Why does Hollywood hate GL and LFL?

I was wondering if anyone out there knows why Hollywood seems to dislike GL and all of his companies, like ILM. Also, what is with this thing about conflict between GL and the directors guild? Thanks!

 

Well, I wouldn't say that Hollywood as a whole hates GL. I think that a lot of the artists in Hollywood have a good deal of respect for him. However, the business side of Hollywood certainly does seem to have some resentment towards him. That probably has to do with the fact that he has the money to be able to make his movies completely outside of their system. Of course, the feeling is mutual. GL has had a grudge against studio execs ever since they trimmed American Graffiti without his permission.

 

I don't think Hollywood hates him at all.

I think he dislikes studios' (earlier) efforts to maintain creative control over his stuff. He's certainly not the only one.

 

I think the whole Director's Guild thing plays alot into it.

 

Yeah he disliked the meddling of American Grafitti a lot. Also they gave him a lot of grief over not having any credits (except the Lucasfilm logo) in Star Wars and all the credits at the end. Up to the 70s it was customary to have all or most credits in the beginning. It is strange because he certainly wasn't the first one. Kubrick also did it, just watch 2001.

If anything they also dislike that he is very rich and successful, but is also an independent. He is pretty much out of the Hollywood game.

 

I'm not quite sure, but I think Lucas also refused to be a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, which hands out the Oscars. The Academy Awards have a history of snubbing people who snubbed them (just ask Jim Carrey).

Lucas hates the studio system, and what he sees as a film industry that doesn't care about making good films anymore. Of course, many in the industry probably see him as a sanctimonius hypocrite who made billions of dollars off of a sci-fi actioneer and its merchandising. That's why I think so many in Hollywood pounced on "The Phantom Menace". Lucas had been complaining that THEIR movies were all FX and star power sizzle with no story and character development steak. It was their opportunity to turn the tables on him.

-Dubya Fett

 

Hollywood studio execs are uncreative hacks with zero imagination. They are paid to care about the bottom line, not about great story telling. I agree with much of what was said above. I think they do resent the fact that Lucas has been so successful outside of the Hollywood system (the Dark Side if you will). Yes, I know that there are some very talented people out there who care about the art of film making, and some of them do become succesful in Hollywood if they're lucky. But the studio execs are really just wannabe film makers who didn't have the talent or drive to persue their real dream. I don't blame Lucas for resenting them. I support the Flannel One 100 percent!

 

George Lucas is the most succesful independent film maker of all time.

 

His refusal to bow to their political system.

He`s a threat.

 

People have been thinking that everyone else in Hollywood hates Lucas ever since (and because) TPM lost the effects Oscars to The Matrix. They DON'T hate him. Many Hollywood films use Skywalker Sound for their soundtracks (as do many musical groups), plenty of movies use ILM for their visual effects, many of the people working in Hollywood today had their creative juices fueled by seeing Star Wars, and three of the biggest names in the business are friends of his: Spielberg, Coppola, and Scorsese. And I can assure you that everyone at Twentieth Century Fox LOVES him, as do the actors whose careers were started by him (Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Hamill, Fisher, Christensen), and those who got a coveted role in the prequels.

 

the word jealousy comes to mind.

 

it's a natural thing to hate the one who is more successful than you ! George Lucas as an individual , made a BIG fortune of his projects , he competes with hollywood , well not directly , but by making the most successful movie series ever ...

 

How many times do I have to say this? No one hates Lucas, except maybe his ex-wife.

 

I concur, Obi-Ewan. I've worked in the Hollywood film industry for the past 4 years and never got a sense that Hollywood hated Lucas, either from reading prominent Hollywood publications (Hollywood Reporter, Variety, etc.) or talking to industry people. From what I can tell, the industry loves Star Wars. In 1999 the entire industry (from execs on down) seemed to be looking forward to TPM in a major way and hoping that it would be great.

The reality of it is, even though he is not headquartered there, Lucas is a Hollywood VIP. He's good friends with several other Hollywood VIPs, including Spielberg and Coppola. I think he's widely respected in Hollywood in general. Sure there may be Hollywood people who resent his success or whatever, but making the sweeping statement that "Hollywood hates Lucas" is erroneous to say the least.

 

Thank you, VCT.

 

The reason that the Director's Guild and GL aren't on good terms is because when GL first made SW, the Director's Guild tried to fine him (or something like that) for not putting some credits at the beginning of the movie so GL quit the Director's Guild.