The People vs George Lucas Review!
The People vs George Lucas: 5 Stars.
This documentary came out a little over five years ago now, almost six, and I have been dying to see it, but it has always eluded me. Not anymore. I have finally seen it, and this will be a micro review on the film BECAUSE of the amount of time that has gone by, and with that being said I assume that most people have seen it already and know what its about, but for those who haven't, here is what I thought of the film.
Star Wars fans have a love/hate relationship with the creator of the franchise. I know I do. We love the world that was first introduced back in 1977. It is escapism at its finest. Star Wars is very straight forward. A fantasy in space. Good vs evil. A young warrior, and a menacing villain. It is a tribute to the old Republic Serials of the 1940's and 50's that George Lucas used to watch on TV or hear on the radio. We love Star Wars with all our hearts. Thank you, George for giving the world what it needed! Before you ruined it.
George Lucas released a special edition of Star Wars in the mid-90's saying that technology finally allowed him to do the stuff he couldn't in the past, but was it necessarily for the better? This documentary asks the question, once an artist unveils his art to public, and if they like it just as it is, does it belong to public now, or does the artist still get to do what he wants with it? I don't think George Lucas understood that the limitations back in the 70's and 80's actually were a blessing in disguise. Yes, some of the effects weren't as great and they didn't hold up after some time, but the story, and the characters, and the ideas is what made Star Wars, STAR WARS! You can't just shove a bunch of special effects on the screen without it effecting the final product in someway. Also many new scenes were added that effected the tone, and pacing of the original cut. Then Lucas released the Prequels in the early 2000's, and they were an even bigger disappointment, which is a different argument for another time.
This documentary is so wonderfully crafted with funny testimonials from fans who wrestle with their feelings about George Lucas, and while most of the film attacks George Lucas for what he has done to his work, there is a sense of love underneath it all. We can't blame him for everything. Maybe he did capture lightning in a bottle with the original films, we are all happy he did, and that they exist.
