Iger and Chapek Livid With Lucasfilm

[Tony Perkis]

I don’t think the director matters as much as who writes the damn story. It cannot be mandated from Burbank and then under total control of the director...

Flat out no. Absolutely wrong. Directors in television are bound by the tone and view of the showrunner, which isn't to diminish their accomplishments and efforts, but there is a very specific standard they have to meet.

In film, directors are vital. They can elevate or sink screenplays. Editors are bound by the ambitions of their directions (with few exceptions, ironically enough the first Star Wars film). Films are uniquely the director's view. I remember a while back in a conversation I had with somebody in this forum who honestly believed that directors are largely replaceable because editors eventually replace them when finishing the film, which is an absolutely bonkers mindset. The product of a film, when done right, is what the director wants, in an ideal world.

Lucasfilm has no respect for directors and they clearly want them to toe the line, so they're not in any position to dictate the role of what direction should be.

 

[Tony Perkis]

For once we are in total agreement...

Kurtz was the biggest stabilizing force in the OT. The products and sequence of events speak for themselves.

They never reconciled after Lucas demanded they make Return of the Merchandising.

John Dykstra and the editors were key figures as well to the success

I’d like this, but I can’t, because the mods aren’t great here.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Hey! Isn't it great that Kathleen Kennedy had a seat in this past episode of Gallery: The Mandalorian?!

Considering Favreau banned her from the set, I wonder how she sneaked in right before they started taping?!

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Hey! Isn't it great that Kathleen Kennedy had a seat in this past episode of Gallery: The Mandalorian?!

Considering Favreau banned her from the set, I wonder how she sneaked in right before they started taping?!

...probably in her contract

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Flat out no. Absolutely wrong. Directors in television are bound by the tone and view of the showrunner, which isn't to diminish their accomplishments and efforts, but there is a very specific standard they have to meet.

In film, directors are vital. They can elevate or sink screenplays. Editors are bound by the ambitions of their directions (with few exceptions, ironically enough the first Star Wars film). Films are uniquely the director's view. I remember a while back in a conversation I had with somebody in this forum who honestly believed that directors are largely replaceable because editors eventually replace them when finishing the film, which is an absolutely bonkers mindset. The product of a film, when done right, is what the director wants, in an ideal world.

Lucasfilm has no respect for directors and they clearly want them to toe the line, so they're not in any position to dictate the role of what direction should be.

It’s not film school...it’s what was the key modern Hollywood film
Franchise until money based mismanagement mangled the hell out of it.

Prequels = bad creative control and direction...poorly written and executed

7: bland reboot...unnecessary
8: bad by an amateur in over his head
9: mess on all levels.


That’s how you deprive oxygen from the golden goose. So let it be written...so let it be done.

The record is what it is now.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

At the time they were both hired by Lucasfilm? Waititi has significantly more credibility than Abrams. Abrams credits are based on his ability to manage big budgets and his direction of Star Trek, little else.

I love how in an attempt to divert the reality of where Star Wars is at...abrams is now a guy who no one heard of in 2014 and Waititi is frank capra...

Get a grip. They just did stupid, boring movies...that’s what happened. I hope Director Ragnarok is up to it...filoni....Favreau...whoever is the “Feige” player being installed.

I want a good movie and yet another needed reset. Or I want it all to end. Don’t see a future drifting in the river of mediocrity any longer.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'm not convinced you know Waititi's filmography. What We Do in the Shadow, Flight of the Concords, Thor Ragnarok, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, What We Do in the Shadows TV, Jojo Rabbit, Boy....his filmography is significantly better.

It’s not Waititi’s resume I’m debating more than the idea tossed about that abrams is now a “nobody” because he failed in retrospect.

He’s not the scapegoat...there’s a whole pen of them on this farm.

 

[HMF]

Hey, remember when how glad we were when we all first heard that Disney rejected George Lucas's ideas for the sequels because we all hated Lucas for the direction he took Star Wars in the prequels?

And remember how we're now taking umbrage that George Lucas's ideas for the sequels were rejected because we're grasping at straws to hate Kathleen Kennedy and so we created a narrative that she betrayed St. George?

Fun times.

"The films were designed for 12-year-olds. I said that right from the very, very beginning and the very first interviews I did for A New Hope. It’s just that they were so popular with everybody, that everybody forgot that," he said. "Then when I came back to do Phantom Menace, it was 20 years later. So if you were 10 years old when you saw A New Hope, you would be 30 years old when you saw Phantom Menace. So you weren’t a kid anymore. I think you were kind of embarrassed, and what you thought was a really fantastic movie for a 12-year-old wasn’t that great for a grownup. I think that was the main cause of the fall of Episodes I, II, and III. Believe me, it took a beating." -George Lucas​

For the record I was never happy they rejected George's ideas.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

TW

Strongly agree with this tweet.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

For the record I was never happy they rejected George's ideas.

I am...who says he had anything left? Reportedly it was another stab at teen frame

TW

Strongly agree with this tweet.

...Umm...

 

[The Empress Lilly]

For the record I was never happy they rejected George's ideas.

I wasn't either. By 2012 I had long made my peace again with Lucas. (George and I sat down for a pint and)

My initial horror at the prequels was gone already by Ep.II (am I the only one who loves it?), and the really rather good Ep. III. Even his vandalism of the OT was redeemed somewhat by the terrific Close Wars that had made SW fun and inventive again by the time of the sale. Hating on Lucas was sooo last decade.

 

[Tony Perkis]

I wasn't either. By 2012 I had long made my peace again with Lucas. (George and I sat down for a pint and)

My initial horror at the prequels was gone already by Ep.II (am I the only one who loves it?), and the really rather good Ep. III. Even his vandalism of the OT was redeemed somewhat by the terrific Close Wars that had made SW fun and inventive again by the time of the sale. Hating on Lucas was sooo last decade.

Lucas does not ever get a pass for what he did to the OT. To rob fans of the original versions of the films they fell in love with is abhorrent.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Funny how they tend to know when a character is poorly written and shoehorned even before the movie comes out.

See: Rose Tico (Rows-tee-co)

 

[Darkprime]

I wasn't either. By 2012 I had long made my peace again with Lucas. (George and I sat down for a pint and)

My initial horror at the prequels was gone already by Ep.II (am I the only one who loves it?), and the really rather good Ep. III. Even his vandalism of the OT was redeemed somewhat by the terrific Close Wars that had made SW fun and inventive again by the time of the sale. Hating on Lucas was sooo last decade.

Yep. Back in my younger days I never understood the hate Lucas & the prequels got. Without Lucas this universe doesn't exist. I kinda got the Jar Jar hate but even then. At some point I stopped caring. And the harassment the actors got wasn't cool. Jar Jar's actor especially. Forget his name. But It wasn't his fault ffs. He was literally a dude in a costume just doing his job.I didnt mind the special editions either in fact I kinda liked them. I liked the updated CGI.

One thing I don't get is this new found love that the fandom apparently has had for Hayden Christensen in recent years. Obviously its great that people are coming around and appreciating him more. But maybe people forgot but he was hated on just as much as Jar Jar back in the day. People called his acting wooden and all that and some still do. The star wars fandom is weird. I reckon in 3-5 years or so your going to start seeing sequel trilogy apologists start coming out of the closet lol whenever the next movie drops.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

It’s not film school...it’s what was the key modern Hollywood film
Franchise until money based mismanagement mangled the hell out of it.

Prequels = bad creative control and direction...poorly written and executed

7: bland reboot...unnecessary
8: bad by an amateur in over his head
9: mess on all levels.


That’s how you deprive oxygen from the golden goose. So let it be written...so let it be done.

The record is what it is now.

I'll disagree with you on 7. The reboot had to be done - to give some direction. FWIW I thought it okay. Reintroduce established characters. Introduce new ones. Set up an evolution of the franchise.

I felt it a necessary evil. And it was done alright (although Luke was underused). After that - downhill. I don't disagree with your assessment of 8 and 9. Actually, I felt you were being polite in your characterization. I would have used some different words. (But it is a Disney forum - so I try to keep it "family friendly")

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'll disagree with you on 7. The reboot had to be done - to give some direction. FWIW I thought it okay. Reintroduce established characters. Introduce new ones. Set up an evolution of the franchise.

I felt it a necessary evil. And it was done alright (although Luke was underused). After that - downhill. I don't disagree with your assessment of 8 and 9. Actually, I felt you were being polite in your characterization. I would have used some different words.

The problems started with 7...drove a deeper wedge into the fan base more than needed..

“but then need a new fan base!”
Ok...but it has the attention span of a fruit fly... don’t bother with legacy character or trilogies...

It doesn’t matter. Instead you slap anyone invested with a wet fish.

All 3 movies were terrible...frankly. Bad motives and bad execution.

 

[InnKpr]

Lucas does not ever get a pass for what he did to the OT.

Oh come now. Don't be such a humbug. You mean to say upgrades such as this didn't give those films the true added touch that they so deserved?

To scoff at such cinematic glory, I honestly can't imagine what you're made of.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Oh come now. Don't be such a humbug. You mean to say upgrades such as this didn't give those films the true added touch that they so deserved?
View attachment 469617

To scoff at such cinematic glory, I honestly can't imagine what you're made of.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

It doesn’t matter. Instead you slap anyone invested with a wet fish.

That was done in episode 8. By Robinson-Skywalker.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That was done in episode 8. By Robinson-Skywalker.

I got that jive from all 3...

I don’t know who exactly it was that was responsible...but I feel they’re in Burbank, not the presidio