http://movies.msn.com/paralleluniverse/george-lucas-talks-star-wars-critics/story/feature/

Sci-fi filmmaker hurt by harsh feedback from some fans about the prequels

By David Eckstein
Zap2it

For any fans awaiting future "Star Wars" films from George Lucas, it's going to be a long wait. The creator of the famed series says he's not going to make any more of these movies and that he's essentially retiring. And for that he blames the harsh feedback from certain fans.

"Why would I make any more when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?" he tells The New York Times.

Bing: George Lucas on 'Indiana Jones 5'

Lucas continues to bash these critics despite the fact that their appreciation for the series helped it generate $4.4 billion in worldwide box-office sales.

"On the Internet, all those same guys that are complaining I made a change are completely changing the movie," Lucas says. "I'm saying: 'Fine. But my movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it.'"

Lucas drew strong attacks from "Star Wars" fans for characters like Jar Jar Binks and for digital additions to the DVDs and re-releases of the six-part series.

"I'm moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff," he says.

I thought the digital editing of the original films was terrible. The original films, especially the first two, are masterworks.

His problem in the newer films, especially Phantom Menace, is that it was too kiddy.

Kid-Anakin says, "What's this button do? Oops! I blew up the entire army."

Stupid.

Star Wars needs to be dark...with a touch of Solo humor.

He needed to stop killing Star Wars himself, nevemind the critics. Just leave well enough alone...

Originally posted by precious328

http://movies.msn.com/paralleluniverse/george-lucas-talks-star-wars-critics/story/feature/

Sci-fi filmmaker hurt by harsh feedback from some fans about the prequels

By David Eckstein
Zap2it

For any fans awaiting future "Star Wars" films from George Lucas, it's going to be a long wait. The creator of the famed series says he's not going to make any more of these movies and that he's essentially retiring. And for that he blames the harsh feedback from certain fans.

"Why would I make any more when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?" he tells The New York Times.

Bing: George Lucas on 'Indiana Jones 5'

Lucas continues to bash these critics despite the fact that their appreciation for the series helped it generate $4.4 billion in worldwide box-office sales.

"On the Internet, all those same guys that are complaining I made a change are completely changing the movie," Lucas says. "I'm saying: 'Fine. But my movie, with my name on it, that says I did it, needs to be the way I want it.'"

Lucas drew strong attacks from "Star Wars" fans for characters like Jar Jar Binks and for digital additions to the DVDs and re-releases of the six-part series.

"I'm moving away from the business, from the company, from all this kind of stuff," he says.

I don't blame him, really. It's a case of damned-if-you-do damned-if-you-don't. It's his creation, but he'll get raked for listening to the fans or not listening to the fans, just like MMO devs do. His creation was so well loved that it spawned all sorts of weird devotion.

I didn't like the prequels all that much, but I have watched them a few times. I watched PM yesterday while home from work sick as a matter of fact. But if he did make episodes 7-9, and they weren't versions of Timothy Zahn "Heir" books, the backlash from EP1-3 would seem miniscule comparitively. Just saying.

Originally posted by Meltdown

He needed to stop killing Star Wars himself, nevemind the critics. Just leave well enough alone...

That says it all, really.

  He is right though, and does bring up a valid point...they are HIS - and frankly I think most of us would react the same way considering the vitriol levelled at him.

  I'm one of the odd ones that didn't mind the prequels.  Even Jar jar doesn't bother me.  The only thing that really annoys me is the money grabbing constant re-release of the movies every few years - but of course business is business and 'new shiney' will always outsell 'been on the shelf for a few years'

That picture screams "yeah im the fucking emperor, Who are you?"
I used to be a basement dweller that dreamed of ewoks, but now i have a real life storm trooper army.

And you dare question my creative control?

George Lucas is still an icon. Some people sit in comfy chairs and complain day and night and criticise others while others like him actually go out and achieve things in life.

For all those who bad mouth him and talk crap about him, you can not even achieve an iota of his success. So talk is all you got.

Eh.  People wanted more heroes and a wise cracking rogue side kick.  What we got was a whiny teenager who turned into a mass murderer and Jar Jar Binks.  Sometimes character development should stay in the writer's head and never see the light of day.

What a lame excuse from such a whimpy, whiny guy like Lucas. 

Is his ego that important to himself that he is crippled by some negative press? 

The fact of the matter is there is no story left to tell, or worth telling. 

Originally posted by Eliandal

  He is right though, and does bring up a valid point...they are HIS - and frankly I think most of us would react the same way considering the vitriol levelled at him.

 

  I'm one of the odd ones that didn't mind the prequels.  Even Jar jar doesn't bother me.  The only thing that really annoys me is the money grabbing constant re-release of the movies every few years - but of course business is business and 'new shiney' will always outsell 'been on the shelf for a few years'

see this is where you are mistaken. even great artists recognize this and amongst them Mark Rothko the painter made it most clear by describing the letting go process for his work. with each work he recognized that once it was 'out there', once it was public it was no longer really his. and he's right. the physcial material, the idea even may 'belong' to him, but in a very unique way ideas and feelings cannot be kept, they cannot be owned, but only shared.

anyone who thinks that they 'own' a story that has had such world wide appeal and has embedded itself so deep into the psyche of the population at large (star trek would be another good example) is a fool or blind or both.

Originally posted by chelan

Originally posted by Eliandal

  He is right though, and does bring up a valid point...they are HIS - and frankly I think most of us would react the same way considering the vitriol levelled at him.

 

  I'm one of the odd ones that didn't mind the prequels.  Even Jar jar doesn't bother me.  The only thing that really annoys me is the money grabbing constant re-release of the movies every few years - but of course business is business and 'new shiney' will always outsell 'been on the shelf for a few years'

see this is where you are mistaken. even great artists recognize this and amongst them Mark Rothko the painter made it most clear by describing the letting go process for his work. with each work he recognized that once it was 'out there', once it was public it was no longer really his. and he's right. the physcial material, the idea even may 'belong' to him, but in a very unique way ideas and feelings cannot be kept, they cannot be owned, but only shared.

anyone who thinks that they 'own' a story that has had such world wide appeal and has embedded itself so deep into the psyche of the population at large (star trek would be another good example) is a fool or blind or both.

I didn't know that what Mark Rothko felt is some universal truth or line in a stone which can't be changed? what is more foolish? believeing in your own  ideals or parroting someones else and calling others fool or blind on basis of those borrowed ideals?

Artists, & Lucas could number himself among them, are sensitive types, I think he should stop listening to the Trolls, fans or whatever they call themselves & do what he damn well pleases & tells everyone to go take a jump if they don't like it, at least I would.

There are some people who just love to drag down an idol. It is how humans are.

That said, I think GL really should have listened more to advise when making the Prequels. It comes off a lot like whining, when you get super rich like he, and then complain. I think in the Prequels GL has made some mistakes, and a greater character would do himself honor if he admits at least some of it.

Sorry, but the actors on Ep I-III so often talk like they had valium, so much of the plots of the Prequels was weird and twisted and made ZERO sense. There were so many things you even learn in the first year of filming academy of what NOT to do. I know GL can do better. Listening to advise isn't a bad thing. It's really whining on a very high level.

But I know also, that some people are totally out of control when it comes to bashing, like Ewoks, Jar-Jar and all that. The Prequels have a lot of bad implemented things, but Jar Jar really is insignificant.

TBH im very glad he is not making anymore movies. Those last three were complete garbage. IT would be nice if they gave a Star Wars project to a competent writer and director. 

I don't want to see another movie from him.  I'm sorry he got his feelings hurt, but in the past ten years, he has become the WORST enemy to his own fantastic franchise.

However, why not release the rights to JJ Abrams or the like, and let us see Star Wars through someone else's eyes. 

I"d love to see a darker up-to-date version of the first three redone, like what was done with Batman and had HUGE success.

My only hope is that when George Lucas dies (hopefully many years from now for he and his families sake) that his kids will sell the rights to make a new trilogy, a sequel trilogy, to someone who still has vision and really understands what made 4-6 so good and 1-3 so mediocre (at best.)

Originally posted by precious328

I thought the digital editing of the original films was terrible. The original films, especially the first two, are masterworks.

His problem in the newer films, especially Phantom Menace, is that it was too kiddy.

 

Kid-Anakin says, "What's this button do? Oops! I blew up the entire army."

Stupid.

 

Star Wars needs to be dark...with a touch of Solo humor.

This sums it up nicely for me as well.

I'll always treasure the first 3 movies (well, maybe minus the Ewoks, take away them and you have perfection).

It's amazing what he started, and even more amazing how badly he screwed it up, starting with the original "re-releasing", ugh.

...so in regards to him "leaving" Star Wars, all I have to says is

Originally posted by Eliandal

  He is right though, and does bring up a valid point...they are HIS - and frankly I think most of us would react the same way considering the vitriol levelled at him.

 

  I'm one of the odd ones that didn't mind the prequels.  Even Jar jar doesn't bother me.  The only thing that really annoys me is the money grabbing constant re-release of the movies every few years - but of course business is business and 'new shiney' will always outsell 'been on the shelf for a few years'

Sure, they're "his". He can do what he wants with them.

...and people are free not to like what he does with them.

It seems he's acting like people are obligated to like his decisions because he's George Lucas, or to like Star Wars because its Star Wars.

Sorry, George, I respect you as an artist and all, but damning the public for not unquestioningly falling in love with everything thats got your name on it...just how full of yourself are you?