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[Flynn]

This profile from Slate provides some rare quotes revealing an ongoing friendship and underlying competative streak between the two directors.

He's taught me a lot about creative compromise.

Saccarine.

 

[Escape Goat]

This is like group projectsi n high school. the teacher would pair a smart kid with a dumb kid. Guess who is who in this group.

 

[Flynn]

The fascinating part of the article is the distinct way the tables turned.

Early on George had the advantage, American Graffiti was a well-respected and financially sucessful movie. And then there was Star Wars.

Spielberg had Jaws and a modest hit with Close Encounters of the Third Kind, then misfires like 1941 and hacky TV work like The Night Gallery.

 

[Teddman]

And when Spielberg repeatedly begged to direct one of the new Star Wars episodes, Lucas reported the story with the glee of a child keeping his favorite toy just out of reach. "I was getting ready to shoot in Australia," Lucas told reporters, "and Steven was whining on the phone all the time, 'Oooh, I'm sitting here by the pool, and poor me, I don't have a movie to direct ... ' "

Man, was that the wrong decision. I'm not sure how a Spielberg-directed Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones would've turned out, but it'd have to have been an improvement.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Man, was that the wrong decision. I'm not sure how a Spielberg-directed Phantom Menace or Attack of the Clones would've turned out, but it'd have to have been an improvement.

Yup. Speilberg would have insisted on an (outside) rewrite, for starters. :lol

 

[Willco]

Spielberg could've saved the prequels.

 

[Boogie]

Uh, I thought the reason Spielberg didn't direct any of the prequels because he would have been kicked out of the Director's Guild or something.

 

[GhaleonEB]

Uh, I thought the reason Spielberg didn't direct any of the prequels because he would have been kicked out of the Director's Guild or something.

What? Why?

 

[SpeedingUptoStop]

Just about anybody who knew a lot about star wars and/or is a big time director like Spielberg could've saved the prequels....


And :lol at the 'Oooh, I'm sitting here by the pool, and poor me, I don't have a movie to direct ..."

 

[Warm Machine]

Uh, I thought the reason Spielberg didn't direct any of the prequels because he would have been kicked out of the Director's Guild or something.

You're right. Lucas wanted Speilberg to do Jedi but he wasn't allowed to.

The article is full of half truths.

Spielberg once said of Lucas that he is a better editor than a film maker. I have to agree with that...the guy did the final cut of Raiders and it is one of the greatest cut jobs I've ever seen.

 

[Boogie]

What? Why?

Because Lucas isn't part of the Guild ever since he wouldn't put any opening credits into the Star Wars movies.

 

[Teddman]

The article is a little unfair to Lucas, and I'm saying that not being a big fan of the guy lately. Particularly the conclusion:

In the last few months, Spielberg has played the dutiful friend, raving about Revenge of the Sith on British radio—"I saw it about a week ago, and it's absolutely amazing"—although you can't help but feel that the praise might come a little harder if the film were actually any good; and that the real source of Spielberg's magnanimity is sheer relief that the gulf between him and Lucas has finally assumed the dimensions it has. These days he sounds very much like the older brother protecting the kid who can't defend himself. The contest between the two men now looks very close to being a rout. Even if you put aside the Oscars that Spielberg has won for his more "adult" work, like Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan, and compare the two men solely in terms of their contributions to blockbuster cinema—in terms of pure popcorn—it is clear that Lucas' much-vaunted connection to the audience, which Spielberg once so feared, looks a little rocky. Lucas' career rests precariously on a single film, directed back in 1977. Everything else of his has failed, except Raiders, which Spielberg directed. And so Lucas has been drawn back to Star Wars with an air of glum fatalism, while Spielberg puts on ever more ambidextrous displays of reach and range. Lucas may well win the box-office battle this summer, but Spielberg looks like he's won the war.

 

[Boogie]

Yeah, that article isn't really "sloppy" journalism, it's scarcely journalism at all.

 

[Dan]

It is a battle that, in terms of the box office, Spielberg is expected to lose—Revenge of the Sith has already taken in $400 million in just over three weeks, while War of the Worlds' top projections stop short of $300 million.

Revenge of the Sith's take as of 6/14: $335,384,779

What a well researched article

 

[ManaByte]

What? Why?

The DGA requires a minimum amount of credits on a movie done by a DGA Director. I'm unsure of the number, but I think it's three or four (studio, production, and director) or else the Director and studio is fined.

The DGA allowed it to pass for Star Wars, but when Lucas did it again with ESB he got fined and the then president of 20th Century Fox took the dive and lost his job over it. Lucas wanted Spielberg to direct Return of the Jedi but since he's part of the Director's Guild he couldn't.

Lucas kind of worked around that with Revenge of the Sith by giving Spielberg a couple scenes to do the pre-vis on (the Yoda/Sidious Duel and the Obi-Wan/Anakin Duel) so Spielberg could "direct" how the scenes played out without being credited or risking a fine by the DGA.

 

[Drensch]

If I had to choose between random Speilberg movie, or Lucas film? Lucas by a mile.

 

[Shinobi]

Speilberg owns every director on earth for big budget/popcorn flicks. Hell, Jaws created the summer blockbuster.

 

[Rorschach]

Spielberg once said of Lucas that he is a better editor than a film maker. I have to agree with that...the guy did the final cut of Raiders and it is one of the greatest cut jobs I've ever seen.

One thing that really annoyed me was the fades and cuts in ROTS. The same 3 amateurish swipes used over and over when there was no action. I wonder how close they were to using Star Swipes.

 

[Prine]

Totally irrelevent question but:

Whats next for Lucus? Is he going back into movie making? I know starwars is finished, but id really like to see a new movie from him. Maybe another comedy.

Has he mentioned returning to movie making?

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

I like how the article says that Lucas' "rests precariously on a film he made in 1977". It's almost as if they don't even know the cultureal impact of that film and the empire (no pun intended) that Lucas has built on that film. I'd hardly say his career is resting precariously at all.

That said, I do think Spielberg is the better film maker, although the Star Wars films, especially the OT, are as watchable as any thing Spielberg has made. As of late, Spielberg hasn't been as bankable as we've become accomstomed to. Last year he had The Terminal, which was a good film, but could have been done by nearly anyone, with Tom Hanks being the lead. Catch Me If You Can was also good and charming, but not up to the typical Spielberg levels, before that we had Minority Report and AI, both of which were disappointments to me on a number of levels, and for a number of reasons, not all of which were Spielberg's fault.

Up next is War of the Worlds, which does nothing for me. The reviews are going to have to be incredible for me to want to go see Independence Day Redux.

 

[shantyman]

Up next is War of the Worlds, which does nothing for me. The reviews are going to have to be incredible for me to want to go see Independence Day Redux.

Actually, Independence Day is War of the Worlds Redux. Besides, that movie is terrible. Punching Aliens in the face? Using Mac OS 8 to impant a virus in an alien OS? "Willful suspension of disbelief: is sretched past its breaking point in that film. WOTW will likely be much better.

 

[Manics]

If I had to choose between random Speilberg movie, or Lucas film? Lucas by a mile.

You're kidding right?

 

[Tedesco!]

One thing that really annoyed me was the fades and cuts in ROTS. The same 3 amateurish swipes used over and over when there was no action. I wonder how close they were to using Star Swipes.

:lol :lol :lol

 

[Kung Fu Jedi]

Actually, Independence Day is War of the Worlds Redux. Besides, that movie is terrible. Punching Aliens in the face? Using Mac OS 8 to impant a virus in an alien OS? "Willful suspension of disbelief: is sretched past its breaking point in that film. WOTW will likely be much better.

Yeah, I totally agree with everything you've said here. I'm a fan of the HG Wells book, and was actually hoping for a remake, set in the Victorian era and all. I'm actually not a big fan of ID. It was just an Ok film, but there have been scenes in the trailer for WotW that remind me of ID, such as the jet fighters attacking the Martians, etc.

 

[FortNinety]

I love the internet. It has the power to make anything written seem legitimate.

 

[shantyman]

If I had to choose between random Speilberg movie, or Lucas film? Lucas by a mile.

I too found this odd. As many know I am an unabashed star wars fan, but the breadth ond variety of Spielberg's career is so beyond Lucas' it is not even funny.

 

[shantyman]

:lol :lol :lol

Oh give me a break. Lucas has used excessive wipes in all 6 star wars movies. It is intentional because of the serial nature of the films.

 

[shantyman]

How can anyone say George Lucas teaches people about artistic compromise? He works independently so he can always have final cut. This is a very odd comment from Spielberg.

 

[Dan]

Totally irrelevent question but:

Whats next for Lucus? Is he going back into movie making? I know starwars is finished, but id really like to see a new movie from him. Maybe another comedy.

Has he mentioned returning to movie making?

He's said that he wants to return to various projects long in gestation at LucasFilm, including producing a World War II film about African-American pilots. I can't recall the name. But first it seems like he'll be directing and/or watching over the Star Wars television series.

 

[Blackace]

He's said that he wants to return to various projects long in gestation at LucasFilm, including producing a World War II film about African-American pilots. I can't recall the name. But first it seems like he'll be directing and/or watching over the Star Wars television series.

Tuskegee Airmen?????

 

[Ghost]

He was talking about Raiders i assume, and how Lucas helped him keep it under budget.

 

[Dan]

Tuskegee Airmen?????

Yeah, I just found the title. It's called Red Tails, and yeah, about the Tuskegee Airmen. I gather that it's been in LucasFilm's vault for a while.

 

[Blackace]

Yeah, I just found the title. It's called Red Tails, and yeah, about the Tuskegee Airmen. I gather that it's been in LucasFilm's vault for a while.

Wow... could be really good... as long as he doesn't write it, or ask for any input from his kids... the last thing this film will need is a Jar Jar Banks like character :lol :lol

 

[Lucky Forward]

Yes, it's time the Tuskeegee Airmen finally had their story told.

Oh wait, they already did.

 

[Blackace]

Yes, it's time the Tuskeegee Airmen finally had their story told.

Oh wait, they already did.

But did it have crazy effects??? NO! Lucas gots ya covered!!!

 

[Warm Machine]

One thing that really annoyed me was the fades and cuts in ROTS. The same 3 amateurish swipes used over and over when there was no action. I wonder how close they were to using Star Swipes.

He's been using those wipes since 77 on A New Hope. They are part of the Star Wars language and part of the texture of the film series. Without them it wouldn't be the same.

 

[Dan]

He's been using those wipes since 77 on A New Hope. They are part of the Star Wars language and part of the texture of the film series. Without them it wouldn't be the same.

But for ROTS he changed it up and used different kinds of wipes, the sort of wacky bullshit that comes with any video editing program but only kids and amatuers use. If he'd just used the traditional ones...

 

[jett]

If I had to choose between random Speilberg movie, or Lucas film? Lucas by a mile.

Oh for fuck's sake.

 

[Spectral Glider]

Spielberg doing Jedi might have been cool....maybe he could have actually found a use for Solo in that one. Not sure how much he would have helped the prequels though. His space/futuristic flicks, like AI and Minority Report, were rather bloated and not so hot IMO. Spielberg's best work is stuff that's a bit more grounded if you ask me.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

Spielberg owns Lucas as a director. There is no competition.

 

[Warm Machine]

Spielberg doing Jedi might have been cool....maybe he could have actually found a use for Solo in that one. Not sure how much he would have helped the prequels though. His space/futuristic flicks, like AI and Minority Report, were rather bloated and not so hot IMO. Spielberg's best work is stuff that's a bit more grounded if you ask me.

Biggest problem with Minority report is that the movie action climaxed about 20 minutes before the real end. A.I. did the same. Both films are really well made though. A shot by shot and scene by scene analysis reveals so much genius in the way the guy works.

 

[Manics]

Spielberg owns Lucas as a director. There is no competition.

Exactly. Lucas actually directed what --- 15 films tops? Spielberg has at least 40, and some of those are the most memorable movies of all time. Outside of the Star Wars franchise and American Graffiti, what does Lucas have -- THX 1138? That sucked.

 

[Deg]

Biggest problem with Minority report is that the movie action climaxed about 20 minutes before the real end. A.I. did the same. Both films are really well made though. A shot by shot and scene by scene analysis reveals so much genius in the way the guy works.

I thought those movies were weak.

 

[human5892]

Lucas' career rests precariously on a single film, directed back in 1977. Everything else of his has failed, except Raiders

No matter what definition of "fail" they're using here -- whether it's critical acceptance, box office take, or audience reaction -- they're painfully, stupidly wrong.

What a shitty article.

 

[Drensch]

Speilberg has a few clunkers and films I just don't find interesting or worth viewing more than once. I haven't seen Amistad or the entirety of The Color Purple, so I can't talk about those. But I'd much rather watch one of Lucas' movies for entertainment than straight unadulterated crap like The Lost World, or middling stuff like The Terminal and Minority Report. Technical ability means jack shit. It's about entertainment, otherwise we'd all be playing that Killzone trailer.