The legendary filmmaker, a recognized innovator in the genre of sci-fi, who blew up the worldwide distribution of films in 1977 with his straightforward space tape, which, when examined in detail, is a successful hybrid of Tolkien's fairy tale narratives and Kurosawa's samurai films, was and remains the trendsetter of the sci-fi genre.
Outstanding filmmaker
By such a simple description, every movie fan recognizes the cult personality of George Lucas, despite the extensive filmography, best known as the creator of two exemplary franchises: a series of films about the adventures of Indiana Jones and the science-fantasy saga "Star Wars". He is also known as the author of the lyrical comedy American Graffiti and the fantastic dystopian THX 1138. But in general, the filmography of George Lucas as an actor, screenwriter, director and producer includes more than 80 television and film projects, including short ones.
Ancestor of the genre
George Lucas is considered the founder of a new genre that did not exist before, because he was the first to open the magic door to virtual reality and the end of the 70s was marked by the release of a rental story about the brave Anakin, the beautiful Princess Leia and powerful Jedi, which had a tremendous impact on the existing mass culture . The heroes of the space epic, appearing on the screen, soon spread around the world in the form of souvenir symbols and toys.
Few people dare to challenge the fact that Lucas created a typically postmodern, resourceful, ironic, sometimes openly parody, built on all kinds of references and quotes, surprisingly intricate "star fantasy". Only by an unfortunate coincidence of circumstances, due to the excessive efforts of the military and individual politicians, the name of the series of films became associated with one of the worst threats to humanity. The worried director even sued for this use of the term "Star Wars", but the director’s lawsuit was not satisfied.
This saying was, the fairy tale will be
Contrary to the conventional wisdom about the instant success of the first in the saga of the year of release and fourth in the story chronology of 1977, such data would be useful: at first it was held in only 32 theaters, and its weekly rental fees amounted to only $ 2.6 million. However, after it began a real sensation as a result, in 1977 the tape raised $ 307.3 million. Warmed up by success, George Lucas wished to leave the troublesome profession of a director and had already acted as a producer of the next no less successful and profitable two episodes, “Empire Causes vetny blow "and" Return of the Jedi ", respectively, in 1980 and 1983. The space franchise seemed to end there.
But in 1996, information leaked to the press about the intention of George Lucas to prepare an updated version of the tape that made him famous with the addition of modern special effects and remounting of individual episodes. The timing of the film was increased by almost 5 minutes, and the implementation of the venture cost $ 10 million.The most loyal and ardent fans were skeptical about restarting, hastening to stock up on videotapes and discs with the previous version, as Lucas allegedly threatened to destroy the old version.
The following "star" films of George Lucas
The list of films, as evidence of the continued creative activity of the artisan at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, was supplemented by three more “missed” series of the cycle, which were prequels telling the history of events. They replenished the budget of the entrepreneurial creator, respectively, by $ 431.1 million, $ 310.7 million and $ 380.3 million (only rental in the USA). In total, the "space franchise" brought Lucas nearly two billion dollars in rental fees in America alone.
Even at the beginning of the filming process of the first part of Star Wars, when few believed in the success of the project, insightful George concluded a contract with XX Century Fox studio according to which the rights associated with the trademark symbols of the tape were transferred to him, in return he significantly cut his director’s fee. This ingenious fraud still allows Lucas to receive dividends on profits.
Figures and Fatality
In the biography of George Lucas, a successful and respected director of Hollywood, the figures are most impressive. He was nominated for an Oscar 66 times, received 17 coveted figurines. In addition to this significant fact, the list of achievements of the filmmaker includes 12 Emmy awards, awards from the British Academy of Film and Television and BAFTA, and many less significant awards, which other directors could rightfully be proud of.
The second, which no less strikes the fate of cinema genesis, recluse and billionaire, is fatality.
George Walton Lucas Jr., born on May 14, 1944 in California drowning in the sun, grew up as a gifted but modest child. In high school, he contacted an inappropriate company of hooligans, from whom he was quickly discouraged by very strict parents. Dorothy Eleanor Lucas and George Walton Lucas were very religious, somewhat limited people, sometimes used harsh methods of education.
The young man had to conquer the film industry because of personal drama. In his youth, he was fond of car racing, as a result, once at high speed crashed into a tree. The accident led to a serious lung injury, incompatible with the profession of a race car driver.
Fateful acquaintance
After completing his college studies, the young man is more likely to "with grief" than "obeying the call of the heart" enters the Film Department of the University of California. There, his talent was immediately noticed, and not by anyone else, but by one of the outstanding masters of world cinema, Francis Ford Coppola. He is the figure of the megascale, each of whose works is a masterpiece and a grandiose event for film lovers and critics, who sponsored the first directorial experiments of Lucas. Beginning director George Lucas in 1970 shot the debut film fantastic dystopian dystopia “THX 1138”, which failed at the box office. Coppola, courageously suffering the loss of a million dollars, is again embroiled in a risky adventure and finances the next picture of George under the title "American Graffiti". The project has an unprecedented critical and commercial success. Harrison Ford, the future star of George Lucas films, is filming in the movie.
Personal life of a person-brand
In 1969, George Lucas led the installation specialist Marcia Louis Griffin down the aisle. After a while, the couple adopted the baby Amanda, who remained with her father after the divorce of the adoptive parents. Subsequently, Lucas, being a single father, adopted two more children - son Jett and girl Katie.
In 2013, the filmmaker announced an engagement to businesswoman Mellodie Hobson, and in the same year the couple married. Now parents are raising their daughter Everest.
Lucas does not hide his love and concern for children. He drove them to school and cooked breakfast. At the same time, he is a strict father who is not going to make Hollywood “movie children” of them completely spoiled. Lucas is sure that his children should independently make their way, as excessive guardianship can paralyze their personal initiative.
condition
According to Forbes magazine's 2017 ranking of the richest celebrities in the United States, Star Wars author George Lucas is number one on the list. Prior to this, in the published general list of billionaires of the world, the creator of franchises took 294th place. After the sale of their film company Lucasfilm to Disney, which continued to produce new episodes of the saga of dividends and the overall profit of the producer increased. A winning restart of Star Wars did not have a significant impact on the condition of George Lucas, which the publication estimated at $ 5.5 billion.
Book revelations
More recently, George Lucas shared his vision and creative ideas not embodied in the saga on the pages of the forthcoming book History of Science Fiction with James Cameron. According to his confession, the director for many years hatched his own creative idea about the world of microbiotics. But having released prequels for hire ("Episode I, II, III"), he realized that his vision was of little interest to his fans.
Indeed, after showing prequels in which George fully revealed the concept and nature of the Force, explaining its presence by the presence of midi-chlorians in the blood, fans of the saga rebelled, accusing the creator of ruining everything that he had invented before. But after the Last Jedi appeared on the screen, fans initiated the creation of a petition on the Web containing demands to delete “Episode VIII” from the franchise and return George Lucas.
Charity
As you know, with great fortune comes no less great responsibility. Many artists do not only work to the point of exhaustion for fabulous fees, but also share their earnings with those to whom fate was less supportive. George Lucas is one of those to whom charity is not alien; for him, good deeds are not just words, but a significant part of life. Although the author of Star Wars could calmly rest on his laurels, because he gave mankind quite a lot. But Lucas is not a man who can live his life serenely. Like the top ten richest people on the planet, including Warren Buffett, Ted Turner, and Bill Gates, George placed a portion of his fortune at the disposal of a foundation that finances unique research, such as the total elimination of malaria. He also has a registered educational fund, whose competencies include the promotion of innovation in the educational process of American schools.
Currently, the 74-year-old film director is implementing his new project, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. He plans to place his entire collection of works of art and exhibits in one way or another connected with the movie saga in a futuristic building. He alone finances the construction, the estimated cost of which exceeds one billion dollars. And future exhibits and museum donations are estimated at around 400 million.