He is one of the most successful film producers of all time. With “Star Wars” and “Indiana Jones” has US Director George Lucas cinema history. Only Oscar is missing him until today.
Recently, George Lucas spoke up when he heard of the death of Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew. The “Star Wars”Creator had cast around 2.20-metre-tall actor 1977 himself for the role of the hairy Wookiee in the “star wars”. “Peter was a wonderful man. He came a Wookiee closer than any other man: big heart, gentle nature; and I have learned to let him always win”, so the Director and writer on the Portal “Starwars.com”.
Otherwise, the inventor of this world has pulled the room a fairy tale long ago officially of his most famous epic. It has been almost 15 years that he stood as a star warrior-Director in “Star Wars: Episode III – revenge of The Sith” (2005) behind the camera, and the script came up. In 2012, he sold his “Star Wars”Empire to Disney. And when, in December 2019, “Star Wars 9: The rise of Skywalker’s” comes out in theaters, has been on the Set in London’s Pinewood Studios again Jeffrey Jacob Abrams, the Director’s instructions. George Lucas can so 75 in all the rest of his. Birthday parties.
Life in the fast Lane
Born George Walton Lucas Jr. 14. May 1944 as the son of a stationery merchant in the Californian city of Modesto. He loves the adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, devouring the Comics of Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and Superman, and dreams of becoming a racer. The “Car Crashing” with souped-up cars racing through empty streets, like James Dean. But shortly before his 18th birthday. Birthday seen Lucas in a serious car accident. “Somehow not been clear to me that that might be just Right for me.” He decides to study at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles English, astronomy, history, and Film. As a Newcomer, he produced four short films, including the Science-Fiction Film “THX 1138: 4EB”, runs in 1968, even in Germany, the Oberhausen short film days.
Filming for the movie “Star Wars” (1977): second from left, the Young Director George Lucas
After the completion of his studies, Lucas goes to the Warner Studio. There, the extremely shy young man, Francis Ford Coppola, to get to know. The two became friends and seven years older than Coppola, his master. In 1969, the two reasons, the alternative film Studio, American Zoetrope. There, Lucas created the first movie: “THX 1138”. He plays in a bleak future society, whose members want to improve with hard work the production. As the Film, in 1971 comes to the movies, the critics positive, but at the box office, the plant flops.
Ascent in Hollywood
Only two years later, George Lucas celebrates with “American Graffiti,” but his breakthrough as a Director. The portrait of a generation set in 1962, tells the story of young High School graduates, the drive one last Time through the streets of your small town before the next Morning, their paths are separate. The film is then for the social upheaval of an Era and the end of the youth “Rock and Roll”. “American Graffiti” costs 1.3 million dollars and plays in the United States approximately $ 55 million: a first commercial success for the young Director.
Shortly before Lucas has agreed with 20th Century Fox, one of the largest production studios in America, to shoot a Science Fiction movie. With the success in the back, he made his demands: He wants to produce the Film with his own company. In addition, he secures the rights to any sequels and Merchandising, which led to him later million. The Studio agrees. And the success story of the George Lucas takes its course.
Knights and fabulous creatures: the space fairy tale by George Lucas movie history
Hidden Desires
Lucas wanted to make a movie for Ten-to twelve – year-old. “I realized that the Kids of today a fantasy are missing life as we had it – they have no Western, no pirate movies, not adventure.” Him a world hovering in space, fairy tale, a combination of “2001: a space Odyssey” and the “James Bond”-an action flick. Out comes a futuristic Saga with space knights and mythical creatures. With “Star Wars” created by George Lucas, a new mythology and a new genre of film.
Lucas has been dealing with fairy tales, mysticism, and myths, and abuts on the books of the American anthropologist Carlos Castaneda (1925-1998). He is also fascinated by the myths researcher Joseph Campbell (1904-1987), whose work “The hero with a thousand he designed”. Linked to his technical skills, George Lucas constructed the dramaturgical framework for the “Star Wars”.
George Lucas in 2011, with a movie character from “Star Wars”
Two and a half years, Lucas writes in the script, a script without the Sex and violence. However, his Talent as a screenwriter. As the Studio bosses and close friends in 1976 to see the first test screening of “Star Wars” – even without special effects, are all shocked, Lucas’ wife, Marcia bursts into tears, Director Brian De Palma verreißt everything, and George Lucas is sinking a pile of misery. Only Director Steven Spielberg comforts him: “George, your movie is great. I predict you will commit 100 million dollars!”
Commercial Success Story
“Star Wars” plays in the first two years of the world’s 276 million dollars, and is to the up to then most successful Film of all time. Later, two successor films, plus a trilogy that tells the history. In addition, television and animation films for the Star Wars universe of George Lucas. And the revenue through the Merchandising of 20 billion dollars are estimated. Meanwhile, George Lucas counts, according to the U.S. magazine “Forbes” the richest people in the world with an estimated fortune of 6.2 billion dollars.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeA Spin-off from “Solo: A Star Wars Story”
The latest Film tells the story of the young Han Solo. Played the renintente space pilot from Alden Ehrenreich who plays the role with a lot of Humor and love for the “Original” (Harrison Ford played Solo in the previous Star Wars films). The Film tells, among other things, such as Solo has met the Wookie Chewbacca and a time before Episode IV.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeThe dream team from the original trilogy
In 1977, the smuggler Han Solo, Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker showed up for the first Time on the big screen. The Trio consisted of a kick – back for all new adventures of Episode IV-VI (“star wars”, “Empire”, 1980, “The return of the Jedi”, 1983) and meets in Episode VII (The awakening of the Power”, 2015) after decades.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeThe Jedi Knights
The Jedi order is fighting in the Star Wars universe for Good. The “Power gives you” superhuman abilities. So you can move around with the power of your thoughts items. Their strongest weapon is the lightsaber. Famous Jedi are Luke and Anakin Skywalker (right in the picture), Obi-Wan Kenobi (left) and master Yoda.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeGrand Master Yoda
Yoda is the most powerful Jedi knights of all time and can use the Power like no other. More than 800 years, it provides young students (Padawans) to the Jedi knight. His language is strange, his words are wise and intelligent. He is only 66 inches tall. However, according to its size, one should not judge the Jedi master. The taller opponent to feel.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universe“Do it or don’t do it. There is no Try.”
In “Episode V – The Empire strikes back” trained Yoda to the young Luke Skywalker. Luke is severely insecure and doesn’t believe in his powers. Yoda teaches him the Jedi philosophy, and brings him mental techniques. And warns him not to let negative emotions: “anger. Fear. Aggressiveness. The dark sides of the force are they. Possession you take slightly of you.”
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeThe Sith
The Sith are an order that is on the dark side of the force. Sith are mostly former Jedi knight, say goodbye to the bright side, because they promise more Power. Famous Siths, Darth Vader, Darth Maul or Darth Sidious. In the photo, Darth Tyranus, was called as a Jedi even count Dooku.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universe“I am your father.”
Darth Vader was once Jedi knight Anakin Skywalker. He had from the Emperor to the dark side of the force to save the life of his wife and unborn children. Anakin becomes Darth Vader, while his children will be saved by Luke and Leia and hidden. Twenty years later, Luke and Vader meet and fight each other to the blood. The famous set of falls.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeEmperor Palpatine
Actually, he is a member of the Senate, which ruled a large planet Republic. But secretly, Palpatine is a Sith Lord named Darth Sidious. He instigates a revolt against the Republic. From the dark side, he is enthroned finally, as a Chancellor and an Emperor who wants to rule the entire universe. He is responsible for the worst of all weapons…
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeThe Death Star
The death star, the Imperial super-weapon is as big as a moon, with a devastating destruction power. A cruel Demonstration must attend Princess Leia: With a giant laser beam to your home planet of Alderaan is blown up. The death star, however, has an Achilles ‘ heel, which makes it the rebels is possible to strike back. But the nearest star is in the making…
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeRogue One (2016)
In this Spin-off, we are in the time between episodes III and IV, The Empire is building the first death star was finished and wants to test the force – Star Wars-connoisseur to know that he can destroy with a single beam whole planet. Rebels want to get the plans and destroy the weapon. The Whole thing happens in addition to the original Star Wars plot.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeThe Stormtroopers
The soldiers of the Empire are directed from the dark side of the force and pull to hundreds of thousands in the wars. They are your Supreme commander, the Emperor, in blind obedience loyal to the death, and follow the villains (here: Kylo Ren). In Episode VII breaks a soldier, Finn, this “law” and is reflected on the side of Good.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeJabba The Hutt
The Star Wars universe offers, in addition to humanoid yet completely inhuman creatures. How the mighty criminal Jabba the Hutt, a disgusting Monster in which the Ex-smuggler Han Solo still has a score to settle. In order to give his demands, he keeps Princess Leia as a slave. The Bikini, the actress Carrie Fisher is wearing, has become a legend.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeFighting animals on the ground
The Imperial weapons are martial. Alone their size to scare the enemy. The four-legged “AT-ATs” are fighting machines, fast-moving and everywhere you go, and troops can be transported. In the head, tons of plug devastating projectiles. A similarly ferocious battle of the two-legged scout “AT-ST device”, bristling with laser cannons and lightning-fast.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeTechnology in space
While the death star is still under construction, keep the ships of the Imperial fleet. Here is a gigantic star destroyer, flanked by the nimble star fighters, supply themselves with the fast ships of the rebels ‘ fast-paced battles. Star Wars maker George Lucas, has set in 1977, with his trick of technology set new standards.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeThe Music
The film composer John Williams has written for all the Star Wars films, the Soundtrack. World famous is the main theme, and the grim March that accompanies Darth Vader in his performances. Cult status but has from the beginning (Episode IV) of the Song “Cantina Band” played by the Alien Band Figrin D’an and the Modal Notes in a crowded dive bar.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeThe Droids
From the first films of the Golden “smartass” C3PO and the little fiepsende R2D2 best memories are of us – the odd Couple have become audience favorites. In Episode VII – another Comforter-droid: the lively BB-8 (left). These three droids are the protagonist’s faithful companion and you have already saved from a number of sticky situations.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeThe Companion: Chewbacca
In Episode VII, Han Solo is not a smuggler anymore. However, he is also with Princess Leia, even though the two married. After many years they meet again, as it goes a second Time to fight the Evil. Aged all of them are accompanied – but not the loyal Wookie Chewbacca, Han until the end. His moan of a scream has become a cult.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universeA new heroine (2015)
Episode VII is 30 years after Episode VI (“return of The Jedi”). What has happened in 30 years? With the “First order” has the Evil Power in the galaxy. Again the rebels fighting it. Rey is the new heroine, whose origin is still uncertain. She is not a Skywalker? On your side of the Pilot Poe and the renegade Stormtrooper, Finn.
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Small guide to the “Star Wars”universe“The last Jedi” – Rey’s journey continues
Shortly before Christmas 2017, the eighth part of the Star Wars Saga is here. In “Episode VIII – the last of The Jedi” tried to Rey to win the last Jedi knight, Luke Skywalker for the Resistance, and is also in search of himself. Meanwhile, the “First order is to destroy” the rebel army to Leia Organa completely. However, Poe and Finn try to prevent this.
The irony of fate: Lucas has achieved as one of the few New Hollywood Directors, while financial independence, but success at the same time, a prisoner of his “Star Wars”. If he produces something else, such as “Indiana Jones”, the film’s Director Steven Spielberg, the recognition. US film-maker William Friedkin says the end of the 1970s: “The consequences of ‘Star Wars’ were so similar, like the breakthrough of McDonald’s: The taste for good food has been lost.”
The only thing missing is George Lucas in its steep history of success, an Oscar. In 2005, he will be honored with the highest award of the American Film Institute for his life’s work: “I am proud to be counted as an exceptional group of people who have dedicated their lives to the art of film-making.”
Masters of their craft: Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Harrison Ford at the Cannes film festival in 2008
And because Lucas is 75, still quite active, he leans on his “Skywalker Ranch”, North of San Francisco, and not simply cozy. Only a few months ago, he laid the Foundation stone for his long-planned “Lucas Museum of Narrative Art” in Los Angeles. 2021 it should be dedicated to the construction and operating costs of more than a billion dollars pays for the art friend Lucas out of his own pocket. The Museum should inspire the imagination of the visitors, Lucas, and you to Dream, inspire “over what is thought possible.” And so the man on 14 is. May his 75. Celebrates birthday, is faithful and creates once again new worlds.