Did Lucas and the SW trilogy destroy filmmaking?

The real culprit was the 80's
That's about it...I think GL was the first to give audiences something to cheer for (at the movies) The typical 1970's sci-fi was full of dark outlooks on the future (Vietnam and Cold War themes) And I think GL was the first person to make a movie audiences coul go see, and feel good about something afterwards. Sure, they were wearing those stupid bell-bottom pants...but if Luke Skywalker could get a kiss from a hot Princess, there was hope (who knew?)

As for the marketing aspect of Lucas' creations...I'm sick of fans complaining about "money hungry GL" milking the hard-working fans for every penny. First off, he has every right to profit from anything related to his copyrighted material...and second, if eing very smart (on the buisness side of things) allows GL the creative freedom to make Episode III (and the previous prequels) the way he wants to...without having to give in to a bunch ofstudio mogul types.

(copy/paste here) If you let Hollywood influence the prequels...you'd have Tom Green as Jar Jar Binks (running around like the moron he is)...the jedi council would consist of half the cast of American Pie...and the lightsaber fight betwen Obi-Wan and Anakin (that we all knowis coming) would look as fake as Neo/Smith(s) in Matrix Reloaded(end copy/paste)

And THAT...would "destroy filmmaking"

 

George Luca$ is rich and the only reason he can live like a potato and sit back in his fat duff without making a new movie idea in 25 years is because people like me put money in his pocket! George Luca$ works for US!! He provides a service to which pay conpensation for. If that service is unacceptable or unsatisfactory we, as his employees, have every reason to complain.


George Luca$ has embraced the life of a sell-out because, I suspect, he is afraid we'll know that he really is not that great of a filmaker. Let's look at his career: his first movie "American Graffiti" (1973) was all right...it then took him 4 years to create Star Wars (1977). After the Star Wars trilogy ended in 83 with Jedi he made Howard the Duck (1984) (insert own joke here). His next movie? A remake of Star Wars!! in 1997!! What exactly was he doing between 1984 and 1997? Did it take him that long to write the prequels? It sure doesn't show it...Basically in 30 years, George Luca$ has only done one good thing and has milked it for all its worth. Action figures, comic books, soundtrack CDs with different covers, condoms, pregnancy tests...you name it George Luca$ has stuck the name Star Wars in it. The man is a money-making machine. The sad thing is, he should be a movie-making machine.

 

QUEEN, were you planning to have ANY of your post relate to the topic at hand?
Do you have a point to make about the state of the moviemaking industry today and how Lucas may or may have not contributed to it, or do you just want to post dollar signs? Because I don't see anything in your post that actually talks about this topic. I see a bash of Lucas and his career... for things that have NOTHING to do with the industry as a whole or the questions being raised by myself and our fellow posters, and thus are ridiculously off-topic.
(Also, you neglected to mention THX-1138, and, since you got into his producing career with Howard the Duck, you forgot to mention (for starters!!!) Indiana Jones, Body Heat and Radioland Murders. Maybe you should learn a little bit more about what people do before you talk about them NOT making movies.)



ANYWAY.

I'm hearing a lot of people use the argument that moviemaking trends are largely due to the audience who pays for the product. To an extent, I agree. But of course people who argue against evil Hollywood blame their movies -- and blame movies like SW -- for "dumbing us down". So it's a vicious circle -- to some.

That said, I really commend ophelia for writing an excellent post that went above and beyond.

Of course we're all SW fans and few of us are going to 'blame' that little old ANH movie for anything, but we gotta get to the heart of this, huh?



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

Lucas is a movie making machine. While he wasn't coming up with new Lucas led films, he was running several companies that pioneered the way we see movies today. Just as with his THX standard way back when, he is literally carrying the entire film industry, kicking and screaming, into the digital age.

Sure he makes money, but that's only because he makes great movies. He made SW movies, and people like us bought the related figures. That doesn't mean he has to answer to any one of us.

Some of us don't like the newer movies, but there are enough of us who do like it, that the rest simply don't matter.

You can complain, you can decide to not buy any new SW merchandise, but Lucas doesn't have to care about that.

In his own words, if you don't like them, you don't have to see them.

 

QUEEN_LEIA is a hack. I'm convinced that this poster is a sock for some basher who trolls any thread s/he can find.

Now for the moment of truth QUEEN_LEIA, if that is your real posting name.

Come up with some original material, other wise you are just a cut and paster, even GL doesn't do it as obviously as you do.

If any of you have been to the post you would have noticed that she cut and past this "thought."
http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=13265102&start=13466315

Your thoughts are boring and have no insite, you are a very bitter person and if George Lucas is such a loser, you need to remove yourself from these forums.

We like George Lucas, you obviously find fault with a man would could easily mow you down. However, he makes you look like a bafoon because you have paid your money to see his failures.

He can fail all he wants, can you be as influential as him?

 

You're right.I copy and pasted my thought from one thread to this thread because they are both similar topic and I didn't feel like rewriting my intellectual post all over again, is this even a crime.I've seen poster do this all the time.

JediknightOB1,please calm down, take a deep breathe.Okay feeling better now it only constructive criticism after all we all can't like everybody now can we.

 

I don't think that SW destroyed filmmaking. Rather, it was a definite catalyst for the blockbuster and franchise system that we have today and that has enabled movies like LOTR and The Matrix to be made and provide a lot of diversity that moviegoers can choose from. And speaking of digital, Lucas, regardless of what your opinion of the new movies are, has enabled more filmmakers to make their movies via the cheaper digital format.

 

Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola famously lent their "support" (which I think in this case means connections and possibly financial backing) to Godfrey Reggio as he was making "Koyaanisqatsi" back in 1982.

"Koyaanisqatsi" is pretty much the quintessential cutting-edge (for the time) low-budget art film. It doesn't even have dialogue, much less action figures. ::Briefly imagines wilting flower cup-toppers at Taco Bell. Yep, I'd buy that.::

You may or may not have seen "Koyaanisqatsi," but if you've watched those "inspirational" Nike ads or old-school MTV, you've seen its influence. Nobody's heard of Reggio, but he's huge.

Adam Bertocci:

Edit: On a related yet still totally irrelevant note--you can sing Adam's name to the opening track of "Koyaanisqatsi."

<Deepest voice in the universe>Adam Bertocci . . . Adam Bertocci . . ."
</Deepest voice in the universe>

I don't know what made me think of that.

 

And speaking of digital, Lucas, regardless of what your opinion of the new movies are, has enabled more filmmakers to make their movies via the cheaper digital format.

Wow, perfectly stated. IIRC, I don't think you liked the PT so far which is fine. But your statement represents yet another way Lucas has stayed ahead of the curve. He was doing it with the CT in its own way, and he's doing it again now in a new way.

 

The original argument here is rediculous. Star Wars is based off sci fi serials from the 1930's. FX-heavy fantasy tales have been popular since the beginning of cinema. The 50 and 60's were oversaturated with fx-ladden sci fi films, and they were all very sloppily made, as they are infamous for. During the time when great classics like To Kill A Mocking Bird, Lawrence of Arabia, Sunset Blvd and Cool Hand Luke were being made, films like Escape From Planet of the Apes, Godzilla vs King Kong and Earth vs The Flying Saucers were being produced. Films that were based upon big FX (that werent convincing) and featuring shallow characters (that werent convincing). Star Wars was a revolution in the sense that it brought convincing characters and convincing FX and placed them in a tale that was epic and thrilling enough to touch the young and old alike.

Star Wars is not the same type of film as the Godfather and its not supposed to be. You're comparing apples and oranges. Compare Star Wars to other fantasy-scifi films of the time; the only one worth mentioning really is the original Planet of the Apes, and even then you cant even begin to compare with Star Wars.

And the first Summer Blockbuster film was Jaws. So credit Speilberg with creating the 'big' summertime action films.

 

as far as i am concerned for those who think SW/lucas destroyed filmmaking, well they can go on a boat and go right to hell as far as i am concerned. a lot of these people are so jealous it just makes me sick. if these people especially the media think this then the hell with them. lets see them write a movie, direct a movie. or even better run an entire company, i guarantee you they could not do it if their lives depended on it.

 

There were garbage movies long before Star Wars, the only thing Star Wars is responsible for is revolutionizing behind the scenes making of a movie stuff, not the actual movie itself.

 

it only constructive criticism after all
I was under the impression that "constructive criticism" had the goal of offering support, not simple trashing every little thing related to the subject.

George Lucas' work on SW has opened the world of filmmaking to new technologies, that many would never had dreamed of. Many people whine about GL's financial success from SW (and all his buisness ventures) but the fact of the matter is...he earned every piece of it.

Star Wars is not the same type of film as the Godfather and its not supposed to be.
That's a bold statement, actually...THIS IS A BOLD STATEMENT (sorry )
Actually, I think while of a differnet genre, "Star Wars" is very much of the same calibur of movie as "The Godfather"...both very good movies with deep characters and plotlines. Many people look at only what they consider the flaws of SW, but the continuing popularity of SW seems to point towards it a timeless classic!

 

Usually when something is extremly well done you find yourself looking for the flaws as you do not believe that anything could be as good/perfect as the something in question.

And you are right about constructive criticism haveing the purpose of bettering the thing that is being critisised.

SBC

 

No.

 

No. Starting in the mid 1980's
Blockbuster video, cheap vcr's and direct to video movies started the decline of movies.
People blame George Lucas and Star Wars cause they seemed to happen at the same time.
So VCR'S, Blockbuster,and direct to video movies destroyed filmmaking.

 

Anyone who says SW ruined the "character-driven film" obviously is A) a moron B) hasn't seen the film, or C) all of the above. SW is a very spiritual, character-driven film. It's far "smarter" in that sense than Kubrick's own 2001.

 

First of all... Before Jaws- summer was considered a "dead" time for the movies.

It was a popular belief that Summer was the worse time for moives because everyone was out having fun. During the winter times, when people wanted to stay indoors-was considered the "hot" time for movies.

Lucas and Spielberg changed that with Jaw and Star Wars. Memorial Day is unnoficially considered George Lucas day. It is the start of the movie season.

Lucas and Spielberg also proved that feel good movies could make money. Lucas proved that special effects can be done well and made a buisness out of it. He is ALSO the leading Independant Movie maker in America.

Lucas was also a shrewed buisnesman in realizing that marketing, tie-ins and promotions could bring in as much money, if not more money than the film itself. He also kept the RIGHTS to Star Wars.

It is because of Lucas and Spielberg that Multiplexes came into existence, that a better sound system was put in place.

But above all-Lucas reminded people that going to the movies could be fun.

 

Memorial Day is unnoficially considered George Lucas day.

Somehow I don't think I'd like to be a war veteran and read that.



ANYWAY
For the sake of argument/discussion, IS there anyone out there on these boards who thinks SW is to blame for the state of Hollywood today? I know I've got a tough room for that sort of thing here, but...



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

(one month or so later), UP. Refer to my last post, still wanna hear an answer.



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

CyHunter
Registered: Oct 03
Date Posted: 10/14 6:09pm Subject: RE: Did Lucas and the SW trilogy destroy filmmaking?
SW is a very spiritual, character-driven film. It's far "smarter" in that sense than Kubrick's own 2001.



CY, if you don't think 2001 is spiritual, your powers of observation are in SERIOUS doubt. Even Kubrick, who didn't talk about his films very much, allowed that the God concept was at the heart of the film.

And for all the usual talk of 2001 being w/o any characters, the conflicting motivations behind HAL9000's actions make the middle section of 2001 extremely character-driven. And I can't look at the scene between Floyd and the Russians without flashing on uncomfortable conversations I've been trapped in -- THAT is the hallmark of charcter-driven storytelling, the moment when you realize, "I know that feeling."

 

from: DarthLeia
Registered: Oct 02
Date Posted: 10/14 5:31pm Subject: RE: Did Lucas and the SW trilogy destroy filmmaking?
No. Starting in the mid 1980's
Blockbuster video, cheap vcr's and direct to video movies started the decline of movies.
People blame George Lucas and Star Wars cause they seemed to happen at the same time.
So VCR'S, Blockbuster,and direct to video movies destroyed filmmaking.


But the push to do stuff using CG -- which GL led -- caused the standard for image quality to be reduced.

2K imagery, not even the equal of 16mm film, has become the norm for fx work and has even become acceptable for live-action once it has been scanned, so we're being forced to swallow images that are only a shadow on the quality of original 35mm (and in the case of AOTC, we're not even getting good quality live-action to start with, since he is shooting digital.)

So you can not only push the argument that GL and SW helped push the dumbing down of movies, but also that he has lowered the bar on visuals, possibly to a greater degree than he helped raise it earlier.

 

Yes, George Lucas is the anti-christ. I've trying to kill him for years but the little bugger won't stand still.