Author Topic: Lucas NY Times Interview  (Read 7885 times)

Offline Scott

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Lucas NY Times Interview
« on: January 17, 2012, 11:03 PM »
NY Times. Interview

Lots of good stuff here...

-FU Fanboys
-"Retiring"
-He came up with nuking the fridge
-studios said FU to Red Tails

Offline R5Don4

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #1 on: January 18, 2012, 10:12 AM »
Yeah that's ok George, you don't need to make Indy 5, that's quite alright.

Red Tails looks good though, my hopes are up for this one, can't be as bad as the prequels.  I love anything WWII.

Offline McMetal

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #2 on: January 18, 2012, 11:10 AM »
What a tool.

This quote will forever be ingrained in my memory:

“Why would I make any more,” Lucas says of the “Star Wars” movies, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?”

The guy just does not get it. People don't care about whether you make MORE, they just want you to stop screwing with the ones that were already released.

This whole excuse of tinkering as a way of asserting final editorial control is ridiculous. I'm fairly certain he had final say over EVERYTHING in the Prequels but that doesn't stop him from tweaking those over and over again.

He seems pretty interested in that live action show. Not.
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Offline Phrubruh

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2012, 11:50 AM »
It's right up there with Shatner telling trekies to "Get a life!".

His PR department is probably saying "Oh crap!".
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Offline P-Siddy

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #4 on: January 18, 2012, 12:12 PM »
After reading Rinzler's "The Making of Star Wars" I have a better understanding of George and why he's not satisfied with his vision. Not having the faith of the studios, and the lack of a budget to do as he'd like... he's just a perfectionist. And to top it off, Fox was struggling and on the verge of collapse until George saved their asses (only with the biggest box-office smash of its time), only to have Fox turn around and fine him for going over budget and then want to come back to the negotiating table to take away sequel and merchandising rights. I don't blame George's attitude towards the studios at all. And as a fan, I don't care about the changes because I'm happy with them as they are. I think they are perfect as they are, mistakes and all. A perfectionist as Lucas is wants to see the best final product. Kudos to him.

Offline Nicklab

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #5 on: January 18, 2012, 12:58 PM »
I can't say that I blame him in the least.  After hearing "George Lucas raped my childhood" from way too many fanboys, why should he subject himself to more of that crap?  It's become an abusive relationship where the fanboys have not grown to understand George Lucas's philosophy on filmmaking, and the spirit of innovation that he has used to move the film industry forward.  He improved visual effects.  He improved audio and visual presentation.  He's been a driving force with CGI and animation.  And he and Steven Spielberg essentially created the blockbuster.  And in that spirit of innovation he has been guilty of trying to improve things in the movies where he originally felt like he had to compromise.  That has not been as well received.

In contrast, what are the credentials of his detractors?  It's all well and good to sit back as an amateur critic, but when you criticise someone's work, you had best have something to bring to the table.  Because at the end of the day, how many of these fanboys have become filmmakers and have made something better?  Where are their mountains of credits as screenwriters, directors, producers, etc?  GL has definitely inspired a good number of people to get into filmmaking, but I suspect that they're not the ones who spend many a waking hour on the TFN message boards pouring over every flaw they perceive in someone else's film.  On the contray:  they've been inspired by Star Wars but are embracing their own creativity to do something new.

I have always felt that Lucas faced an uphill battle with the Prequels.  Because he brought the films to kids, and they loved them.  Having that kind of baggage of living up to a generation's worth of expectations is something that almost nobody could accomplish.
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Offline Scott

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #6 on: January 18, 2012, 01:58 PM »
Good point on the kids, Nick.  As has been brought up many times, most prequel era kids love the prequels...I have two of them in my house.  They would much rather watch EpI, II or CW over the OT.


Offline Jesse James

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #7 on: January 18, 2012, 02:32 PM »
I think the 3-D releases will be interesting, and very telling about the differences in the two trilogy generations.

As far as the article, I see things both ways ultimately...  If Lucas wanted to satisfy his fans, who have supported him pretty obviously now for many years, he could do so with a high-def release of the original theatrical releases of the Original Trilogy.  That he doesn't, is somewhat insulting to his fan base.  They have the right to feel slighted by him I think.

At the same time I've always felt it's his movie to do with as he pleases, and in many cases I like the upgrades.  I feel in the minority, but I like the expanded Yavin battle (and wish Hoth and Endor would both get expanded!  Especially the latter), I like SE Jabba and think it adds to the story.  I like Vader leaving Bespin.

Sure I don't like Han shooting first, or Jedi rocks, or Luke's "no" that is no longer there, but I like CGI Yoda in TPM, and I don't mind Vader's "no" on the Death Star II (wish they'd do something with his "no" in ROTS because it's horrid to the point of parody).

So for me it's just a mixed bag...  I find Lucas, in the interview, fairly pompous, especially towards those who ultimately made him by supporting him.  "Fanboys" are just fans too, and no better/worse than anyone on any forum like this IMO.  But if Lucas and his ardent critics could learn to see each other's POV, it'd be nice.

Lucas should be able to see that, to a child, that original viewing of the Original Trilogy in theaters means more to them than he gives credit.  He could throw them a bone (and make many, very happy) with HD releases of the original edits then.  Likewise, fans have to just accept that he is who he is, and they're his films to do with as he pleases.

The fan edits are great too...  Well, the one for ANH (and ESB coming eventually I guess) is anyway, and I appreciate it just as well.  It earned a spot on my DVD shelf right next to my copy of the latest DVD's of the saga, which will soon be joined by a copy of the Saga on Blu Ray...  I'd like that HD original edit too though.  I'm not hating Star Wars because it isn't there though, either.

If Lucas feels like "Well I'll show you", with his retiring, well so be it...  That's on him.  He isn't important enough to me, personally, to care really.  I didn't expect more Star wars films anyway, and I'm perfectly happy with SW on TV (I love both incarnations of Clone Wars and look forward to the live-action show and maybe other shows down the road).

TPM still sucks. :) 

I like all the rest though, and yeah I'll still watch TPM.  It's still part of the story.
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Offline Dan

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #8 on: January 18, 2012, 03:28 PM »
Well said Jesse. Couldn't agree more- They are his movies, period. No matter what I like or don't like about any given iteration.

He could make legions happy (and quiet) by throwing them the HD non SE OT.

I think it will happen eventually anyhow, but would rather it be done out of a spirit of generosity than spite or resentment. 

Offline JediJman

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #9 on: January 18, 2012, 04:03 PM »
I think it will happen eventually anyhow, but would rather it be done out of a spirit of generosity than spite or resentment.

Does anyone know who has the rights to Star Wars after Lucas passes?  It strikes me that eventually someone else is going to control his creation, and when that happens I think anything is fair game.  More movies, sequels, other timelines in the SW EU are all possible, but not likely to happen until he is out of the way.  I still marvel at how Lucas had the insight to ask for merchandising rights, knowing he could make a fotune on the fan base, but then so purposely alienates them any chance he gets.
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Offline iFett

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #10 on: January 18, 2012, 04:26 PM »
I'd wonder if he'd take it down with him when he goes.  It's his creation and I'm sure his kids are set for life+  Lots of moola to be had with future endeavors though...I don't know.
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Offline Darby

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #11 on: January 18, 2012, 07:28 PM »
George Lucas owes us nothing. 

The raped my childhood thing mentioned before - that's where I got off as far as the Lucas bashing (which I have participated in).  You didn't have a childhood if not for Lucas.  The discussion among fandom at large (generalizing here) has basically reduced the films, particulary the original trilogy, to the sum of its parts. As George Lucas has dissected the films, amputated them and grafted on new parts, a large group of fans have done the same. These films have been broken down and analyzed to the breaking point. People forget why they loved them in the first place - or they identify what they loved, and consequently, their childhood - with the parts Lucas excises.

I am a Star Wars baby. The impact that film has had on my - our - generation is hard to quantify; what other work of art in the last 30 years inspires this kind of debate or attention? It could be said it's much ado about nothing. They're just movies, and sometimes we forget that.  Star Wars is entirely responsible for my lifelong love of astronomy and science. I live and die for NASA. Every day they announce something that blows my mind, like this. Space is ******* cool.

I think I would have always been a writer, but Star Wars galvanized my imagination at an early age. I was writing and drawing these truly awful 'homages' of SW and other sci-fi stuff pretty early. I remember writing some kind of dystopian sci-fi thing in a motel when my mom, brother and I went to visit my grandpartents in Rock Island, IL. This was 1985, so I was eight. Today, I am a full time fiction writer - independent, like George Lucas - and currently writing my own space adventure.

On that trip in '85, we famously stopped at the Toys R Us there in Moline. Famously because this was the one and only time Aaron and I saw what turned out to be the last edition of the original Kenner Star Wars toys (The Power of the Force post-movie line, with the coins).  I lived for Star Wars toys. We didn't have them all, but we had quite a few. It's hard to imagine how we maintained any sense of paitence when these things came out like 10 at a time once a year. Today, Hasbro releases close to 100 Star Wars figures a year, and that is simply not enough for some people. Star Wars made possible what many consider the Golden Age of boys toys (1985 would have been its zenith; that year also saw the best of GI Joe, Transformers and He-Man on those same shelves at Toys R Us) and it made me a fan of toys in general. I love dumb plastic ****.

Star Wars also led me like a lot of others to the writing of Joseph Campbell, who has greatly influenced my outlook on the world.  Campbell is essential to my development as a writer, and as a person; he is a guide to ways of dealing with a world polarized between its past and future.

I fell in love with film making and went to film school at the University of Iowa, because of Star Wars.  Sometimes people will tell me after reading a story of mine, or the novel, that "I could see it in my head.  It was like a movie."  This is a huge compliment to me and ultimately due to a love of film, trying to harness the power, speed and visual impact of film in words.

And most of all, Star Wars gave me memories.  The drive-in.  The Blue Light Specials at K-Mart.  Shopping downtown for figures when there were stores downtown.  The 'wall' at JC Penny of toys.  The Christmas catalogs from Pennys and Sears.  Winter Bibles.

The films gave me a lot, none of which the changes Lucas makes can take away.


Offline IncomT65

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2012, 02:21 PM »
Exactly, Darby. I too grew up with SW in the 80s, ROTJ being my very first movie on the big screen. In my opinion Lucas has gone insane. With an attitude like this he's turned into a sad little man. And while I do have the various re-releases of the movie, I hardly watch the prequels and the OT I often put on the originals.

Acting like this is really beneath his stature. A big shot like him should have a thicker hide and let our ramblings slide off. If he wants to keep on tinkering with the saga, fine. It really is his right to do so. But generalising our community like that is disrespectful to the fans that give substantial criticism, beyond the "GL raped my childhood" sensus.

I wish him lots of fun with mangling the saga into über perfection (his perfection). Enjoy the rest of your life, George.

Oh, and don't worry, I'll still keep investing in your ego... er... Empire. Each is just as huge as the other, so....


Offline Ben

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #13 on: January 20, 2012, 12:11 AM »
Were I in Lucas' shoes, I'd probably have the same attitude he exhibits in that article. (Which could have been written to make him some more snarky than he meant.) He's rich, he's accomplished more than most people ever dream of, he still has his hair, and he still gets static  from studios when he tries to make a movie. I'm sure at this point in his life, he feels he can just say whatever he wants.

Star Wars fans are legion, and there's so many different tastes there that it's hard to please them all.  An outsider would never see that, instead just seeing SW fans as just one group that's never happy about anything, ever.

I love the movies, I love buying useless **** shaped like Darth Vader, and, like Darby, probably wouldn't have found my creative voice were it not for George Lucas' work. But that doesn't mean I can't gripe about NOOO 2.0.
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Offline Matt_Fury

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Re: Lucas NY Times Interview
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2012, 12:23 AM »
Lucas can tinker with his movies all he wants.  I'll watch my bootleg DVDs and Star Wars: Revisited.  He just won't get my money anymore aside from some books, a few action figures (if I can ever find the few I would like), andthe occasional video game (although not TOR, unfortunately).

I will never see a new Indiana Jones movie (and will not own more thanthe original three), and when technology gets better, I'm sure I'll be able to get the good versions of the Star Wars movies on Blu Ray.

It's a shame that Lucas can't act like a grown up.  He's throwing a temper tantrum because the people who are fans of his stories are also fans of good screen plays and direction.  George Lucas can write a good overall story, but he cannot effectively write a good screen play or direct.  If I were ever to meet him, I'd tell him that.

It's a shame that George Lucas doesn't have the ability to take criticism, and instead has decided to surround himself with yes men who cannot save him from himself.  It would have dramatically improved the prequels which had great actors who gave pitiful performances, and it would've saved the movies from the childish flatulence jokes and may have actually made Jar Jar Binks a tolerable character.
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