And that’s pretty much what Lucas has done with the upcoming batch of Star Wars movies. It had been done in all close-ups and it was confusing about who did what to whom. For true believers, the release of 1999’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, the first new Star Wars movie since Return Of The Jedi in 1983, was akin to a religious event. He instead aimed at showing both sides evenhandedly to explore to what extent the Star Wars franchise is controlled by Lucas versus something morally held by the public. With Ewan McGregor, Liam Neeson, Natalie Portman, Jake Lloyd. It explores the issues of filmmaking and fanaticism pertaining to the The more invested people become in something, the more liable they are to be shattered if the subject of that investment lets them down. It was simply a matter of him finally having the resources and the technology to realize his original vision. But fans of the original trilogy greeted the release of The Phantom Menace with a panicked feeling of, “This can’t be it, can it?” combined with rage directed specifically at Lucas. To people who love Star Wars but hate what Lucas has done to it, the solution was simple: Take Star Wars out of his hands, and put it in the hands of the faithful. [7] AMC critic Josh Bell wrote, "People is a skillfully edited, wide-ranging look at a subject that's very close to many movie fans' hearts, part of an ongoing debate that will only gain more attention as Lucas continues to tinker with his creations. As the God of the Star Wars universe, Lucas was within his rights to do as he saw fit with his characters and films. $15.00 + $5.00 shipping. And the critic does explicitly address the fact that it is not just Lucas's fault, but the fault of the editors, producers, screenwriters, and everyone else who were sycophants instead of creative partners willing to say no and challenge Lucas … The Phantom Menace Review (2009 Video) News. Will Abrams invite the same blowback from Star Wars fans as he did from Star Trek fans? https://screenrant.com/star-wars-phantom-menace-story-george-lucas-defense But the faithful were mortified to discover that these sacred texts of their childhood weren’t the same as before. The 2010 documentary film The People vs. George Lucas cites The Phantom Edit as a key example of the remix culture created by the Star Wars franchise. Lucas wrote and directed the original A New Hope and all three prequels, and served as executive producer on The Empire Strikes Back and Return Of The Jedi. Making movies that appeal specifically to children is no crime, and Lucas succeeded in introducing the Star Wars universe to a new generation—one that might prefer the sequels to the original trilogy. (In the documentary, a wide-eyed superfan jokes that the trailer to The Phantom Menace was so mind-boggling that its very existence shames God, since He has never created anything nearly as magnificent.) The controversy over who shot first, Greedo or Han Solo, in Episode IV, what I did was try to clean up the confusion, but obviously it upset people because they wanted Solo to be a cold-blooded killer, but he actually isn’t. I put a little wider shot in there that made it clear that Greedo is the one who shot first, but everyone wanted to think that Han shot first, because they wanted to think that he actually just gunned him down. The People vs. George Lucas. The old, fussy George Lucas of today, the one who seems primarily interested in amusing small children and selling them toys, was taking the grit out of the young George Lucas’ work. Probably because the fans’ intense emotional investment in Star Wars creates the kind of expectations that lead to disappointment and rage. If you couldn’t believe in Star Wars, what could you believe in? When Star Wars: The Phantom Menace came out in 1999, people were a little disappointed to find the galaxy far, far away’s troubles all started with a trade dispute. 41m left. However, Philippe disliked the changes made by Lucas in re-releases of the original trilogy as well as the prequel trilogy. What could be better? Interviewees include a variety of figures such as Neil Gaiman, MC Frontalot and Gary Kurtz. The Phantom Menace is bad because Lucas screwed up. The People Vs. George Lucas grudgingly concedes that, while Jar Jar angried up the blood of the adult faithful, children actually seemed to like the silly-talking alien goofball, and the movie that introduced him. In the press release announcing Lucasfilm’s sale to Disney, Lucas explained, “It’s now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. To diehards, Lucas was trying to fundamentally alter the character of Han Solo from a sexy, morally ambiguous badass into an uncomplicated, clean-cut hero. The narrative of the film shows the complex relationship between Lucas and his fans, as well as how and why exactly the elements of the Star Wars franchise have appealed to so many people so deeply. "[9], Slant Magazine writer Elise Nakhnikian lauded the film as "one of this year's best" documentaries, calling it "Smart, funny, and often impassioned. He is best known for The I watched TPM in theaters with my father and step-grandfather 21 years ago when I was 6 years … The populace would storm Skywalker Ranch and angrily demand Lucas’ head for his transgressions against the universe he created. If the films succeed creatively as well as commercially (there’s no doubt the films will make a fortune, the only question is whether it will be “a fuck-ton,” or “all the money in the world”), then Lucas will be hailed for making the right decision and putting the movies, the characters, and the fans above his ego. The documentary is expected to be wrapped up later this year and we have an update on some of the horror icons that have filmed segments. The People vs George Lucas chronicles the controversial manipulation of one of the most popular movie franchises of all time. The images had been cleaned up, with new special effects added. New Clip from Doc of the Dead. [3][4], The film begins with a brief history of Lucas' career leading up to the release of Star Wars in 1977. But Lucas will not be assuming any high-profile role for the new batch of movies, though he’s reportedly going to be a creative consultant. Last night, I watched The Phantom Menace.There was a Star Wars marathon that I had missed and TPM was on from 12 to 3 which is my usual timeframe for calling it a night. But that wasn’t all: Lucas also went back and changed some details Star Wars fans considered essential to the film, the fact that Greedo now shoots first in A New Hope’s cantina scene most notorious among them. In the age of instant hyperbole and overwhelming online negativity that we live in, George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace wouldn’t have stood a chance. Finally, they could see these movies on the big screen again—or for the first time—and share that communal experience of watching Luke Skywalker and company in a theater. While Lucas is the creator of Star Wars, he only directed Star Wars: A New Hope.With the prequel trilogy, he decided to write and direct all three. The Phantom Menace was Lucas’s first long-awaited prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy.Released in 1999, the film was received poorly by many critics and fans. "[1], Independent critic Christian Toto praised the film and wrote that "the Force is strong with this one". Signed 1st ed Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace - Terry Brooks 1999 Anakin. ... William Shakespeare's The Phantom of Menace: Star Wars Part the First (William Shakespeare's Star Wars) Book 1 of 9: William Shakespeare's Star Wars | … Maybe those haters should have had a little more sympathy for old Uncle George when he didn’t knock it out of the park with every movie, huh? 2011 | CC. [3][4], On February 2, 2017, Mark Hamill stated during an interview that he felt that the documentary is biased against Lucas and the prequels and that he could not believe the backlash that they received. without any changes. For a guy who came of age during the prickly, divisive world of New Hollywood, Lucas has always been a populist entertainer committed to  giving audiences what they want—and in 2014, that seems to mean more Star Wars without his active participation. As my friend and former co-worker Todd Hanson wryly notes in the movie, this rage becomes a strange badge of true fandom. The film was released on DVD on October 25, 2011. Star Wars overseer Kathleen Kennedy her theory on why George Lucas went back to the galaxy far, far away to direct the prequel trilogy.. Soon Star Wars’ most vocal fans/skeptics will see if getting what they think they want will make them any happier. From the vantage point of 2014, with a new trilogy in the works headed not by Lucas, but by J.J. Abrams and others, The People Vs. George Lucas looks awfully prescient. The People Vs. George Lucas prominently features fan videos, tributes, and spoofs from acolytes so enraptured of the world Lucas created that they don’t just want to passively consume it, they want to be a part of it. I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime.” In a Collider video about the acquisition, Lucas speaks of his desire to properly retire into “another stage of life where I’m not in the film business anymore, where I don’t have to run a corporation.”. No one knows, but it’s no longer Lucas’ responsibility. The rest of the film is structured by inter-cutting interviews with many different fans, academics, film critics, former colleagues of Lucas, well-known writers in the science fiction/fantasy genre and others. Terry Brooks & George Lucas STAR WARS, EPISODE 1 The Phantom Menace 1st Edition 1st Printing Hardcover New York Del Rey 1999 Near Fine in a Near Fine dust jacket. [2], Director Alexandre Philippe, a lifetime Star Wars fan from his early childhood, has said that the film was not meant to be one-sided against Lucas, although the title has often created that interpretation. Its beginnings can be traced back to the appearance of the Ewoks in Return Of The Jedi, or maybe even the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special, but it officially kicked into high gear with the 1997 theatrical release of the Special Edition versions of A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return Of The Jedi. Lucas appears frequently in archival footage, but is never interviewed directly. [8] Salt Lake City Weekly ran a negative review by Bryan Young, who commented that the "film comes off as a one-sided attack" and that it's "not hard to talk to people who love Star Wars... the filmmakers should have tried harder to provide that balance. But when the film itself appeared, the disappointment that ensued among all but the most faithful and deluded proved so devastating that it caused fans to reassess their entire belief systems. George Lucas interviewed by Johnny Vaughn on "The Big Breakfast" in 1999 To paraphrase the words of another widely reviled American icon who arguably did more to earn that anger than Lucas, fans won’t have George Lucas to kick around any more—though it is possible that some fans, just for the sake of tradition, will grouse about how these new films are completely ruined by sub-par creative consulting. Will this change in management make a difference? It’s a testament to the strange, complicated relationship Lucas has with his fans that many would happily receive the news that the man who created their beloved world no longer wants to be in the film business. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. But before foreshadowing what will hopefully be Star Wars’ glorious future, the documentary immerses itself deep in the most painful parts of Star Wars’ past. Clearly only people unhealthily obsessed with the original trilogy could feel so betrayed by Lucas’ changes to those films. Max turns back the clock and takes a retrospective look at George Lucas’ Star Wars prequel The Phantom Menace. I hate to tell people that. The Phantom Menace backlash The prequel trilogy which spanned across 1999 to 2005 clearly divided a lot of fans who considered Star Wars to be the epitome of entertainment. But if the Special Editions were like tinkering with sacred scripture, then The Phantom Menace’s introduction of Jar Jar Binks into the Star Wars universe was akin to following up The New Testament with an even Newer Testament where Jesus comes back and spends all his time waterskiing with Guy Fieri and Bret Ratner. It’s a movie, just a movie. The People vs. George Lucas is a 2010 documentary comedy film directed by Swiss director Alexandre O. Philippe. The passion the original Star Wars trilogy inspires in its fans is unparalleled; but when it comes to George Lucas himself, many have found their ardor has cooled into a complicated love-hate relationship. Two Jedi escape a hostile blockade to find allies and come across a young boy who may bring balance to the Force, but the long dormant Sith resurface to claim their original glory. Penelope Spheeris on the long-overdue return of her. Read this classic interview with Star Wars director George Lucas, dating from 1999, as part of Empire's Star Wars archive. Star Wars references are deeply embedded in popular culture; references to the main characters and themes of Star Wars are casually made in many English-speaking countries with the assumption that others will understand the reference. Philippe feels that Lucas is a relatively talented director and an "ideas man" based on the original Star Wars trilogy, THX 1138 (1971) and American Graffiti (1973). Writing and directing the Star Wars prequels put Lucas in an impossible position: Expectations were so high that the best he could hope to do was meet them. Fans camped out just to buy tickets for George Lucas’s fourth Star … [11], In June 2014 it was reported that a sequel, The People vs. George Lucas – Episode II, was in development. In Lucas’ mind, the change that enraged the faithful wasn’t a change at all. In the episode, Philippe is interviewed by Mike Stoklasa and Jay Bauman about the film and discusses his personal thoughts on Lucas and the franchise. Sequel: Attack of the Phantom [ edit ] Nichols followed up his edits of Episode I with an edit of Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones . George Lucas changed the industry forever with his original trilogy of movies, and the property has since grown to include 11 movies as well as various TV shows. While The Phantom Menace … Our Exposition columns offer informed, compelling takes on issues around the movies, from opinions about the topics driving films today to reconsiderations of the movies of yesteryear. George Lucas's science fiction multi-film Star Wars saga has had a significant impact on modern popular culture. "[10], On September 16, 2011, coinciding with the release of Star Wars on Blu-ray, Philippe appeared on a two-part episode of "Half in the Bag", an online movie review comedy show produced by RedLetterMedia. The film plans to examine what fans think of the Star Wars franchise since George Lucas sold Lucasfilm to The Walt Disney Company, and will pose the question "What does the future of Star Wars look like without George Lucas? People who viewed this item also viewed ... + $5.95 shipping. Will it matter to the next generation of fans, the ones even younger than those who think of the prequels as their Star Wars? This hilarious, heartfelt documentary delves deep into Lucas’s cultural legacy, asking all the tough questions. [1], On review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes the film has a rating of 72%, based on 25 reviews, with an average rating of 6.7/10. The film suggests that, while Lucas created a wonderful, vast universe with Star Wars, after the rage induced by the “Special Edition” re-releases of the original trilogy and the introduction of Jar-Jar Binks into the canon, it would be best for him to step aside and let the generations inspired by his work take over. If the films disappoint, though, those fans will at least have the exquisite consolation prize of being able to complain about them. When Disney bought out George Lucas in 2012 and installed a new team in charge of Lucasfilm and Star Wars, ... Jar Jar Binks in The Phantom Menace… It explores the issues of filmmaking and fanaticism pertaining to the Star Wars franchise and its creator, George Lucas. In the minds of Lucas’ detractors, these prequels weren’t the product of the good George that gave the world Star Wars, but rather the bad, greedy George who destroyed the original trilogy with his asinine changes, and had now tilted the franchise unmistakably in the direction of kiddie fodder. George Lucas wasn’t the first director to go in on CGI effects, but most of the big movies that had gone there before The Phantom Menace— Terminator 2, Jurassic Park, Independence Day, Titanic —had used some combination of computer-generated stuff and old-school effects wizardry. A sizable, vocal percentage of Star Wars fanatics didn’t want dazzling new special effects; they wanted the Star Wars they grew up worshiping, and they were enraged that Lucas not only changed their version of Star Wars, he made the versions they grew up with commercially unavailable in new formats like DVD and Blu-ray. Watching The People Vs. George Lucas, I thought, “You nerds really need to get over yourselves.” But I can also see how enraging it might be to see the creator of something of vital importance to millions condescendingly dismiss the object of their obsession. The film combines filmmaker and celebrity interviews with fan films, mainly taken from the 2010 online video Star Wars Uncut, which were submitted via the film's site. It does so with slick humor that includes many fan-created pieces and is must-see for any Star Wars fan who knows "Han shot first" and cringes everytime Vader says "NOOOOOO" at the end of Episode VI. The impish 2010 documentary The People Vs. George Lucas chronicles an apparent contradiction: the sizable community that loves the original Star Wars trilogy, yet nurses feelings toward its originator ranging from complicated ambivalence to unambiguous hatred. I have no idea whether George Lucas has seen The People Vs. George Lucas, but if he owns a computer—and I’m going to go out on a limb and guess he probably does—then he’s obviously aware of the sentiments angrily and articulately expressed throughout the film, and of how they color fans’ reaction to his departure from the franchise he created.