...George Lucas didn't write the entire Star Wars sextet in one sitting.
He worked on the script for "Episode IV: A New Hope" over a long period of time, even as he was directing THX-1138 and American Graffiti, but all he had were some ideas and a backstory.
Yes, he titled the first one "Episode IV" and not "Episode I"... as a tribute to the adventure/sci-fi-episodic-cliffhanger-serials of his youth.
The myth of Lucas is about to enter a new phase, and I just wanted to set the record straight: he pulled it out of his ass, and he had the smarts to pitch it as an ongoing saga.
And we all swallowed it whole, because deep down we need our myths to be writ larger-than-life, larger than the galaxy...
Here is a link to a site run by some devoted Star Nerds, containing the original scripts from the franchise. You'll note that the original Star Wars plot synopsis is "light years" (ahem) away from the first movie. Also note the dates for the first-draft scripts to the sequels.
May the Force be with you.
3 comments:
when star wars first ran in theaters in 1977, there was no "episode iv" in the scroll. this title was added for the re-release (in 1980 i think).
and i dont think "pulling the story out of his ass" is an accurate description of the process lucas went through. more like "had a rough story arc, expanded it, and pulled the details out of his ass."
I agree, because that's pretty much what I said-- my exact quote was that "he pulled it out of his ass", it being the whole sci-fi space opera thing. And having just seen the new one Saturday night, I can honestly say that this belief kept me from being dissatisfied with "Revenge of the Sith" which is not what I could say about some of the other people leaving the theater that evening.
Diehards are really disappointed, but time has let me appreciate the whole "Star Wars" thing without getting too attached. In other words, it doesn't bother me that the prequels suck.
Maybe if Lucas had died, like Gene Roddenberry, then the ensuing sequels might've been better, just like with "Star Trek".
Star Wars FAQ page:
http://www.totse.com/en/ego/science_fiction/starwars.html
"Clone Wars" it is all about. The movies this animated series is much better than.
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