Starlog interview with Lucas about Ep. III

[Murph]

Not much was revealved, obviously, but there are a few interesting tidbits. I dedicate this post to Tom Chick. 8)

"Starlog Magazine (issue #300) interviews George Lucas. Here's a few interesting highlights from the article relating to Episode III:

Lucas on Qui-Gon Jinn’s voice in Episode II:

STARLOG: And isn’t that Qui-Gon Jinn’s [Liam Neeson] voice we hear during Anakin’s attack on the Tusken Raiders who killed Shmi Skywalker [Pernilla August]?
LUCAS: That’s a fan thing, isn’t it? It’s actually more than that. It’s a plot point. All I can really say is that you’ll find out [more] in the next film. If you thought really hard, you would probably be able to figure it out, but it really is a set-up for the next film. It’s connected with the whole ability to be brought into and become a part of the Force, but still be able to retain YOUR ability – which, up to this point, Anakin couldn’t do. We talked to Liam about [recording new dialogue], and we went back and forth [about it]. This [dialogue] is something we already had [from Menace]. Next time will be a little more complicated.


Lucas on Boba Fett:

“Boba WILL be in Episode III, but his role definitely won’t be larger. He’s in a transition period of becoming a bounty hunter. The next film takes place two or three years later, so Boba would only be 13 and still wouldn’t fit in the suit.
Lucas on killing Samuel L. Jackson’s character, Mace Windu:


“Sam’s a little concerned that I make it nice and dramatic. It won’t be in the movie’s first scene.”

Lucas on Darth Vader:

STARLOG: What of all the plot threads and character tidbits that remain to be tied up in Episode III are you – the guy who created this whole universe – most excited to get on film?
LUCAS: The scene where Anakin does actually become Vader is pretty good [as written in Lucas’ Episode III outline]. I mean, I like it. It’s a little in the vocabulary of…I don’t know how much I want to give away…but it’s in the vocabulary of a time – of the 1930s and 1940s. It’s a pretty neat little thing, I think, and hopefully it’s going to work.

STARLOG: Will we see more of Anakin or Darth Vader in Episode III?

LUCAS: It’s mostly Anakin."

[Wholly Schmidt]

World to Lucas: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz......

[Jim F.]

Now, see, here we go missing a huge opportunity. Lucas is a schmuck.

They make several references in Star Wars of Vader helping to hunt down and destroy all of the Jedi. A movie based 70% on this would be amazing. Vader, using the Force for evil, leading an armada of ships from system to system routing out hidden Jedi. Worlds being ravaged if they harbored a Jedi, the outlaw Jedi council trying a last ditch effort to destroy Vader, etc.

Instead if sounds like we're going to get more of little orphan Annie, er, Anakin. I wonder if this time he'll compare the properties of a hot dog to that of Padme's hair. "I don't like hot dogs. They are cold a slimey, filled with unnatural ingredients. Not like your hair. Your hair is soft, clean, and as pure as a mountain stream"

[Tyjenks]

It will be a feel-good coming of age Jedi flick.

A boy who becomes a man before he is ready and is then forced to make some hard choices which eventually lead him down the wrong path.

The creation of the Jedi pledge ensues which includes the phrase "one universe under God" so that potential Jedis will not turn to evil so readily.

[William Harms]

Episode II is also a huge missed opportunity--the last 40 minutes should have been the bulk of the movie. (Along with Anakin's crap.) Did we need a 20 minute segment of Obi inspecting the clones? I think not.

At one time Lucas was a decent storyteller, but no more.

[MRUS]

Now, see, here we go missing a huge opportunity. Lucas is a schmuck.

They make several references in Star Wars of Vader helping to hunt down and destroy all of the Jedi. A movie based 70% on this would be amazing. Vader, using the Force for evil, leading an armada of ships from system to system routing out hidden Jedi. Worlds being ravaged if they harbored a Jedi, the outlaw Jedi council trying a last ditch effort to destroy Vader, etc.

Instead if sounds like we're going to get more of little orphan Annie, er, Anakin. I wonder if this time he'll compare the properties of a hot dog to that of Padme's hair. "I don't like hot dogs. They are cold a slimey, filled with unnatural ingredients. Not like your hair. Your hair is soft, clean, and as pure as a mountain stream"

IIRC doesn't Mace Windu say something like " I'll collect the remaining Jedi" when Yoda sends him to rescue Obi-wan? After that fight there didn't seem to be more than 2 dozen Jedi Knights left. If this is the case, then it seems like ol' George has taken care of this problem for lil' Ani. That kinda stinks because I'd like to see him hunting down Jedi also. Instead he probably kills them all in a month or two.

[westyx]

Those jedi that were brought along were only those that were not out on other missions - basically, those that had yet to be reassigned. Would think that there are a whole lot of non-combatant jedi left behind as well.

[Brad Grenz]

Is there such a thing as a non-combatant Jedi?

[Tom Chick]

Of course! Who do you think does the cooking, processes the paperwork, drives the supply trucks, etc.

-Tom

P.S. Fuck Star Wars.

[Brad Grenz]

civies?

[Supertanker]

Since Lucas makes some religious parallels with the Jedi, and Tom tells us to Fuck Star Wars, will there be a big padawan sex abuse scandal in Episode III?
"No, Master, I don't want to deactivate your one-eyed lightsaber."
Master waves hand. "Yes, you do."
"Yes, I do."

Vader actually brings down the Jedi by filing a huge lawsuit against them & bankrupting the Jedi Academy.

[westyx]

Is there such a thing as a non-combatant Jedi?

People like the librarian. I assume she was a jedi. I can't imagine the jedi leaving those sorts of positions to someone who wasn't.

[Tom Chick]

I wonder if there are midichlorians in photon milk?

-Tom

[MRUS]

Is there such a thing as a non-combatant Jedi?

People like the librarian. I assume she was a jedi. I can't imagine the jedi leaving those sorts of positions to someone who wasn't.


No problem with the assumption she was a Jedi, but how did you determine that she wasn't packing a light saber? Does it go into more detail in the novelization? I haven't read it. 'Enquiring minds want to know.'

[Met_K]

I wonder if there are midichlorians in photon milk?

-Tom

No, but there's midichlorians in Fruitopia, and all the cool Jedi collect Fruitopia caps.

[Brad Grenz]

Yeah, they like to click them in their pockets during saber lessons. But, yeah, I think even the older, "retired" types who aren't on active assignment but instead maintain mundane positions are still packing and would throw down if the need arises. Yoda's a little old and short to be engaging in hand to hand and Obi-Wan was well past his prim in ep 4. No non-combatants I can see.

[westyx]

I don't read novelisations. couldn't be bothered paying for something i've already seen.

[Dave Long]

Jeez... some of you guys are prime targets for Triumph the Insult Comic Dog!

--Dave

[Brad Grenz]

It's not like we dressed up, went out in public and started reenacting scenes from Phantom Menace. We're just wondering if non-combatant Jedi is an oxymoron.

[Brandon Clements]

Jeez... some of you guys are prime targets for Triumph the Insult Comic Dog!


That was the funniest comic sequence I've ever seen! It left me and 2 of my co-workers in rolling for half an hour!

[bgumm]

At one time Lucas was a decent storyteller, but no more.

at one time, you were a kid who enjoyed lucas' story. no more...

we all grow up and maintain our rose-colored memories of the original star wars. the new ones come out twenty years later, and we're all pissed. why? cos we're freegin' adults! ask a 8 year-old boy what he thinks of episode 2, and you'll be busy for an hour...

not attacking willaim harms directly, just making a broad genrealization based on many, many, many opinions i've read since episodes i & ii came out...

[Wholly Schmidt]

I dunno, I mean say what you will about nostalgia, Harrison Ford still cracks me up.

[Desslock]

>Harrison Ford still cracks me up.

His accent in K-19 sure is funny.