My gripe with George Lucas

Julie asked me a good question in another thread, and after I replied, I realized my answer is probably a controversial topic that deserves its own thread. I had posted one of my many "off the wall" theories and Julie asked me if i was waiting to hear the news that my theories were correct, or was i dreading it. Here is my reply, and my gripe with George Lucas.

im waiting for a large part of it. things like the twins not being born and padme not dying i wholeheartedly expect we will find out in a couple years. im dreading other things, like the actual movies themselves.

i dont think any of the PT movies will capture the "sprit" of the OT. Theres no group of friends that we know and love going off in adventures together the way it was in the OT. GL is giving each movie a different feel (EPI has a kiddie feel b/c anakin is young, EPII has a romantic tone b/c anakin is in love, and EPIII will have a dark tone b/c Anakin turns to the dark side) and i feel that is a gargantuan mistake on his part.

The OT movies all kind of flowed together. The characters were the same, the adventures were similar. han and leia were always having an adventure on the falcon. luke was always going off on his own adventure. in a way, the droids were the centerpiece of the movies and tied the films together. it was great movie making. each PT movie is different, and GL only puts the droids in for the sake of putting them in. There were real relationships in the movies, even between the characters and the droids. In TPM, and probably in AOTC, too, no one gives a flip about the droids. Theyre more or less just there so that George Lucas can slap a star wars sticker on the title and make us beleive its the same star wars we grew up with.

But its not the same thing. Its something.... something cheaper. Something less about the story and more about making money and GL doing something because he said hed do it 20 years ago. So when you ask whether i am waiting or dreading, its mostly dreading. These movies are not what they should have been. Even though I havent seen EPII or III, i can say this, and i know this. Ive read the plot summarys, I've seen the story boards, ive seen the trailers. Its all CG sets and CG characters and CG this and CG that. Its that simple. GL didnt put his heart in them. Just his head. That is why I dread.

And the worst part of it all is that I can't do anything about it. As much as we all speculate about what we would like to see, there's nothing we can do about it. GL is going to rape a story has become a popular modern myth, something that is very much part of our culture, and honestly, something that in many ways is "important" to alot of people.

I don't ask that GL make a movie that's exactly what I want to see, because we all want something different. But I think alot of us want to see the same thing. We want to see the magic again.

Yeah, your right. He knew the OT generation would go see it, just becasue it was Star Wars. He had to sell it to the new generation.

Your not going to get any other support, other than from me. I've said things like this in the past, and the only response I get is "If you don't like it, then don't go see it".

I think a lot of people are afraid to admit that The Phantom Menace wasn't very good.

I'm hoping EpII has more of a SW feel to it then EpI had. I get the SW feeling from the Ep II trailers I've seen, so I have some hope

cry babies, by the way nice Bjørk avatar today Tex

heck, don't care,
ok, TPM had a different ring then the others...
BUT, the reason why he uses CG is that we aren't stuck anymore in Tatooine, Hoth OR Endor, those vieuws are easily created!
We are now on Coruscant, Naboo and Otah Gunga, those places aren't easy to built so they use CG.

And it's a story about Anakin, you haven't seen him much in TPM, but that will change in AOTC, and he will get a bigger part in EpIII, so you will go with him just like Luke in OT

I think a lot of people are afraid to admit that The Phantom Menace wasn't very good.

No. People are afraid to admit they like it because it's a kids film.

Bigsef2 if you want to see movies with the "spirit"of the OT then go and watch the OT. These are different movies! Different characters, different events and a different spirit and feel to them.

but it's still SW!

Yes, it is.

Hmm. I don't like the idea that GL only does these things to make money. If that were true it would be absurdly populist; no Jar-Jar, a hundred Dark Jedi in each story and Chewbacca and Boba Fett in from episode I onwards.

But GL is anything BUT populist. He really, REALLY cares for his story and will not be swayed by what people want. That has, if anything, cost him money.

TPM didn't cost a lot for him, he IS rich.

And heck, admit there are a lot of SW things here so certain people could think that GL does it for the money

I have no doubt Lucas wants to make the movies. But money is a HUGE part of his motivation. He will probably make a billion dollars from the new trillogy with the movie, toys, and pepsi cans with the Star Wars logo.

I also agree that the new trillogy is seperate three movies. But then why does he say it's one big story? I just think he went to far in TPM, and he knows it. he's just making up excuses, afterward.

I'll still go see II, and I'll probalby like it. I'm pretty sure that Episode II is going to make Episode I better.

i didnt say it was JUST for the money. and GLs wealth aside, rich people always want more money. Looking at the clothes GL wears, and the house he lives in (as ive seen in documentarys) GL seems fairly humble about his wealth. That being said, hes making a TON of money off these movies, and would have reguardless. My point is that GL seems to be doing it mostly out of obligation. He doesnt seem even remotely enthused in ANY of the documentaries ive seen. granted, GL is a fairly reserved person, but ive seen older documentarys of when he was making the OT. and GL DID seem enthused then. Hes taken on too much responsiblity doing EVERYTHING in these movies. It is now the creative energies of one man, as opposed to many different people, therefore it is simply not as good. GL is making these movies the way he wants them. That means dumb stuff like a pod race that takes up over a tenth of the movies time. I dont care if anyone likes the pod race. It is fairly interesting, but it comepletely detracts from the flow and purpose of the movie. When its over, youre thinking, why did i watch this again, why is anakin in the race? oh yeah, theyre stranded, they need to get home, so they can report to the senate about the trade federation blockade. good film making says anything that detracts from the story, and interferes with the flow of the movie, must be removed. If anyone else was directing the movie, the pod race would not have been so long, and possibly removed entirely. Thats just one example. These movies are inferior to the OT in so many ways. Anyone who disagrees is simply an airhead or doesnt know anything about quality film. I didnt wait 20 years to receive crap. it may be wraped in a nice, colorful CG package, but its still crap.

then don't watch it!
He tries to make a new trilogie, and you aren't glad with it???

yess, you obviously havent read the other posts here which said how alot of idiots would say what you just said. you can say if you dont like it, dont have anything to do with it about anything. its a weak argument. the movies have some redeeming value. whether we like it or not, it is star wars. but people like you irritate me. GL could give you sh!t on a stick and youd be happy and argue forever that it was good

well, bigsef2, I didn't mean that anyone who said "Don't go see it" was an idiot. Although, yerssot is one (j/k yerss 🙂 )

Lucas knew he could go sideways with the new trillogy, and that fans would follow no matter what.

I don't think The Phantom Menace was BAD, but it wasn't good as an individual movie, as the other three were. Like I said earlier, I think II will make I better.

hey, I AM an idiot!
what seriously,
if I hear that GL doesn't work for it and is only doing it for the money, THAT is irritating me
(where are the series huh???)

who said GL was ONLY doing it for the money? i just ask for one name

To said that money was a big thing...

and besides, not putting effort in it? you want that he has another heart-attack perhaps???

I said that money was a large part of it, not the ONLY part. I never said his heart wasn't in it. I said before, he WANTS to make those movies, but money is a large part of it.

I don't think he's bad person because of it, a man has to make a living. . . I just think he should have made Episode I more like IV, V, and VI.

But ONCE AGAIN, I think II will make I more likable.

Hmm. I am pretty darn sure that GL REALLY cares about this, you know. You just have toi look at the effort he is putting in. Believe me, you have to really care about these things to want to put effort into ANYTHING creative.