From the start of his filmmaking journey in Hollywood, George Lucas has consistently followed an independent path. Remarkably, after nearly six decades, he remains unchanged in his unique approach.
At a 45th anniversary showing of “The Empire Strikes Back” during the inaugural night of the 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival, Lucas spoke about his introduction to longtime friend and collaborator Francis Ford Coppola, his beginnings within the studio system, and his journey from “American Graffiti” to the revolutionary blockbuster “Star Wars.” Despite host Ben Mankiewicz’s best attempts to steer the conversation, the film that had brought the sellout crowd together went largely unmentioned until Lucas chose to address it.
It’s well-known that Lucas’ career has been extensively explored and analyzed; there are at least eight books about him, as well as documentaries and nonfiction series. Despite this extensive coverage, it was still entertaining to listen to him share his initial disdain for studio filmmaking, a sentiment he expressed from the very first day on set. Interestingly, Lucas occupied most of the 35-minute discussion to eventually reveal that due to overwriting the original “Star Wars” script, he had already planned and prepared the storyline for “The Empire Strikes Back.
As I shared with Mankiewicz, my writing style is reminiscent of a blueprint – it’s more about structure than intricate details. And when I completed the script for ‘Star Wars’, it spanned between 130 and 180 pages. To manage this vast work, I divided it into three distinct sections, deciding to concentrate on the first one initially because, realistically, we may never secure enough funding to bring the entire saga to life.
It’s possible that Mankiewicz unintentionally made a strategic blunder by initiating their discussion with a query about Lucas’ friendship with Coppola. However, it’s also fair to consider that Mankiewicz might not have anticipated the detailed, leisurely recollection Lucas would offer regarding his initial days on the set of Coppola’s “Finian’s Rainbow” and the subsequent bond that formed between them, both being the youngest members of the troubled musical production. As Lucas put it, “I was 22, Francis was 27. We had beards, long hair – we were film students. Everyone else on the crew was about 65 years old.
why was Yoda’s dialogue spoken in reverse? “People wouldn’t pay as much attention if he spoke normally,” Lucas explained. “However, if he had an accent or his speech was difficult to understand, they would concentrate more on what he was saying.
In my critique, the central character could be aptly described as the movie’s resident philosopher. My challenge lay in finding a means to captivate both the discerning adult and the youthful audience, particularly the twelve-year-olds, who often require a unique touch in storytelling.
Despite providing scant specifics about the making of “The Empire Strikes Back,” Lucas reminisced on the studio’s reluctance to back “Star Wars.” Initially, they were hesitant to sign off on the contract he had prepared. “I proposed, ‘I’ll do it for $50,000, to write, direct, and produce… But I also want the sequels.’ Moreover, I wanted the rights because I was determined to create those films regardless of this movie’s outcome.
He mentioned he had included another significant term in his contract, potentially revolutionary not just for him but also the entire entertainment sector. “I replied, ‘by the way, I’d like to discuss licensing.’ They responded, ‘What do you mean by licensing?'” The film left them unimpressed, and their previous experiences with movie merchandising only served to strengthen their skepticism. “They exchanged doubts among themselves, muttering, ‘He can’t possibly do that. It costs a billion dollars and a year to create a toy or any merchandise. There’s no profit in it at all.’
Disappointed with Fox’s marketing efforts for the film, Lucas launched a grassroots campaign to stir up enthusiasm, hinting at a time when numerous cinema-goers would actively show their appreciation for beloved movies and series. “I had children promoting the movie at Disneyland, Comic Cons, and similar events,” he explained. “That’s why Fox was taken aback when, on the film’s release day, lines stretched around the block.
As a movie enthusiast, I found myself intrigued when Mankiewicz tossed Lucas a seemingly innocuous question about his preferred character between the two newcomers in “Empire” – the lovable Jedi master Yoda or the charming scoundrel Lando Calrissian. However, just like before, Lucas skillfully dodged the question. In response to the query, he compared having 12 kids and liking them all equally. The moderator’s attempt was valiant, but much like the movie we were about to watch, it ended rather abruptly without a clear conclusion.
At 80 years old, Lucas makes public appearances less frequently than ever before, so witnessing him in person felt like a precious opportunity – even if the underlying message from this event was that the more desired something is, the easier it is to control its delivery according to your own rhythm.
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2025-04-25 22:46