George Lucas, the legendary filmmaker, shared his thoughts on his career and the evolution of Star Wars during an engaging discussion at the Cannes Film Festival. Lucas, who was honored with a Palme d’Or for his contributions to cinema, addressed a packed audience, recounting his journey and expressing his views on the post-Disney Star Wars films.
Lucas expressed nostalgia about returning to Cannes, recalling the debut of his first feature, THX-1138, at the Directors’ Fortnight in 1971. He reminisced about the struggles he and his co-writer Walter Murch faced, including having to scrape together money for their trip and sneaking into their own screening. “We weren’t really that interested in making money; we were interested in making movies,” Lucas said, reflecting on his early career and his passion for filmmaking.
He highlighted the significant influence of Francis Ford Coppola, whom he met on the set of Finian’s Rainbow. Coppola later helped Lucas establish the indie studio American Zoetrope. Lucas also detailed the challenges he faced in getting American Graffiti made and released. Despite initial resistance from Universal Artists, the film’s success convinced the studio to give it a theatrical release, eventually earning $115 million in the U.S.
The Birth of Star Wars
Lucas recounted the pivotal moment when Allan Ladd Jr., then head of production at Fox, asked him if he had any other movie ideas after seeing American Graffiti. Lucas pitched a “science fiction fantasy, crazy 1930s-style movie,” which Ladd agreed to produce. This meeting marked the beginning of the Star Wars saga.
A key to Star Wars’ success was Lucas’s foresight in securing licensing and merchandising rights, a concept unheard of at the time. “The studios didn’t have licensing departments,” Lucas noted. This move not only boosted the franchise’s financial success but also allowed Lucas significant creative control over sequels, especially during a time when Fox was facing financial difficulties.
Lucas defended his much-debated prequels, stressing that Star Wars was always intended as a children’s movie. He argued that critics of the prequels had forgotten the franchise’s original target audience. He compared the backlash against characters like Jar Jar Binks to the initial criticism of C-3PO and the Ewoks. “It is a kids’ movie. It’s always been a kids’ movie,” Lucas stated.
He also addressed his decision to digitally “clean up” the original trilogy, asserting that directors should have the final say in how their films are presented. Despite fans’ demand for a 4K restored version of the original 1977 Star Wars, Lucas stood firm on his artistic choices, reminding audiences of the limitations of the original film’s technology.
Post-Disney Reflections
Reflecting on the Star Wars sequels produced after he sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012, Lucas expressed disappointment with some of the creative decisions made. “A lot of the ideas that were in [the original] sort of got lost,” he lamented, acknowledging that giving up control meant accepting changes he didn’t agree with.
George Lucas’s discussion at Cannes offered fans a deep dive into his journey and the Star Wars saga. His reflections provided a blend of nostalgia and critique, highlighting the enduring impact of his visionary work in cinema.