Is Peter Jackson becoming the new George Lucas?

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

So I was thinking the other day of how Peter Jackson is slowly becoming the new George Lucas: put in charge of a bloated, overexpensive prequel trilogy to a once great and generation-defining trilogy, with hardly anyone there to tell him not all his ideas are the greatest thing since sliced bread. The Hobbit trilogy might be in danger of becoming as self-important and hollow as the Star Wars prequel trilogy. An Unexpected Journey certainly lacked the visible passion, drive and inherent necessity to be a great film that The Fellowship of the Ring had splashing off every frame. Instead, the first Hobbit movie seems to be mostly just going through the motions, rather than offering us something that a group of filmmakers have poured their heart, soul and a shitload of financial risk into.

Food for thought. What do you think?

[chuck 154]

There are some scenes in AUJ that seems kinda rushed and fleeting.

But as to PJ becoming GL, well story-wise, he doesn't shoulder the burden of screenwriting that GL once did. That makes him not like GL, a bit.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[filmmusic 1,838]

I haven't seen the film, nor I will probably, but I have never seen a series of films in which from the 4th one and on it gets even better. It usually gets worse. (examples: Indiana Jones, Terminator, Rambo, Star Wars, Superman etc.)

So, that said, i say, if you make a trilogy, just leave it there. there's no need for other sequels/prequels because the over-exposure of the whole thing isn't good..

[chuck 154]

He's not there yet (The Hobbit had some great moments, more than any of the prequel films had), but he's slowly starting to resemble Lucas more and more for sure.

A leaner cousin of Jabba the Hutt.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[chuck 154]

You know the stereotypical view of the Hutts.

[Luke Skywalker 1,795]

So I was thinking the other day of how Peter Jackson is slowly becoming the new George Lucas: put in charge of a bloated, overexpensive prequel trilogy to a once great and generation-defining trilogy, with hardly anyone there to tell him not all his ideas are the greatest thing since sliced bread. The Hobbit trilogy might be in danger of becoming as self-important and hollow as the Star Wars prequel trilogy. An Unexpected Journey certainly lacked the visible passion, drive and inherent necessity to be a great film that The Fellowship of the Ring had splashing off every frame. Instead, the first Hobbit movie seems to be mostly just going through the motions, rather than offering us something that a group of filmmakers have poured their heart, soul and a shitload of financial risk into.

Food for thought. What do you think?

Hah, really?

I've been saying this while the LOTR films were still being made... (and cruzifixed several times for it) It seems i was not totally wrong.

Just wait when the LOTR fils get a special edition treatment....

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

He might be, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was pretty bland and he's already directed a bad movie (The Lovely Bones).

[Richard Penna 3,694]

Have to disagree there - From the perspective of not having read the book, The Lovely Bones is not a bad movie.

It's flawed, but I really enjoyed it.

LotR-wise, FotR is the only one of the original trilogy that I really feel is a truly great movie. It has less going on and more focus on characters.

AUJ was very entertaining, but definitely overstuffed with CG (the stone giants sequence on reflection is rather pointless) and generally overlong for the rather brief story it was telling.

As long as they have engaging stories, he's not at Lucas' level yet. Although I'm not liking how bluescreen/CG DoS looks.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

At least Lucas gave us AMERICAN GRAFFITI. Jackson has yet to make a decent film.

[Quintus 5,399]

So I was thinking the other day of how Peter Jackson is slowly becoming the new George Lucas: put in charge of a bloated, overexpensive prequel trilogy to a once great and generation-defining trilogy, with hardly anyone there to tell him not all his ideas are the greatest thing since sliced bread. The Hobbit trilogy might be in danger of becoming as self-important and hollow as the Star Wars prequel trilogy. An Unexpected Journey certainly lacked the visible passion, drive and inherent necessity to be a great film that The Fellowship of the Ring had splashing off every frame. Instead, the first Hobbit movie seems to be mostly just going through the motions, rather than offering us something that a group of filmmakers have poured their heart, soul and a shitload of financial risk into.

Food for thought. What do you think?

Hah, really?

I've been saying this while the LOTR films were still being made... (and cruzifixed several times for it) It seems i was not totally wrong.

Just wait when the LOTR fils get a special edition treatment....

Well, it wasn't so much a theory of yours as it was you willing it to happen.

But yeah, Jacko has lost the plot. I love LotR and will be forever grateful that he made it as well as he did, but overall I no longer even rate Jackson as a director I'm interested in.

[Barnald 365]

Pretty much every blockbuster is heavy reliant on CGI these days. I think it's more indicative of a trend then Jackson's preferences.

I enjoyed An Unexpected Journey as much as any LOTR film, and thought it far superior to any of the Star Wars prequels. Yes there were problems but the LOTR films weren't perfect either, and I think I'm generally more tolerant and relaxed about it than most. I had no real problem with the changes and additions to date though I am very concerned about Tauriel. Guess we'll have to see how that turns out.

I think it's a pretty narrow comparison really, since it cannot be extended beyond Jackson and Lucas' treatment of the respective franchises which they're most associated with. Jackson will only become the new George Lucas if he goes back and makes fairly extensive changes to the LOTR trilogy several times, generally for the worse. Aside from putting Freeman into the prologue and POSSIBLY making some alterations to Gollum in FOTR, I really don't think he'll do that. He doesn't strike me as that possessive about his Middle Earth films. Infact, I think he looks forward to doing something new when it's all done.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Is some ways Lucas and Jackson have stunning similarities.

Bot started a now major special effects company to accommodate one of their own films, both have done, or are doing prequels of the films that made them famous.

Both seem to suffer from having too much control. Lucas had nothing but Yes-men at his disposal with the prequels, and therefore no one to tell him some of his creative choices fell flat.

Jackson is making a trilogy, where 2 films already seemed like overkill. And is filling is with a lot of stuff that, from the evidence of the first Hobbit film alone, mostly feels like filler nad slows things down.

The main difference is in their skill as a director.

Lucas's imagery, the way he tells his story feels static. For a supposed visionary genius he relies on exposition far too much to tell an already less then engaging story. Also, if the prequels are an indication, he lacks the ability to create interesting characters. The Prequels, are in part a love story. At no point do you get any sense of love from the characters though

Jackson is also a much better actors director. There are far more solid performances then poor ones in LOTR or The Hobbit. And a couple of really GREAT performances too.

The Prequels has nothing that comes close to McKellen's Gandalf, Serkis'Gollum or Freeman's Bilbo!

Jackson, despite some deep flaws, is a more rounded film maker.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Jackson has the benefit of stronger source material.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That is true. He's hasn't done an original screenplay in ages.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

Those giant rock transformers don't inspire confidence.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Those were in the book.

[A24 4,345]

At least Lucas gave us AMERICAN GRAFFITI. Jackson has yet to make a decent film.

I agree! (sort of)

[Jay 37,372]

Has nobody seen Heavenly Creatures?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It's supposed to be properly brilliant.

[A24 4,345]

Seen it, don't remember it. I remember American Graffiti.

[crocodile 8,018]

I didn't give a shit about The Hobbit film, so yeah.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Seen it, don't remember it. I remember American Graffiti.

That Lucas died a long time ago.

[A24 4,345]

Seen it, don't remember it. I remember American Graffiti.

That Lucas died a long time ago.

No, it didn't, not as long as there are reruns of Happy Days!!!!!

Oh, you mean Lucas the director, not the film.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Still waiting for that small, low budget film Lucas promised to make after the Prequels.

[Quintus 5,399]

It's supposed to be properly brilliant.

It's a very lyrical picture actually, beautifully played and relatively sparse with dialogue. Jackson was never more subtle and delicate.

The ending is of course absolutely brutal and shocking, the choice of music artistically inspired.

So yeah, it feels nothing like a Sir Peter Jackson movie.

[Jay 37,372]

Still waiting for that small, low budget film Lucas promised to make after the Prequels.

He made Red Tails...

[A24 4,345]

Still waiting for that small, low budget film Lucas promised to make after the Prequels.

Something tells me he won't make such movie at all. The fire has died ... a long time ago.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

He didn't direct Red Tails, and it's not really a small picture.

[Jay 37,372]

Still waiting for that small, low budget film Lucas promised to make after the Prequels.

Something tells me he won't make such movie at all. The fire has died ... a long time ago.

Yup, he's a 69 year old man who is more than happy to retire with his billions and his hot wife now. The creative fire that was once within has burned out.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Can't say I blame him!

[Marian Schedenig 8,207]

Has nobody seen Heavenly Creatures?

Indeed. Correct response.

[A. A. Ron 1,742]

Those [rock giants] were in the book.

Not like that they weren't.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Well, in a way they were. the only thing they really changed was putting the Company in the middle of it, and draaaaging it out. But the concept of Stone Giants throwing stones at themselves is straight from The Hobbit.

Well, at-least it delighted our Alice!

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Has nobody seen Heavenly Creatures?

Thought it was anodyne shite, just like LOVELY BONES. He's a got a very limited understanding of human psychology, and resorts to ghoulishness (see Stanley Tucci in BONES) or childish fantasy as a crutch, like he hasn't grown out of playing with action figures.

Still waiting for that small, low budget film Lucas promised to make after the Prequels.

He made Red Tails...

An infantile VFX fest that he brought some hack TV director to make. Ain't much a difference between how Lucas presented Gungans and African Americans.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Ain't much a difference between how Lucas presented Gungans and African Americans.

Ironic, considering your avatar...

[indy4 155]

I'd watch the prequels over the Hobbit any day. Not sure which is better; the prequels had some cringeworthy moments and some awesome moments, whereas the Hobbit didn't really have either...the whole thing was just alright.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Prequels are anemic. I just don't care for 85% of the time.

[gkgyver 1,645]

The Hobbit is superior to the prequels in almost every aspect, starting from acting, script, and ending with some heart the prequels never had.

Plus, PJ is nowhere nearly as disrespectful towards his creation and fanbase as Lucas is.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

The Hobbit is superior to the prequels in almost every aspect, starting from acting, script, and ending with some heart the prequels never had.

The turd I just flushed had was superior to the Prequels in every respect too. And that had some undigested corn seeds in it....

[Quintus 5,399]

KFC side?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

No KFC in Hoorn sadly.

Just wait when the LOTR fils get a special edition treatment....

That already happened Luke. The EE's are pretty much PJ's Special Editions.

The only difference with Lucas is that the theatrical versions have always been available in the same quality then the EE's. Usually they get released first even.

[King Mark 3,631]

There are some scenes in AUJ that seems kinda rushed and fleeting.

But as to PJ becoming GL, well story-wise, he doesn't shoulder the burden of screenwriting that GL once did. That makes him not like GL, a bit.

Hmm, the troll roasting hobbits scene seemed very SW prequelly to me

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

In what way? It's actually pure Tolkien

[Quintus 5,399]

One sequence I have absolutely no issue with, funnily enough.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Like many others in that film is could maybe be a bit tighter, but it's really a hoot. Which makes it unlike the Prequels

[SafeUnderHill 205]

[Ollie 1,059]

We must have seen a different Hobbit film than everyone else here. If the Prequels were as good as the Hobbit, I wouldn't complain about Lucas.

The only thing I question Jackson on is his decision to go ahead with Tintin 2. But now we know it's because of the $298 Foreign gross on the first film.