The "REAL" Star Wars

[Buzzetta]

Interesting conversation with the cousins during Christmas. I see their point of view on this and definitely respect it.

 

This is not "REALLY" Star Wars...

 

Now, don't get me wrong. I genuinely enjoyed Star Wars: Episode VII: The Force Awakens. However, is this really "Star Wars" ?

 

Here is the argument. These are not comic book characters where they were designed for a corporation. Lucas designed these characters for himself to be played with in the manner that he saw fit and approved of. Once the characters were sold off to Disney and the Mouse threw away Lucas' plans, it ceases being "Star Wars" and becomes whatever the Disney brand is.

 

Lucas had a vision and created Episode IV which in itself could have been a stand alone movie had the movie failed. With the creation of Empire and Jedi, Lucas rounded off what he called a middle trilogy with no real intention to go back and create Episodes I, II and III or Episodes VII, VIII and IX for that matter. He felt that the story was completed. Lucas had the itch again and satisfied it, whether it be for personal satisfaction or monetary gain, to go back and write the first three Episodes and said that NOW the story is complete with the legacy of these heroes living on in various media.

 

Here is where I need your patience.

 

Tell me the prequels suck. Ok... got it. I disagree and still say that Sith was an excellent movie. Forget that for a second. Episodes I, II, and III were all part of Lucas' vision of the direction that this Universe had. Whether he changes who shoots first or not is irrelevant. This was his story to tell. He was the creator and knew the direction that he wanted to take Star Wars in should he ever move forward after Jedi. It has widely been reported that this is not Lucas' direction and Disney threw his plans away.

 

In a way, the Force Awakens is an extremely big budget youtube fan film made JJ Abrams.

 

So we are left with two questions...

 

Question 1: Is this really "Star Wars"? Me... as much as I liked Episode VII, I am okay with simply watching Episodes I through VI and ignoring the Mouse retelling their version of what went down.

 

Question 2: What was Lucas' original vision? It would be interesting to see if Marvel ever releases Lucas' original plans similar to the way Dark Horse did with the original -script for "The Star Wars."

 

 

 

[BettrFastrStrongr]

It's not really Lucas' Star Wars. It's Disney's Star Wars. Felt this for a longtime. Lucas is not involved whatsoever. Biggest independent movies ever and now it's in the machine. Still enjoyable, just will never be the same again.

[TheLiamSturgess]

I agree.

[Thawk]

The Lambo you want is engineered and owned by Volkswagon, the Ford you actually drive is just as likely as not built in Mexico or Canada, the Budweiser you drink from Belgium, the 7-Eleven you get your slushies from is actually Japanese, the "Star Spangled Banner" you sing at the beginning of every US sporting event and Olympics is actually a British melody, and that toll road you use to drive across Indiana is co-owned and operated by a pair of Spanish and Australian companies. Jim Henson, Ian Fleming, Walt Disney and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are all dead but Kermit, Bond, Mickey, and Sherlock are all still Kermit, Bond, Mickey, and Sherlock.

 

It was really Star Wars. Such is the way of things.

 

[valiantman]

Walt Disney died in 1966. So, when did Disney stop being The "REAL" Disney?

[Awax]

So is Aliens not a Alien movie?

[Buzzetta]

Walt Disney died in 1966. So, when did Disney stop being The "REAL" Disney?

 

I could see where could be used as an analogy. However, the Disney movies were a series of films independent of one another. With Star Wars this is one long storyline that the original creator is no longer penning.

 

I am now more curious than ever to know what the original creator (Lucas) envisioned the direction his characters would take.

 

[valiantman]

Walt Disney died in 1966. So, when did Disney stop being The "REAL" Disney?

 

I could see where could be used as an analogy. However, the Disney movies were a series of films independent of one another. With Star Wars this is one long storyline that the original creator is no longer penning.

 

I am now more curious than ever to know what the original creator (Lucas) envisioned the direction his characters would take.

 

Lucas's original vision was that "other" Star Wars series that Dark Horse did... with lots of revisions.

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Adventures_of_the_Starkiller,_Episode_I:_The_Star_Wars

 

It's not like Lucas had any "true" Star Wars vision that was set in stone and couldn't be changed. He changed his own.

 

Did Lucas really want Luke and Leia to kiss TWICE in A New Hope because they were twins in his single, set-in-stone vision for Star Wars?

 

Lucas created Star Wars.

Disney created Mickey Mouse.

 

Mickey Mouse has been Mickey Mouse far beyond 1966.

Star Wars will be Star Wars far beyond 2015.

[Meeklo]

Is this the third or fourth Star Wars thread now?

 

I vote for a Star Wars sub forum in the Movies sub forum…it's not like any of this is going to stop or die down anytime soon!

 

EDIT: This is my 5000th post!!! Took about two years to do…time to speed up and hit 10K by the end of 2016.

[Comicopolis]

Star Wars is the new Bond.

[Buzzetta]

Is this the third or fourth Star Wars thread now?

 

I vote for a Star Wars sub forum in the Movies sub forum…it's not like any of this is going to stop or die down anytime soon!

 

EDIT: This is my 5000th post!!! Took about two years to do…time to speed up and hit 10K by the end of 2016.

 

I was thinking of asking Arch for a sub forum for something. Not kidding actually... going to PM him now.

[Buzzetta]

Lucas: I sold Star Wars to White Slavers

 

Video is there as well.

 

I guess he does not consider the Force Awakens to be part of his vision and it is not what he considers the story of his characters.

 

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/star-wars-george-lucas-disney-white-slavers-1201669959/

[RockMyAmadeus]

Once a piece of art has been given to the public, it's no longer in the control of the artist who created it. Going back and trying to "fix" the work after it is in public hands is a betrayal of that public.

 

"People who alter or destroy works of art and our cultural heritage for profit or as an exercise of power are barbarians" - George Lucas

 

George Lucas...with help...made A great movie: Star Wars.

 

Everything else that he was in direct control of was, at best, mediocre. The greatness of Empire was because Lawrence Kasdan wrote it (along with Leigh Brackett.)

 

Lucas didn't own "Star Wars", any more than J.D. Salinger owned The Catcher In The Rye or Steven Spielberg owns "Schindler's List."

 

 

[drotto]

Lucas: I sold Star Wars to White Slavers

 

Video is there as well.

 

I guess he does not consider the Force Awakens to be part of his vision and it is not what he considers the story of his characters.

 

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/star-wars-george-lucas-disney-white-slavers-1201669959/

 

From a legal standpoint. It is Star Wars, Disney owns the intellectual property.

 

From an emotional standpoint there is an argument. If you want to say only ideas created or where he was directly involved are Star Wars, the only true Star Wars is Episodes 1 to 6 and the Clone Wars cartoon. All of the other now non cannon EU stuff was done by other writers, and for a large extend was created independent of Lucas. I know that Lucas has said in the past that the original Dark Empire comic books were similar to what he would have done for episodes 7 to 9, but they were no really from him, and he has "sanctioned" other stuff as cannon in the past. But, he has been excepting checks to let other people play in his universe for years. Were those properties any less part of the universe?

 

Given the above, much of what we call Star Wars never came from Lucas directly, so TFA is just as valid as those properties in my mind. He also sold this property to Disney of his own free will. He was not forced to do it. When he took the check, he passed the mantle, for better or worse. It is just another example of Lucas getting money to let other people play in the universe he created. It is just permanent. So given that, TFA is Star Wars in my mind. It is also from an emotional standpoint, because that film felt way more Star Wars to me then the prequels ever will.

 

As for it not being part of his vision, Lucas is entitled to his opinion. But in some ways it sounds like sellers remorse, and a little bit of envy over the properties continue (or even greater) success. From what I have heard he was invited to continue to be part of the process (although his ideas were reject, not sure what they were), Disney has not forced him away. He has been given inside information, and seen early cuts of the film. He has not been treated as an outsider. I also know all the art from the new comic books, he has rights to first refusal on, and he has taken a lot of it for his personal collect (confirmed to me by Terry Dodson). Disney seems to be treating him with respect for the most part.

[bb8]

Lucas: I sold Star Wars to White Slavers

 

Video is there as well.

 

I guess he does not consider the Force Awakens to be part of his vision and it is not what he considers the story of his characters.

 

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/star-wars-george-lucas-disney-white-slavers-1201669959/

 

So dumb. Setting aside how Lucas feels about the movie or whether or not it is Art or good or anything else, how many people did Disney gainfully employ making TFA? How much has it done for small business owners? Or the next generation who will enjoy these characters and have renewed interest in what was a floundering property? Looking at our little world, how many comic book writers, artists, editors, colorists, etc. et al will residually benefit? "White slavers"?

 

What an inept, utterly thoughtless and definitely incendiary thing to say. He sold the property! Is he really so upset that they didn't want his input? Like Jesse Eisenberg likening a comic-con to a genocide, his words have no basis in reality. I think some celebrities, the media and many politicians need a history lesson on just what these words and phrases mean.

[october]

If the "real" Star Wars includes the prequels, I will take the "fake" every day of the week.

 

I am glad the property is out of his hands. If he wanted to maintain creative control he shouldn't have sold out. A little late to whine about it now.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

Lucas: I sold Star Wars to White Slavers

 

Video is there as well.

 

I guess he does not consider the Force Awakens to be part of his vision and it is not what he considers the story of his characters.

 

http://variety.com/2015/film/news/star-wars-george-lucas-disney-white-slavers-1201669959/

 

Having read parts of that interview earlier, I'm not sure I wanted to see Lucas' vision for 7-9.

 

He also makes a comment about wanting to use all new planets. Sure Jakku was similar, but did anyone see a repeated planet? I guess we saw what I believe was Coruscant for a moment.

[valiantman]

I guess we saw what I believe was Coruscant for a moment.

That wasn't Coruscant.

[ChrisInBaltimore]

I guess we saw what I believe was Coruscant for a moment.

That wasn't Coruscant.

 

How do we know? The comment was "They destroyed the New Republic" or something to that effect. Was the "New Republic" not on Coruscant?

 

That raises an interesting point too, who is The Resistance if they aren't the New Republic? Who are they "Resisting?"

[valiantman]

I guess we saw what I believe was Coruscant for a moment.

That wasn't Coruscant.

 

How do we know? The comment was "They destroyed the New Republic" or something to that effect. Was the "New Republic" not on Coruscant?

 

That raises an interesting point too, who is The Resistance if they aren't the New Republic? Who are they "Resisting?"

They specified (in the movie) that the planet/moons destroyed were in the Hosnian system.

 

Coruscant is in the Corusca sector.