Interesting Tidbit from lucas before episode 1 started filming that gave a hint that the pt films were not given the care needed to be great

This is from the june 13 1997  issue of entertainment weekly

About the cost of filming

'Saving money is one of Georges most obsessive goals admits MCcallum. How can we drive the cost down? We dont want to go through  the sort of risk  that everybodys taking this summer, which is going to be a bloodbath.Right now many films are completly out of control. People are actually proud of it. Theres a hundred-day club now that a lot of filmmakers brag about. seeing who can shoot longer.A prime example of bloat in MCcallums opinion is Titantic."

"Actually thinking of cutting cost is a scary concept   for a lot of studios, Mccallum contiunues and especially a lot of  stars.But we are not inhabiting that mental landscape at all. WE DON'T HAVE THE HIGHEST PAIN BEHIND THE SCENES TALENT. wE HAVE EVERYBODY WHO WORKED ON YOUNG INDIANA JONES. THIS IS THEIR  SHOT TO MAKE THEIR NAMES AND THEN GO OFF AND MAKE AS MUCH MONEY  AS THEY WANT TO. BUT SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THEM FOR THAT, NOT US."

That guys is almost amazing to hear. The most  anticipated film of all time and lucas  waned to pinch pennies.Well  we all see the results dont we?This very thing shows just how pathetic rick Mccallum is and how he is partly to blame for this crap. I remeber gary kurtz saying in an interview that Lucas said that  they could have finished the film  and  not spent so much money even if it  was not as good  and Kurtz  said "yes we could have but the  finished product was well worth it."(refering to episode 5)  that is coming from someone who wants a great film, a masterpiece  and is prepared to  do whatever it takes to make sure  the film is  great.

Rick McCallum is the Smithers of LFL.

The budget was plenty for the movie, there's nothing wrong with it that more money could have fixed. You can't buy anti-boredom software. (There's a ton of waste in regular movies anyway, mccallum had the right idea about that)

This is stupid. One of the both logically stupidest and stylistically unbearable elements of the Phantom Menace were Jar Jar and the Gungans.

Just everything about them sucks, how the Jedi follow a retard under water instead of hiding inside one of those vehicles, and keep dragging him around everywhere, how Jar Jar's antics end up being the reason why Anakin gets to know Qui-Gon and gets them all in his home, how the Gungans all of a sudden have a huge army that ends up saving the day, and this is revealed in a casual conversation at the exactly right moment. Even how Obi-Wan is rendered a complete dick at his indifference towards a guy who just agreed to help them getting tortured into madness or whatever.

They even ruined Brian fucking Blessed - ironic how it was another extraordinarily silly role in a campy comedic sci fi movie that made him immortal.

They also made up the main bulk of complicated animated creatures, and provided for an additional elaborated battle scene.

Then, the podrace is another turd because it makes no sense and feels out of place plotwise - and yet, how many dollars did THAT one take to animate, huh?

The space battle is entirely pointless, too - the droid control ship is a hysterical plot device shoehorned into the plot without any logic whatsoever. Yet, the space battle...

Hm, dunno, would the amount of toys made from those creatures, ships and action sequences, make up for all the additional effort and money that went into putting those on film?

I really dunno man.

I dont think more money in general would have made the film better because the script  and a  9 yr old anakin is the problem. Nothing more  nothing less.

This is the part about  inching pennises that I believe  hurt the film "WE DON'T HAVE THE HIGHEST PAIN BEHIND THE SCENES TALENT. wE HAVE EVERYBODY WHO WORKED ON YOUNG INDIANA JONES. THIS IS THEIR  SHOT TO MAKE THEIR NAMES AND THEN GO OFF AND MAKE AS MUCH MONEY  AS THEY WANT TO. BUT SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THEM FOR THAT, NOT US."

cause maybe if Lucas  had surrounded himself with talented people like he did with the OT maybe  some of them could have talked george out of that ridicules script/screenplay.  when you have nothing but YES men around you  and that wont challenge you  then you   have no way to improve.

These films  were guaranteed to make a fortune. There was no way Lucas  could have gotten burned and lost money.  He tripled his profits no matter  the cost of filming  just on toy  sales alone. 

skyjedi2005 said:

I always thought the lack of much location shooting or over reliance on cgi was because Lucas was funding the whole prequel trilogy himself.

 

the overuse of CGI  to me  was very simple to understand.  This all boils down to greed on lucas behalf.  All about profit.  Lucas owns all of the new state of the art cgi technology.  He used the three PT  films to showcase  what his company was capable of  doing.  No telling how much he has made just on  other companies wanting to use his tech. Not to mention it saves money  not  needing props and  certain locations. Why fly personal and equipment  around the world  at a heavy cost when you can  use CGI  to  create a background or  location for nearly a fraction of the cost.

It makes sense business wise  but  why  choose   the most loved and awaited  films in history to pull  your business tricks on. In all honesty  Star Wars  went  from  being  the Gone With The Wind and Casablanca  of  sci-fi/fantasy films  to being what is used  as the butt of jokes and is made fun of and laughed  at

I would just like to say to Lucas  that you  can't take  money with you  when you die.  The only  true thing you  can take with you  is that which you  leave behind.  A legacy,  a body of work  and he went from being hailed  as a genius and master  film maker  to being ridiculed and  laughed at it.  He ruined his legacy  and his  reputation all for what? A few extra bucks.

It's not new, Lucas has always been concerned about cost, this is from 78-79:

GL: ... In movies give somebody $150 million and fifty years to make a film, and the odds are good that they'll make a professional movie. The real challenge is to do it for a minimum amount of money in a reasonable amount of time. When I look at films I can tell one that cost $30 million, but if you can make a film that looks as good but only cost $15 million, then you've accomplished something.

haljordan28 said:

This is the part about  inching pennises that I believe  hurt the film "WE DON'T HAVE THE HIGHEST PAIN BEHIND THE SCENES TALENT...

Ok, two thoughts.

One, this is a family site.  No more talking about inching penises please.

Two, what the hell is the highest pain behind the scenes talent?  It's the second time you posted that.

No*, I think he meant "highest pain in the behind, the scenes, talent."

Of  course I meant highest PAID.

As usual he  must showcase his immature self and strive to  derail a thread or start an argument.  He also knew I meant PINCHING PENNIES.

some people no matter their age can't help but be childish and look for trouble. Usually such people have sad lives. Oh well, let him play his little games.  He does not bother me.All he is doing is showing his mentality to everyone on the board.

Read every post I have made and he comes in right behind it with this type of behavior.  And why?  Because I misspell some words and make typos and fail to proof read to correct  said errors.

Sad little man!

Or maybe he's just pointing out that you (and indeed posters in general) ought to put a bit of care into what you post if you expect it to be taken seriously.

Jonno said:

Or maybe he's just pointing out that you (and indeed posters in general) ought to put a bit of care into what you post if you expect it to be taken seriously.

Come on man.  Are you  serious?  Typos is a reason to  try and start arguments and derail threads?

I do not care if I am taken serious. This is a forum. For any and all to post their thoughts and opinions. If someone  takes it serious or not is up to the individual reader. I, like everyone else on any forum  expresses my opinion and thoughts if it is taken serious or not  is no concern of mine.

unless I am at a forum for  5th graders I would expect  some maturity and mutual respect  for  one another. That  clearly is above  some peoples heads.

haljordan28 said:

I would just like to say to Lucas  that you  can't take  money with you  when you die.  The only  true thing you  can take with you  is that which you  leave behind.  A legacy,  a body of work  and he went from being hailed  as a genius and master  film maker  to being ridiculed and  laughed at it.  He ruined his legacy  and his  reputation all for what? A few extra bucks.

There was plenty of spectacle on show throughout the prequels, so I wouldn't say that the problem was a lack of bucks spent by GL on them.  Other issues turned out to be the main problem with the disappointing results.

And also, compared to some wealthy folks on this planet, I don't think he's entirely deserving of his money-grabbing tag -  http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/08/05/george-lucas-to-donate-half-his-money/

Alexrd said:

haljordan28 said:

unless I am at a forum for  5th graders I would expect  some maturity and mutual respect  for  one another. That  clearly is above  some peoples heads.

^Indeed.

why  because I misspell at times?  Lord knows that is so much worse than grown men making fun of others and  trying to start  arguments on a forum on the internet  right?

take your place in line with your friend.

Jonno said:

Or maybe he's just pointing out that you (and indeed posters in general) ought to put a bit of care into what you post if you expect it to be taken seriously.

This.

twooffour said:

They even ruined Brian fucking Blessed - ironic how it was another extraordinarily silly role in a campy comedic sci fi movie that made him immortal.

 He may be more famous for that in America but for the rest of the world he had already achieved immortality for...

Bingowings said:

He may be more famous for that in America but for the rest of the world he had already achieved immortality for...

Awsome clip, lol.  And now his dulcet tones are currently back on tv over here! -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_HMrOd2_QI  :)

haljordan28 said:

"Actually thinking of cutting cost is a scary concept   for a lot of studios, Mccallum contiunues and especially a lot of  stars.But we are not inhabiting that mental landscape at all. WE DON'T HAVE THE HIGHEST PAIN BEHIND THE SCENES TALENT. wE HAVE EVERYBODY WHO WORKED ON YOUNG INDIANA JONES. THIS IS THEIR  SHOT TO MAKE THEIR NAMES AND THEN GO OFF AND MAKE AS MUCH MONEY  AS THEY WANT TO. BUT SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY THEM FOR THAT, NOT US."

That guys is almost amazing to hear. The most  anticipated film of all time and lucas  waned to pinch pennies.Well  we all see the results dont we?

 

The flaws of the PT have nothing to do with money spent.

George Lucas is an independent film auteur who answers to know one and funds his own films. I think complaining that he didn't spend enough money reeks of a childish sense of entitlement.