Do you admire George Lucas?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

He's a dumbass, you can't admire a dumbass.

He came up with a couple of decent stories, big whoop wanna fight about it?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

He's a dumbass, you can't admire a dumbass.

He came up with a couple of decent stories, big whoop wanna fight about it?

He's nowhere near as bad as J.K. Rowling.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

To be fair, if I'm not mistaken, a lot of the prequel 'sets' were actually physical miniature models and not purely CG

But that still meant a lot of blue/green screen on stage that the actors had to deal with, which was my main point. I know that there was quite a bit of miniature work done for TPM (the podrace arena, for example), but honestly I'm spacing it on if there was any of note on the last two.

I remember browsing some of the Star Wars books and things like exterior Dexter's Diner, the Invisible Hand elevator shaft, its corridors were actual miniatures. I think the Kamino corridors were too but I'm not too sure.

Yes I know the point about the bluescreen work, but it doesnt make it purely CG. Besides, had Lucas been a good actor's director, its not really much of a difference as can be seen in movies like Sin City or even Sky Captain imo.

[artyjeffrey 20]

What were the two awful SW films? ROTJ and TPM? Or ROTJ and AOTC? Or ROTJ and ROTS? Or TPM and AOTC? Or TPM and ROTS? Or AOTC and ROTS?

TMP and AOTC.

[aj_vader 534]

George Lucas is a Fantastic Story Teller, I think he should have let other people direct the movies instead of him, Ridley Scott maybe

But In a simple question

I do admire him

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Either GL still refuses to see how bad the prequels were

They are bad for the people that say those things. There are people that enjoy the films, so GL is entiotled to think theay are not as bad as the badmouthers say they are.

It's worth noting that Spielberg was quick to rebutt GL's comments.

Let lucas cover his ass. We all know whose head is going to roll if KOTCS bombs. It wont be Spielbeg's.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

I never admired him. He's the Jerry Bruckheimer of fantasy.

[Neimoidian 14]

I admire and respect him for his personal acheivements as an artist and his contribution to the modern cinema. In some sort of way, he had an influence on my life, too. Let alone my fascination in Star Wars universe when I was younger, these movies have also started my fascination in JW's music.

On the other hand, I blame him for what he did in AotC and to some extent in RotS - movie-wise and score-wise (I must state, I am one of few TPM enthusiasts and find it my 2nd favourite SW chapter). I preety much agree with what John Crichton wrote.

[Quintus 5,399]

I admire and respect him for his personal acheivements as an artist

I would NEVER call George Lucas an artist. NEVER. I would on the other hand call him one of the few genuine visionaries of modern cinema.

But I still don't admire him. Thinking about it, he's created quite a niche for himself, in terms of public perception.

[Richard Penna 3,690]

I don't admire him, but I respect the technological things he's achieved. I have never followed exactly what Lucasfilm's up to, but ILM clearly achieves quite marvellous things and I'm sure there are thousands of things that would not have been invented without him.

On the other hand, he's a businessman, not a director, never seems content with how much money he's made from Star Wars, almost ignores Williams' gargantuan contributions to his success, etc.

[Trent B 337]

Positive:

- A very shrewd businessman.

- A great storyteller. Most criticisms about the prequels I'd have are in presentation and excecution, not in the groundwork of the story.

- Still a good visual storyteller. I'm not as anti-CG as most people here.

- Seems like a geniuinely good guy and a good family man.

Negative:

- Horrible, horrible dialouge. Write the story outline and let someone else handle the script. And this has been around since the beginning.

- The one area where I'd criticise the CG: the sets. Build the actual sets, the effects should only be for the background.

- Not an actor's director. At all.

- Needs to learn how to say no to his friends for the good of the movie. Ben Burtt, I'm looking at you.

- Should have been much more respectful of Williams' scores in the final edit. Though, as I've argued before, RotS did not turn out bad.

Well despite one list being longer that the other I'm coming out on the side of yes. He's done a lot of good for the film industry.

Couldn't have said it better myself. BTW I too am not anti-CG either. In fact I don't mind CG but as long as it flows with the picture and is hard to tell between real physical models or sets.

[Quintus 5,399]

Without CGI, today's blockbusters would look terribly unconvincing.

[Richard Penna 3,690]

Without CG, I suspect most films would have problems.

It's when CG is used just because it looks cool, or just to make one of those sweeping shots. It's one of the main problems I have with LotR - Jackson knows how to tell a story and make the film look good, but he can't resist doing 100% CG sweeping shots quite a lot particularly in the third film. I know it's really easy to say this, but if by some miracle I ever found myself near a director's chair, my preference would always be live action > miniatures > CG.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

It's one of the main problems I have with LotR - Jackson knows how to tell a story and make the film look good, but he can't resist doing 100% CG sweeping shots quite a lot particularly in the third film.

Ironically most of these are the amazing real miniatures.

But somehow Weta makes them look like noticeable CGI.

[BurgaFlippinMan 7]

I admire and respect him for his personal acheivements as an artist

I would NEVER call George Lucas an artist. NEVER.

To be fair, he has a fantastic visual flair. I don't just mean having lots of CG in every place, but in composition of shots and all. He probably could make a great silent film....

[Bryant Burnette 654]

Do I admire George Lucas?

No, I do not. I useta, but he's just burned up too much goodwill for me to keep it in the present tense. Between Jar-Jar, Greedo shooting first, and Jake Lloyd (not to mention the horrible Boss Nass), he lost me somewhere around 1999. He got me back briefly with Revenge of the Sith, but it was too little, too late.

The latest travesty is that this Monday, he's whored out the Star Wars universe to Deal Or No Deal -- I saw a commercial for this two-hour special featuring Stormtroopers, Darth Vader, Chewbacca, etc. doing lame-looking stuff on a game show, and I just thought to myself again how big a joke star Wars has become. Sure, there are still approximately four good Star Wars movies, and it's a possibility that the two upcoming television series will be good. But Deal Or No Deal? Really??!?! Pathetic.

Still, I consider American Graffiti to be one of the best films ever made (FAR better than the still-admittedly-awesome Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back), so he's got that going for him. It doesn't redeem the last decade, but it's a better legacy than a lot of filmmakers can claim.

[Quintus 5,399]

Without CG, I suspect most films would have problems.

It's when CG is used just because it looks cool, or just to make one of those sweeping shots. It's one of the main problems I have with LotR - Jackson knows how to tell a story and make the film look good, but he can't resist doing 100% CG sweeping shots quite a lot particularly in the third film.

For me at least, it is these "sweeping" shots which actually add to the overall epic sweep of the pic.

The one which particularly stands out as being especially effective is the frankly spectacular panning shot right at the end of the charge of the Rohirrim sequence. Its a very important shot that, which just happens to be CG.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

True, it also adds enormously to the mythical aspect of the story.

[Hitch 57]

I'll say this for him...he has some neck

Twins...separated at birth.

[Richard Penna 3,690]

The one which particularly stands out as being especially effective is the frankly spectacular panning shot right at the end of the charge of the Rohirrim sequence. Its a very important shot that, which just happens to be CG.

Two that I'm not particularly fond of are the one just after the Rohirrim start really moving, we see that deformed Orc looking really scared and then the camera swoops past the central ridge of Minas Tirith towards this 'blob' of Horse-like things. The other is during the night when buildings are burning, and what I'm sure is the miniature is covered in somewhat fake looking fire with fireballs going everywhere.

I agree that many shots are needed to convey just how big this battle is. Maybe it's the detail in some shots given the time pressures they were under, but I don't look at them thinking 'wow... that's a lot of horses' but rather 'there's a group of something over there moving rather fast'.

[Quintus 5,399]

I dunno, I seem to remember I was far too busy being knocked for six to care.

[Richard Penna 3,690]

I've just become too critical of substandard SFX lately. I think I've found it harder to suspend disbelief as a result.

But yes, the first time I saw it I was knocked down completely by all of it. It's only subsequent viewings where flaws reveal themselves.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

miniature is covered in somewhat fake looking fire with fireballs going everywhere.

I've just become too critical of substandard SFX lately.

No you arent, THAT is by far the Worse SFX i recall from the LOTR films.

AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL fireballs.

Its videogame rendered movie quality from a decade ago.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Once again Manuel has turned a Lucas thread into an anti-WETA thread.

Special effects problems aside, LOTR is far more involving then any SW prequel.

NEXT!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Once again Manuel has turned a Lucas thread into an anti-WETA thread.

Special effects problems aside, LOTR is far more involving then any SW prequel.

NEXT!

LOTR is too sloooooooooooooooow.

[Pieter Boelen 740]

I like all Star Wars films, but I do understand the criticism pointed at especially the last ones and I do also in part agree with that. And he really - should - not - have - messed - with - the - music!!! But other than that, he IS responsible for making a lot of things possible that I enjoy, including the Star Wars and Indiana Jones films and scores. Also he started companies like ILM and Pixar, which have also turned out a lot of enjoyable things. And for that I do admire him. Now I sincerely hope he will redo his Star Wars films again and re-fix some of the wrongs in them, such as the suddenly-missing music in Episode IV, the messed up music editing in TPM, the missing music for the AotC finale, etc. And I'm still waiting for those Indiana Jones and prequel 2-disc edition soundtracks!!!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

If anything, it is not slow enough!

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

Once again Manuel has turned a Lucas (bashing) thread

We have too many of those

anti-WETA thread.

We dont have enough of these.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

But the ILM versus WETA debate is so boring.

It's just special effects.

[Neimoidian 14]

I admire and respect him for his personal acheivements as an artist

I would NEVER call George Lucas an artist. NEVER. I would on the other hand call him one of the few genuine visionaries of modern cinema.

I disagree. A visionary is someone who can forsee the changes, but it's the artist who changes the things and turns a vision into a reality. Moreover, his first acheivements really have an artistic value and for that I admire him. He's just lost his touch and perhaps has finished as an artist he used to be.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

But the ILM versus WETA debate is so boring.

It's just special effects.

BTW there arer other companies involved in LOTR, so the crap may not be WETA's

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Who cares?

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

But the ILM versus WETA debate is so boring.

It's just special effects.

Exactly, I can't tell the difference.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

But the ILM versus WETA debate is so boring.

It's just special effects.

Exactly, I can't tell the difference.

Yep that's why countless of Prequel bashing is arround the crap CGI, OK.

[Quintus 5,399]

miniature is covered in somewhat fake looking fire with fireballs going everywhere.

I've just become too critical of substandard SFX lately.

No you arent, THAT is by far the Worse SFX i recall from the LOTR films.

AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL fireballs.

Its videogame rendered movie quality from a decade ago.

Oh dear.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

But the ILM versus WETA debate is so boring.

It's just special effects.

Exactly, I can't tell the difference.

Yep that's why countless of Prequel bashing is arround the crap CGI, OK.

Not as much as complaints about Lucas' dialogue.

[Neimoidian 14]

But the ILM versus WETA debate is so boring.

It's just special effects.

Exactly, I can't tell the difference.

Yep that's why countless of Prequel bashing is arround the crap CGI, OK.

Not as much as complaints about Lucas' dialogue.

The dialogues are also computer generated... at least they sound like it.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I have no problems with the fact that CGI was used, not at all.

[aj_vader 534]

oh no is this a SW vs LOTR thread now :S

[Pieter Boelen 740]

Let's bring something else into the mix then.

I once read a review of Tomb Raider 2: The Cradle of Life where the reviewer accused the filmmakers of using obvious CGI in the scene where Lara and the guy jumped off a skyscraper with some sort of flight suit things. Only that wasn't CGI at all; it was 100% real; there actually were two real people who did fly down with those suits on. I thought that was amusing. And it does illustrate the fact that nowadays everybody will assume that anything that looks unbelievable is CGI. Surprisingly enough in some cases, these things actually ARE real. I think we've all become a little too stressed on CGI in that we now see CGI where it isn't.

[Josh500 1,615]

On a different note (no pun intended), check out what John Hurt said about George Lucas in an interview!

Did you see George Lucas around much?

Occasionally. George is a bit socially crippled really. Not good with people. So I just left him alone.

I don't think that's kind... nor professional. Even if it's true, you don't have to say that after he (and Steven) hired him.

Click here!

[Melange 446]

Do you admire George Lucas?

Star Wars changed everything

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

On a different note (no pun intended), check out what John Hurt said about George Lucas in an interview!

Did you see George Lucas around much?

Occasionally. George is a bit socially crippled really. Not good with people. So I just left him alone.

I don't think that's kind... nor professional. Even if it's true, you don't have to say that after he (and Steven) hired him.

Click here!

Maybe, but he's not the first who claimed it. Didn't his wife divorce him because he suffers from emotional authism?

It would explain a lot about the prequels.

[Josh500 1,615]

On a different note (no pun intended), check out what John Hurt said about George Lucas in an interview!

Did you see George Lucas around much?

Occasionally. George is a bit socially crippled really. Not good with people. So I just left him alone.

I don't think that's kind... nor professional. Even if it's true, you don't have to say that after he (and Steven) hired him.

Click here!

Maybe, but he's not the first who claimed it. Didn't his wife divorce him because he suffers from emotional authism?

It would explain a lot about the prequels.

Yeah, even if it's true, an actor doesn't have to spell it out like that, especially in an interview whose main purpose is to advertise the movie he's starred in! "Tact" still counts for a lot these days!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Are you bashing someone for not acting as part of the hurd, and following suit by giving nothing but publicity friendly, answers that tell you nothing?

Not that there some of that too in the interview.

[Josh500 1,615]

Like I said, tact still counts for a lot these days.

Every human being has deficiencies. You don't have to publicly point it out, is all I'm saying!

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I'm sure George is a better people-person than some here.

[Ollie 1,059]

Once again Manuel has turned a Lucas thread into an anti-WETA thread.

Special effects problems aside, LOTR is far more involving then any SW prequel.

NEXT!

I agree with Steef.

[Henry B 50]

Like I said, tact still counts for a lot these days.

Every human being has deficiencies. You don't have to publicly point it out, is all I'm saying!

Who the hell cares? Lucas runs a business empire; he doesn't need nerds like you scrambling to defend him.

[Josh500 1,615]

Who the hell asked you?