So my previous post on how to watch the Star Wars Films, might give the impression that this is a Star Wars Blog. Every post has somehow tied back to the Star Wars franchise. I promise you that is not the case. However, there has been cataclysmic shift in cinematic news caused by one man George Lucas, to hand over his life’s work, Star Wars, to the Kings of beating dead horses, the Walt Disney Company.
Whereas this is not a political blog, I will say one thing thats slightly political about my personal beliefs. I am a capitalist, I believe that if you work hard, treat others fairly, and play by the rules, and make a bajillion dollars, you are entitled to that bajillion dollars.
One thing I have always admired about George Lucas, is that he is one of the few living examples of being a self made man in Hollywood. He has worked tirelessly throughout his career to make sure that the movies that he made were his movies. There were no studio corporate overlords dictating how a movie by George Lucas should be made. The top creative force at Lucasfilms was George Lucas and no one else. George had a billion dollar idea and he walked away a wealthier man for it. I have no qualms with George Lucas as a creator, he made the movies that he wanted to make and though we gripe and complain about the poor quality of the Prequels.
THEY ARE HIS MOVIES HE CAN DO WHATEVER HE WELL PLEASES WITH THEM!
ADD MOMENT: I love geek culture I really do, but sometimes the fans are some of the most insufferable people. If you do not like a film, do not watch them, plain and simple. There are good movies, and there are bad movies, and there are good movies some find bad, and bad movies some find good. You like what you like, but you do not have to belittle others for liking something you do not. There is more to life than movies, and if your life is so defined by something that is fictional, that you cannot function without it. Then your life is sad, get off this blog and go outside. Movies are meant to entertain and to be an escape from the cynicism in life. I do not want cynicism from the real world in my movies. George Lucas did not violate your child hood, the movies you love still exist, but there is a sizable silent majority that enjoys the prequels for what they are, and your comments on the internet belittle the actual victims of the things you claim George Lucas for doing!
Sorry, soap box moment, ahem, moving on; in any event Star Wars helped George Lucas make Lucasfilms one of the most successful independent movie companies of all time, and his contributions to the film industry are to numerable to count.
So my initial reaction to George selling his company to the Walt Disney Company was one of sorrow. Lucasfilms was to become nothing more then another cog in the marketing leviathan that is the Walt Disney Company. A Company that has not had an original idea since Pirates of the Caribbean, and if all else fails, make another Princess movie.
However, as I looked at their recent acquisitions over the last 7-8 years, from Pixar to Marvel, I saw a glimmer of hope. Disney completely acquired Pixar in 2006, and the quaility of their movies have not declined at all (Cars 2 is the only point of contention.) Upon the purchasing of Marvel, Disney created Marvel Studios, and we got the AVENGERS! Disney seems to be great owners of companies but not managers of companies themselves. 2015 is the year Disney takes over the world.
Avengers 2 (Marvel)
2 Pixar Films
Star Wars Episode 7
Pirates 5
Of all those films, what is the one you are least excited for? More than likely Pirates 5, and that is the only property that is a traditionally Disney film. Disney is a marketing machine. If they give complete creative autonomy to their subsidiaries and only get involved for marketing and distribution reasons, we have a winner on our hands.
The current team for Star Wars is great. JJ Abrams in my mind is the most worthy successor to the films George Lucas and Steven Spielberg became legends for making. An earlier post I explained how JJ Abrams made an excellent Star Wars film, with the cast of Star Trek. He is the best and safest choice for who should direct Star Wars.
Kathleen Kennedy, legendary producer and filmmaker is heading Lucasfilms and providing JJ with everything he needs to create Episode VII.
Michael Arndt is fleshing out the story created by George Lucas, if you do not know who Michael Arndt he is the writer of Toy Story 3. Arguably one of the most human stories I have ever seen, and it was about TOYS!
John Williams, one of the greatest composers since Beethoven, the composer of all 6 existing Star Wars films just signed on for 7-9. No matter what you think about the Prequels, it is universally acclaimed that the greatest aspect of the Prequels was John Williams Score.
Disney is doing everything right so far. I pray it only gets better from here. May the force be with us all.
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