Lucas tried to get Howard, Zemekis and Spielberg all to direct TPM

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/11/2...e?hootPostID=fca1d1d0e071b1fb3ada74e29574fe33

So much for the false narrative that Lucas wasn't open to input from others on the prequels. It's already well documented that he tried to get Kasdan and Darabont to help him write them. Hales, as it is, co-wrote AOTC with him.

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People are still gonna hate George and say he should have gotten someone to write the prequels for him. If they realise he did try this ,they will hate him for another reason. Its sad and i dont like it.

 

And when people come around and say: "George Lucas was blinded by his ego, he thought that he was God when directing the prequels". Now, I have something to laugh at their faces.

 

Man, if only Howard or Zemeckis had done it. Spielberg made some of his finest films in that time so I wouldn't want him directing it.

 

Spielberg is the only one I'd be happy with. He understands George's vision the best (he's the only one of his friends and colleagues who liked the rough cut of ANH).
The thing is, the first rate filmmakers wouldn't want to be a second fiddle on set (even if GL is not there it's still his vision) so competent journeymen who are better with actors (Kerschner) might have been the best bet. Perhaps Episode I and II needed acting coaches like the one they got in ROTS but overall I'm happy with GL's direction. The prequels truly expressed GL's vision, for better or for worse (depending on your point of view).

 

I would LOVE to see a Spielberg SW movie , although I love the incredible TPM as it is and wouldn't want it to be replaced by something else .

 

While not the original, Ron Howard was outspoken in 1999 about how much he liked TPM. In fact after a magazine journalist wrote about the movie and accused Jake Lloyd of being "Mannequin Skywalker", I recall Howard writing an open letter to the magazine lashing back out at them for attacking the young boy and defending his performance.

Howard seemed to be a staunch defender of the film to the point where you can tell it wasn't just giving the company promotional line....he was in fact genuinely passionate about it.

That tells me he would have done a fantastic job putting George's vision to the screen because he understood and had a genuine admiration for the story and the way George wanted to tell the story.

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Those guys might've gotten a wider range of tonal naturalism out of the performers than is usual for Star Wars (OT included), but I'm not sure they could've brought a lot of the stuff I love about the PT. The goofball charm. The moments of quiet contemplation. The slightly rebellious authorial undercurrent that developed the Republic as a bit of a dystopia in itself even aside from the obvious Bad Guy antics. I'm happy we got something that is closer to pure Lucas.

Although I could go for Willow 2. Story by Lucas, Howard as director, and Bryce Dallas Howard as the adult Elora. Make it happen, Disney! You could market the heck out of "real forests."

 

I thought it would be fun to go back and try to find Ron Howard's defense of the film and of Jake that he wrote to the publication. I just googled it and found an article that was written about it by Vulture earlier this month looking back on it (likely due to the new film almost upon us).

They seem to provide all of the important parts of the quotes from both parties. Of course Vulture takes the obligatory shots at TPM and the PT, which is annoying at this point.

But it's also fun to note that Howard, Spielberg, Darabont, amongst other people close to Lucas back then were staunchly talking the film and it's two sequels up after George screened the films for them prior to the public having seen them. Suddenly all of the film snobs proclaim it is some sort of fact that the movies are poorly made, after some of the greatest filmmakers of all time loved them. It's laughable.

Here is the article I found on it:

http://www.vulture.com/2015/11/ron-howard-was-an-early-jake-lloyd-defender.html

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Well, Lucas has said that his friends were the ones who talked him into doing it, for years and years.

 

George's friends were probably miffed that he hadn't directed since 1977 because unlike Internet geeks they know he's very talented.

What I like about the prequels is that his approach is very restrained, without the overload of modern gimmicks like lense flares or shaky cam (there's some in AOTC but it's used appropriately). I think it will help the prequels age more gracefully. I rewatched the Matrix a couple of years ago and was struck how 1990s it felt.

 

EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER was clamoring for Lucas to return to directing. This all at the same time that two other major directors, Stanley Kubrick and Terrence Malick, were making comebacks of their own.

 

Eyes Wide Shut is kind of like the prequels that it wasn't very well received initially (but gained some appreciation over time I think).

 

I agree. I'm tired of the shaky cam or the hand-held camera (for action and non action scenes) and I'm glad the prequels (and SW in general) uses such a restrained "classic" approach to it.
I'm also glad that he doesn't bloat his movies and that he doesn't use slow-motion, flashbacks and that kind of indulgence.

Personally, I'm glad Lucas did the prequels. I just happen to like his cinematic style. And I don't think that's a crime (considering we're talking about subjective art), nor do I feel I have to say "yes, there are some bad things about the prequels but..." every time I say something possitive about them.

 

No surprising considering how much Lucas dislikes directing, & writing for that matter. He's said this plenty of times over the years:

“I’ve retired from directing,” Lucas says [in a memo regarding finding a director for Empire]. “If I directed Empire then I’d have to direct the next one and the next for the rest of my life. I’ve never really liked directing. I became a director because I didn’t like directors telling me how to edit, and I became a writer because I had to write something in order to be able to direct something. So I did everything out of necessity, but what I really like is editing.”
- Lucas, 1979.http://thisisanadventure.com/2011/02/george-lucas-reconsidered/

So for his sake I wish they accepted his offer.

 

No big loss, the film turned out great anyway. George Lucas vision in its uncompromising and purest form.

 

Darth Downunder - That's the second time you have pointed out how much Lucas dislikes 'everything' about filmaking, and I can't argue about what issues from the horses mouth so to speak, but I think it needs to be understood in context.

Lucas dislikes these things because deep down he is quite an anxious nervous person. Obviously he is not such a nerd that he sits in his basement playing games all his life and can't get a girlfriend, but if you read about his life and behavior it is quite plain that he finds the intense ego clashes difficult - and they are. You have to control actors, lighters, designers, whole crews down to the bored make-up artists standing by late into the night for 'one more go'.

The Brits gave him a hard time in London. And he regularly had anxiety problems. His general 'dislike' came after the experience of ANH which put him in hospitable.

Empire was tough as well because he realised putting it in the hands of another was a difficult compromise, and with Marquand you could argue he had picked a pliable 'nobody' - and by all accounts was lurking most times on set.

He obviously has a talent for it since he went straight from film school to important documentary work, and quickly moved via THX and Graffiti to Star Wars - the most popular film ever made.

However he had to come to terms with his own personality - which unfortunately is reflected in the countless anecdotes about his inability to say much, his 'faster - more intense' limited vocabulary and his 'quiet moods'. He is certainly not the effusive cigar smoking stereotype of your typical big headed director. I think as he got older he has gotten better but it is a genuine handicap. Editing is where he can 'direct' in isolation without Harrison moaning "is it good for me - or the effect Kersh?".

When he looks for another director, really he is looking for a proxy, and I think everyone knows this when asked, because they know he is a control freak with Star Wars. In short I think they were being encouraging - 'com on George - get over yourself - you know you are good - get out there'.

What a pity it had the consequences it did. I genuinely feel sorry for him. He put himself out there, albeit surrounded by some talented youngsters and unit directors - and got pilloried for it - to the extent that everyone pointed out that not only could he not direct, but therefore he must have had nothing to do with the other Star Wars films save ANH, which must have been some fluke.

That narrative continues with the idea that George had some good ideas, but everyone else turned them into gold, and therefore they are some national treasures now owned by everyone.

So it's not a case of 'com on George what do you like ?' He loves it all, it's his life - he just finds it difficult. And it is - rising to the impossibly high standards of making some of the greatest films ever made.

 

He also tried to hire David Hare as the director for TPM.

 

I wouldn't want Howard (blech) or Zemeckis (meh) to touch Star Wars with a ten foot pole. Spielberg I could see doing it but I'm glad George ended up directing instead.

 

I agree with Alexrd. It was no big loss to me. I'm perfectly satisfied with Lucas at the helm.

 

At least you can usually follow his action scenes unlike a lot of other big budget PG-13 movies.

[I'm also glad that he doesn't bloat his movies and that he doesn't use slow-motion, flashbacks and that kind of indulgence.[/quote]

Like Peter Jackson - who of course was lauded by geeks before he did his own prequels in the form of the Hobbit movies. I didn't expect all of the books' themes to come through but I'm retrospect PJ was a wrong choice to helm those movies.

I admit I used to be more critical of certain aspects of the PT but after the overload of the modern corporate franchises that rarely take any risks I'm more and more appreciative of George's creativity and unique brand of visual (with music and sound) entertainment. There's a reason he's been more influential on anime/manga artists I think

 

When Episode 7 was announced I did actually wonder if Ron Howard might get the gig. I'd have been happier with him than Abrams to be honest.

 

That goes without saying

 

I don't know if it's Lucas who has been influential on manga/anime artists, or if it's the content or the themes of some manga series who had an influence on Lucas when he was making the prequels.

A lot of aspects of the Asian culture and religion had an influence on Lucas when he was making the original trilogy, particularly the concept of the Force, related to the chinese philosophy "Tao", and the Jedi which are related to Samurai.

Concerning the influence on anime/manga artists and series, I've seen many similarities between the themes and the content of the prequels and those manga series. I'm thinking particularly about manga genre such as Shōnen, Nekketsu and Mecha, involving a young boy, or adult being, in a journey, defending values or being confronted to something which surpasses him or being confronted to his sins. A lot of the Shōnen manga I've read these past years are involving a political plot, more serious or darker themes and moral issues which align themselves more or less with the prequels.

 

That's not entirely true. Lucas has never valued directing the most because it's cumbersome and in Lucas' eyes the least important part in making movies. However, Rick McCallum said Lucas found that directing wasn't that bad after all while shooting an episode of his Young Indy TV show with Harrison Ford. It seems Lucas enjoyed directing more in later years. Otherwise, he certainly wouldn't have directed all three prequels and also reshoots of Red Tails.

Much like @-NaTaLi- I am also not surprised at their responses. Contrary to so-called "Star Wars fans" and unsuccessful filmmakers turned into YouTubers, those legends are aware of Lucas' strengthes.