“Star Wars” fans fall into two camps. The first camp believes creator George Lucas is the Jesus Christ of our time and will unflappably follow his filmmaking whims without question, regardless of how illogical his decisions seem, and the other camp is comprised of former followers who feel as though they’ve been sold out by 30 pieces of silver.
Alexandre O. Philippe’s often hysterical documentary, “The People Vs. George Lucas” explores the love/hate relationship of fans with this iconic filmmaker (and shrewd businessman) over the years and their reaction to the changes he’s made within his own created mythology.
One thing that can be said of “Star Wars” fans is that they are extremely vocal expressing their feelings towards Lucas’s work, to the point of near embarrassment, and beyond. As a ‘child of the blockbuster’ (blockbuster = “Star Wars”), I too have been caught up in this ever changing universe where Lucas sits master and commander over all and makes decisions based on his own whims and not what the fans might like to see.
All of us Film Warriors in fact have been raised in the age of “Star Wars” and inspired by this man’s work in one form or another. Even Uncle Billy at one time vowed to hold his newborn son up to the silver screen during a showing of Episode IV and pronounce, “Behold! This is your legacy!”
Unfortunately many of us (myself included) feel that Lucas essentially pissed in the pool of his own creation by tampering with the fabric of the original films and insulting our intelligence with the new ones. Philippe’s documentary addresses key points in this urination process, including the ‘Han shot first’ argument, the Jar Jar Binks fiasco, and his refusal to release the original, untouched trilogy to his fan base.
There’s a lot of humor to be found here (how can you not laugh over rabid fans screaming into the camera on how much they hate a CGI character?) as well as some thoughtful discourses on the marketing machine SW has become and the responsibility of a filmmaker to honor his fan base as well as generate income for the studios.
Philippe never gets close to the Skywalker Ranch inner circle (Sith Lords, if you will), but he does elicit a few choice comments from former “Star Wars” and “Empire” producer Gary Kurtz, as well as a screenwriter for “Attack of the Clones,” and the original Darth Vader himself, David Prowse.
The body of the 93 minute doc, however, lies within the hearts and minds of the fans, some of which feel truly betrayed by Lucas. While I don’t feel as though he “raped my childhood” (a phrase spoken repeatedly by disgruntled fans) I am somewhat hurt by the choices he’s made over the past several years.
It’s the equivalent of being given a great toy that you fall in love with, only to have the gift giver snatch the toy away, change it, then give it back to you and expect you to still love it the same way.
Documentaries stand or fall based solely on their subject matter, and while “The People Vs. George Lucas” is a bit top heavy towards its fan base, casual and non fans will find something of interest here as well. The film features a breezy mix of interviews, fan film clips, and archival footage that covers all the major (and minor) arguments in the SW universe in an easily digestible manner.
“Star Wars” is a cultural phenomenon that’s literally changed the way we watch films. It’s changed people’s lives. Love him or hate him, George Lucas created a legacy that will continue on for generations to come.
Oh, for the record? Han shot first.
“Sorry about the mess…”
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