George Lucas: Hero, role model, inspiration

George Lucas, at left, with actor Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, during the shooting of the movie "Star Wars: A New Hope".

Source: https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/2014/10/george-lucas-on-the-meaning-of-star-wars.html

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As early as I can remember, when it comes to writing, I have always wanted to be like George Lucas. I have always admired his creativity, determination, drive, vision, and so much more.

That goes all the way back to when I heard about the TV special “The Making of Star Wars”; the book of the same name; before actually seeing the movie; and reading a biography called “Skywalking”.

It is his birthday today, so there is no better time to reflect back on one of the biggest influences not only in filmmaking and pop culture, but my own life.

Second time around
Like most people of my age, I first encountered George Lucas with his groundbreaking blockbuster “Star Wars”.

Unlike virtually everyone else in my class, I did not see “Star Wars” in the theatre when it first came through Lethbridge. Consequently, I really had no idea about the story. Soon the trading cards came out. I collected those, and that gave me a little insight into the story. Then, in art class in Grade 3, I wanted to draw the original “Star Wars” movie poster because it looked so cool. Still, I did not know the whole story so my classmate Tim Nestorowicz filled me in on much of it.

Then, on a Sunday night on Channel 13 on the peasant vision dial, they aired “The Making of Star Wars”. I so wanted to see that documentary, but I fell asleep in my bedroom. I awoke, and I saw it was already on when I walked past the TV on my way to the bathroom. I could have watched the rest, but my Mom said it was a school night and time for bed.

Around that time, some guys at school also brought this book “The Making of Star Wars” to class. I thumbed through it, and I learned just a bit more about George Lucas and “Star Wars”.

Finally, I learned “Star Wars” had become so popular, it was making a return visit to Lethbridge.

This time, I took advantage of that second chance and my sister took me to see “Star Wars”.

I was not disappointed. “Star Wars” was everything I had imagined and more.

Making of a movie
Over time, I also saw and read various things about the making of “Star Wars”, and the vision of George Lucas. What really impressed me was the use of models for all the spaceship action in space. I discovered they were made and animated against a blue screen, with the movie background super-imposed later.

It was just so magical to me. Around that time I also saw a piece on the newsmagazine show “That’s Life”, hosted by Ann Rohmer and Peter Feniak. It was about some guys from Toronto who built model spaceships for movies such as “Alien”, using cardboard as a base, then layering on pieces from various actual model kits. After seeing that piece on “That’s Life”, and still with George Lucas top of mind, I built model space ships out of old boxes and model kits myself. It went okay, but like many things, I lost interest.

“Skywalking”
Much of my knowledge of George Lucas comes from a biography Dale Pollock wrote in 1983 called “Skywalking: The Life and Films of George Lucas”. I did not read it until the summer of 1990, when I was living in student residence at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, and could not put it down.

In the beginning
It goes right back to the beginning of Lucas’ life, and when he graduates from film school. However, before transferring to film school, Lucas took a lot of other courses, that would inform his filmmaking, such as anthropology, sociology, and psychology. The book attributes that background to some of the more psychological aspects of the “Star Wars” trilogy. One scene in particular in “The Empire Strikes Back”, shows Luke Skywalker going into this tree strong with the dark side of “The Force”. There he battles Darth Vader, cuts off part of Vader’s mask and Luke sees his own face. Lucas would go on to transfer to USC where it had one of the first film schools. He would meet a lot of interesting filmmakers, including a kindred spirit doing the same thing he was at Long Beach State.

His name was Steven Spielberg.

In film school, Lucas made a short called “Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB”, set in a dystopian future where people are controlled by robot police.

After film school, Lucas co-founded American Zoetrope with Francis Ford Coppola. Their goal was to create an environment for filmmakers outside the Hollywood studio system, which both men came to loathe for its meddling and interference. Lucas made “Electronic Labyrinth” into the feature length film “THX 1138”, but it was not a commercial success.

“American Graffiti”
He then created Lucasfilm and put out “American Graffiti” in 1973. It is about a night in the life of some high school students in California in 1962, loosely based on Lucas’ own experiences as a teenager. It starred Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Cindy Williams, Charles Martin Smith, and many more. Lucas was nominated for Oscars for Best Director, and for Best Story and Screenplay Based on Factual Material or Material Not Previously Produced or Published.

Lucas’ experience with “American Graffiti” completely turned him off the studio system, and the meddling and interference it brought to his films. One lasting residue of that relationship was he had to make a sequel to “American Graffiti”, which he reluctantly did. “More American Graffiti” came out in 1979.

“Star Wars”
“Skywalking” goes into elaborate detail about the development of the story for “Star Wars”, and publishes in detail all of its evolutions. At one point, it was about two familes – the Skywalkers and Starkillers. In fact, the hero was actually Luke Starkiller right up until a little while before production began. It also laid out the entire story of nine movies, which has always impressed and inspired me.

So much of what George Lucas was trying to achieve had never been done before, or even contemplated. That meant he had to be hands on for virtually every aspect of the movie. Many of the elements the film called for had never been done before.

A good example is the special effects. Lucas founded a special effects studio called Industrial Light and Magic to handle the special effects. He left for, I think it was, England to start shooting and left the staff at Industrial Light and Magic a list of effects to create. As it turned out, they spent much of the time sleeping during the day and doing everything but special effects. When Lucas returned from Europe, little had been accomplished, so he took over. I suspect, they needed his hands-on direction because only he could explain exactly what he wanted.

The other thing he did was maintain control, snubbing the studio system, so his films were never cut or altered without his permission.

In relation to that was the fact he created a point system. That meant everyone who worked at Lucasfilm, from technicians and cinematographers to janitors and craft services, all got a percentage of profits.

It was visionary and a brilliant way to inspire loyalty and dedication.

The results were mesmerizing. “Star Wars” shattered box office records; spawned endless merchandise from trading cards, mugs, action figures, comic books, books, costumes, and much more; and created a culture where people bragged about seeing the movie 50 to 100 times. A woman in Lethbridge who was pregnant when she saw “Star Wars”, named her son Darth. I don’t know why she didn’t go with Luke or Han, but what do I know?

Lucas was nominated for Oscars for Best Director and for Best Original Screenplay for “Star Wars”.

There would also be two sequels – “The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980, and “Return of the Jedi” in 1983.

Adventure time
I recall the commercials distinctly. The screen was black, followed by the words “From the creators of “Star Wars” and"Jaws” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”. That whetted everyone’s appetite.

But what was it? We soon found out.

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg both loved the Saturday afternoon serial action and adventure movies they would go see when they were children.

They decided to team up, and created Indiana Jones, an archaeologist who seeks out lost artifacts in his off hours. His first appearance was in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”, which came out in 1981 and was a blockbuster smash. It was followed up by the sequels “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom” in 1984 and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” in 1989.

Other films
Lucas wrote, directed and was executive producer on several films to close out the ‘80s. He was executive producer of “Twice Upon a Time” in 1983; “Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters” in 1985; “Labyrinth” in 1986; “Howard the Duck” in 1986; “Willow” in 1988, where he was also writer; “Tucker: The Man and His Dream” in 1988; and “The Land Before Time” in 1988.

Visionary
George Lucas did so much more. In addition to creating Lucasfilm and Industrial Light and Magic, he created Skywalker Sound, the sound and music division of Lucasfilm; THX, which is an audio company best know for surround sound: and much more.

The years after
Lucas wrote and was executive producer for “Radioland Murders” in 1994. He realized his vision and was director, writer and executive producer for the three “Star Wars” prequels – “The Phantom Menace” in 1999; “Attack of the Clones” in 2002; and “Revenge of the Sith” in 2005. He was also writer and executive producer for “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” in 2008; executive producer for “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” in 2023; and much more.

He sold Lucasfilm to Walt Disney Corporation in 2012.

Parting thoughts
There really is so much to say about George Lucas. He really has had an influence on me. Two of my favourite genres are science fiction, and space opera like “Star Wars”, and 1940s adventure like “Raiders of the Lost Ark”. That is always why his work resonated with me.

Beyond that, he is a true visionary. He does not see what is there, but what could be. If his vision involved something that didn’t exist, Lucas would invent it. He is truly inspiring.

One of the other things I have always liked is the way he makes references from one film to another. For example “THX-1138” is a movie, the licence plate in “American Graffiti” an address in “Star Wars”, and the name of Lucas’ innovative sound system. “Obi Wan” Kenobi is a character in “Star Wars” and “Club Obi Wan” is a night club in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom”.

I have tried to pay homage to George Lucas in my novels by doing the same thing.

George Lucas is a hero, role model, inspiration and so much more.