From larger-than-life blockbusters to gritty intimate stories, the ’70s marked the start of a new era in Hollywood, which saw the rise of auteur filmmaking. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas were two major names to pop out during this era, who were responsible for pioneering blockbusters, with the release of Jaws in ’75 and Star Wars in ’77.
The latter went on to redefine the sci-fi landscape, but even before it made its way to the big screen and left fans in awe following its visuals, Spielberg knew this was set up for big.
Steven Spielberg Saw Star Wars’ Potential in One Scene from the Rough Cut
Although Steven Spielberg was initially envious of George Lucas’ work, when they crossed paths during their university days, it didn’t take them long to bond over their passion for cinema. Since then the two have maintained a great friendship and have kept on supporting each other in their creative endeavors. But when Lucas invited Spielberg and other of his colleagues to watch the rough cut for his Star Wars, which lacked the VFX work at the time, the reception wasn’t good.
Spielberg recalled:
To say it was not finished is a kindness! He didn’t have the effects yet. There was a great deal of debate about context because there were only a couple of effects shots in there. Where are we? Who are we? Who are they? Do we need ‘they’? What is this menagerie of imagination, George, that you’ve invited us to see and tear apart!?
But despite its condition, the Jaws filmmaker recalled that he and the head of Fox were the only people in the room who loved the rough cut, as he saw the potential of the film in one shot. Spielberg stressed that the scene in which C-3PO and R2-D2 are ejected from the pod should’ve told everyone “what that movie was going to be with ILM’s help”, and he wasn’t wrong.
George Lucas Had to Maintain a Close Eye on ILM to Get the Desired Output
While ILM did end up doing a great job on the film’s VFX, which broke new grounds at the time, getting the desired output became a strenuous job for George Lucas. After being less than thrilled by ILM’s initial output, which led him to sustain heart pain, and was later admitted to the hospital as a result, Lucas took matters into his own hands.
Despite the doctor’s advice to not partake in stressful situations, the auteur doubled down and hired new editors, Paul Hirsch and Richard Chew alongside his wife Garcia Lucas, and himself.
As for ILM, who had already spent $1M of their $11M budget on the seven VFX shots, from which only one was up to the mark, Lucas maintained a close eye to ensure this didn’t continue. But despite the setbacks, ILM did deliver and Star Wars became an instant classic upon its release.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope is available to stream on Disney Plus.
