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just 'Star Wars'

posted 3 years ago by bozo_500 (12177)
13 replies | jump to latest

was watching the extras/docs for 'Solo' other night and one doc was about Lawrence Kasden and it had his son (who co wrote Solo) talking about his dad and Lucas when he visited the set and he said when they got together and talked he could see they were like 'old school Star Wars' focusing purely on that 1st film (and the 2 sequels) and how Solo would relate to them ..whereas he would think about all of SW the whole thing all the films and the EU etc...

it got me thinking about the OT specifically the 1st film (called 'Star Wars'..not 'Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope') and thinking about how it compared to Lucas' previous movies THX and American Graffiti and was like the 3rd 'small' movie following those and was really a rift on the 30s SF cliffhanger serials and other 30s/40s stuff like Casablanca (Solo/Cantina/Bogart etc), Wizard of Oz (chewie/3po), Metropolis (3po), Adventures of Robin Hood (lightsabre duels, leia/maid marian) WW2 movies (all the space battles), LOTR and even Star Trek.. and of course all the Kurosawa and Joseph Campbell stuff scholars have dissected it all ways from sunday (unlike today when theres literal sequels and remakes of popular stuff from decades ago, Lucas had to rift on it after he was denied the rights to remake Flash Gordon..similar to Spielberg doing Raiders after not getting Bond)

and how really it was like a big experimental movie - can this mash up of all this stuff Lucas grew up on work? and how it really shouldve been a one time deal only but the outrageous ridiculous success caused all the sequels and everything that followed and Lucas became consumed with Star Wars (and then Indy)

[–] Esterhowse (468) 3 years ago

There is nothing wrong with Star Wars becoming a franchise. My friends and I have talked about it for years we were the perfect age when Star Wars (yes just Star Wars, not Episode IV) released.

It permeated every part of our lives, in the toys, the clothing, the sheets.

There are some many great things that can be done with Star Wars and so many great things have been done. The movie just need to stop doing the same shit over and over again. They have an entire Galaxy to play with, play with it!

Lucas did a lot of incredible things for movies after Star Wars, with his THX sound certifications etc.

[–] mcqueen (1150) 3 years ago

i am the oddball fan who likes the first film "best", and could actually live without the others

i feel similarly about Raiders, except in that case i like the first film "only"

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8289) 3 years ago

I actually think Last Crusade is superior to Raiders, though Raiders is a damn good film.

ToD is clearly inferior those, but still pretty good.

It's amazing that Spielberg then later came along and made something like Crystal Skull. I was not even aware it was possible for a master like Spielberg to fuck up so badly.

[–] mcqueen (1150) 3 years ago

i still haven't watched that one, lol

[–] PrimeMinisterX (8289) 3 years ago

The only reason to watch it is to be able to engage in discussion about it. I had to watch it because it's Spielberg and Indiana Jones.

It's a piece of film history, albeit an unfortunate one.

[–] [deleted] 3 years ago

[deleted]

[–] mcqueen (1150) 3 years ago

It was, though. George Lucas repeatedly called it "the most expensive low budget film ever made" and in comparison, Superman the Movie cost 55 million.

[–] Ace_Spade (9336) 3 years ago

Yeah, with the ubitquity of the toys and the franchise, it's sometimes it's impossible to remember how crazy this film was in '77 (or picture it).

I love the second and third films, but I do sometimes wonder what would have happened if Lucas had gone on to make Film #4 instead of focusing his energies into Star Wars to the near-exclusion of other projects. What would we have gotten next?

[–] bozo_500 (12177) 2 years ago

Im thinking he might've directed Raiders for around 1979/80 (starring Tom Selleck)

[–] Ace_Spade (9336) 2 years ago

I'm happy with the Harrison Ford version. So is Ford, probably.

I guess I just wonder if he had another American Graffiti in him. Ah, well. I'm pretty happy with Star Wars.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

"...and how really it was like a big experimental movie - can this mash up of all this stuff Lucas grew up on work? and how it really shouldve been a one time deal only ..."

What can I say, some movies are better than they have any right to be!

I tend to cherish such movies.

[–] [deleted] 2 years ago

"and how it really shouldve been a one time deal only"

If Darth Vader was on the Death Star when it blew up, or blown up over it, then that would've been satisfying.

Oh, but then Tarkin mentions an "emperor" in the conference room.

So already, by setting up such a grandiose opening to his space movie, Lucas left the door wide open for more movies... which was probably the intention.

After all, Star Wars MADE Lucas, why would he give up such a cash cow so readily after just one movie? IMPOSSIBLE.

[–] bozo_500 (12177) 2 years ago

They were inevitable.. (Lucas had the back stories), Providing the film was a success. Had it not then: just 'Star Wars'