sells artifacts for profit and it's implied that his quest for the Shankara stone was for "fortune and glory" rather than for the village.  By the end of the film, he is set up to be the Indy in Raiders of the Lost Ark.  He learns respect for the artifacts and some of the moral responsibility that goes with recovering them, something that will contrast him with Belloq in Raiders and his father in The Last Crusade.  His brief experience with the supernatural power of the stones also prepares him for facing the power of the Ark.  If one watches Temple first, the films will have an okay start but each one will be progressively better.  The unpopular supporting characters and villains are quickly cleared out to be replaced by the more popular Sallah, Marcus, and the Nazis.  Although Temple is the weakest, as most prequels are, it still works for its franchise and could have been much, much worse. The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles that aired in the '90's serve the same function.