OFFICIAL NEWS Bitter Breakup? Watch this George Lucas Charlie Rose Interview Preview (CBS This Morning Nov. 19)

George Lucas successfully manifested a futuristic mythos and branded a storytelling device that has captivated audiences with real depth,quality, and reflection. As in all things life: somethings stick while others fall to the dark side ; his has mostly stuck. You can find little fault with the OT , and Obi Wan was portrayed perfectly in the prequels. Everyone has their small bone to pick, but I am disappointed in the lack of connection Mr.Lucas will have in the upcoming trilogy. The Rose interview clip provides insight into how much 4 billion dollars really doesn't amount to anything when you truly love and nurture something you've created. Comparing your business relationship (really Star Wars) to a ex-lover is most telling; He had to show restraint because he cared so much. As I hear these words, it really does disappoint because no matter how great these films will be; there will always be that voice that wonders... what would Lucas have done?
P.S. He is a great visionary and storyteller, I thought what would have been great was for him to actually come back and direct episode IX and throw us all off

 

This makes me nervous. It makes me question whether this is going to feel like a 'fake Star Wars' rather than a true continuation.

 

Just strikes me that TFA now sounds like a reboot rather than a continuation of Lucas' story. They're moving away from the Skywalkers so they can create endless Star Wars films rather than create a satisfactory continuation of Lucas' masterpiece.

As an aside, I guess this rules out Plagueis.

 

Lucas is acting! They've used most of his ideas! #MysteryBox

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 20, 2015, Original Post Date: Nov 20, 2015 ---

Plagueis remains. It's Fanboy heaven! Stop sulking George, JJ is our new master now!

 

Did he say 'muck it up, or f**k it up?'

 

Than what is real Star Wars? I will try to address several aforementioned posts:

Originally George Lucas wanted to make a reboot of Flash Gordon, but he didn't get the rights. In general, he wanted to make a reboot of the serials he liked as a kid (e.g. Raiders of the Lost Ark) including that kind of humor (e.g. PT, but that kid of humor was no longer palatable to modern audiences).

Instead he came up with Star Wars (A New Hope) many of us liked and loved but it wasn't exactly what he wanted to deliver. It was full of compromises he never liked and ultimately the fortunate result of many able and talented artists contributing (e.g. production designer John Barry) whose clever improvisations helped to make the film great.

The success of the films and Lucasfilm becoming a major company transformed the independent filmmaker into the Charles Foster Kane the young Lucas probably despised. Worse, it somewhat destroyed his marriage to Marcia Lucas.
To assume that George Lucas was so much in love with the films and characters he created is a myth. The decade following the OT is a testament to that, no further Star wars films, hardly new books, a few comics at best.

He wanted to and made other films instead. Following the success of Timothy Zahn's Heir to the Empire book trilogy, Zahn was granted an audience at Skywalker Ranch. Did George talk about Star Wars? No! Timothy Zahn reported that the hour he spent with George Lucas revolved around story-telling and how much George lamented that there are hardly good stories anymore in films and else.

Already the 1983 biography Skywalking quoted one person saying that if it were possible to shoot films without actors George would probably be the first one to do so. Also in the 1990's he was more interested to push the boundaries of CGI technology with the OT becoming (unfortunately) a testbed to see what you could do (to a film...).

I believe his motivation for the PT was much, much less the need or desire to tell the story but rather to showcase CGI Technology and silence the audience that had been asking "When are you doing another Star Wars film?" (Ad in Variety by Arnaud Grunberg, Jason Joiner's French Buddy - Arnaud, Jason: Are you ever going to release or publish all these ANH and ESB photos from Gary Kurtz? I think we all now waited really, really long enough!!!).

No, IMHO Star Wars became a burden to George Lucas which Disney has now relieved him off. He had plenty of opportunities in the past decades (!) to do something with it but these were mostly lackluster.

Whether Disney is better in handling the Star Wars Franchise remains to be seen, but at least it's a push which probably would not have come from George in the foreseeable years.

 

What I refer to is that I don't like the idea that this won't be a continuation of the Skywalker family saga. I have a feeling it will bring in a completely new family and just use the Skywalkers as background. This way it won't feel like EP VII but rather a new series of films. It will feel like a reboot. So as I said in another thread, it will be 1-6 STOP then 7-99.

I think when Lucas was joking with Abrams in the video - "what happens to Vader's grandkids", he's actually having a dig. I don't think we're going to have any leading Skywalker/Solo kids in these films anymore. Rey, Finn and Kylo are new. The only link they have with the Skywalker/Solo's is that they cross paths.

 

I actually felt sorry for George watching this. I don't like the prequels and have many issues with them. But, he tried to create three genuinely good movies - he didn't set out to make bad movies. Although flawed, I do see what he was attempting - breaking new ground with effects, sets etc - but it didn't work. When he made ANH, the bold new things he tried worked and he was lauded for it. Unfortunately with the prequels, his experiment failed.
So now, to see him adrift with no say or influence is rather sad. He created this whole crazy universe which I love and hold so very dear. For that alone he has my utmost respect and I wish others would offer him the same.

 

It's a tricky one.

Because Lucas IS Star Wars, that can never be denied. But his films were not good, and he just made some VERY bad decisions. So people are free to give their opinion and can't just accept it because Lucas did them.

You can see that there is spite in his voice and I can guarantee you, whatever he says in public, deep down he will NOT like this new film.

I've already said. This film I can almost guarantee will be better films overall than the prequels, but it will lose Lucas's creativity which Abrams nor Kennedy or anyone else who will direct any of the films will have.

As bad as those prequels are, Darth Maul and the Jango Fett scene are GENIUS creations that can only come from his mind.

I've always felt that they should have gotten Lucas to help to come up with names, look of characters and just some ideas...but as he said, it would get murky.

--- Double Post Merged, Nov 20, 2015, Original Post Date: Nov 20, 2015 ---

My main insults of Lucas come from him messing up Indiana Jones 4 by rejecting Darabont's script and meddling with the film with his CG.

As far as Star Wars. He made bad films. But I wasn't one of those who turned him into this villain and caricature and mocked him like so many did. Some people just went overboard with the way they insulted him.

As you said, Lucas IS Star Wars and Abrams and whoever takes over are simply just adapting what this guy created from scratch.

 

All respect to Lucas for his originality, creativeness and courage to make the films he wanted to make. Star Wars is forever in my heart and in my soul. While the PT doesn't compare to the OT (in my opinion) I appreciate the thought. I wouldn't blame Lucas for being bitter but in the end, he made HIS films and a boat load of fame and fortune. I think the Disney deal worked out for both sides and now we get to experience a whole new Star Wars.

 

That's a good analogy, I share such concerns.

Just a moment please, there is one particular item you seem to forget (or not care about which is okay): Just like Mr. Lucas prefers watching The Three Stooges in their original black and white context, there are many people and fans (who actually funded his little empire!) that would love to watch again the original, theatrical version of the Original Trilogy in an adequate 21st Century high definition presentation.

Mr. Lucas has deliberately and equally denied this to fans and film aficionados, expressing hope that the original version will be forgotten and only his Special Edition remains. You know, if he wants to watch his beloved Three Stooges in black and white, he can just reduce color saturation on his flatscreen or video projector. Trying this with the Special Edition the picture turns black and white but the CGI additions won't dissapear nor will the erased scenes reappear.

And that's another thing: The Special Edition practically erased contributions to the films from renowned artists like Ralph McQuarrie, Harrison Ellenshaw and many others (sample attached, design by McQuarrie and matte painting by Ellenshaw - both demolished by the Special Edition, just as the foreground sculpture, one of the last remnants of the ancient civilization).

I wonder who is in need to apologize to whom.

 

I love Charlie Rose... but that subhead on the video is cringe.

LUCAS NOT FORCING IT

Whomever wrote that certainly is.

P.S. George Lucas -- right or wrong -- doesn't care about giving fans what they want. He cares about telling the story HE wants to tell. Whether you love or hate his stories (the ones made in collaboration with others or the ones with fewer folks involved) you have to respect his desire to see his vision through without compromising a thing.

He's The Maker. Not The Faker, The Politician, The Yes Man, The Committee, or the Panderer.

 

Isn't this interview sort of hypocritical? Lucas says, "I'll go my way and let them go their way," and yet he has the time to sit down with CBS and undermine the entire ST one month before TFA comes out? WTF? Really. Maybe I just need to see the whole interview.

 

Read the entire message before you react. Thanks

Some of the stuff in this thread is SILLY! Yes, people can have their opinions but continuing to bash George Lucas (the father of Star Wars) for creating things that he believes in is crazy. Do many of you younger fans know about George and Francis and a few other directors who took on the BIG film corporations. These directors were the pioneers of the INDY type films. These types of films were films that giant studio's were not interested in and wouldn't touch them with a 10 foot poll. In fact, Star Wars wouldn't have been made if it wasn't for George taking his ideas and believing in what he envisioned. When George got to the prequels he created it the way he wanted and sadly with some people it didn't connect with them ( in this new interview he is discussing that reason exactly) He discusses that it was time to move on when he could no longer make the films he wanted. George is a visionary film director much like my friend Albert Pyun who enjoys doing things that he wants not what the big corporations wanted. Yes, you can argue that he had his own company and he actually could make films that he wanted but he still had that battle with the fans. Man, I dig George Lucas and yes I believe he made the right choice about moving on. Let's give him credit for choosing and trusting Kennedy in giving the SAGA to a FAN (yes, J.J.). Honestly, George could have asked in the deal that a certain person with his ideals direct VIII but he didn't.
It's enough hat people bash Jar Jar but it's another thing to bash the very man that brought you Star Wars. None, not one of you would be here if it wasn't for George and his visionary film making.

-Biff out

 

I couldn't disagree more with you. I love George Lucas but he has lost complete touch with reality, even before the prequels. He already showed glimpses of being clouded when he claimed Howard the Duck will be more memorable than the Ninja Turtles movie that came out at the same time.

To use the argument "you go and do movies and everybody criticizes you for it" is just flat out passive aggressive behavior. And PS it is complete BS everybody criticized him for it, he said he made the prequels for kids, and kids liked them. I can't recall a 4 or 5 year old criticism the prequels or Star Wars.. so is he bashing the intellectual high level criticism of a 4 year old here?! Oh I forgot, now Star Wars is a soap opera, not a kids movie anymore. He is ALL OVER THE place saying what serves him today, not caring about what he said yesterday to alter (no pun intended) everything by tomorrow.

The guy made billions of dollars with fans watching and buying the films and his merchandise. He didn't even want to give the people the original unaltered trilogy that stacked his bank account and made it possible for him to even think about a prequel trilogy.

I'm by far not a fan of Disney, and yes I do feel a little bit sad that GL isn't involved anymore because after all it is his baby, but when a parent retards his baby sometimes somebody has to step in and take it away from them in order to save the baby.

 

GL made his choice to sell his life's work and he has accepted the consequences of his decision (i.e. he no longer has control and is no position to argue about it).

In a sense there is a huge weight off of his shoulders (like, "Great, now it's your turn to be b****ed at, see how you like it"), but I can imagine there is a sense of regret as well (like, "That's not how I would have done it").

Personally, I think he should have kept his company (and groomed someone to run it long term), brought in KK to run it for the time being, and worked with JJ or whoever to make a ST, while not being a domineering presence.

But the only way that last part would work is by him selling the company like he did.

Had he not sold, I'm sure he would have clashed with KK and JJ even more than it sounds like they did clash.

Star Wars worked best when he had other brilliant minds to work with him and revise his ideas. I loved the story of the PT, it's brilliant actually, but he needed to have other people there to work with him to refine the telling of it and apparently he didn't think he needed that, a victim of his own hubris. So as a result he gets a lot of BS griping and spite from portions of the fan base.

I'm thankful for GL's part in the saga, glad he gets to enjoy his golden years without the stress, but also sad that he has little input on the development of his baby now that he (sold it, or) let it fly from the nest.

 

I think George is just having trouble letting go of his beloved franchise. He made the decision to put KK and JJ in charge but it seems he wanted them to follow his instructions to the letter. All I hear him say is that the ST was going to be about the grandchildren and they took a different approach, well so far it doesn't seem that way. There are clearly going to be grandchildren in the ST from what we have seen so far, perhaps George original outline was more similar to the EU with 3 solo kids plus 1 Luke kid and now they are going for less (1-2)?
Whatever their disagreement was about I don't imagine it was a big deal but it would certainly seem like a stressful working environment for the 3 of them. KK and JJ would feel bad about contradicting George because he is the maker but they have to since they are in charge now, and George would also feel bad if things didn't go his away, after all it's his creation.
I think the decision to distance himself was a wise choice, I hope they still respect his view on the main story arcs but they should feel free to change the details according to their vision.