George Lucas - Why the Vitriol?

[Set Harth]

Why the vitriol?

Because in 1999 some people told their friends that Star Wars was back and it was going to be better than ever.

And they were embarrassed.

And the one thing these image-obsessed kids will never, ever let you forget - what is it, 14 years and counting? - is that you made them look uncool.

And no one stops them and says "hey, this sucks, fix it" because... I dunno why. I don't know.

Because they don't want to get fired.

 

[Sindatur]

Vitriol?

Didn't know he had that problem. A bit too much information.

They do say performance issues can happen. 1 out of five......

No, Not Vivisexion, Vitriol

 

[JarodRussell]

Because instead of improving his ability to tell a story, he devolved and ignored storytelling in order to advertise his special effects company. That's the main reason for me, anyway.

What's the problem with the storytelling in his films?

 

[137th Gebirg]

Probably because the most universally reviled character in the entire franchise was the real reason that Palpatine was so easily able to take power over the Senate, by being manipulated into moving for a no-confidence vote against the sitting Chancellor of the Old Republic and too stupid to realize what was happening, or that he was being played.

Seriously...who thought that writing this shit was a good idea?

 

[davejames]

Because instead of improving his ability to tell a story, he devolved and ignored storytelling in order to advertise his special effects company. That's the main reason for me, anyway.

I don't really think it's anything that cynical. I just think he was so excited about the new technology, and so eager to create amazing new worlds and creatures for a new trilogy, that he lost sight of the story and characters. And forgot the importance of always keeping them front and center.

Which is ironic, because he was the one guy we thought would know how to strike the right balance between story and special effects, when so many other scifi movies back then were going completely overboard with CGI.

Who would have thought he would end up being the worst offender of them all?

 

[crookeddy]

Who would have thought he would end up being the worst offender of them all?

I wasn't too surprised. The OT pushed visual effects of the time to their limit. The PT also pushed visual effects of the time to their limit. The real difference is that the limits changed a lot.

 

[137th Gebirg]

The frustration for many (including myself) comes from the fact that, back in the beginning, Lucas DID understand that superior visual effects are to be used as a tool to enhance good storytelling. That's why he created ILM. The story should never be built around the effects, but always the other way around. He KNEW this at one time.

At some point between the two trilogies, Lucas just seemed to have lost his way...

 

[FPAlpha]

The prequels were a disappointment for many people. Lucas had nothing but yes-men working for him and he went right off the rails. But since he was kind enough to sell out to Disney we will get a chance to see another take on Star Wars. Looking forward to it.

Pretty much summed it up.. the OP also mentioned Jar Jar so he's aware of the many shortcomings of the PT movies.

Lucas is awesome at creating worlds but he just doesn't cut it with today's audience which has grown beyond simple candy visuals. His movies are pretty good for kids who can still be amazed by cool special effects, cool characters and the occasional silly humor but his movies don't stand up to an adults' more critical eye and it is a good writer who can please both. George is not one of them unfortunately.

And he's also a bad director.. he has top acts like Natalie Portman, Liam Neeson and Ewan McGregor and managed to get some of their worst performances out of them in their careers.

Best scenario would have been George being the producer and creating the world but have talented people take over and play within his world with no restrictions.

This is why i have so much hope for the Disney movies (if only Abrams would let go of his lens flare fondness )

 

[JarodRussell]

The frustration for many (including myself) comes from the fact that, back in the beginning, Lucas DID understand that superior visual effects are to be used as a tool to enhance good storytelling. That's why he created ILM. The story should never be built around the effects, but always the other way around. He KNEW this at one time.

At some point between the two trilogies, Lucas just seemed to have lost his way...

When you read his unfilmed scripts, he never knew that. Ever read Indiana Jones and the Monkey King? Technology in the 80s and early 90s restricted his imagination a great deal.

 

[Gaith]

Check out a movie called The People vs George Lucas. It brings up some interesting points about how he views the Star Wars movies in contrast to how fans view them.
Also, the Half In the Bag review of Red Tails..

And also the (nearly hour-long) Half in the Bag interview/discussion with the director of The People vs. George Lucas. Bottom line is, apart from the PT sucking bantha poodoo, fans want legitimate, restored but not tinkered with home releases of the OT. And they don't much like being blatantantly lied to ("Greedo was always supposed to shoot Han" being only the most infamous example).

Speaking in my experienced, expert capacity as one who has inadvertently personally confused and annoyed the Flanneled One, I don't bear the guy any ill will. That said, he does come off as a pretty prissy twerp when he moans about how everyone should respect his repeated screwing with the OT on one hand as a matter of artistic integrity, while simultaneously liscencing the crap out of the franchise to all sorts of stupid merchandise, from Darth Vader Mr. Potato Heads to crossover Transformers toys. A series of heartfelt personal visual poems or a money-grubbing empire of cheap plastic crap: pick one, dude.

 

[davejames]

I wasn't too surprised. The OT pushed visual effects of the time to their limit. The PT also pushed visual effects of the time to their limit. The real difference is that the limits changed a lot.

Well then I guess we should be thankful that he WAS so hampered and restricted by the technology of the day.

 

[JarodRussell]

I wasn't too surprised. The OT pushed visual effects of the time to their limit. The PT also pushed visual effects of the time to their limit. The real difference is that the limits changed a lot.

Well then I guess we should be thankful that he WAS so hampered and restricted by the technology of the day.

That's exactly the point. But that's not only the case with George Lucas. The better the CGI, the worse the films, at least that's my impression. Nowadays everyone can do exactly what he or she wants. That wasn't the case 20 years ago. Compromise makes the better films, simply because less is more.

 

[J.T.B.]

I have no vitriol for Lucas personally. I saw a screening of American Graffiti over the weekend, and once again found it brilliant. Star Wars, too; they were fun, innovative, ground-breaking movies that deserved their massive-hit status. If he never made a decent movie again, he still accomplished more than most filmmakers.

I thought the "Special Edition" changes to the original trilogy were awful and added nothing to the films. But that is his prerogative. Where I disagree strongly with Lucas is his decision not to preserve, exhibit or release in a commercially viable home video format the first three Star Wars pictures in their original form. It is detrimental to the history of cinema and I simply can't fathom the motivation behind it.

 

[137th Gebirg]

And, to be fair, it's not just Lucas. The Great Steven Spierberg's re-whatever-ing of E.T. by replacing shotguns with walkie-talkies in the hands of all the officer extras comes to mind. Made me want to swallow a bull...er...antenna.

 

[J.T.B.]

And, to be fair, it's not just Lucas. The Great Steven Spierberg's re-whatever-ing of E.T. by replacing shotguns with walkie-talkies in the hands of all the officer extras comes to mind. Made me want to swallow a bull...er...antenna.

But Spielberg did admit a couple of years ago that it was the wrong decision and said he would not do anything like that in the future.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Oh! Missed that one. Well, then...good that he realized it. Thanks for the link on that.

 

[RandyS]

Where I disagree strongly with Lucas is his decision not to preserve, exhibit or release in a commercially viable home video format the first three Star Wars pictures in their original form. It is detrimental to the history of cinema and I simply can't fathom the motivation behind it.

This is my problem with Lucas also. I feel no hate or vitriol toward the man, but I do strongly disagree with his wish to erase any previous version of the OT once a new change has been made.

It's like he doesn't understand that there's money to be made in a giant DVD set of every version of the OT. Hell, just look at the 2007 releases of the three versions of Close Encounters, or that "suitcase" release of all five versions of Blade Runner. I'm happy to have those in my collection.

Ditto that three disk ET set.

 

[crookeddy]

So what is on the "theatrical version" disc of my DVDs? Is its till the special edition? How is it different then whats on disc one?

 

[gblews]

I've never hated him but I was starting to get somewhat irritated whenever I read a quote of his stating that there was no further Star Wars story after Jedi. There obviously was, with all of those Extended Universe(?) books (which I have never read). It made me start to think that he was maybe so petty and egotistical that he was afraid that someone would come along and do something brilliant thereby making him look even worse vis a vis the PT.

But now that he has sold the rights to the franchise to a company who is more than willing to explore the franchise beyond Jedi, all is forgiven. I still think the man just got older and wiser and finally, it just wasn't that big a deal to him anyomre, having someone else handle his baby. Perhaps meeting a good woman and falling in love did it.

But wouldn't you know it, there are fans who are bellyaching about Disney and J.J. before even seeing a teaser. Perhaps George wasn't the only one in need of some growth.

 

[J.T.B.]

So what is on the "theatrical version" disc of my DVDs? Is its till the special edition? How is it different then whats on disc one?

The 2006 bonus discs are the laserdisc video from 20 years ago dumped onto DVD. It looks terrible on modern equipment, and has a number of glitches and artifacts from the video transfer process. I personally can't watch it on any of my home screens it looks so bad, and I am normally fairly tolerant of "low rez" video.