Full Series Walter Murch directing a Clone Wars episode! Awesome!

I can't be the only film nerd that is totally excited for this. If you have ever read his books, especially In the Blink of an Eye it is some of the most compelling writing about film ever. I love that Lucas is getting some of his old collaborators like Dwayne Dunham to direct these episodes

 

That is brilliant, totally unexpected news.
I hope he'll edit his episode as well.

 

That's awesome. Going back to a 1977 Rolling Stone interview, it was always George's intention to just sit back and let his director friends have fun with the Star Wars universe while he produced. Obviously, for several reasons (Directors' Guild issues and disagreements with ESB collaborators)that never transpired. I love it when a plan comes together!

 

I am really excited for this, and a little surprised it's not getting more attention. My Editing instructor is a huge Clone Wars fan, and he almost jumped for joy when I told him the news. "Return to Oz" is really interesting and a massive breach from the original, so I am really interested to see how Murch handles a Star Wars story.

Not to mention his status as legendary among film editors.

 

I didn't know who he was until Return to Oz was mentioned, and now I am horrified at the prospect of him going anywhere near Star Wars. Both Wizard of OZ and Star Wars are positive stories rooted in fantasy. If this Walter Murch dude could turn WoO into a bleak, freaky horror movie, I don't even begin to think what he could do to SW.

Watching Return to Oz did horrors to my childhood. Childrens movies should not have talking severed heads. I watched that movie once when I was four and had nightmares about it until I was at least eight.

 

To be fair, Star Wars is plenty dark when it wants to be. And who's to say the story he is directing isn't a light one? "Return to Oz" was tonally very different than the original, sure, but there is validation in how well it was brought to the screen.

 

Haha same here, all the way from not knowing who we were talking about till RtO was mentioned to being totally freaked out by the movie as a kid. The one place I'm not with you is that I think this is an awesome prospect! The more serioues elements in Star Wars the better, in my view.

 

I'm not saying I don't want serious, I just don't want severed heads and wheelers.

My point is basically that RtO, while marketed to young children, could easily freak out a grown adult. My main concern is that Murch will not embody the spirit of SW in his work.

In all fairness, though, I have never seen any other example of his work. For all I know, Return to Oz could have just been a fluke. I'm skeptical of how his episode will turn out, but as always I'll wait and see.

 

Idunno, that's exactly why I'm excited about this! An episode of The Clone Wars that freaky and horrific would have to be awesome. I think the current Dathomir arc is actually a great example of how you can have a horror-feel without it being arbitrary and killing the Star Wars-feel. Although you're absolutely right that he could shoot himself in the foot by totally abandoning a Star Wars vibe for something else. I guess we'll just have to wait and see!

 

While I agree that Return to Oz had a lot that terrified me (continues to, in fact), I still felt like Murch captured the magic of Oz while also degrading it to this post-apocalyptic zone, inhabited by a familiar spirit tainted by darkness and war. That's the power I want to feel in Clone Wars, and if he manages to capture even one fiber of that in his episode, I'll be happy. Sometimes I think the Clone Wars are much too "fun" for their own good.

 

I once saw Return to Oz. To this day I still can't fully understand it, though it was actually very imaginative. A clockwork punching robot, a flying bed, an evil mountain, and roller skating clownsuit minions...or something. And a killer desert. Wonder if any of those might put in an appearance. XD

 

I don't remember why, but I definitely recall seeing part of this as a kid and running from the room in terror. From what exactly, I don't remember. I think I had gotten a Neverending Story vibe from the film, only... darker... and freakier.

 

Return to Oz scared people? Talking heads.. Well, remember the first one had a huge, mean, green one with flames spurting around it.

Anyway, this sounds interesting. I liked Return to Oz. As koonfan said, it's a very imaginative movie, and it had very good, creative effects.

 

Same here. I beat the dust about halfway in.

 

Great news. Really excited for this.

 

Calling it now: Spielberg directing one episode sometime!
Well, if he doesn't have anything else to do that day. One can hope.

 

This is some of the coolest news for this show yet. I just hope he gets a chance at some weighty material for his episode and has some input into the scripting and editing.

The man is a legend.

 

A legend? I have absolutely NO idea who this man is.

 

Spielberg was involved in Band of Brothers and the Pacific. It would be great to see him do a clone centric arc that reflects these two miniseries

 

Just a sampling of this mans credits(in various capacities):

Apocalypse Now
The Godfather Part 2
American Graffiti
The Unbearable Lightness of Being
The Right Stuff
The English Patient


and those barely scratch the surface of this man's contributions in the areas of sound and editing.

He was also an uncredited writer for The Black Stallion.

He's worked the most over the years with Francis Coppola and Phil Kaufman.

 

Man, this sounds promising. Here's hoping they're not pitching him one of those mediocre scripts.









I'm not even being sarcastic.

 

No, it's true. I think it's a pity that ALL of TCW stories now come from George Lucas. Don't get me wrong, I love that he's so involved with this series, but I would prefer it if he contributed with just some of his most important concepts and let other writers come up with some original tales under his guidance. What can Walter Murch do if he's stuck with one of GL's less-than-stellar ideas like "I really want to see where that poisoned tea originally came from!".

 

lol

That would be a real shame.

No I agree with you. I would love it if Murch went to Lucas and said "you know George, I've known you for a long time and I've had this idea for a SW story I've wanted to do forever." And then Lucas let him adapt it to the CW format. That would be terrific.

I highly doubt that's what happened. I'm sure it's what others have said that it's a likely directing a script from the stable of writers.

It better be good George. Don't waste Murch's time with tea.

 

Agreed. Just compare the first half of Season 1 to the final half of Season 2. The show went from inventive, adventurous series to film knockoff after film knockoff. I like that Geirge is involved, but he doesn't have to come up with every episode.

The writers more than proved that they are capable in Season 1.

 

I love how Season 1 is somehow becoming vintage, good old Clone Wars.

As far as Lucas' involvement goes... I'm not that negative about it. I know he has it in him to blow us way from time to time. I'll never forget how it was to see RotS unfold. Order 66 and the dialogue at the end of the Mustafar duel nearly had me in tears. (I got spoiled, but not that spoiled.) That moment with Mace standing over Palpatine. Palpatine's 'The Jedi are taking over' twist. Pure genius.

And how about 'Hunt for Ziro'? That had Lucas' signature ALL over it, and it was fantastic! Have faith, my brethren.