Films/DVD Asylum

Posted by Gee LP (A) on July 27, 2004 at 03:21:55

In Reply to: Re: All the Stars Wars were rubbish.... posted by patrickU on July 25, 2004 at 12:37:52:

From what I have read in the book "Easy Riders", and other interviews over the years, is that Lucas decided during the screenplay-writing stage of "Return of the Jedi" to soften the series and ensure the continuing commercial viability of the characters. Gary Kurtz, producer of the first two "Star Wars" films, was shocked that Lucas would cheapen the "Star Wars" saga just to keep the little ones returning to the theatres over and over again and keep buying the toys and books and etc. etc.... Kurtz never worked with Lucas again, and "Jedi"'s success cynically inspired Lucas to tell everyone that he came into contact with that these were just "kid's movies" (or something like that...my materials are all boxed up in anticipation of a soon-to-be move). I do not think that is a coincidence that Lucas has done nothing since that is worth a damn.

The first "Star Wars" may have been trash, but it was fun, playful "trash". The second movie unexpectedly took the story into areas Lucas could not have anticipated when he was working on the screenplay of "Star Wars" in 1973-74. It is a shame that all we have now are the pitifully-reworked versions of "Star Wars" and "Empire Strikes Back" to remind us of the entertainment we once got from Lucas' work.