Editorial: George Lucas Should Be at Star Wars Celebration Orlando. Could He Be One of the Surprises?

It has been a whirlwind few years since Disney purchased Lucasfilm and woke the dormant beast that was the Star Wars franchise. When George Lucas sold his company, and the rights to the franchise, he announced his intention to retire and remove himself completely from Star Wars. This of course meant he would no longer be involved in determining the creative direction of the saga, but also that he would by necessity be mostly removed from the culture of Star Wars fandom that he had grown since 1977. I think it is time for George’s self imposed exile to come to an end.

 

It makes sense that George would step away. With him hovering over the new films, it would have been impossible for Disney to escape his shadow. I liken Disney’s ownership of Lucasfilm to a child leaving their parents house and going off to college for the first time. They need to get away from what they know. Prove they are an adult that can stand on their own two feet. Disney has done that with two blockbuster film releases, a thriving extended canon, and a hit TV show. But like any kid off to college, after a year of proving themselves, they come home and realize they also still need their parents. They crave that familiarity, they need their wisdom, and they miss that home cooked meal. George is the father of Star Wars, and now that Disney has proven they can maintain the Star Wars legacy without him, its time to bring him back into the fold.

 

 

This year is, of course, the 40th anniversary of the release of the original Star Wars. 40 years of art and fan culture built off of one man’s vision. That’s why it would seem the perfect time to entice Lucas to involve himself again in the culture he created. Clearly he won’t be directing any Star Wars films any time soon and letting him have any control over the new canon would be a dangerous game. Once he steps a foot back in creatively, all voices will naturally defer to him and it will risk the fine balance of strong creative voices has allowed the new Lucasfilm thrive thus far.

 

But just because Disney and the new Lucasfilm Story Group run the show creatively does not mean we can’t thank the maker through traditional fan engagement. I think it would be a great nod to long time fans if George Lucas ended up being a surprise guest at Celebration Orlando in April. The official announcement for Celebration does include mention of a few surprises, so it is not outside the realm of possibility. Let Lucas show up for a panel on the 40th anniversary of Star Wars. Let him wax poetic about his inspiration and share stories of its making. He is the creator, the originator, the maker. No matter how successful the new films are, and no matter how many new fans come in after his departure, fandom feels hollow without his involvement.

 

 

It is important to remember, that no one else has ever done what George did. It is important to remember, not just the extent of his narrative universe, but of the ground breaking and historical contributions to the film industry were made by the man who created our favorite films. He should be standing as an icon of all that has come of his galaxy far, far away, but instead he is removed from what he created like Luke hiding out on Ahch-to. And now, with the 40th anniversary upon us, it seems like the perfect time to pull him out of his isolation and return him to the fan culture that appreciates his creations so much. Here is hoping it is not too long until that happens.

 

 

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147 thoughts on “Editorial: George Lucas Should Be at Star Wars Celebration Orlando. Could He Be One of the Surprises?

  • February 27, 2017 at 7:42 pm
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    I think George Lucas has totally moved on from Star Wars and Lucasfilm. The fans treated him badly because of the prequels. He will not show up at all because of the disdain (Putting it nicely I know) he has towards the fans. What I wouldn’t be surprised is if all remaining alive actors from A New Hope are on the stage together along with an amazing tribute to Carrie Fisher.

    • February 27, 2017 at 7:58 pm
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      He showed up before. I think he knows the people at Celebration will treat him with respect, as they have in the past.

      It would be nice to show our appreciation for him again.

    • February 27, 2017 at 8:47 pm
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      Why would he have disdain to his fans. They paid him well enough.

      • February 27, 2017 at 10:06 pm
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        That is true on the money front. I just get the feeling he just wants to retire and enjoy life outside of the limelight. He deserves that. I would be over the moon if he came. I’m trying to temper expectations in my head and heart on this by saying it probably won’t happen.

  • February 27, 2017 at 8:01 pm
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    I am all for him being a part of any anniversary celebrations and honors, but keep him away from any creative decision-making with new Star Wars films. The prequels are proof enough that his best years are long behind him when it comes to coming up with good ideas for Star Wars.

    • February 27, 2017 at 8:39 pm
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      Yes, its much better reuse his old good ideas.

      • February 27, 2017 at 11:49 pm
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        Eating leftovers is better than eating garbage.

        • February 28, 2017 at 5:22 am
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          Re: “reuse” vs “leftovers”

          “Reuse” can mean something different than “leftovers” – something that’s already been chewed, used & digested…comes out the other end & doesn’t need to be eaten yet again. 😉

          • February 28, 2017 at 6:57 am
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            OK, another analogy: Wearing second-hand clothes is better than wearing garbage bags.

    • February 27, 2017 at 9:44 pm
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      I think there are a few gems in the prequels, but the execution was way off the mark and there didn’t seem to be anyone to control his ambitions.

      I would love to see him give creative input, but the decision-making making process kept out of his grasp.

    • February 28, 2017 at 12:40 am
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      I disagree, kind of. I think he’s good at coming up with IDEAS (TCW is proof of that), but he’s bad at the executing them.

      • February 28, 2017 at 5:15 am
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        I think you’re right.

        Directing & executing – influencers & sounding boards:

        If Lucas had instead co-directed the prequels ( as much as we know his directing of actors is very hands-off/near useless ) or even had people around him to keep him in check & *question* his ideas/approach throughout the process.

        I honestly think that having Rick McCallum involved (at all) was a major problem for the prequels – he really seemed to be a horrible sycophant whom emboldened Lucas, leading him to believe any (stupid) idea was great, perfect, magical!

        When Lucas was already drunk, Rick would pour him another drink. 😉 The worst kind of *enabler*.

        /end rant

  • February 27, 2017 at 8:44 pm
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    Well, a lot of ungrateful, extremists pseudofans treated him like shit. Those who criticize exaggeratedly the prequels (when they like many other products of dubious quality). He should forgett everthing about SW and stay away from those fake-fans that constantly despise him.

    • February 27, 2017 at 9:05 pm
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      just because his name is george lucas and the franchise is star wars doesn’t exempt either from criticism. yes some may have taken it to the extreme but so do those that say any negative opinions are ground for excommunication.

    • February 27, 2017 at 11:24 pm
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      extremely critical or extremely non-critical … both are extreme and according to your logic should both be considered pseudofans, please stop the stupid

  • February 27, 2017 at 8:47 pm
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    I’d love to see George step back in to the consultant role…And have LFL actually defer to him on important issues.

    This new Star Wars is just lacking in creativity. I know there have only been 2 so far, but one is strikingly similar to A New Hope, and the other is an extrapolation of a line from the A New Hope crawl.

    With no George, Star Wars seems to be missing its creative soul.

    • February 27, 2017 at 8:52 pm
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      No. People doesn’t want to see new things and situations. And don’t talk about “weird” stuff like midichlorians or politics. (This is sooo complicated to understand). They want rebels vs imperials, an old emperor, another Dath Vader, a Tattooine copy, desert random worlds, X-Wings and a Death Star exploding at the end.

      • February 27, 2017 at 11:27 pm
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        Remember when George referred to them as kids films? Nothing screams “kids” like science and politics. And no, its not sooo complicated to understand just horrible ideas … oh sorry, I must be one of those “pseudofans” :/

          • February 28, 2017 at 4:39 am
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            You know the kids love immolation, decapitations, dismemberment, choking, spousal abuse, implied rape, child murder, massacres…

          • February 28, 2017 at 5:26 am
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            Yeah – I feel that people like to quote Lucas’ comments about “for kids” completely out of context & misapply what that means.
            It’s one thing to say – “even a kid can ‘get it’ or enjoy it” vs “for kiddies”.

            Prequels –
            Even tho’ it’s obvious with TPM that Lucas was trying to *appeal* to young kids (from “Little Annie” to “Jar Jar”), you’ve got a movie that ends with the main beloved “fatherly figure” stabbed through the chest & then body burned at a funeral, after the primary bad guy is chopped in half.

          • February 28, 2017 at 6:53 am
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            Prequel apologists always use the, “It’s meant for kids- that’s why you didn’t get it” defense to explain away the stupidness of Jar Jar and other cartoonish elements, as well as the general appeal of the films and the extent in which they endear themselves to the audience versus the original trilogy. And yet they can’t explain how children are supposed to be excited by political debates, council meetings, people sitting around offices and apartments talking, and how a significant amount of violence is appropriate in a series of films made for children.

          • February 28, 2017 at 2:56 pm
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            implied rape? WTF

          • February 28, 2017 at 5:08 pm
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            There is no implied rape there at all. That’s something sick people on the internet inserted into their head canon.

            Says more about them, honestly.

          • February 28, 2017 at 5:32 pm
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            A woman is lashed to a wooden rack by a gang of vicious bandits who have kept her there for a month. What do think is going on there? And if you think it was just torture, fine. Substitute torture for rape on the “movies made for children” list.

      • February 27, 2017 at 11:50 pm
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        The midichlorians were not complicated, just plain stupid and unnecessary pseudo science, most likely fueled by the retarded “new age” religions from the 80s-90s. Not even the old Eu accepted it’s existence…

    • February 28, 2017 at 12:39 am
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      It was inspired by a line from A New Hope, therefore Lucasfilm NEEDS George!!

      Mmmm…no.

      • February 28, 2017 at 1:15 am
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        The mission of Lucasfilm now is to make money for Disney.
        They don’t need George for that.
        What I with they would get, is someone willing to take chances.

        Of course if someone got too creative….I’d get mad and be negative about that. There’s just no pleasing some people (me).

        • February 28, 2017 at 1:33 am
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          Yeah, it is tough to please everyone. But if you think that a spinoff movie in which every character dies is too unoriginal and safe, then get off the train now. Rogue One is as different and daring as any Star Wars movie will be for a long time.

          • February 28, 2017 at 4:56 am
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            Re: “Rogue One is as different and daring as any Star Wars movie will be for a long time”

            I hope you’re not right. 😉 Meaning I hope they keep taking risks.

            I was pleasantly surprised that Rogue One was even made, considering they followed through with the (quite!) bleak – war-story, “got nothing to lose” & unlikely band of warriors on a “against all odds” mission. Yet pulled it off with a SW *feel* to it.

            Here’s hoping they do continue taking risks. Starting with Rian putting his own interesting (darker/*twisty’er* than TFA?) stamp on things with Ep8 & maybe the 3rd(/next) “story” movie will try something different like R1 did.

          • February 28, 2017 at 7:50 pm
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            I hope you’re wrong. I THINK you’re wrong. I get starting off the anthology films with something safe and familiar, but this is an opportunity for LFL to tell some interesting stories that might not be mega-hits, with the episodes still driving the whole thing financially every couple of years and I hope they take it.

          • February 28, 2017 at 9:32 pm
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            I’m sure they’ll do some weird story lines and everything, but Rogue One will likely go down as one of the more daring. This is Disney/Lucasfilm we’re talking about; they’re not known to take the biggest of risks.

    • February 28, 2017 at 2:54 pm
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      nah

  • February 27, 2017 at 9:05 pm
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    The more this guy is removed from SW, the better. Yeah yeah, he “created” it. Then the best film of the whole saga was the one he was the less involved with, then he let the EU become a convoluted, labyrinthic maze of mostly terrible ideas, then he went straight for the fans’ pocket with endless Special Editions that actually menaged to screw up in almost every single aspect conceivable, then he almost killed the franchise with a poorly written and executed trilogy – meanwhile, he spent years lying through his teeth right up to “there’s no Episode VII”, then he sold the company to Disney for a hefty check and THEN he started acting like a prima donna, whining they didn’t want to use his ideas.

    On top of all that, an argument could be made that some of the best ideas and most iconic visuals from the OT aren’t, entirely, to his credit.

    Want to have him at Celebration? Sure. Bring him back into the creative proce– HELL, NO.

    • February 27, 2017 at 10:57 pm
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      Yes….you seem to have some emotional problems. George didn’t run over your dog. So, time for you to see a doctor.

    • February 27, 2017 at 11:09 pm
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      yeah, what kinda of sick monster creates a beloved imaginative franchise, lets other people write fan-fiction about it and then sells it to donate billions to education charities! Who does this Lucas guy think he is?!

    • February 28, 2017 at 4:45 am
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      Wow – disagree with everything you’ve written!

    • February 28, 2017 at 2:53 pm
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      He wasn’t lying. There was no Episode VII.

      Then he changed his mind and decided there would be one.

      You should learn more about Star Wars. It’s cool stuff. You might like it.

    • February 28, 2017 at 7:41 pm
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      “an argument could be made that some of the best ideas and most iconic visuals from the OT aren’t, entirely, to his credit.”
      .
      To be clear, a stupid, ignorant, and historically revisionist argument, but an argument nonetheless.

  • February 27, 2017 at 9:09 pm
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    if both parties want him around as a consultant i’m all for it. but i reject the notion that he needs to come back as the author stated the new regime is doing just fine on their own. plus lucas has said for 30 years that he wants to do something besides star wars and now he has the time and money to make what ever he wants. its time for all sides to move on.

    • February 28, 2017 at 4:42 am
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      Re: “lucas has said for 30 years that he wants to do something besides star wars ”

      It’s disappointing that he hasn’t done more “non SW”.
      He’s had the means & could do anything he wanted. After his early successes (& even less-than-successes where he was keen on supporting creating *different* things) I was always interested in seeing what else he’d do, not specifically as director but maybe more in the creative side of things.

  • February 27, 2017 at 9:22 pm
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    I am perfectly fine with how things are going right now, but I would definitely love to see just one spin-off film written and directed by George Lucas) Although that’s not gonna happen

  • February 27, 2017 at 9:25 pm
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    I respect Lucas for what he created, and I think he should be there. That said, I’m pretty sure every fan wants his story and directional input to stay away from what Disney is doing. Episode 4 was great because he had people overseeing the film from Fox. Episode 5 was Syu great because he had help writing it and he didn’t direct it. 6 was less than phenomenal, but still great because he had a bit more input in the story. And we all know what happened with the prequels….no one questioned him.

    Lucas is an amazing mind and has created many innovations in film. He has a great ability to come up with a story concept, but taking that concept and creating a cohesive and complex story isn’t his forte. The films were always better when he had help.

  • February 27, 2017 at 9:28 pm
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    George Lucas would make an excellent Mrs Doubtfire.

    • February 28, 2017 at 4:35 am
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      Re: “George Lucas would make an excellent Mrs Doubtfire
      Just to clarify – is that a “fatty” or “tranny” joke?

      • February 28, 2017 at 6:54 am
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        Either, neither, possibly both. You choose. Just keep him away from the Star Wars process.

      • February 28, 2017 at 6:54 am
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        Either, neither, possibly both. You choose. Just keep him away from the Star Wars process.

  • February 27, 2017 at 9:44 pm
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    Sir George should be invited back in via the reddest of carpets as Supreme Ideas Commander of the Universe,then pass those ideas over to the story group.

    • February 27, 2017 at 9:46 pm
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      Exactly – it doesn’t mean they will get used, but a few gems might be worth a look.

    • February 27, 2017 at 10:53 pm
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      He likes control too much for that.

      • February 28, 2017 at 4:31 am
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        Re: “He likes control too much for that.”
        He has demonstrated he can relinquish control.
        Heck, from ESB & RotJ to Raiders & the Indiana Jones flicks.

        Wished he done that with the prequels – swapped out directors, like they’re continuing the tradition now.

        Regardless, he’s in his 70s now & basically retired. I’d imagine he’d be fine just putting ideas out there & enjoying his retirement. Not to mention he’d not want to control anything at the level of being director any more after the prequels & later backlash.

        • February 28, 2017 at 2:42 pm
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          That’ not really true.

          He tried to relinquish control in Empire and what happened? The movie ran over schedule and over budget, so much so that he almost lost the company and had to get Fox to guarantee the loan from a new bank in exchange for more of the profits.

          It’s why Kurtz didn’t stick around for ROTJ. Lucas blamed him. It’s why Lucas got Richard Marquand, someone who wouldn’t push back as much as Kershner did, to direct ROTJ.

          And his level of control on Indiana Jones is different since that is a collaboration with Spielberg.

          His whole arc of his career is about having complete control and not having to listen to anyone else.

          https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/books/2016/12/22/george-lucas-and-force-that-was-with-him/rdUsbLRvHQkWCaN5WSnfhK/story.html

          • February 28, 2017 at 7:38 pm
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            “Lucas blamed him.”
            And, truth be told, rightly so. Kurtz was actively running interference between Kirshner and Lucas. Maybe not such a bad thing for a studio film, but when it’s Lucas’ own money, house, and life savings on the line, no matter how well the film turned out, you can maybe see why he’d be a bit miffed at the efforts to lock him out of a film that was hemorrhaging cash.

          • February 28, 2017 at 8:09 pm
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            I don’t disagree.

      • February 28, 2017 at 6:13 pm
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        Sadly,you’re probably right.

  • February 27, 2017 at 10:40 pm
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    Hey… as bitter as I may be the guy always has a place in Star Wars. I’d never deny him or treat him poorly. He’s just a guy who shared an idea with us in the hopes it would entertain us. We may disagree on how he went about some of it but to bar him or treat him poorly is just plain wrong.

  • February 27, 2017 at 10:43 pm
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    If anything, he’d be a major player in the tribute to Carrie Fisher

  • February 27, 2017 at 10:58 pm
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    While we’re analyzing/predicting surprises, I’ll bet my bippy that attendees will see a screening of the first 7 minutes and 23 seconds of The Last Jedi.

    (George won’t be there for that.)

    • February 27, 2017 at 11:55 pm
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      That would be great, but it won’t happen. There’s absolutely no indication that something like that is going to happen, nor is there any precedent of Lucasfilm ever screening something like this at a Celebration. There might be a teaser, but that’s about it.

      • February 28, 2017 at 12:47 am
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        So you’re saying it’s not going to happen?

        • February 28, 2017 at 5:09 am
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          Say goodbye to your bippy.

          • February 28, 2017 at 5:30 am
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            Don’t blast my bang-up bippy, Bobby.

          • February 28, 2017 at 2:23 pm
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            Now we’re just getting straight-up alliterative.

  • February 27, 2017 at 11:02 pm
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    The best thing that can happen to SW now is a little involvement from GL, maybe as a consultant, TFA is the proof that we need GL back in some sort, not necesarely as director.

    One thing that differentiates directors in the OT (V, and VI) and directors in the new movies is that in OT directors were working with Lucas vision, side by side with him, today directors are making SW mostly on their own, trying to figure out what they think GL would do.

    For now, we have to wait to see what Rian Johnson is making, looks very promising btw.

    • February 27, 2017 at 11:40 pm
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      I have the opposite view. The first Star Wars movie without direct influence from GL was Rogue One. And for me, Rogue One and ESB are now my two favorite SW movies of all time. (ESB had the least influence from GL of any of the original six movies.) TFA was based on some stuff from GL, even though it doesn’t resemble his original treatment.

      I am not someone who hates GL, but I do dislike many of the creative decisions he made later on after the original trilogy. For example, his insistence that every Star Wars story have a component that is directed exclusively at 5-year-olds, dumbing-down the stories instead of challenging younger viewers.

      • February 28, 2017 at 12:56 am
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        Maybe GL was not a director in ESB, but as you may know he was practically in the back of Irving all the time, this is what I mean when I say directors in OT worked by the side of George Lucas all the time, you can read about it, maybe is not credited, but he was there all the time, making desicions and if not, influencing them, it was his movie and his story anyway.

        TFA was something weird I think, it has really good stuff, but desperatley tried to carbon copy ANH and the OT in general. And RO in the other side, uses the GL SW context to make a new story, thats really great, it may have not direct peronal influence from him, but the influence is there.

        When I say new directors are trying to figure out what George Lucas would do, Im not inventing that, JJ and Garet said it. And onestly I think Gared did a better job in making a more George Lucas-ish movie in general.

        Star War have allways been movies for kids, TPM may look much more beacuse the protagonist is a kid. I think that is one of the reasons the spinoff movies came, to explore other areas.

        • February 28, 2017 at 1:01 am
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          If you read The Making of The ESB by J.W. Rinzler, you will understand how Kershner did a bunch of things to purpose remove GL’s influence from the film. He purposely under-shot scenes so that GL was forced to go with his vision during the editing stage. GL was frustrated by this, but in the end it produced a much better movie. GL always tried to edit the scenes to his own liking, rather than respecting the director’s wishes. He basically took over many aspects of ROTJ because of his experience with ESB.

          Jar-Jar was the main kid-focused element of TPM, not “Annie”.

          • February 28, 2017 at 4:12 am
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            Re: “Jar-Jar was the main kid-focused element of TPM, not “Annie””
            I don’t really buy that. In many forms of story telling the approach is put the (intended) audience in a main character – someone (or elements of that person) they can relate to. Put themselves in their shoes.
            5yo kids weren’t thinking – “Yeah, I’m Jar Jar”… they were imagining themselves as that little boy inside a Pod Racer/spaceship.
            Jar Jar was their for chuckles, and yes…childish/juvenile chuckles… but Anakin’s age & situation was for the kids to associate with.

          • February 28, 2017 at 4:12 pm
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            Well, I take my info right from GL’s own mouth, not my opinion. He said many times that he created Jar-Jar for the kids.

          • February 28, 2017 at 6:47 pm
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            And kids, by in large, gravitate to and enjoy the character. Surprise surprise, as far as making a kids movie, Lucas, who at the time was in the middle of raising three kids on his own, was right.

          • February 28, 2017 at 7:28 pm
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            So glad to hear that you enjoy Star Wars for Kids! I don’t. And he was wrong.

      • February 28, 2017 at 4:19 am
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        Re: “TFA was based on some stuff from GL, even though it doesn’t resemble his original treatment.
        Any evidence to back this up? Genuinely curious about that comment, if it’s true.

        Everything I read says they might’ve kept some general story ideas (maybe a specific character or story element) for the final trilogy (all 3x) but not that their was some “original treatment” that they started with.

        As far as I can tell – there could be just as much or even MORE of what they kept from Lucas’ notebooks/ideas that will be used in either Ep 8 or 9 than TFA. Some character arc/plot or sub plot conclusion/etc.

        • February 28, 2017 at 2:51 pm
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          A treatment is just a starting point anyway. No movie resembles the original treatment when it is done.

        • February 28, 2017 at 5:48 pm
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          Lucas wanted the new trilogy to star teens, that is what Disney immidiately rejected.
          The female lead was Lucas’s idea though and LFL kept it. Although from the current evidence we have, we can safely assume that there was no real “Lucas treatment”, no plot or full story. Just some story fragments.

          • February 28, 2017 at 6:45 pm
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            A female lead who is supposed to be, what 19 in TFA? Yeah, good thing they tossed that awful Lucas idea about teens.

          • February 28, 2017 at 11:46 pm
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            False. In their early tventies, he said. The first was a lie spread across the internet with no proof whatsoever.

          • February 28, 2017 at 11:59 pm
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            Do you have any proof of that? I’m genuinely asking.

  • February 27, 2017 at 11:50 pm
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    I’d be totally fine with him getting a panel at Star Wars celebration. I think every one of us respects the guy and thinks he should get some praise and cheer. However, even if Lucas film wanted him back to do something I want to say he’s still really burned as a film maker to want to do that based off comments he’s had in past interviews. Maybe it’d be neat if he could work with the creative department on designs, but that’d be the extent I let him in.

    • February 28, 2017 at 2:52 am
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      Re: ” I think every one of us respects the guy and thinks he should get some praise and cheer.”

      “Every one of us” – Most definitely…nope!

      “He raped my childhood & should be flayed alive whilst being burned at the stake, inside a Sarlacc’s belly so it lasts a thousand years!!!” sounds a bit more like “most of us” around here.

      If I were Lucas I’d stay home & away from the freakish hateful fanbase & enjoy retirement.

      • February 28, 2017 at 6:31 am
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        Hateful “fanbase” are here in the internet, making noise every day, But most of the fans who actually go to conventions are other story, I´m no saying that there are not haters there, but are a minority, Haters are tiny noisy groups, compared with the actual fanbase. I think Lucas would be no less than the favorite person there, well, he and Mark Hamill.

        So I would say “most of us” is possible, even here.

        • March 1, 2017 at 1:11 am
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          Agreed. And let’s be fair, angry fans aren’t angry at Lucas for no reason. He’s been very anti-fan for a long time.

  • February 27, 2017 at 11:59 pm
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    Lucas continuously acts like some primadonna, refusing to show up on such events. Seriously, what kind of filmmaker or artist can’t take criticism to this level? It’s part of their job…
    Stanley Kubrick was nominated for a razzie for The Shining. Did he go into exile? No. He went on making Full Metal Jacket a couple of years later…

    • February 28, 2017 at 12:30 am
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      Is that true? The shining is one of the best films ever made.

      • February 28, 2017 at 12:35 am
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        Between The Shining’s Razzie and the lukewarm reception to ESB, we should all know not to trust the critics at first.

        • February 28, 2017 at 12:57 am
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          especially back in the day. i read something once about how critics thought psycho was one of the worst films hitchcock had made when it first came out. thats crazy.

          • February 28, 2017 at 12:58 am
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            I totally agree.

        • February 28, 2017 at 4:05 am
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          Re: “we should all know not to trust the critics at first”

          Truth is I’ve got my doubts about trusting critics at any time, early on they often “just don’t get it” ( / movie’s ahead of its time or breaking ground ) or they re-visit an older movie under a microscope after times have changed ( /acting / approach to scenes / outdated script or story elements ).

          Your comment about The Shining & ESB are spot-on, as well another great example is Blade Runner.
          I chuckled at the *famous* critics who bashed it early on …who later blunder around trying to come up with excuses for re-reviewing as they were so embarrassed having their poor reviews on record for the world to see. hehe 😉

          • February 28, 2017 at 4:36 am
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            Yep yep yep.

          • February 28, 2017 at 1:32 pm
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            The Shining and Blade Runner are the typical returning examples of those who disagree with the professional critics for whatever personal agenda.
            The thing is with those movies is, that they were very polarising and/or way ahead of their time. But the other 99% the critics are usually spot on, especially since the 90s-2000s.

            Todays critics are far more experienced on experimental movies are better in their approach to movies as such.
            Also, in the time of Blade Runner there were much fewer critics. I think just becuase there were wrong about a couple of very polarising movies in the 80s dosen’t mean that their opinion is worthless.

            Also, I’ve read some of the negative reviews of ESB and they came up with good points. Some for example disliked the fact that the movie has no real beginning or ending. I disagree with that criticism, but I can accept the fact that this turned down the movie for some back at the time.

        • February 28, 2017 at 3:22 pm
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          I usually take the critic’s negative review as a definitive “must-see” film.

      • February 28, 2017 at 1:39 pm
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        Yes it’s true, he was nominated for worst director. Even Stephen King openly said he disliked his adaptaion (later even made his own one). But Kubrick didn’t go into primadonna mode and didn’t go into exile like Lucas, despite the fact that Kubrick was unfairly criticised as his movies were too unusual/ahead of its time, but Lucas’s criticisms were all pretty much all valid.

        • February 28, 2017 at 2:50 pm
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          You don’t know what prima donna means. I am now convinced.

          Was Kubrick accused of raping people’s childhoods? No? Then pipe down and come up with a better comparison.

          • February 28, 2017 at 5:44 pm
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            Stephen King said similar things though…
            However, “updating” the OT was a crime against cinema and art, and the exaggerated harsh words the people used were at least great tool to raise awarness to this imo.

          • February 28, 2017 at 8:13 pm
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            I doubt King said he raped his childhood and one person versus the wall of hate Lucas got is entirely different.

            Lucas never said that. You totally misunderstood the meaning of his words and that’s an old, tired argument.

            “People who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians.”

            And what he meant was corporations changing things for money and profit when they are not the original artist. In the case of Lucas, he is the original artist doing what he feels is improving his movies.

            It’s not even remotely the same thing.

          • February 28, 2017 at 9:26 pm
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            I did not misunderstand anything. It’s you who’s projecting this false interpretation into his words. Obviously the initial topic in 1988 was about corporations colorising films made decades ago, so the original artist isn’t in the game anymore.
            But the true essence of his words also cover the original artist, (regardless of what he’s done a decade later). It dosen’t matter who destroys the art. The original creator or a faceless corporation… it dosen’t matter at all. What matters is the result.

            And also, and most importantly, Lucas is not the sole original creator of Star Wars, despite the common misconception. He just happens to be the one that got the most credit for. Dozens of outstanding artists worked hard on the project and contributed to the worldwide success, and by changing the OT he changed their work as well.

    • February 28, 2017 at 2:40 am
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      Re: “Lucas continuously acts like some primadonna, refusing to show up on
      such events. Seriously, what kind of filmmaker is so intolerant of
      criticism? ”

      Lucas is in his 70s and has been basically (/semi) retired from the business for quite some time.
      Also, in his early years he was very vocal about not being fond of mega studios/corporate side of the business.
      As well, he seems & has been reported as being rather quiet/shy & not fond of being “in the spotlight” for media events.

      Just because he might not enjoy doing something doesn’t mean he’s being a “primadonna” nor “intolerant of criticism”. He’s not obligated to show-up for things things because you/others want him to. There are many directors/creators who don’t show-up at *events* outside of just creating their works.

      I don’t understand the connection there to Kubrick & The Shining – was Kubrick famous for hating attending all the media/spotlight stuff…yet was famous for gritting his teeth & showing up at fan-fest events?

      Methinks people read way too much of their personal-Lucas-hate into things & *project* onto the man.
      He’s in his 70s & ~retired. Why not just leave him alone & don’t jump at every opportunity to call him names & lob unfounded criticism at that man?

      • February 28, 2017 at 1:19 pm
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        Lucas isn’t in his 70s for that long… He’s only 72.
        The guy is incredibly intolerant of criticism. That is why he went into exile, not becuase he is old or shy. He self admittedly stopped using the internet since 1999 (!) to avoid criticism of the prequels.
        In the 2015 (!!!!!) interview to VanityFair he said he dosen’t want to direct the new SW because:
        “You go to make a movie and all you do is get criticized”

        The Kubrick connection was there to show how some filmmakers got unfairly criticised (unlike with Lucas where most of the criticism is perfectly valid) and still went on with his vision and continued to pursue his work, unlike Lucas who went into exile to avoid criticism.

        Methinks people read way too much of their personal Lucas-fanboysim into things & *project* onto anone that criticises him.

        • February 28, 2017 at 2:49 pm
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          I think you are forgetting the level of hatred directed his way after the prequels.

          And not using the Internet makes him smarter than us. I have many issues with him, but your comment is ignorant of his character and career.

          • February 28, 2017 at 5:39 pm
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            See: My last paragraph from the comment you responded.

          • February 28, 2017 at 8:15 pm
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            I disagree. The internet is a place of dumb people and dumb things and people that do without it are smarter and happier.

            I have no fanboyism of Lucas. I will gladly tell you exactly what he has done wrong and right. But your initial comment was also projecting quite a bit, so pot…kettle.

          • February 28, 2017 at 9:17 pm
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            There are some people like yourself who tend to see everyone except them as dumb, especially on the internet. I disagree with this world view.
            The internet is just a tool. If you filter out the sewer, you can utilise it better than any other source of information imo.

            And to be fair I’m not projecting anything onto anything. I just tend to be more critical towards Lucas since his deeds in the last two decades. But I can also gladly list you the things he’s done right.

          • February 28, 2017 at 9:23 pm
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            There are some people who don’t understand hyperbolic humor, like you. I don’t think everyone is dumb, but such a statement is so obvious it blows my mind I have to actually say it.

            I may disagree with people around here a lot, but I always try to respectful, reasonable and I always say we can agree to disagree.

            If such acts mean I think everyone but myself is dumb, then that’s how you choose to see it.

            Not projecting?

            “The guy is incredibly intolerant of criticism”

            “That is why he went into exile”

            That’s your projection of him. It had nothing to do with criticism. It was hateful, personal attacks. There is a vast difference there. He’s been getting criticism his entire career. He never got anything like what the internet did after the prequels.

            To couch it as “intolerant of criticsm” and why he went into exile (he has always been a very private, reclusive person, (as anyone who has followed his career knows) is entirely false.

          • February 28, 2017 at 9:46 pm
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            I also can’t believe I have to explain this, but I did not mean literally thinking about everyone else as dumb. Just as a general bad attitude/conclusion to different opinions.

            And again, I did not project anything into anything.

            “The guy is incredibly intolerant of criticism”
            An absolutely true conclusion based on what Lucas himself said and did. The reason why he went into exile and stopped making films has most to do with his intolerance of criticism and not age or shyness (which of course played their part as well).

          • March 1, 2017 at 3:06 pm
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            I have no problem with different opinions. But are stating incorrect facts. That, I have an issue with.
            You projected, dude, and are basically making up your own narrative that has no semblance of the truth, by cherry picking certain quotes and using them as support.

            We are done here. Good day.

          • March 1, 2017 at 4:37 pm
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            So typical. Can’t refute my argument and declaring “we are done”… Why did you waste my time then if you can’t even bring up an argument? Typical PT fanboy.

          • March 1, 2017 at 5:40 pm
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            I brought up an argument several times and you ignore it for your own narrative which is not fact based. You claim to be inside George’s head and why he retired. That he is intolerant of criticism. That he retired and went into exile because of criticism. All wrong. All false. All projections of your own ideas of what George’s motives are.

            Rather than come up with up with new arguments, you simply repeat them and deny you are projecting (forgetting that your insight into his thinking is projecting by definition).

            So that tells me I am wasting my time here. After I refuted your argument several times.

            Then you call me a PT fanboy, which is so hilarious. Anyone who knows me knows that I am the farthest thing from a fanboy of those missed opportunities.

            Do I enjoy them? Yes.

            Do I think they are objectively good movies? No.

            I am the one on here who is constantly telling the real PT fanboys that LFL and Disney are not erasing the PT or trying to ignore it. Over and over.

            The one who tells people who say “If Battlefront 2 doesn’t have Clones, I am out” to grow up and that they had a decade of PT games and it’s okay to take a break.

            So clearly you

            1. Know nothing about me (it’s real easy to see my comment history)
            2. Know nothing about George Lucas
            3. Are a waste of time

            We are now truly done here. Thanks for playing. Find some facts next time and then we can talk.

          • March 1, 2017 at 7:50 pm
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            Actually, what the man said is ‘you make some movies, then people attack you personally on the internet. Who needs it?’. He didn’t say anything about criticism, or critics. He was talking about asshats who let the anonymity of the internet make them feel they are justified making particularly vile personal attacks against someone they don’t know.

          • February 28, 2017 at 9:47 pm
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            He wanted to be with his new wife and adopted baby.

    • February 28, 2017 at 10:49 am
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      He showed up to the LA and London premieres of TFA.

      Just saying…

    • February 28, 2017 at 2:48 pm
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      He has been to Celebration before. He retired. Why does that make him a prima donna?

      Lucas has always been a very private person.

    • February 28, 2017 at 3:26 pm
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      He’s a Taurus, Don’t ever marry one. The end.

      • February 28, 2017 at 5:27 pm
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        lmao!!

    • February 28, 2017 at 6:40 pm
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      For the past decade and a half he’s been the target of a vocal segment of people who act like he owes them something. Their attacks have ranged from completely dismissing him creatively, going so far as to say everyone involved with his films BUT him are the reason they succeeded, to comparing him to a pedophile and rapist. That’s entitled, insane, rabid bullshit from emotionally stunted basement dwelling losers. Fuck them, and seriously, fuck ANYONE who thinks that kind of personal abuse over some mediocre pew-pew movies is legitimate ‘criticism’.

      • February 28, 2017 at 9:36 pm
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        So do you think the fans who bought the crappy merchandise, thus making Lucas a billionarie are not allowed to say anything, but bunnies and lollipops?
        Also, this might sound suprising to you, but when people said Lucas raped their childhoods they did not mean it literally. Just harsh use of words to harsh deeds.
        And Star Wars is not a mediocre pew-pew to many people.

        • March 1, 2017 at 3:10 pm
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          Everyone is entitled to speak their mind, even though some go over the top. However it doesn’t always make it right to do so and expect no comeback. We don’t know what effect those comments have had on him, but take a look at Jake Lloyd who’s life isn’t going great and he was a child actor that was torn apart. The blame for him being Anakin and his performance belonged to GL, but no, the fans had to blame him as well.

          • March 1, 2017 at 4:33 pm
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            To be honest, judging from the interviews Lloyd gave, his childhood wasn’t necessarily ruined because of the angry PT haters, but much rather because of fame. Happened to many other people in Hollywood as well…

          • March 1, 2017 at 6:15 pm
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            ok – can well believe that as well, but I doubt comments on his performance didn’t have an effect as well, maybe he just doesn’t want to admit it.

          • March 1, 2017 at 7:31 pm
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            They certainly did, but when this question is brought up I usually ask how those hateful comments even got to him?
            I mean, it happened before the online film criticism became mainstream…
            Or did the PT haters actually went to him and insulted him personally? If so, than it was indeed a terrible thing to do.

          • March 1, 2017 at 7:44 pm
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            Yeah, surprise, they did. Lucas has recounted times he was confronted by angry nerds at appearances, and angry nerds have (proudly) recounted times they ‘stuck it to’ Lucas in person. The man, for whatever faults he has as a film maker, has been subjected to an absurd level of vitriol over the years. This isn’t ‘you made a shitty movie that doesn’t hew closely enough to the source material!!!’, this is ‘you are a horrible person, your films are shit, you raped my childhood, you’re a hack, stealing credit for other people’s work, you fat, sack of crap sell out’. For literally years on end. Without ceasing, even after the man stopped making movies and sold his company. I double down on my ‘fuck anyone who thinks ‘you raped my childhood!’ is legitimate film criticism.

          • March 1, 2017 at 7:46 pm
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            Maybe read the comment before posting… That conversation was about Jake Lloyd and not Lucas.

          • March 1, 2017 at 7:54 pm
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            It’s a long stream, descending all from an initial comment about Lucas, so you’ll just have to find it in your heart to excuse that mistake then.

          • March 1, 2017 at 8:42 pm
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            Maybe hate mail? But then it should of been filtered as well.

            Still if it hasn’t affected him we should be thankful. Though I still say criticism of his acting in TPM even if now directed at him as an adult is pretty low.

          • March 2, 2017 at 12:07 am
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            Well I also hope it wasn’t the PT haters who ruined his childhood. In the interviews he gave (at least to me) it rather seemed that he was blaming fame and not the “critics”.

            I’m not a fan of the prequels myself, and shared my part in criticising it, but I never blamed Jake Lloyd’s performance… It’s not even that bad. The Tatooine parts are ok, and the Naboo battle in the end is just stupid writing, not a bad performance. Seriously, a real kid (regardless of the force) who’d “accidentally” fly a ship into a battle in a ship he’d never even seen before (in fact he’s probably never even seen anything, but the desert of Tatooine) would scream and cry like a baby and die in less than 5 minutes…
            Not even Daniel Day Lewis can fix a script like this.

          • March 2, 2017 at 9:02 pm
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            True but his method acting for the part would be worth watching all on its own.

        • March 1, 2017 at 7:39 pm
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          You don’t really understand ‘comparing’ as a verb, do you?

  • February 28, 2017 at 3:59 am
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    BOOM director of third anthology film.

  • February 28, 2017 at 5:21 am
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    I hope he writes and directs one of the side films. Something really outrageous.

    • February 28, 2017 at 5:29 am
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      I can’t “upvote” only one half of your comment. 😉 hehe

      Like the idea of Lucas directing a stand-alone “story” movie…but not confident I’d want something that I’d consider *outrageous* from Lucas.

      • February 28, 2017 at 6:35 pm
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        Something that wasn’t afraid to break the SW mold? Something that had some central ideas it wanted to explore? Even if it turned out awful I would wholeheartedly support this.

    • March 1, 2017 at 1:06 am
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      Please no.

      The Jar-Jar movie would end in catastrophe.

    • March 1, 2017 at 2:50 pm
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      I would like him to be part of one. A producer, perhaps working on the screen play with someone else and hand picking the director, hands on editing of the film. His strength has always been with overseeing the making of it rather than the nuts and bolts. In my mind anyway.

    • March 2, 2017 at 10:20 am
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      Never gonna happen

  • February 28, 2017 at 3:30 pm
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    What with Ford nearly killing hundreds of people and other senior citizen celebs losing their marbles publicly as of late, Lucas has really shown how smart he was in retiring when he realized that the creativit he used to create his creative empire was no longer there. He’ll always remain a controversial figure long as he lives but like his friends Micheal Jackson and Steve Jobs before him, Soon as he dies he will be a respected icon again.

    • February 28, 2017 at 3:33 pm
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      I don’t think Lucas himself is as bad as Jackson/Jobs in terms of having an antagonistic personality, I just think he’d be a very difficult person to work for like most Taurus are. His legacy will stand forever though which is really what counts in the end.

      • March 1, 2017 at 1:04 am
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        You had me until the fancy Greek moon symbols.

    • February 28, 2017 at 5:07 pm
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      …that’s not why he retired. That’s something you just made up.

    • February 28, 2017 at 7:53 pm
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      “Soon as he dies he will be a universally respected icon again.”
      .
      A depressing comment on a vocal segment of the more ignorant, vitriolic SW fans, but this much is true.

      • March 1, 2017 at 4:55 pm
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        That’s rather too harsh.

        • March 1, 2017 at 6:42 pm
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          Nope. When rabid losers compare you to a pedophile and a rapist because they didn’t like some movies you made, it’s absolutely apt to describe them as such.

    • February 28, 2017 at 9:57 pm
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      Steve Jobs was more respected when he was alive in my opinion. Nowadays I usually find rather bashing articles and comments about him.

  • February 28, 2017 at 5:13 pm
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    Sure celebrate him. Let him announce the release of the original trilogy in its original state on blu-ray. Oh wait…

  • March 1, 2017 at 6:49 am
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    If GL isn’t there I’m not going to be there. Well even if he was I’m still not going to be there, It’s not that I’m Star Trek fan or anything. I mean Star Trek is cool too, but not as cool as Star Wars. I don’t have any plans that weekend, but if I went then I would. I guess it comes down to I just didn’t buy any tickets. May the Force of others be you for those who read this in its entirety. Live life and prosper. #GeorgeShouldBeThere

  • March 1, 2017 at 2:48 pm
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    I think its only right they ask him to be up there, but I don’t think he has any obligation to say yes. I hope that he goes and is part of a 40th anniversary panel. That would be cool to see. I’ll always be thankful for George Lucas because, faults and all, I love all 6 of his Star Wars films.

  • March 2, 2017 at 10:14 am
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    He doesn’t “need to be” on the Celebration. People are quick to forget that he sold the franchise. Sure, he can be a valuable guest with vip tag, but that’s about it. It’s unreal to expect him on every major Star Wars event, especially now when there are more and more of them every year.

  • March 2, 2017 at 6:02 pm
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    Praise The Maker!

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