The Old Greats, Vanished?

In creating the Classic Trilogy Lucas hired a few people who shaped star wars forever.

LAWRENCE KASDAN---
Wrote the screen plays for Empire, Jedi and Raiders of the Lost Ark. His writing ablity is amazing and he made the films so much better than they were. Instead of Jonathan Hales why did lucas not hire him for the prequels. They could have been better with his help.

RALF MCQUARRIE---
Was an artist who really came up with the visual style of the films. He illustrated all of the characters, droids, planets and cities. His skills were amazing and much better than Doug Chaing. Why is Ralf not working on the prequels?

GARY KURTZ---
Was the producer of the films. Now his contributions to Star Wars are debatable but I know one thing he is a whole lot better than Rick McCallim ever will be.


Where are all the greats that worked on the Classics. Why did Lucas not hire them for the prequels. I know Kasdan is alive and well cause he is in the Bonus Features of Indiana Jones.

Seldon

 

What's wrong with Rick McCallum. I challenge you to give me an intelectual and serious reply.

 

*BOOM BOOM BOOM*

AHHH it's AdamBertocci! he is in a rage! someone dissed McCallum!!!!

 

I'm sure that Lucas did his best to get them. They may have been unavailable or unwilling, etc.

 

Ralph McQuarrie is in his seventies,and is retired,and had a stroke a few years back,IIRC. He pretty much handed the torch to Doug Chiang,as it were.

 

I believe Lawrence Kasdan is more interested in directing. I was very disappointed that he wasn't going to be involved in the PT. Without him, I think ESB would have been a much different movie.

I bet Kasdan would have made some great contributions to the PT.

 

I thought Kurtz and Lucas had a fallout, which might've contributed to why he was not chosen to work on the PTs.

It would be great to keep continuity with the original crew, but some things are out of Lucas's control.

 

What's wrong with Rick McCallum. I challenge you to give me an intelectual and serious reply.

He loves too much, right Adam?

 

I believe Kasdan was asked to help on TPM and turned down the offer, wanting it to be GL's show.

 

GL should have called me....i sent letters...sniff....

WHY IS THERE ONE MINUTE POSTS? IT'S ANNOYING

 

McCallum is a "yes man", plain and simple. He's unwilling, or incapable of challenging Lucas artistically on anything.

 

McCallum is a "yes man", plain and simple. He's unwilling, or incapable of challenging Lucas artistically on anything.

How do you know that?

I believe Lucas asked both Kasdan and Frank Darabont to work on the PT but both turned him down. I'm not sure about Kasdan's opinion but Darabont has had nothing but praise for the prequels.

Lucas and Kurtz' professional falling out gets discussed around here every so often. From what I've read here, they had creative differences and Lucas was upset about ESB going over budget.

 

In my opinion its not McCallums job to challenge George. Just as it wasn't Kurtzs job either. They're producers, not writers.

 

Producers do have a creative and active part in the making of a movie though. They even take charge of secondary camera units in movies!

 

Lucas and Kurtz had a falling out.
from what I know anyway.

A producer may have nothing to do with the story. But he deals with the company, actors, actresses and everyone else involved. You need someone qualified and someone who knows what they are doing. In the opinion of me (the only opinion that really matters) McCallium is an idiot and should not work on any film.

SELDON

 

And yet McCallum has managed to get both prequels under budget and the Episode III principle photography wrapped ahead of schedule. Since the producer is the one in charge of managing the budget and coordinating the schedule, I'd say that makes him a fine producer.

And just because you don't happen to like the prequels, Zethlin_Maximus, doesn't make McCallum a "yes-man".

 

I do like the prequels.
But not as much as the classics.

This is not a debate about McCallium.
This is not a debate over what a producer does. If you are unsure of what to talk about read the first post again.

SELDON

 

McCallum: Yes sir! Yes sir! Yes sir! Three bags full sir?! Want to make a movie about a turd and call it a Star Wars movie, sir? YEEES, SIR!!!

Cheep = Nasty. A rushed job = A botched job.

Just because a film has a name such as "Star Wars" attached to it, GL seems to think he can make any old crap (Jar-Jar Binks and loads of badly thought out ***te dialogue) and take it for granted that we'll all accept it because it's "Star Wars". Well, at least with McCallum, he wont have someone who'll argue the point that GL is simply no good at writing movie scripts.

 

>>>>What's wrong with Rick McCallum. I challenge you to give me an intelectual and serious reply.

As nobody's bothered to actually answer this question, I'd like to offer another-

What evidence do you have that McCallum is a "yes-man"?

 

Why do people interview the guy if he has absolutely no say in what's made? Why do people interview him if his job is simply a money and schedule man? Why is it that, in the making of documentaries on the DVDs, McCallum talks about what's coming up in the future episodes as if he's got a creative part in what's going to be made? Why does he seem to agree with everything Lucas comes up with?

 

Perhaps because he and Lucas are on the same page?

No matter the reason, please stop this McCallum/Lucas bashing. This is a thread about why the OT crew were not hired, and I don't see on any OT crew lists the name of Rick McCallum.

If anyone has a problem with the PT, McCallum or Lucas, take it elsewhere. This thread was not designed to bash any of those three.

 

>>>>If anyone has a problem with the PT, McCallum or Lucas, take it elsewhere. This thread was not designed to bash any of those three.

Well, if you look at the actual questions in the opening thread, it seems that this thread is about the prequels;

Instead of Jonathan Hales why did lucas not hire him for the prequels

His skills were amazing and much better than Doug Chaing. Why is Ralf not working on the prequels?

Where are all the greats that worked on the Classics. Why did Lucas not hire them for the prequels.

 

Yes, you got me there. I however meant PT bashing.

 

I don't bash for bashing sake. I'm just stating that a lot of what's been done with the PT is childish un-coordinated crud! If I thought that the PT was great, then I'd say so, and I'd give McCallum and Lucas the praise they deserved. I'm just being a mature film critic, that's all.

 

mature



Says the guy who posted:

McCallum: Yes sir! Yes sir! Yes sir! Three bags full sir?! Want to make a movie about a turd and call it a Star Wars movie, sir? YEEES, SIR!!!

Yeah, I'm sure every "mature" critic says things like that. And I'm sure mature film critics post accusations without proof all the time. BTW, judging from your statement "Cheep = Nasty. A rushed job = A botched job." you seem to think that being under budget and ahead of schedule is a bad thing. I'd hate to see you in charge of any projects!

Why does he seem to agree with everything Lucas comes up with?

Gee, maybe because he actually like Lucas' ideas? Believe it or not, not everyone agrees with you! Many of us actually like what GL is doing!

OK, E_V, I'm quite done here. I'll get back on topic.

Kasdan - I've stated what I've heard up there. Anyone else want to back me up on this?

McQuarrie - From an interview with him on www.ralphmcquarrie.com: "I was going to work on Episode One and I went over to see what they were working on and they had Doug Chiang and four or five other people working on it. I told George I don't think I have a thing to add on to what these guys are doing. They were really hitting it right on where it should be. I told him I would have to skip it this time. Let them do it."

Kurtz - The infamous "falling-out" story, of which there are probably as many versions as there are people telling the story. The common story is that they had their differences, and parted company. There are plenty of threads around here where people have debated the details.