Interestingly, I was at a screening of Star Trek Wrath of Kahn last night that featured a Q&A with the writer/director Nicolas Meyer. He said that films were like a message in a bottle ... and that despite any legal claims to the contrary, a film no longer belongs to its creator in any real or moral sense once it's put out there to the public. I gave him a hearty dose of applause for his admission, as a filmmaker, that "ownership" of art is impossible and illusory once it becomes part of the public sphere.
I know I've said that I was through with Gomer and SW threads like this, but I was bored at work and read through this. Being such a big Nick Meyer fan, I just have to chime in on this. Meyer is one the most UNDERRATED filmmakers of all time. Everything he's made is AWESOME. The Day After...AWESOME!!! His Trek films are the best in the whole series. He directed 2 and 6. 2 is regarded by pretty much every Trekkie as the best. 6 is darker and a little more serious, but still awesome all around. And Meyer helped write Trek 4 (the one with the whales) which is the most popular Trek film. He may not have a large body of work (like Lucas), but what he has made counts for a lot. In interviews, Meyer is just awesome. He's a guy who obviously takes his craft VERY seriously.
So when he says all this about a film no longer belonging to its creator and that ownership is illusory, I APPLAUD him too. The man is 100% right. Period. Lucas doesn't "own" SW anymore. He lost a certain amount of control over it when he released it into the public consciousness back in 1977. Yes, he does own the sole right to make money off of it and do whatever he wants with the intellectual property, but that doesn't negate that it now belongs to everyone. I believe Lucas MUST acknowledge and respect that. By not doing it, he has effectively turned his back on his fans. Gomer posts here that Lucas respects his fans. No sir, he DOES NOT. Refusing to release the versions that an entire generation has grown up with and that made Lucas rich is not repecting his fans. It is disrespectful because he is denying fans something that is a part of their lives. He's taking away something that means something to someone else because he doesn't feel it's appropriate anymore. That is WRONG ON EVERY LEVEL.
Now he has somewhat caved by releasing the OOT last September, but I don't think that release was spurred on by out petition or by some high artistic realization that the originals should be respected. Lucas released them to make a quick buck. And he released a shitty product at that. That's just more disrepect.
One doesn't have anything to do with the other. The Greedo thing took place before SW became popular, so Kurtz "not saying no to anything" doesn't apply here. If Lucas wanted the scene a certain way, then he could have taken more than 3 takes to get it. Hell, some scenes in movies get 10, 15, 20 takes. Why was this one not worth anymore? And incidentally, I agree with the earlier quote that hundreds of westerns have been made before SW. Lucas couldn't cop a scene from one of them to get pointers. Bullshit, man. Han shot first from the start. Lucas pussed out with the SEs.
So it doesn't suprise me when I hear Lucas saying he cut his losses after 3 takes, and for Kurtz to wonder why he didn't just keep trying until he got the shot he wanted.
To me Kurtz's account only bolsters Lucas' claim.
I know I've said that I was through with Gomer and SW threads like this, but I was bored at work and read through this. Being such a big Nick Meyer fan, I just have to chime in on this. Meyer is one the most UNDERRATED filmmakers of all time. Everything he's made is AWESOME. The Day After...AWESOME!!! His Trek films are the best in the whole series. He directed 2 and 6. 2 is regarded by pretty much every Trekkie as the best. 6 is darker and a little more serious, but still awesome all around. And Meyer helped write Trek 4 (the one with the whales) which is the most popular Trek film. He may not have a large body of work (like Lucas), but what he has made counts for a lot. In interviews, Meyer is just awesome. He's a guy who obviously takes his craft VERY seriously.
So when he says all this about a film no longer belonging to its creator and that ownership is illusory, I APPLAUD him too. The man is 100% right. Period. Lucas doesn't "own" SW anymore. He lost a certain amount of control over it when he released it into the public consciousness back in 1977. Yes, he does own the sole right to make money off of it and do whatever he wants with the intellectual property, but that doesn't negate that it now belongs to everyone. I believe Lucas MUST acknowledge and respect that. By not doing it, he has effectively turned his back on his fans. Gomer posts here that Lucas respects his fans. No sir, he DOES NOT. Refusing to release the versions that an entire generation has grown up with and that made Lucas rich is not repecting his fans. It is disrespectful because he is denying fans something that is a part of their lives. He's taking away something that means something to someone else because he doesn't feel it's appropriate anymore. That is WRONG ON EVERY LEVEL.
Now he has somewhat caved by releasing the OOT last September, but I don't think that release was spurred on by out petition or by some high artistic realization that the originals should be respected. Lucas released them to make a quick buck. And he released a shitty product at that. That's just more disrepect.
Originally posted by: Go-Mer-Tonic
Yeah there are a lot of people who say different things, but when it comes to what Lucas was thinking in his own head, I will take his word for it.
Even when it seems to change so much? His "word" will change with every new edition of the saga and you'll go right along with it?
To me what Lucas says makes more sense, because all Kurtz says is he doesn't understand why they wouldn't have tried more takes if that was really what Lucas wanted. It's also important to note that the reason Lucas and him had a falling out was because in Lucas' words "he wouldn't say no to anything." They went their separate ways becuase the budget blew out of control on Kurtz's watch.
Yeah there are a lot of people who say different things, but when it comes to what Lucas was thinking in his own head, I will take his word for it.
Even when it seems to change so much? His "word" will change with every new edition of the saga and you'll go right along with it?
To me what Lucas says makes more sense, because all Kurtz says is he doesn't understand why they wouldn't have tried more takes if that was really what Lucas wanted. It's also important to note that the reason Lucas and him had a falling out was because in Lucas' words "he wouldn't say no to anything." They went their separate ways becuase the budget blew out of control on Kurtz's watch.
One doesn't have anything to do with the other. The Greedo thing took place before SW became popular, so Kurtz "not saying no to anything" doesn't apply here. If Lucas wanted the scene a certain way, then he could have taken more than 3 takes to get it. Hell, some scenes in movies get 10, 15, 20 takes. Why was this one not worth anymore? And incidentally, I agree with the earlier quote that hundreds of westerns have been made before SW. Lucas couldn't cop a scene from one of them to get pointers. Bullshit, man. Han shot first from the start. Lucas pussed out with the SEs.
So it doesn't suprise me when I hear Lucas saying he cut his losses after 3 takes, and for Kurtz to wonder why he didn't just keep trying until he got the shot he wanted.
To me Kurtz's account only bolsters Lucas' claim.
That is so weak, Gomer. I expect better arguments from you...