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Let's all say something nice about George Lucas. No insults allowed.

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 (Edited)

Of course, I'm not going to moderate this thing with "Purgatory" or "Excommunication" or "Expelled from the Jedi Order" or anything like that, so I'm 112% positive that this will actually become another George bashing thread.

However...

I feel this site has plenty of those threads and I think it might be worthwhile to look at the good in this guy.  I mean, the GL hate gets pretty ridiculous.  If he changes something, it's so he can make money off new toys.  If he doesn't change something, it's because he doesn't care.  I understand the criticism from members of this site and agree with many of them, though not with the passion that most others here feel.  I also don't like many of the non-Star Wars side of George Lucas.  Nevertheless, I hope that we can get a few nice statements about the guy before SkyJedi comes in and does what he does best and turns it into another lynching thread (no offense Sky ;)

For bonus points (not that I'm keeping track) I would be amazed if you said something about George's more recent work.  If you say, "He gave us Episodes IV and V," that of course counts, but it will be most of your default answers, I suspect.  I'd be quite impressed if you can find good qualities with subsequent Star Wars films.  But in the end, say what you will.

I'll go first:

I, for one, was pleased with most of the lightsaber fighting in the PT.  I know most of you don't like it, but I enjoyed seeing Jedi do cool things.  I'm less keen on the Yoda fights, but other than that, I liked the others, especially Ray Park as Darth Maul.

Your turn...

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I enjoyed the changes made to THX 1138. not sure if i prefer them but they aren't straight up retarded.

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darth_ender said:

 If he changes something, it's so he can make money off new toys.

Is that a fact? When I read that, I suddenly pictured Vader dolls that yell "Noooooo" when you pull a cord, beanie Ewoks with "real" eyes, and genuine Tatooine rocks for sale...

Anyway - in answer to the question: I like that Lucas finally gave James Earl Jones a screen credit for his work on ANH and TESB for the special editions...

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I always liked Phantom Menace and thought George did a great job directing it. To me it has always been far superior to the other prequels. While it's not perfect, it does have a certain sense of fun about it all, and some of the performances are quite good, especially Neeson and McGregor. Darth Maul is great, all of the action is great, Jar Jar and Watto are pretty amazing technical achievements, and it was just awesome to see some new Star Wars. The other prequels feel like they had been adjusted to fit what the fans wanted or what was going to be popular, but TPM has a certain pureness to it that feels imaginative in the way the OT does. It also felt to me like a director that hadn't worked in years, having fun with his new toys and firing on all cylinders.

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He always seems to match the flannel with his beard.

“Grow up. These are my Disney's movies, not yours.”

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Uhhhh.....  If I don't have anything nice to say, don't say it.

:)

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SpenceEdit said:

I always liked Phantom Menace and thought George did a great job directing it. To me it has always been far superior to the other prequels. While it's not perfect, it does have a certain sense of fun about it all, and some of the performances are quite good, especially Neeson and McGregor. Darth Maul is great, all of the action is great, Jar Jar and Watto are pretty amazing technical achievements, and it was just awesome to see some new Star Wars. The other prequels feel like they had been adjusted to fit what the fans wanted or what was going to be popular, but TPM has a certain pureness to it that feels imaginative in the way the OT does. It also felt to me like a director that hadn't worked in years, having fun with his new toys and firing on all cylinders.

All of this...

Also, in general, George has a vision, and he pursues it and sees it out (let's ignore, for the moment, that he is still pursuing it.) As a creator myself, I'm always impressed.

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Lucas is an excellent storyteller.

 

 

But only a slightly below average director.  

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I liked old Lucas the one who said "a special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing"

He articulates this point far better in the peecher book on the making of jedi, even taking an anti cgi stance.

Funny how modern Lucas made sure that documentary is not on the blu ray,lol.

For those who are not following i was referencing from star wars to jedi, which along with the OOT is now buried.

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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He has more money than I do.  That's important to some people.

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He produced Labyrinth and just let Jim Henson do his own thing.

Forum Moderator

Where were you in '77?

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Speaking of jim Henson i will boycott that completely cgi dark crystal film, i love the original movie.

 

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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THX1138/GRAFFITI/STAR WARS/INDIANA JONES is just a fucking incredible hot streak. Possibly unequaled.

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News to me. The Henson Creature shop proved with "Where The Wild Things Are" that CGI and traditional creature FX can compliment each other.

Besides, if they screw it up, the fans will force the producers to reenact the end of that Robot Chicken sketch. ;)

Forum Moderator

Where were you in '77?

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Boy...this is going to be a real challenge...give me a second....

But seriously come to think of it, I am very appreciative of the fact that he didn't let Kurtz and the others involved kill off Han in Jedi.  To me, that's one of the few times in history when he's been on the right side of an issue like that.  If that had happened, I would have never ever forgiven them, and probably wouldn't be as into the OT today. 

Also, the speech he gave against modifying films was quite good.

“We have a responsibility to safeguard history.” -Gage Blackwood

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Say something nice about George?

 

Um........ Errrrrrr..........Hmmmmmmmmmm.......

 

He has nice hair...

<span style=“font-weight: bold;”>The Most Handsomest Guy on OT.com</span>

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Like Baronlando said, THX 1138, GRAFFITI, STAR WARS, EMPIRE and RAIDERS is just an incredible hot streak of films.

We want you to be aware that we have no plans—now or in the future—to restore the earlier versions. 

Sincerely, Lynne Hale publicity@lucasfilm.com

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Sure if you can forgive the holiday special, Howard the duck and temple of doom.  This before even radioland murders, the star wars prequels or Indiana Jones IV.

Spielberg may have made raiders but he also made 1941.

Lucas had to really fight to get the film for Spielberg the studio wanted any one but him after 1941. Speaking of Raiders of course.

Paramount had to put huge penalties in place if the film went over schedule or over budget.

“Always loved Vader’s wordless self sacrifice. Another shitty, clueless, revision like Greedo and young Anakin’s ghost. What a fucking shame.” -Simon Pegg.

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George gave me something to do with my childhood, and something to aspire to as an adolescent (tell stories via the medium of movies).

Unfortunately computers got in the way and took over my career (much as they took over moneymaking moviemaking) and I'm really sad to see those pics of Steve Jobs on TMZ.

I applaud Lucas for the PT political machiavellian subtext which is a lot wiser than the optimistic childish/cliché/one-dimensional subtext of the OT. It just goes to show that politics makes for very boring cinema and everyone wants to feel emotionally charged rather than confused and bored.

I also applaud him for driving technology forward by facilitating things like EditDroid, Pixar, digital acquisition, THX, Rescue on Fractulus, Skywalker Sound, Photoshop ...

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He was behind the best trilogy ever.

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

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His hair is amazing.

It's really difficult to make natural hair to look just like a wig.

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OzoneSherrif said:

I enjoyed the changes made to THX 1138. not sure if i prefer them but they aren't straight up retarded.

Some were good (the masturbation machine - where can I get one?). Others were not so good (cgi monkeys).

“It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you.”
-Kreia, Jedi Master and Sith Lord

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SpenceEdit said:

I always liked Phantom Menace and thought George did a great job directing it. To me it has always been far superior to the other prequels. While it's not perfect, it does have a certain sense of fun about it all, and some of the performances are quite good, especially Neeson and McGregor. Darth Maul is great, all of the action is great, Jar Jar and Watto are pretty amazing technical achievements, and it was just awesome to see some new Star Wars. The other prequels feel like they had been adjusted to fit what the fans wanted or what was going to be popular, but TPM has a certain pureness to it that feels imaginative in the way the OT does. It also felt to me like a director that hadn't worked in years, having fun with his new toys and firing on all cylinders.

I disagree with the first and last sentences, but the rest of this is a good observation. He definitely sold out to the fans in making AOTC and ROTS darker.

And what the fuck was Jango/Boba Fett doing in the prequels?!! Totally pandering to the fanboys.

“It is only through interaction, through decision and choice, through confrontation, physical or mental, that the Force can grow within you.”
-Kreia, Jedi Master and Sith Lord

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 (Edited)
I've always thought that if Episode I had been better received critically, II and III would have been very different, I really get the feeling that whatever he had planned changed after Episode I. Would they be better movies? I don't know, but at least on Episode I he tried some new things and some new designs. It's like he said "Oh, they didn't like it, whatever, let's just put Boba Fett, Stormtroopers, Star Destroyers, asteroid fields, ships that look like X-Wings, walkers, speeder bikes, ships that look like TIEs and the Emperor's Throne Room from Jedi in the next two movies". And I do think that Episode I, as bad as some parts are, is by far the best of the prequels. Probably because he shot it at locations and real sets for the most part.