STAR WARS: A Sequel To The People Vs. George Lucas Documentary Is On The Way

It wasn't at all about ruined childhoods.

THE franchise I meant.

JJ Abram's first trek movie was everything the prequels needed to be. Nonstop action, fun banter, etc, and knowing when to use practical or cg effects. The prequels were a lot of bland sauntering while discussing things even the characters seemed bored by.

When I saw his first Trek movie, I could no longer pretend the prequels were at all enjoyable.

If the doc is about fan reaction to Disney's acquisition, then waiting to see the actual film isn't necessary. I get your point though.

Batmanisbaddest, have you watched any of the redlettermedia videos about the prequels?

Yes Lucas did the original film, with crucial input from his wife and Gary Kurtz. These are two people who were absent during ROTJ, and especially during the prequels. What was also different was of course Lucas himself. Totally different stage in life, perspective, etc. But he also seemed to have lost the ability to tell the rocket paced story like the one that kicked it all off. Either that or he just never really understood what made the movies so popular in the first place.

In the original, once they go to the cantina, its a pretty breakneck pace right up until the end, with a slight breather before the end battle. The prequels are bogged down with intense slow parts throughout. I think my most major complaint about the PT has to be the pacing issues. Almost every bit on Coruscant stomps on the brakes.

I asked about the redletter stuff because, despite the silly Jamie Gumb voice and bizarre side story, he hits a lot of nails on the heads. One of the most incredible points he makes is done by using an interview with one of the editors from the original film. He explains how the first editor had cut ANH in a very traditional manner, and also very bland and outdated. These comments are used as voiceover while showing scenes from ROTS. And what the guy is saying was wrong with the cut before he, the other guy, and Marcia Lucas cut it completely describes the editing style of the prequels.

The redlettermedia guy also points out a scene in Abrams' Trek where there's a major crisis, and Kirk is explaining it while frantically running around taking the steps to save the day. He contrasts this with the scene where Anakin tells Windu about Palpatine's Sithness, which is on the completely other side of the emotional scale from the trek scene. The characters stoicly discuss while calmly walking to a ship rather than rushing to deal with this major plot point with any urgency. If the characters barely care, how will the audience?

That's one example, but the redlettermedia videos do a solid job of really illustrating what's wrong with the prequels technically as well as when contrasted against the films they are supposed to be setting up. If you have a few hours to kill, it's worth it.

@ruadh
I appreciate your tact despite my obvious soreness over the matter. My rant had little to do with any of the comments on this page or the docs (which I have not seen), but instead the "Lucas-bashers" that permeate the internet. As for the prequels, I don't really care about the technical aspects of them or the pacing. JJ Abrams's Star Trek looked great and was dynamic in its own right but still destroyed the characters and the chronology the previous writers had slaved over for decades. I'm more interested in George's completed vision and he is still the primary source behind Star Wars no matter what tips he got from others. As for the scene in "Revenge", the Jedi are meant to be stoic and to trust in the Force. The fact that Mace and the others failed is evidence that the Old Jedi Order was on its last leg (as Yoda was constantly sensing). It was time fot A New Hope and a new direction for the Jedi.

Sure, but I wasn't concerned with pleasing critics either. More about why I found the films to be not good. And to me, a faster pace is one of the things that really stood out about the original film. Making a fast paced movie might have pleased more fans. I also don't see why one can't be stoic AND have a sense of urgency. Again, it just makes even the cast seem bored. And it also still didn't manage to properly line up with the originals. As far as technical aspects and pacing, these are crucial elements for making the audience feel what the film maker intends. Certain camera angles and editing styles will make the audience feel tense or engaged in the plot without even realizing it. The characters can even still saunter calmly while woodenly discussing important events, but shooting from certain angles or cutting the movie like Robert Rodriguez might make you not check your watch.

As far as tips from others, after reading a bio on Marcia Lucas, I walked away feeling the star wars we got would never be close to existing without her input. She was a major script doctor for him, and I suspect a major source of the heart the saga maintains. She did far more than simply tell him if an idea worked or not. I think that Lucas really has a hard time connecting with human emotions, and she was what helped him get over that hurdle. A side note on Marcia Lucas, I came to realize that the most personal part of the prequels for Lucas, and probably why he set out to make them at all, was the scene between Anakin and Padme on Mustafar. After reading about how and why his marriage ended, that scene now comes across as FAR more sad. Lucas worked hard and devoted a lot of time to develop Skywalker Ranch essentially so Marcia could be a kept woman and do all her editing without leaving home. It's much like Anakin losing himself to something unimportant to ultimately do something for his wife that is unnecessary. Something she doesn't even want. In the end, all his endeavors made him into someone she didnt recognize. And both walked away feeling betrayed. I would still love to hear her reaction to that scene.

I also think JJs Trek destroyed all the previous shows and movies as much as the prequels ruined my childhood. It ends up being something you can simply ignore and continue enjoying the original works. It did, I feel, succeed in capturing the voices of the characters as well as giving the franchise a bit of an infusion. It seemed to have opened the door for a lot of people who never would have tried Trek otherwise.

Thank you, I agree. And of course we're both passionate about the same thing.