It's Just Movies

— by BEN FOWLER —

Can anything more really be said about the “Star Wars” saga and its influence on society? Apparently not, although the people behind “The People vs. George Lucas” certainly seem to think so. You may watch it and think that it’s all a bit of fun and it should be taken light-heartedly.

But we all know that the die-hard, socially awkward and hygienically-challenged “Star Wars” fans out there DO take it this seriously. However, when such choice phrases are used as, “People view George Lucas as the anti-Christ,” or “George Lucas is a little devil disguised as a false prophet,” and songs are performed telling us that “George Lucas raped our childhood,” it’s safe to say that my first reaction is to roll my eyes and tell them to GROW UP! Now I have a great love for the “Star Wars” universe, but at the grand old age of 27, I accept that it is just a set of films and merchandise, a game changer of a franchise, yes, but just simply a bunch of movies — nothing more.

However, the film makers behind “The People vs. George Lucas” feel it is time that the great bearded wonder himself be held accountable for, what they deem, as the abomination of what is the prequels. Now, personally, and if you read my previous article on the “Star Wars” prequels, you’ll see that I can find some merit in them. These fans, however, can only see Jar Jar.

Now, to be fair, the trailer begins with some great soundbites of what makes Lucas such a great film maker. We hear people discussing how “George appeals to the child in everybody” and how he “unlocked a generation’s imagination.” Then the diatribes begin. We have various people giving their opinion on the “drug dealer” that is George Lucas. Seriously, they talk about how he launched the merchandising craze and keeps supplying them new toys as if he’s a dealer supplying their crack habit! We have the “Star Wars” whore, Dave Prowse — who will turn up at anything Darth Vader-related — discussing with a disapproving look on his face how George made it all “commercial.” Didn’t do you any harm did it, Dave? Or are you still peeved you never got an invite back for Episode III?

It goes on to bring out a sad fact that due to “Star Wars” becoming such a big thing, Lucas began to view it as such a “curse” — since he never got to make any of the piles of scripts he had on his desk. After the brilliant, if underrated, “American Graffiti,” Lucas was only ever known for the “Star Wars” films and his creative input in the “Indiana Jones” series. We’ll ignore “Howard the Duck” for the moment …

The film does try to show journalistic balance (but fails) by having a couple of quotes at the end of the film saying “I don’t think he’s raped anyone’s childhood,” and “give the man some slack.” Then, it is finished off by a guy who does nothing to help improve the image of a “Star Wars” fan, inexplicably announcing, “Sir, we the fans, the true fans of your franchise, salute you,” whilst waving a toy lightsaber, sorry — replica lightsaber.

So, seemingly, this film will appeal to those who agree with the accusation that George Lucas made an abomination when he did the three prequel films. If like me, though, you view them as fun, exciting and integral to the overall saga, but not flawless, “The People vs. George Lucas,” like the accusation itself, should be thrown out of court.

Source: TrailerSpy

Follow Ben Fowler on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Localboy99

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