Lucas's comments on ESB RoTJ directors
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Lucas's comments on ESB RoTJ directors
In an interview i recall when asked on the subject on the directors for the two sequels of Star Wars, Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand directors of ESB and RoTJ, Lucas said Kershner would do too many takes for something that the first take could have very well worked and that Marquand didn't bring out the feeling and mood into the actors. Now it's no accident that ESB is regarded as the best of the trilogy by a lot because maybe the director wanted it exactly right and by RoTJ, i think the already talented group of actors wouldn't need as much directing as they did the first time.
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Originally Posted by Cygnet74
yeah but Kershner's got a secret weapon, usually referred to as, "the oldest gag in the book".
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Why did he say? I heard he used a lot of cliches in the book, but heck it worked! Also noticed how Vader v. Luke on Cloud City they always exited right and entered left, the atmosphere and mood in that fight was truly artistic. Marquand also directed the greatest finisher to any trilogy. It went out with a bang pulling no stops, but you still have that ESB-esque atmosphere in Jabba's Palace anywho which is real nice.
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Originally Posted by duff beer
In an interview i recall when asked on the subject on the directors for the two sequels of Star Wars, Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand directors of ESB and RoTJ, Lucas said Kershner would do too many takes for something that the first take could have very well worked and that Marquand didn't bring out the feeling and mood into the actors. Now it's no accident that ESB is regarded as the best of the trilogy by a lot because maybe the director wanted it exactly right and by RoTJ, i think the already talented group of actors wouldn't need as much directing as they did the first time.
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Originally Posted by caligulathegod
I remember Lucas criticising Kershner saying he was making it better than it had to be.
When you take a Saturday matinee premise like Star Wars, a hodge podge of all saturday matinees, and add a director with true artistic talent that cares you get one of those true rarities of what true fantasy/science fiction is. Take the old 1938 color spectacle Adventures of Robin Hood, could have been yet another saturday matinee movie with Eroll Flynn for kids back then, but putting it on technicolor to show the brilliant medieval colors, having the director Michael Curtiz (directed Casablanca) direct this, and such actors as Claude Rains, Basil Rathbone, Eroll Flynn, Olivia De Havilland, and i'll watch these type of movies over such as Citizen Kane. It's what happened to ESB.
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We need to be careful what is said on this forum. Lucas will soon have enough money to kill us all. Or watch a Howard the Duck marathon.
.....I know he probably has enough cash to kill us already.
.....I know he probably has enough cash to kill us already.
#13
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I take an implication from that that Lucas often settles for first takes?
I remember Lucas criticising Kershner saying he was making it better than it had to be.
Now it's no accident that ESB is regarded as the best of the trilogy
Then again, Kershner's resume is hardly the resume of some genius director. It's littered with mediocre or just plain bad films. He deserves some credit, yet not nearly as much as he tends to get.
and add a director with true artistic talent
Last edited by Terrell; 05-26-05 at 04:05 AM.
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By the way, Duff stated ESB is generally regarded as a lot better than ANH or ROTJ. I don't believe it is regarded as a lot better. Slightly better, maybe! ANH, which was directed by Lucas, was the only one to be nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. ANH also received greater critical reception than ESB at the time. That's changed a bit over time. But I'll offer my evidence shortly. In fact, RT.com just had an interesting article.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/c...entryid=197859
This is an article about how the prequel trilogy is actually better reviewed than the original SW trilogy originally was. I'm not holding this article out as fact. I like the originals better. But it does make an interesting point than many of us have never thought of before.
He's absolutely right. Most of the rave reviews for ESB and ROTJ nowadays, come from critics who weren't critics at the time those films were released, because they were young themselves. You want some comments from original 1980 reviews about ESB?
Village Voice:
"Empire is simply a minor entertainment."
New York Times:
"I found myself glancing at my watch almost as often as I did when I was sitting through a truly terrible movie called The Island."
National Review:
"Diverting piece of nonsense."
New Statesmen:
"Far less entertaining than the first!"
New Leader:
"No amount of lightness, however, can lift this movie out of the swamps of Dagobah."
Commonwealth:
"There's no plot."
Monthly Film Bulletin:
"Unpromising!"
Oh, and ESB was originally rated "rotten" based on 1980 reviews. You also have to remember that there were nearly as many critics and reviews when the original SW trilogy was in theaters. Nowadays, there are critics and reviews all over the place.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/news/c...entryid=197859
This is an article about how the prequel trilogy is actually better reviewed than the original SW trilogy originally was. I'm not holding this article out as fact. I like the originals better. But it does make an interesting point than many of us have never thought of before.
However, as user ‘Knelt’ noted in our News section, it’s not fair to compare the two trilogies based mostly on current active critics because most of them saw “the original films as children, and are reviewing them based on nostalgic memories as well as judging them on established ‘classic’ status.”
Village Voice:
"Empire is simply a minor entertainment."
New York Times:
"I found myself glancing at my watch almost as often as I did when I was sitting through a truly terrible movie called The Island."
National Review:
"Diverting piece of nonsense."
New Statesmen:
"Far less entertaining than the first!"
New Leader:
"No amount of lightness, however, can lift this movie out of the swamps of Dagobah."
Commonwealth:
"There's no plot."
Monthly Film Bulletin:
"Unpromising!"
Oh, and ESB was originally rated "rotten" based on 1980 reviews. You also have to remember that there were nearly as many critics and reviews when the original SW trilogy was in theaters. Nowadays, there are critics and reviews all over the place.
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Originally Posted by Terrell
By the way, Duff stated ESB is generally regarded as a lot better than ANH or ROTJ.
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Originally Posted by Terrell
Oh, and ESB was originally rated "rotten" based on 1980 reviews. You also have to remember that there were nearly as many critics and reviews when the original SW trilogy was in theaters. Nowadays, there are critics and reviews all over the place.
Movie critics opinions are about as valid as any. The only difference is they get their opinion published and they have a slightly better command of the English language. They also care too much about forming that clever soundbite that'll get them quoted in the newspaper ads. They're Media whores just like any. Some form reviews merely to be contrarian. And way too many are affected by their own political leanings or squeamishness about certain things.
Some of my favorite movies were panned by critics when they first came out but I regard them lightyears ahead of movies that get 80% or better on the Tomatometer.
I give "professional" reviews as much credence as almost any amateur review here at DVDTalk.
And I agree, more people (esp. SW fans) seem to like ESB more than any other. Bravo to their good taste since it agrees with mine.
Last edited by IanH; 05-26-05 at 06:26 PM.
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Movie critics opinions are about as valid as any.
Of course nowadays, critics rave about them.
They also care too much about forming that clever soundbite that'll get them quoted in the newspaper ads.
They're Media whores just like any.
And I agree, more people (esp. SW fans) seem to like ESB more than any other.
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Originally Posted by Terrell
In fact, I'd be willing to bet you if you poll the general movie audience, ROTJ would be listed as the favorite. Doesn't mean it's the best, but that the general public likes it most.
You're probably right about ROTJ probably being the most popular in a general poll. But what does the general public know about good taste anyways? For most people, movies are just a temporary diversion and not an art form that informs and becomes a part of their lives. Why should I trust what those people think when movies aren't as important to them as they are to me? Popularity contests are for those with the herd mentality anyways. Some people just need to be reassured or told whether they should like something or not, how much they should like it, and for how long.
That's one thing I do love about those SW nerds who dressed up and waited in line for weeks. They don't give a shit what the world thinks and wanted to experience SW the way they wanted to. They were called nerds or dorks. But its still a stiff middle finger to society that wants them to conform; that wants to tell everyone else whats "acceptable" behavior and whats not.
If there's a movie I love I'll stand by it. My own eyes don't lie. Hell, if I believed ROTJ or TPM was the best of the series I'd stand by it.
Last edited by IanH; 05-27-05 at 12:10 AM.
#20
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Originally Posted by duff beer
In an interview i recall when asked on the subject on the directors for the two sequels of Star Wars, Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand directors of ESB and RoTJ, Lucas said Kershner would do too many takes for something that the first take could have very well worked and that Marquand didn't bring out the feeling and mood into the actors. Now it's no accident that ESB is regarded as the best of the trilogy by a lot because maybe the director wanted it exactly right and by RoTJ, i think the already talented group of actors wouldn't need as much directing as they did the first time.