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Topic: The mighty General Grievous has arrived (SW:EP3)

Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-23-2004 08:19 PM

quote:
"Star Wars" was not really made in the context of a studio system. He had to get the financing greenlighted, but then he was free to pick his crew and the movie was also filmed in England far away from Hollywood.

That's what I mean -- he had to do some re-writes before the greenlight was given. As for that crew in England, they reportedly made life a living hell for him. Because of those two factors, I think he's being 100% sincere when he says that first "Star Wars" was a compromise and not the film he intended to make. I think it also figures into his present mindset of having to do things "his way." He's overcompensating for the unpleasant aspects of making that film.

quote:
George showed with these movies that he was a master filmmaker because he managed to fit all these elements together seamlessly.

By several accounts, the film was a mess when George did his first cut. The editors saved that first movie.

I agree with the rest of the post.

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Aaron Sisemore
Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day!

Posts: 3061
From: Rockwall TX USA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 02-23-2004 10:26 PM

quote:
Didn't Pixar originate with Lucasfilm?

Yes, it certainly did. And much of the animation from the 'old' Pixar was just as groundbreaking as the stuff Pixar creates today.

-Aaron

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 02-24-2004 04:22 AM

Wasn`t George one of the main editors also? I thought that he himself saved a lot when the movie was almost foundering. Another element which made the movie was the art design of Ralph McQuarrie. He said in an interview that he was supposed to take part in Episode 1 as well. But then he saw that everything was already in good hands and decided he wasn`t needed. George certainly employs some of the finest talents money can buy in art design, but still - how could they have missed the athmosphere of the originals so completely...

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 02-24-2004 05:54 AM

Marcia Lucas was editor for some of husband George's earlier films:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0524235/

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Gracia L. Babbidge
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 709
From: Bowdoin, Maine
Registered: Aug 2000

posted 02-24-2004 10:56 AM

My use of 'classic' trilogy was not intended to differentiate between 'classic' & 'special' editions. The intention was to differentiate between the "original" and 'prequel' trilogies! [Razz]

Believe it or not, but I never saw any one of Episodes IV - VI, in their entirety until they were released to big screen in the 'Special Edition' form.

It's my opinion that Episodes I, II & IV (III will probably need to get put in this group as well), all would have turned out better with someone other than George Lucas directing them.

Star Wars Episode V: the Empire Strikes Back (as far as I'm concerned) is the best of the bunch. [Big Grin]

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-24-2004 11:31 AM

quote:
Wasn`t George one of the main editors also? I thought that he himself saved a lot when the movie was almost foundering.

George was the original editor of the film but he eventually had to turn the film over to Marcia.

From "Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas" by Dale Pollock:

quote:
[Alan Ladd, Jr] visited Elstree in May and saw forty minutes of footage that was so bad it almost scuttled the movie. Dailies were not shipped back to the studio (Star Wars was an independent production), so Ladd had seen nothing. The poorly stitched assemblage of scenes without music or special effects unnerved him. The dialogue was laughable, the lighting was inconsistent, and the shots often didn't match. Ladd had a soul-searching talk with Lucas before being reassured that George indeed knew what he was doing.

Lucas was even more upset -- "I just wish you had never seen this stuff," he told Ladd of the sloppily edited footage. Privately, he said to himself, "Oh my God, I'm doing a terrible job here. It must be me." He showed Marcia the footage, and she agreed to take apart the movie and begin reediting from scratch. Lucas' confidence was shaken by the incident. What if the movie really was bad and Fox tried to take it away from him? (169-170)

One also has to wonder how different Star Wars would have been without John Williams' contribution:

quote:
The music's impact was immediate and dramatic when incorporated into the film. "It was a mind-boggling difference," remembers Carroll Ballard, who saw Star Wars before and after Williams's score was added. "It gave the hokey characters a certain dimension. When you saw the film without the score, you couldn't take it seriously. But the music gave it the style of an old-time serial, and it was great fun." (181)

I would readily agree that Lucas seems to have a knack for surrounding himself with good talent. Ben Burtt's contribution to that unique soundtrack is immense. And then, of course, there's the whole ILM team.

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 02-25-2004 06:40 PM

quote:
that first "Star Wars" was a compromise and not the film he intended to make.

Every film is like that. There's always something you wanted to do, or do differently, for whatever reason. Even on a small scale with the trailers I have made... I can tell you something about every one that I'm not happy with, or wish I could've done differently.

But at some point, you have to "lock the reels" and proceed.

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-25-2004 09:34 PM

Where is THAT written?

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 02-26-2004 04:35 AM

Tim - true, but that doesn`t change the fact that many people would like to be able to see the movies as they saw them when they were young and fighting with broom sticks as laser sabers in the backyard.

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 02-26-2004 09:58 AM

quote:
Where is THAT written?

It just is, listen to interviews. I've experienced it myself. Michael, I'm not defending changing the films, I've never been a proponent of that, I'm just saying that's how filmmakers feel after completing a project.

Btw, I can't imagine... our broomsticks were horses. [Wink]

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-26-2004 03:01 PM

Tim, I agree that those feelings are pretty common. There is a long list of things I'd like to fix in my first movie...and I will probably fix those things. Admittedly, my first film doesn't hold a significant place in pop culture and film history. I'm only saying that I understand that part of your point and I agree that it's a real phenomenon.

I would rather see the originals preserved alongside the SE releases. Better yet, I would prefer to see them made available to the general public. George seems to be the only person who doesn't share those sentiments.

It may not be healthy for Mr. Lucas to be dwelling on past issues; it may be a slap in the face to those of us that cherish those original versions; but the films are his and there's no law against what he's decided to do with them.

And what about Francis Ford Coppola? The original version of "Apocalypse Now" is history since the original negative was recut.

Similarly, one wonders whether we will see "Amadeus" again in its original form.

George isn't the only one who's rewriting film history. Why pick on him?

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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"

Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002

posted 02-26-2004 03:09 PM

I believe Apocalypse Now Redux contains more scenes, but the original scenes are all still there and there has been no messing around with digital effects.

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-26-2004 03:14 PM

...and your point would be...?

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Tim Reed
Better Projection Pays

Posts: 5246
From: Northampton, PA
Registered: Sep 1999

posted 02-26-2004 06:47 PM

quote:
the original scenes are all still there

They are. They're just in a different order.
[Smile]

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Manny Knowles
"What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???"

Posts: 4247
From: Bloomington, IN, USA
Registered: Feb 2002

posted 02-26-2004 07:21 PM

"Apocalypse Now Redux" is a different movie -- seeing it is not the same as seeing the original.

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