The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
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Deak Starkiller
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*cough*heavy edits*cough*
Darth Waller
Are you on the square?
Here's another entry in the "Empire Chronicles" articles: Boba Fett!
https://www.starwars.com/movies/episode-v/chronicles_boba_fett/index.html
https://www.starwars.com/movies/episode-v/chronicles_boba_fett/index.html
Yeah, I loved the first book but I couldn't believe the way they airbrushed Marcia Lucas's contribution to the editing of Star Wars, which was immense. The second book will be Lucas's' vision from start to finish and we'll read almost nothing about Leigh Brackett, Kurtz, Kasdan or Kershner...
I'm currently about halfway through the first book, and enjoying it immensely. I'm not sure I can wait until October for the ESB book!
What strikes me the most about SW, is that Lucas really did make it all up as he went along. I'd always thought for years that he had all the backstory worked out for years beforehand, but he was still changing the script up to the last minute!
What strikes me the most about SW, is that Lucas really did make it all up as he went along. I'd always thought for years that he had all the backstory worked out for years beforehand, but he was still changing the script up to the last minute!
It also sheds new light on yet another reason why the prequels are so terrible.
When he started out, he just wanted to make a modern Fantasy adventure film, like the ones he grew up with (Flash gordon et al). Which is an admirable sentiment. Then he needed a story, and he finally arrived at the one we see in SW.
When he came to make the prequels, he started with the story we know from the OT, and was forced to tell the pre-history of that story. So he didn't start with an intent, he started with a story to tell, but no real reason to tell it.
How much better it would have been to just see a whole new set of adventures, with nearly all-new characters, designed to surprise and thrill new audiences, instead of performing the excercise in continuity and mystery-ruining that we ended up with.
When he started out, he just wanted to make a modern Fantasy adventure film, like the ones he grew up with (Flash gordon et al). Which is an admirable sentiment. Then he needed a story, and he finally arrived at the one we see in SW.
When he came to make the prequels, he started with the story we know from the OT, and was forced to tell the pre-history of that story. So he didn't start with an intent, he started with a story to tell, but no real reason to tell it.
How much better it would have been to just see a whole new set of adventures, with nearly all-new characters, designed to surprise and thrill new audiences, instead of performing the excercise in continuity and mystery-ruining that we ended up with.
SpaceCrawler
Super Freak
I think for someone talented it can be easy to create a backstory that is engaging and entertaining, as much as the original trilogy. I don't think the problem was only that Lucas had to create the back story (much of which was somewhat formed already, according to him) but that, by that point, Lucas had no one questioning his judgements.
My brother worked for Lucas (after Return of the Jedi) and by then Lucas Film had become a place where you never tried to improve anything that came out of Lucas' mouth. You just did what Lucas said. Lucas had grown so big so fast that by then he was surrounded by people who shielded him from critique, and even shielded him from input from his top staff.
In other words, in the beginning Lucas got some creative critique and had very talented people adding in significant ways to his vision. But with the prequels he got virtually no critique (until after they were released and the fans let loose) and a staff that was essentially there to do what Lucas wanted.
Now Lucas had some great ideas. I'm not saying he's a hack or anything. He's a talented guy and made a few good films (mainly in his early career, IMO). But his later efforts clearly show he was surrounded by yes-men rather than creative buffers.
Anyway- just my 2 cents.
Sean
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Mad Old Lu
Super Freak
I agree 100%. You can see the fear and trepidation with everyone around him in any of the Behind the Scenes materials for the prequels. As many of you know, Irving Kershner was one of his teachers, so Kershner was probably one of the few people (being an authority figure to L) who could really ignore what Lucas said and just do what he felt was best. It's probably another reason ESB is Lucas's least favorite film of the series. By ROTJ, Lucas probably sought someone as a director he knew he could push around. Hence, ewoks and goofy Han.
The prequels have some good ideas. All the broad strokes are fairly solid. They just suffer from not refining any of those ideas. They really feel like outlines or first drafts of movies. There was no one in his entourage who dared to challenge him on his decisions. Or heck, just tell him to get a few more revisions done BEFORE shooting started.
Fanboy
Super Freak
That makes perfect sense to me. There have been some truly talented people that have been allowed to work within the Star Wars Expanded Universe, either in novels or comics, that you would think some creative input from them would have helped the prequels immensely. I'll never bash Lucas, as he created some of the biggest cultural icons of all-time and the universe they inhabit, but once the groundwork is laid, there's no saying that others can't be a huge help in fleshing out a lot of the other aspects to it.
thenammagazine
Super Freak
I totally agree with Sean. There's some good ideas in the prequels, for settings and action scenes, but everything that involves characterisation or plot stinks 100%. That they made any kind of money is entirely down to the original trilogy - people kept going to see them and wishing they'd be good, drawn by their memories of how good the originals were, and the cool stuff from the originals - boba fett, yoda, vader - that they knew would be in the prequels.
jediknight120
Super Freak
Lucas really needed to have someone else write the prequels. He can't do dialogue. I love ANH, but there is a large difference in the quality of the writing between ANH and ESB, IMHO. Have Lucas do the story framework and someone else write.
Qrest Fourstar
Super Freak
sw and esb are good because of gary kurtz
cerealkeller
Super Freak
The ghost writers (or dialogue polishers) were Gloria Hyuck and William Hyuck. They wrote the screenplay with Lucas for American Graffiti. They did a lot of the dialogue between Han Solo, Leia and Luke. Lucas should always have people to punch up his dialogue!
Qrest Fourstar
Super Freak
Sorry I didnt elaborate before but I was holding my daughter and typing one handed.
if you really observe SW and TESB, both have a different feel to them. I credit that to Gary kurtz. From all the stuff I've read about the films, he seems to be the One person who would basiclly look at stuff and say "this sucks and needs fixed" What any good producer does. When Lucas showed up on the set of TESB, looked at dailies and said "Your ruining my movie" it was the begining of the end of thier relationship. There's several books that discuss this especially "empire building"
And thats the bottom line of the prequels. I don't think Rick McCallum is a good enough producer to put his foot down and thats why the prequals arent as good as the OT. NO ONE stopped and said "Hey George, this could have been better." or "that needs some work" I think E3 is the best but has THE WORST dialog especially during the final duel. Couldn't ANYBODY stop and say, "george, this dialog sucks, it needs to be fixed."???
if you really observe SW and TESB, both have a different feel to them. I credit that to Gary kurtz. From all the stuff I've read about the films, he seems to be the One person who would basiclly look at stuff and say "this sucks and needs fixed" What any good producer does. When Lucas showed up on the set of TESB, looked at dailies and said "Your ruining my movie" it was the begining of the end of thier relationship. There's several books that discuss this especially "empire building"
And thats the bottom line of the prequels. I don't think Rick McCallum is a good enough producer to put his foot down and thats why the prequals arent as good as the OT. NO ONE stopped and said "Hey George, this could have been better." or "that needs some work" I think E3 is the best but has THE WORST dialog especially during the final duel. Couldn't ANYBODY stop and say, "george, this dialog sucks, it needs to be fixed."???
jediknight120
Super Freak
Qrest Fourstar
Super Freak
no man, the worst is :
"anakin, palpatine is Evil!"
"from my point of view, the jedi are evil!"
Its the freaking worst!! That entire scene could have been so much better! The only lines that work are:
"You were my brother Anakin. I loved you." spoken by the one actor in the PT that did his job perfect through all 3, crappy dialog and all. Ewan mcgregor.
"anakin, palpatine is Evil!"
"from my point of view, the jedi are evil!"
Its the freaking worst!! That entire scene could have been so much better! The only lines that work are:
"You were my brother Anakin. I loved you." spoken by the one actor in the PT that did his job perfect through all 3, crappy dialog and all. Ewan mcgregor.
anakin1138
Super Freak
Hi guys... do you know where I can find the first hardback book of the making of star wars a new hope? I've looked on ebay but there aren't.
THANKS for your help.
THANKS for your help.
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