It’s hard for us to imagine now, but George Lucas was once considered one of the brightest stars amongst filmmakers, and it was long before Star Wars. He was one of the original rebels against the Hollywood system and was quite a visionary. Anyway, the good folks over at Cinematical came across this great little interview with Lucas from 1971 talking about the industry, the art and the process of filmmaking. It’s really worth watching. Check it out:
George Lucas: Maker of Films (1971) from Michael Heilemann on Vimeo.
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^ Im sorry, i didnt mean to post the message above me
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I still get a kick out of whiny geeks, and film zealots trashing Lucas…they miss the point entirely…Lucas made the choice to take his career down this path, and Im so glad he did…all six SW flicks are kid movies, with some adult themes, they attract huge variety in both age, and culture in the audiences that see and love them, for that, if for nothing else, he is and always will be a genius…beyond that his work on the tech stuff, and his ability to see what the future of film needed to be also puts him in a category by himself…Like Mozart 400 years ago, he is not truly respected or appreciated by his peers in his own time…of course what was true then, is true now, the great ones, the chosen ones if you will, have no Peers…
400 years ago?
What, may I ask, is the problem here?
I’m not exactly sure why some of the int’l friends would be so narrow minded and dull in the comments section, but they are.
I consider a “film maker” not just a director, but the label could be on a producer and quite possibly someone who makes advances in film technology to not only make him a better storyteller, but others as well.
So you clowns didn’t like the Star Wars prequels at all The man heard you and downsized on Jar Jar. You still bitched We knew we had to see Anakin be a confused, reckless young man so that he could be lured to the dark side. You still whined.
In the meantime, all you knuckleheads filled theatres praising films that may have been mastered in THX sound, or had some connection to ILM either directly or indirectly.
THX sound.
ILM.
Both are still part of Lucasfilm and are overseen by Lucas.
AND that’s what I mean when I suggest that some of the int’l friends are acting like a bunch of dolts. “Raped Indiana Jones” give me a break. If you are going for that mle, put STEVEN SPIELBERG’s name into that mix. He was a party to Crystal Skull was he not? Oh, what’s that? He directed it?? Gee, I hardly noticed since the chant is “Lucas screwed this” and “Lucas raped that”.
I would love Lucas too make more non-Star Wars films, I’d love to see more Willow. But if he does more Star Wars in TV or film, hey, more power to him. As to “he should step away and let others…like…” no. NO. NO. He should step back only if and ONLY IF it was something like Empire or Return. He did not direct those two, but he was very much hands on just the same. When that new TV show comes up, he’s going to have a staff of writers and directors. That’s a given. But none of those talents will be as seasoned as Cameron, Del Toro or even Spielberg. It’s possible that they may the future Camerons or Del Toros, but …I can’t get a grip on this mass collective that routs Lucas when a story about Lucas emerges.
That’s my childhood hero you are blasting on.
And he’s done a lot more than just direct.
PS
Neither Lucas nor Spielberg raped Indiana Jones.
LOL…I say the say thing(almost) when people say “Lucas raped Star Wars of Indy”.
I still think his best two films are THX and american graffiti. The guy clearly has a lot of creativity in him and i think he sells himself short to keep working on a cash cow that people will watch, no matter if it sucks or not. Im not a star wars fan, but i respect and acknowledge the impact of the first 3. I think he should give it a rest and really push himself to something new. He’s clearly shown he’s capable of that before…
I remember reading about him when I was younger and thinking, there’s a rebel, someone who’s gonna make exciting films, against the grain… so wrong.
I love GL, and I love film, but that shit is just boring. Were supposed to capture our viewers in the first 10 minutes, not national geographic them.
GL needs to back away from his baby…license the shit out of Star Wars and let’s make some awesome stories…I’ve said this soooo many times…
stop kidifying Star Wars…the next generation didn’t really embrace their inner “force”. The prequels made money on the backs of Gen X and Y who were already fans…
And stop with GD anakin already, his story has been told…we get it…He was good, (and petulant), and then he was the baddest mf in the galaxy, well except for the Emperor…and then he was a crusty old white dude and was redeemed…
just imagine a Story about bounty hunters and smugglers from Guillermo Del Toro or Peter Jackson…
Or the Thrawn trilogy as envisioned by James Cameron…
Stop protecting it like it’s the Holy grail, you’ve already pissed in it…
way too long for me to care. let us not forget, this man raped indiana jones. raped.
He also raped Short Round Yoda and a Stormtrooper. Probably Princess Leia too…..
meh propaganda from the rebel alliance!
I know, huh? First they pit a son against his father, then they kill all those innocent construction workers on the Death Star and now this! What’s will those damn rebel’s sink to next!?!?