3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars :: 1 > 3

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Darth Cracker's avatar
3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

http://blastr.com/2011/03/3-ways-george-lucas-wife.php?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Great article! Come back Mrs Lucas-the-former, all is forgiven!

none's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Darth Cracker: Come back Mrs Lucas-the-former, all is forgiven!

Go read the last link in the article.  This has nothing to do with being forgiven.  George has to ask for her to return.

Darth Cracker's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

hey, i've read it before, i know he asked her back (to work in the editing suite, oh George you old romantic, you!)

i was just using "come back, all is forgiven" as a turn of phrase to illustrate how much i would've liked her to return & potentially save the SW franchise...... not as a direct comment on Lucas' personal life ;-)

generalfrevious' avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

I stand corrected. Marcia Lucas and Kurtz should be the ones for making SW great, not GL. 

Sounding like a broken record since May 2006.

zombie84's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Hey, I wrote that article. :)

There are like a million sites picking up this piece now, my original article has gotten like 2000 hits in the last 12 hours. Finally, people are paying attention.

The Secret History of Star Wars -- now available on Amazon.com!

"When George went back and put new creatures into the original Star Wars, I find that disturbing. It’s a revision of history. That bothers me."

--James Cameron, Entertainment Weekly, April 2010

Baronlando's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

The Marcia part of the story is just bananas, you couldn't make it up. You wouldn't think it was possible for her contributions to be so minimized. Especially since we know all about every bolt in the Dykstraflex at this point. (And zombie, as the Woodward/Bernstein of Star Wars, has totally added to our understanding of that. It's kind of amazing to step back and realize how the secret history project has slowly seeped in all over the place )

Last edited on March 10, 2011 at 8:27 AM by Baronlando
zombie84's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

For sure, I am continually amazed how far reaching the stupid thing has gone over the years. It's been a slow trickle, but it's now getting me featured in Wired magazine and university courses and mainstream books. It feels like the whole image of Lucas and Star Wars is starting to shift. Maybe one day in decades to come we'll look back on this time and Secret History will be this interesting but obsolete artifact from an era where it was necessary for redress things that are then more commonly accepted.

The Secret History of Star Wars -- now available on Amazon.com!

"When George went back and put new creatures into the original Star Wars, I find that disturbing. It’s a revision of history. That bothers me."

--James Cameron, Entertainment Weekly, April 2010

zombie84's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

This actually makes me want to write to Marcia again. Maybe she will be game for another interview if she knows that lots of people are interested in her work. I haven't spoken with her in a while now.

The Secret History of Star Wars -- now available on Amazon.com!

"When George went back and put new creatures into the original Star Wars, I find that disturbing. It’s a revision of history. That bothers me."

--James Cameron, Entertainment Weekly, April 2010

Anchorhead's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

zombie84 said:

Hey, I wrote that article. :)

There are like a million sites picking up this piece now, my original article has gotten like 2000 hits in the last 12 hours. Finally, people are paying attention.

I may or may not have mentioned this on-board, but I honestly believe your years of hard work will eventually expose the fan base, as well as the general public, to the truth behind this franchise.  That's the reason I never discuss Star Wars77 without mentioning and\or linking to your sites.  Your knowledge & hard work make it possible for me to discuss my tiny Star Wars world with - as you so eloquently put it in another topic - normal people. 

I've never made any secret of the fact that Marcia Lucas is responsible for two of my top ten films moving me the way they did. Truth is, they might not even be in my top ten list if it weren't for her. She also contributed to the end of Raiders Of The Lost Ark ( a third in my top ten), a scene which I've always really liked (building steps).  However, without your book & web site to reference in discussions, that sentiment is lost on the masses.  The article linked above is proof that the truth will eventually get out there. 

Lucasfilm and the TFNers can spin, lie, revise, alter, and believe whatever they want.  In the end, they will be exposed and whether they accept it or not - they'll know the truth.

*edit*

For the record, I'm not above a little shallowness myself.  Along with Marcia shaping three of my favorite films of all time, I should point out that I've always found her very attractive.  This is my favorite picture of her.

Gorgeous. 

Last edited on March 10, 2011 at 4:17 PM by Anchorhead

Crimson. Eleven. Delight. Petrichor.

Anchorhead's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Baronlando said:

The Marcia part of the story is just bananas, you couldn't make it up. You wouldn't think it was possible for her contributions to be so minimized.

That's one of the main reasons I still see George's portrayal of himself as an easy-going, "hey it's just a kid's story" guy as a lie.  Instead, he comes across as a petty, ego-maniacal  control freak. 

Marcia finally has enough of his behavior and he then spends decades trying to write her out of history. Truthfully, it's beyond disturbing.

Crimson. Eleven. Delight. Petrichor.

Diego's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Yet, this is the general view in a given SW forum:

 

I have been led to believe, that Lucas won't release the original theatrical versions, because if he does, he will be forced to pay his ex wife Marcia royalties, as she was involved in the editing process, on all three OT films. 

She took half of his wealth when they divorced in 1983 (but left Amanda behind? What a great Mom!) Marcia crippled Lucasfilm and left Lucas broke. He had to build his Empire back up. If that hadn't occurred, we would have gotten the first Star Wars prequel in 1989 (which was the original plan) and we may have even gotten a third trilogy (my speculation here) starting in 1999. 

This is partly why he changed the OT movies for their 20th anniversary; change them just enough and they aren't totally the same movie any more and he wouldn't be under any legal obligation, to feed her any more dollars. He got away with releasing the original cuts on DVD, as they are 'bonus features' If my missus left me and our daughter, for an artist who worked for me and took half of my Empire; I wouldn't [censored] on her, if she were on fire, let alone pay her royalties for a film series, that isn't even hers to begin with. 

TheBoost's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Diego said:

Yet, this is the general view in a given SW forum:

 

I have been led to believe, that Lucas won't release the original theatrical versions, because if he does, he will be forced to pay his ex wife Marcia royalties, as she was involved in the editing process, on all three OT films. 

She took half of his wealth when they divorced in 1983 (but left Amanda behind? What a great Mom!) Marcia crippled Lucasfilm and left Lucas broke. He had to build his Empire back up. If that hadn't occurred, we would have gotten the first Star Wars prequel in 1989 (which was the original plan) and we may have even gotten a third trilogy (my speculation here) starting in 1999. 

This is partly why he changed the OT movies for their 20th anniversary; change them just enough and they aren't totally the same movie any more and he wouldn't be under any legal obligation, to feed her any more dollars. He got away with releasing the original cuts on DVD, as they are 'bonus features' If my missus left me and our daughter, for an artist who worked for me and took half of my Empire; I wouldn't [censored] on her, if she were on fire, let alone pay her royalties for a film series, that isn't even hers to begin with. 

 Besides being dumb on all levels, and more than a little mysoginistic... legally this can't hold any water and to think it does is lunacy. It's like saying John Williams wouldn't get his royallty because they cut four seconds of one of the themes.

 

TV's Frink's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

twooffour said:

Btw, Marcia kinda looks like Lucas in that profile shot... `^_^´

What is this I don't even.

haljordan28's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

marcia lucas  accepting the academy award for best editing in 1977. I love how they praise gary kurtz as one of the most talanted producers in the buisness too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1dW6bNBzN8

Baronlando's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Maybe she lays low because she assumes people just want to dish about GL, but I'm sure others would like to hear about her work methods and anecdotes. Forget Star Wars for a second, it's like her contributions to Taxi Driver have become collateral damage and we don't hear much about that either. There's a blu-ray coming and it would be nice to have her reflections on it.

see you auntie's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Is Marcia Lucas' name still Marcia Lucas?

"Well here's a big bag of rock salt" - Patton Oswalt

zombie84's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Yes.

The Secret History of Star Wars -- now available on Amazon.com!

"When George went back and put new creatures into the original Star Wars, I find that disturbing. It’s a revision of history. That bothers me."

--James Cameron, Entertainment Weekly, April 2010

zombie84's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Also, Anchorhead: Yeah, I have to admit I have always had a crush on Marcia. She was and is very cute. Aside from her physical features, I think her fiery temperment "no bullshit" independent personality was the groundwork for both Marion and Princess Leia. The most important person in Lucas' life was a beautiful but take-no-prisoners professional that one-upped her male counterparts. It's no suprise that all the women in his films at the time mimic her personality and in some sense her physical features. Karen Allen bears a vague resemblance to her and isn't so far removed in spirit at least.

Last edited on March 11, 2011 at 5:23 AM by zombie84

The Secret History of Star Wars -- now available on Amazon.com!

"When George went back and put new creatures into the original Star Wars, I find that disturbing. It’s a revision of history. That bothers me."

--James Cameron, Entertainment Weekly, April 2010

haljordan28's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

Don't you love the way george takes credit for the killing  off obi-wan plot idea  when it was marcias all along?

All jokes aside what has happend to this man? Other than rick pitino I  can not think of one other figure who was once  worshiped and beloved and  is now  looked at  as   a pos  and  untalanted. The worst part is he seems not to care.

Sure kurtz and marica and kasdan help make the OT what it is and they probably  are to thank for it  but  george  did contribute a lot to it back then. Hell I even have one interview where he says and I quote

"What makes star wars stick out among other films in the genre is we are not just looking at them  as if it's just a science fiction or film for children, we are looking at  it    and saying we are going to make the best possible film we can make and  I believe it is that that makes   these films stick out"

Not to mention his once views on revision of history and not touching  old films and changing them and how he use to say  that special effects was just a tool  and the story is what was important.

George at one time GOT IT! He knew  how to make good films and  he surrounded himself with talanted people. Together  they made classics. But you take george by himself and he makes shit. That's not a knock because you can even take someone like micheal jordan. the best bbal player of all time but if he did not surround himself with scotty pipen and other greats as a supporting cast then he would have never been a champion. He would have played on losing teams.  Lucas made loser  films cause he tried to be a one man team.

I am afraid his ego will not permit him to admit to anything like this though  and he will continue to run star wars into the ground just to stick with his current points of view. Rick MCallum to me is  one big piece of the problem. He needs to be fired ASAP. Bring someone in george that is not going to kiss your ass but someone who will sit down with yuo and challenge you to be the best you can be  and  work together  to make the best  film it an possibly be.

 

It is not too late for george to fix his legacy  and go down in history  as someone who made  some mistakes with the SE and the PT   but redeemed himself  with future  star wars projects  that he has the ability to make.

LexX's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

I wouldn't say that having Leia kiss Luke was saving Star Wars.

Any ideas how she helped on the sequels?

And in the time of greatest despair, there shall come a savior, and he shall be known as the Son of the Suns.

TV's Frink's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2008/12/01/george-lucas-death-star.jpg

 

Er....okay....

http://www.gifflix.com/files/3f89b59fd7c7.gif

Last edited on March 11, 2011 at 2:31 PM by TV's Frink
Leonardo's avatar
RE: 3 ways George Lucas' wife saved Star Wars

dude, I have that exact same shirt! and a double chin... I'm also trying to grow a beard... I've deleted many things from my past....

..

AAAAAAAAGHHH!!!!!!

  

 

... And they had 'The Empire Strikes Back', the fifth of the four Star Wars films. He is fucking with us numerically, isn't he! "Children, count up to ten." "Four, five, six, one, two, three, ten". No, it goes, four, five, six, one, two, three… No, it goes: four, five, six. One... Two and three have not been made." "Two and three have not been made! What should they be?" "What should they be? We do not know. All we know is that there will be a big floppy character in it that goes, squawk squawk squawk... who needs a punch up the bracket!"

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