While Steven Spielberg had already done 15 short films by the time he was 18, George Lucas’ THX 1138, which was screened at the University of California, blew his filmography out of the water. Although Spielberg was left a little envious of the Star Wars director’s work, it didn’t take them long to see eye to eye, eventually developing a decades-long friendship,
Since then, the two have remained pretty supportive of each other, and are responsible for pioneering the blockbuster landscape back in the ’70s. But while Lucas helped out the Jaws director on numerous occasions, things went a little south when Spielberg decided to follow in the sci-fi auteur’s footsteps for one of his most beloved gems.
Steven Spielberg Messed up E.T. After Following in George Lucas’ Footsteps
From assisting Spielberg in adding the finishing touches to Jurassic Park to helping him get Raiders of the Lost Ark financed, Lucas has always been there for one of his oldest friends in the business.
But things went a little astray for Steven Spielberg after he decided to follow in George Lucas‘ footsteps and digitally update his beloved sci-fi classic, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. It was done in order for the Blu-ray version, but the decision backfired for the Oscar-winner. Unlike the Star Wars filmmaker, who pioneered the method after digitally remastering A New Hope, the touch-ups on E.T. didn’t quite fit well with the style of the film, and fans deemed it a downgrade.
Spielberg recalled (via Collider):
“In those days, social media wasn’t as profound as it is today, but what was just beginning erupted in a loud negative voice saying, ‘How could you ruin our favourite childhood film?’”
Fortunately, it didn’t have a lasting impact on his career, as Spielberg was up and running in no time with the sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark; Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Steven Spielberg Had George Lucas Help Him Out With Jurassic Park
1993 was arguably the biggest year in Spielberg’s career, as it saw the director delivering two masterpieces, which were polar opposites of each other, Schindler’s List and Jurassic Park.
But managing the two simultaneously was an extremely strenuous process, and considering how personal Schindler’s List was to Spielberg, he didn’t want to wait until he was done with JP. Fortunately, he had some help from Lucas, as after asking for his friend’s help, he had the Star Wars filmmaker’s sound mixers work on JP, which allowed him to steer Schindler’s List in time.
He recalled (via THR):
“I called George. I said, ‘George, I’m in trouble. The studio’s really upset with me that I’m going to not mix Jurassic Park and go off to Europe and make Schindler’s List. Would you mix Jurassic Park?’ I already had his mixers working on the film, so George said he’d take over.”
Thanks to Lucas, the director was able to deliver on both fronts, with Jurassic Park becoming a pop culture juggernaut, and Schindler List earning Spielberg his first Oscar for Best Director.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is available to rent on Apple TV.
