If the Star Wars franchise is considered one of the greatest film series of all time in Hollywood, the credit goes to its creative mastermind, George Lucas. The visionary director pioneered a sci-fi revolution with the epic space saga that spanned multiple decades to become a cult classic that will continue to remain evergreen for years to come.
After directing the cult prequel trilogy between 2002 and 2005, the filmmaker sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012. In an interview in 2002, he spoke about all things Star Wars, including his inspiring journey of how the films, which were very ahead of their time, were conceived and created. In the process, Lucas also debunked myths about certain characters in the film.
George Lucas Clarified A Long-Standing Myth About Jedi Knights Years Ago
The Star Wars prequel trilogy is considered one of the most iconic films in George Lucas’ repertoire. Considered well ahead of their times in terms of technical prowess, the pioneering filmmaker’s creative genius resulted in the trilogy becoming a cult classic in Hollywood.
In an interview with BBC News in 2002, Lucas revealed the secret behind the success of Attack of the Clones which set the ball rolling for the other 2 films in the prequel trilogy. Despite conceiving these ideas in the 70s, the filmmaker spoke about how he kept them relevant.
“I’m still 25. I wrote it 30 years ago. I had the youthful exuberance and now the older wisdom from raising kids and going through the battle of life. As you get older you are able to have more perspective on what you are doing.”
In the process, Lucas also spoke of the many myths associated with the films and the various characters who are developed through the course of the epic. One of these assumptions had to do with the Jedi Masters, the most famous of them being Yoda, Mace Windu played by Samuel L. Jackson, and Obi-Wan Kenobi played by Ewan McGregor.
Known to follow monk-like regimes with extreme discipline and focus, the general myth surrounding the Jedi Knights was that they did not indulge in s*xual relationships as part of their life of abstinence. But Lucas clarified and debunked this once and for all and explained what they stood for.
“Jedi Knights aren’t celibate – the thing that is forbidden is attachments – and possessive relationships.”
Addressing the reasons for stepping down from his directorial role after the prequel trilogy, Lucas stated that he was keen to pursue other projects that were in the pipeline at the time.
Which Star Wars Film Makes George Lucas Cringe?
George Lucas has succeeded in carving a historic legacy in Hollywood with his pioneering Star Wars franchise that is still considered one of the greatest film series of all time. Its unique feature was the fact that it continued to stay relevant over many decades and is still giving rise to original narratives.
While audiences have had their favorites among the many prequels and sequels, Lucas has ensured that the quality of all the films over the years has never been compromised until a spin-off film was made in 1978.
The Star Wars Holiday Special was a television film directed by Steve Binder that aired on CBS in November 1978. The story is set between the events of the original film and its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, which had not yet been released at the time, and saw the main characters of the first film reprising their roles.
In a surprising departure from its usual quality, this television special followed the very superficial and diluted narrative of an adventure involving two beloved characters – Chewbacca and Hans Solo. It also involved a lot of musical moments that many Star Wars buffs considered to be extremely cringeworthy.
The film also gave Lucas sleepless nights with the iconic producer himself confessing that he would love to forget this anomaly that felt like a blow to his reputation. In an interview with Chicago Sun Times, he minced no words in expressing his feelings about the movie.
“If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it.”
Interestingly, this film, which was considered to be a dent to the franchise and to Lucas’ pedigree, surprisingly went on to gain support after its initial release on television and actually ended up attaining cult status.
