Does anybody on this site happen to have a copy of the October 1999 issue of Talk Magazine (it's defunct now). Elizabeth Taylor is the cover feature, but what I'm really interested in is the full interview with Alec Guinness. Only a few quotes are available online, such as where he reveals that he had suggested that George Lucas kill off Obi-Wan. What I want to see if his reaction to TPM- I'm sure the movie must have come up at some point. His autobiography says he didn't like it, but not much more about his thoughts, so I'm not sure how accurate that is.
Actual quote from the interview: "I am affronted by George's inconsiderate treatment of the character I helped him create. They should have deepfaked my younger face onto Ewan's and used Respeecher to get the voice right. Continuity above all."
I'm aware he died a bit after TPM was released, but this is the first I'm hearing of a magazine interview with him after the movie's release but before his death. I would have thought, given how much he tried to distance himself from SW after the OT that he wouldn't have much to say, so if he did comment on it, I'd be extremely curious what he did say In the interest of hoping to find that magazine, let's not ****post this thread. There's gotta be some way to track down that particular issue. Does anyone know any tools or resources, like an online archive or anything like that?
I get that Guinness wasn't a sci fi fan but ANH was an enormous success and he got an Oscar nomination. He must have realized its quality. It's not like ANH was winning Razzies. (Yes I know there were no Razzies in 77)
If he did say something about TPM it would have been a quick but terse response. He probably said "Star Wars? what's that? oh...I remember, that weird sci fi thing I did in Tunisia some 20 odd years ago, hmmm" or "it was interesting" one story I did hear, which I heard turned out not to be true, was he made a little boy cry who asked for his autograph. The kid said he watched it every day, to which he replied "do me a favour, never watch it again" implying the kids' obsession with it was unhealthy.
I appreciate this, Seagoat I can't explain why, but I have a weird obsession with this sort of thing. There are a few select quotes available from that interview on the Internet, but not the whole thing, and nothing about TPM. It had to have come up during the interview, and his autobiography by Garry Connor does mention that he didn't like it, but nothing about what he said.
I don't think he ever disliked Star Wars. The worst he ever had to say about it was that the dialogue was awful, which is just kinda part of the territory. I think he did genuinely like the movies and his roles in them, but I think he grew to detest how it overshadowed his - in no exaggerated terms - illustrious career as an actor in the golden age of Hollywood. I think he'd have preferred to be remembered as a serious acting pioneer with a respected and storied career. Instead, he's remembered as a space wizard in a silly but charming franchise for kids So all that considered, I'm very curious what sort of things he'd have had to say about TPM and/or young Obi-Wan, or Ewan McGregor's portrayal, if anything. Though I'd be outright shocked if he was anything but evasive at best, or overtly negative So anyway, if we're certain it's the October '99 issue of Talk, one would think there must be some kind of online archive or something to that effect. It's just a matter of tracking it down
I could see why AG could feel this way. But the way I look at it, it introduced him to a whole new audience, like Christopher Lee in the PT and LOTR. I think most film buffs realize he had a legendary career before SW.
i found some quotes on another site. the boy that came up to him for an autograph claimed to have seen Star Wars 100 times in 1980, so that may have made a negative impression in Sir Alec
Yeah that’s the story I had heard but it sounds like it may have not been true, which is interesting.
It would sound like something he’d say. It’s news to me that he actually kind of liked the OT — always heard he detested it, his role in it, the lines, even calling the Jedi robes he wore bathrobes. I do understand why he’d be pissed if one of his last movies as an elderly space wizard overshadowed decades of his illustrious career. I imagine it’s how Harrison Ford feels. Dude did countless other movies but he’s only Han Solo/Indiana Jones to the eyes of millions. Reminds me of Leonard Nimoy’s book, I Am Not Spock that he wrote decades ago. The TL;DR of it basically boiling down to, ‘You idiots do know I did other things besides play a stupidly-intelligence space-elf on a sci-fi TV show right?’ Yeah, but does the average joe know? Outside maybe Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (that I never watched) him as Obi-Wan Kenobi is the only other role I know. Mind, some people don’t seem to mind it. Look at Mark Hamill. He voiced Joker, Firelord Ozai, and countless other characters but he doesn’t seem to mind folks associating him more with just Luke Skywalker.
Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, Dr Zhivago, The Ladykillers (the original), Little Lord Fauleroy, Oliver Twist, Great Expectations...
I don't know if you got what you needed or if anyone has helped you yet, but the short answer is: if you're okay with paying money just to read this old interview, it looks like there are multiple used copies of this exact issue (Oct. '99 with Liz Taylor on the cover) on Amazon and eBay.
Ford actually said last week that he loves being associated with Indiana Jones. And I actually think that's something he's always been pretty consistent about over the years, he's always loved that role.
