Originally posted by: Jumpman
Tiptup,
I can explain it by the fact that he was financing The Empire Strikes Back with his own money and the fact that Kurtz was going way over budget. Empire had more riding on it than just continuing the story. He wanted to make a great film first, but he had plans for the profit that Empire was to generate. He is an artist but he's a businessman. And for me, he never sacrificed one for the other. From where I stand, he's done a perfect balance when it comes to the Star Wars brand.
Tiptup,
I can explain it by the fact that he was financing The Empire Strikes Back with his own money and the fact that Kurtz was going way over budget. Empire had more riding on it than just continuing the story. He wanted to make a great film first, but he had plans for the profit that Empire was to generate. He is an artist but he's a businessman. And for me, he never sacrificed one for the other. From where I stand, he's done a perfect balance when it comes to the Star Wars brand.
His plans for using Star Wars as a money-making machine actually proves that he was more detached from the artistic side than he was with the first film. There was a recent interview posted here (done before Empire was released) where George specifically said he wasn't all that interested in making Star Wars movies and simply wanted a way to make his film pursuits become fincacially secure. Detached.