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[CLICKS AND BUZZES]

[FILMSTRIP CLICKING]

[FEEDBACK]

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT

[LAUGHTER]

SENATOR ORGANA TAKES LEIA TO ALDERAAN,

AND--AND--AND, UH...

DARTH SIDIOUS DOESN'T FEEL A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE?

I MEAN, SERIOUSLY. YOU EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE

THAT HE CAN RAISE LEIA ON ALDERAAN,

AND--AND-- AND THE SITH LORDS--

THE SITH LORDS, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PICK UP ANYTHING.

I MEAN, KENOBI IS ON TATOOINE.

HE'S LIVING RIGHT UP THE STREET!

♪ AND NOW, I'M GONNA SCHOOL, KID ♪

♪ ON JUST HOW COOL GEORGE LUC-IS ♪

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

DEAR GEORGE LUCAS...

WILL YOUR FECKLESS FANS BUILD A MONUMENT TO YOUR MASTERPIECE

AND SLAY THE MAKER WITH THEIR SCORN?

GEORGE LUCAS FINGERED MY LATE ADOLESCENCE.

[CROWD CHEERING AND WHOOPING]

I LOVE-HATE GEORGE LUCAS.

I LOVE-HATE HIM HARD, YOU KNOW?

THERE WAS A DAY WHERE HE WAS JUST--

HE WAS JUST A SCRUFFY NERF HERDER FROM TATOOINE, IF YOU WILL.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS ONE OF US.

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT OUR LOVE FOR "STAR WARS"

THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM OUR LOVE FOR OTHER THINGS.

IT'S FUNNY THAT THIS CAN MAKE PEOPLE ANGRY,

THAT THESE MOVIES CAN MAKE PEOPLE ANGRY.

BUT IT DOES MAKE YOU ANGRY.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD TO ME.

LIKE, DON'T EVER SAY IT'S JUST A FILM.

IT'S NOT JUST A FILM!

WITHOUT GOOD OL' G.L.,

WE WOULDN'T HAVE ANY OF THIS!

OR THIS!

[WHOOPING]

[CHEERING]

[LOUD CHEERING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[CHEERING]

[HOOTING]

[CHANTING]

HUH?

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]

Woman: STOP THAT SHIP!

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]

CHEWIE, GET US OUT OF HERE!

[GROWLS]

[AUDIENCE LAUGHS]

I THINK THERE WAS SOMETHING CREATIVELY INSPIRING

ABOUT THE "STAR WARS" UNIVERSE

THAT CHILDREN OF THE SEVENTIES WANTED TO

NOT JUST WATCH IT AND ENJOY IT, BUT ACTUALLY MAKE IT.

WHAT HE'S GOT THERE IS SOMETHING VERY POWERFUL,

SOMETHING THAT REALLY TOUCHES PEOPLE

AND PROPELS PEOPLE TO WANT TO BRING ABOUT CHANGES IN THEIR WORLD.

I THINK THERE ARE JUST THESE...

ESSENTIAL BUILDING BLOCKS TO WHO I AM NOW

THAT ARE "STAR WARS."

I THINK THEY'RE BRANDED.

GEORGE LUCAS' TRADEMARK IS ON THESE LITTLE ELEMENTS OF MY LIFE.

♪ SITTIN' IN THE ROOM UPSTAIRS ♪

♪ WATCHIN' HER WIND UP THE BUNS IN HER HAIR ♪

I REMEMBER SOMETIME IN MY LATE TEEN YEARS REALIZING,

IN A LITTLE POPPING EPIPHANY,

THAT "STAR" WARS HAD CREATED MY ENTIRE MORAL UNIVERSE. [LAUGHS]

THE MOST REMARKABLE THING ABOUT "STAR WARS,"

PEOPLE STANDING IN A LINE-UP ON ONE OF THOSE OPENING DAYS--

WITHIN THAT LINEUP, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE

SCREENWRITERS, DIRECTORS,

COMPOSERS, VISUAL EFFECTS ARTISTS.

YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE PHYSICISTS, ASTROLOGERS,

AND ASTRONOMERS, LINGUISTS--

PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE DOING EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING.

AND THEY'LL SAY, "'STAR WARS' INSPIRED ME TO DO THIS."

THAT GUY AND HIS WORK UNLOCKED A GENERATION'S IMAGINATION.

Narrator: GEORGE LUCAS, THE MAN WHO CREATED "STAR WARS,"

THE STORY THAT HAS CHANGED THE WORLD,

A MAN OF 1,000 IMAGINATIONS AND IDEAS,

GEORGE HAS ACHIEVED IN 20 YEARS MORE THAN MOST WOULD IN A LIFETIME.

A SHY, RETIRING INDIVIDUAL,

GEORGE LUCAS IS A SIMPLE MAN WHO, LIKE THE REST OF US,

ENJOYS THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE.

BUT INSIDE THAT QUIET EXTERIOR IS

A MAN WHO HAS BROUGHT TEARS OF JOY AND SORROW

TO SO MANY MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE PLANET.

George Lucas: I GREW UP IN A SMALL TOWN, CENTRAL CALIFORNIA,

AND I WAS KIND OF AN UNDERACHIEVER,

TYPICAL KID WHO GOT INTO A FAIR AMOUNT OF TROUBLE.

MY FATHER SAID, "WELL, HE'LL BE A LATE BLOOMER."

HE ALWAYS USED TO SAY THAT.

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN VERY INTO BUILDING THINGS.

MY TEENAGER YEARS, THEY WERE COMPLETELY DEVOTED TO CARS.

I WAS A TERRIBLE STUDENT IN HIGH SCHOOL.

SO I WAS AT THIS SORT OF CROSSROADS.

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THAT, IN THEORY, NO ONE COULD SURVIVE.

SO I WAS LIKE, "WELL, I'M HERE,

AND EVERY DAY NOW IS AN EXTRA DAY."

AND SO, FOR THE FIRST TIME,

I THINK I SAT DOWN DURING THAT SUMMER

AND DID A LOT OF MEDITATING ON MY FUTURE

AND WHAT I WAS HERE FOR.

I GOT VERY EXCITED ABOUT ANTHROPOLOGY

AND ABOUT SOCIAL SCIENCES AND PSYCHOLOGY,

AND I WAS ABLE TO PUSH MY PHOTOGRAPHY EVEN FURTHER

AND EVENTUALLY DISCOVERED FILM.

Man: CAN YOU TELL US SOMETHING ABOUT

YOUR YOUNG ASSISTANT GEORGE LUCAS?

WELL, HE'S NOT MY ASSISTANT, ACTUALLY.

Lucas: I LIKE CINEÉMA VERITEÉ DOCUMENTARIES.

I LIKE NON-STORY, NON-CHARACTER,

UM, TONE POEMS THAT WERE BEING DONE

IN SAN FRANCISCO AT THAT TIME.

AND THAT'S THE FILMMAKING THAT I WAS INTERESTED IN.

MOST OF MY FIRST STUDENT FILMS WERE VERY TECHNICALLY ORIENTED.

THEY WERE MOSTLY VISUAL EXERCISES.

AND THE FIRST [INDISTINCT] WAS REALLY A VISUAL EXERCISE.

JUST NOW, I'M BEGINNING TO GET INTO SAYING THINGS.

HERE, YOU'VE GOT SOMEONE FILLED WITH ALL THIS PROMISE

COMING OUT OF USC,

AND THEN, YOU GET SMACKED DOWN SO HARD FROM THE SYSTEM.

FEELINGS HURT IS PUTTING IT MILDLY.

I THINK THERE WAS THIS FEELING OF PERSONAL OUTRAGE.

IT'S A FACT OF KIND OF RESENTMENT, I GUESS,

THAT EVERYONE FEELS WHEN ONE FINDS THAT

SOMEBODY WHO HAS THE MONEY OR HAS,

AS A RESULT OF THE MONEY, HAS THE POWER,

THEY CAN MAKE, LIKE, ASCETIC DIRECTORIAL WRITING DECISIONS

WHICH THEY HAVE, REALLY, NO BUSINESS MAKING.

IN ORDER TO GET MY VISION OUT THERE,

I'VE REALLY GOT TO LEARN HOW TO MANIPULATE THE SYSTEM.

'CAUSE IT'S DESIGNED, REALLY, TO TEAR YOU DOWN

AND DESTROY EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING AND PUSH IT OFF OT THE SIDE.

Dale Pollock: HE, FOR SOME REASON,

WAS SO TRAUMATIZED BY HIS EXPERIENCES

WITH UNIVERSAL ON "AMERICAN GRAFFITI,"

WITH WARNER BROTHERS ON "THX,"

THAT THESE BECAME DEFINING MOMENTS FOR HIM.

I WAS FORTUNATE THERE WAS ONE GUY IN THE FILM BUSINESS BACK WHEN.

HE SAID, "YOU KNOW, I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR FILMS.

"I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOUR SCRIPT.

BUT I THINK YOU'RE A TALENTED GUY, AND I'M GOING TO INVEST IN YOU."

Woman: WHO WAS THAT?

THAT WAS AL LADD JR. AT FOX,

AND THAT'S HOW I GOT "STAR WARS" MADE.

Pollock: THESE FILMS REPRESENT, TO HIM,

NOT JUST WHAT HE CAN ACHIEVE TECHNOLOGICALLY,

BUT HE SEES THESE AS BREAKTHROUGH FILMS FOR THE INDUSTRY.

HE'S INTERESTED IN A LARGER AGENDA,

WHICH IS TRANSFORMING THE WAY MOVIES ARE MADE.

EVERYBODY WHO LOOKED AT "A NEW HOPE" THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY.

IT WAS A VERY PERSONAL FILM FOR HIM.

AND PEOPLE WERE TELLING HIM LEFT AND RIGHT WHAT A DOOFUS HE WAS.

TURNS AROUND, EVERYBODY'S WRONG.

IT'S THE BIGGEST THING EVER.

Announcer: HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA,

AUGUST, 1977.

A TRIUMPHANT MOMENT IN SCREEN HISTORY

AS THE 2 HEROES OF "STAR WARS" MAKE

THEIR INDELIBLE IMPRESSIONS ON

THE GROUND RESERVED FOR MOVIELAND'S LEGENDS.

THE WORLD RESOUNDS WITH THE FACT THAT

"STAR WARS" ITSELF HAS BECOME A FULL-FLEDGED SOCIAL PHENOMENON.

I FOUND THE INVITE TO THE FIRST PREVIEW OF "STAR WARS."

I REMEMBER WHEN THE TITLE FIRST CAME UP, WENT UP, DISAPPEARED--

WHICH WAS QUITE IMPRESSIVE.

AND THEN, WHEN THAT SPACESHIP CAME IN OVER THE TOP,

THE AUDIENCE WENT WILD.

WHEN YOU SEE "STAR WARS," IT GOES--[IMITATES CRASH] THROUGH THE SCREEN,

AND THE MUSIC STARTS UP, THAT'S THE BEST,

'CAUSE ONCE THAT STARTS, YOU'RE JUST LIKE, "YES! COME ON!"

AND THEN-- [IMITATES LASERS]

WE'VE ALL GOT A MOVIE LIKE THAT

THAT GRABS US AS A KID AND JUST SHAKES THE INNARDS.

GEORGE LUCAS WAS EVERYTHING TO ME,

BECAUSE HE WAS THIS GOD, THE GREAT CREATOR.

♪ BUM-BUM-BUM

♪ BUM, BUM-BUM-BUM, BUM, BUM-BUM-BUM ♪

WELL, THE MAN IS A CERTIFIABLE GENIUS.

HE KIND OF TOOK "NO" AND TURNED IT INTO A VERY BIG "YES."

YOU CAN'T OVERESTIMATE JUST HOW IMPORTANT

THAT FIRST "STAR WARS" MOVIE WAS.

THE WHOLE WORLD WAS BLOWN AWAY.

I REMEMBER GETTING A PHONE CALL FROM, OF ALL PEOPLE, MY MOTHER,

WHO HAD BEEN IN AMERICA,

AND PHONING UP TO TELL ME THERE WAS THIS THING CALLED "STAR WARS."

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

I ACTUALLY SAW "STAR WARS" WITH MY GRANDMOTHER.

THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE END OF THE FIRST "STAR WARS" MOVIE

AND THE PARKING LOT IN WEST COVINA,

THAT HAS GOT TO BE ONE OF THE MOST JARRING TRANSITIONS

I'VE EVER EXPERIENCED. IT WAS SOMETHING LIKE BEING BORN.

1977, THAT WAS LIGHTNING IN A BOTTLE.

YOU HAD A PERFECT STORM OF JUST SOCIAL, ECONOMIC PRESSURE

FORCING PEOPLE TO GO TO A THEATER AND ESCAPE FOR 2 HOURS.

AND YOU GAVE THEM A PRODUCT AND A STORY THAT WAS GREAT.

WHILE OUR FAITH IN THE OLD RELIGIONS OF OUR PARENTS WAS DYING,

HE GAVE US A NEW MYTHOS TO UNDERSTAND OURSELVES AND OUR WORLD.

IT'S LIKE TOUCHING ON SOMETHING UNIVERSAL

AND SUBLIME ABOUT JUST THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.

IT'S TOUGH TO PUT GEORGE LUCAS ON A LEVEL

WITH SHAKESPEARE AND WITH HOMER RIGHT NOW,

BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? IT'S NOT ABOUT THE AUTHOR.

IT'S ABOUT THE CULTURE THAT EMBRACES IT.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT THAT AUTHOR EVOKED.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

HE'S A GENIUS, AND I CAN PROVE IT,

BECAUSE HE DID "STAR WARS."

PART OF THE GENIUS OF "STAR WARS" AND OF GEORGE LUCAS WAS

REALLY UNDERSTANDING HOW TO MARKET IT.

HE HAD ALREADY ACHIEVED, ACCIDENTALLY,

A LEVEL OF EXPECTATIONS THAT HE COULDN'T MEET,

BECAUSE THEY SIMPLY COULDN'T MA--

THEY COULDN'T MAKE THE TOYS FAST ENOUGH TO GET THEM OUT,

SO THEY SAID, "WELL, WHY DON'T WE SELL AN EMPTY BOX

"WITH A CERTIFICATE IN IT

WHERE WE'LL MAIL YOU THE TOYS ONCE THEY'RE DONE?"

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE HAVE SUCH FOND MEMORIES

OF THOSE MOVIES ARE THE TOYS.

WE CARE AS MUCH ABOUT THE TOYS AS WE CARE ABOUT THE MOVIES.

I STILL REMEMBER THE SMELL OF THOSE ACTION FIGURES,

OPENING IT UP, AND JUST-- [INHALES]

SMELLING IT. OHH.

I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER THING IN PRINT

THAT HAS THE UNIQUE SMELL OF THIS.

I'M SERIOUS!

IF YOU WANTED TO WEAR "STAR WARS" PAJAMAS, YOU COULD GET THEM.

IF YOU WANTED TO HAVE A RAY GUN

JUST LIKE HAN SOLO, YOU COULD GET IT.

IT WAS LIKE BEING LET LOOSE IN A CANDY STORE.

I AM YOUR FATHER.

DAD, I'M ANAKIN.

I'M ANAKIN.

"STAR WARS" BECOMES PARTICIPATORY CULTURE

THE MOMENT IN WHICH A KID PLAYING WITH AN ACTION FIGURE

BEGINS TO MAKE UP THEIR OWN STORY.

FANS WHO ARE DOING ALL OF THIS PARTICIPATING,

THEY'RE REALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THIS WORLD.

THEY WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THIS WORLD

THAT THEY SENSE IS BIGGER THAN THIS FRAME.

THE WORLD HE CREATED IS SO MUCH FUN TO PLAY IN.

BOOM.COME ON, BABY.

HE GAVE US A HUGE, ENORMOUS SANDBOX TO PLAY IN,

AND HERE WE ARE PLAYING.

IT KIND OF ENCAPSULATES YOU, AND, LIKE, PULLS YOU IN.

GEORGE HAS BEEN THE ONE FILMMAKER

THAT HAS ENCOURAGED EVERYBODY TO PLAY IN HIS SANDBOX.

♪ HUH! BAD DROIDS, BAD DROIDS ♪

HE ALLOWED PEOPLE LIKE MYSELF

TO OPENLY MOCK AND CREATE THINGS.

MOST PEOPLE WOULD CALL THIS THE ASS-END OF SPACE,

BUT I LIKE THE SMALL-TOWN FEELING YOU GET AROUND HERE.

THERE'S FAN FILMS, AND THEN, THERE'S REALLY "STAR WARS" FAN FILMS.

PROBABLY THE NEXT BIGGEST FRANCHISE

WOULD BE "DOCTOR WHO" FAN FILMS.

AND EASILY, THERE'S PROBABLY 100 "STAR WARS" FAN FILMS

FOR EVERY ONE "DOCTOR WHO."

AND WHAT I LOVE ARE THE ACTION FIGURE FILMS AND THE LEGO FILMS.

THEY'RE TAKING THAT MERCHANDISE,

AND THEY'RE USING IT AS A TOOL KIT TO CREATE THEIR OWN MEDIA.

I STARTED MAKING MY FIRST ANIMATION FILMS

WHEN I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

I WOULD TAKE THE "STAR WARS" FIGURES

AND ADJUST THEM 2 FRAMES AT A TIME.

AND IT TOOK A LONG TIME, BUT I WAS STUCK IN MY BASEMENT,

AND THAT'S--I WAS-- THAT WAS MY OBSESSION.

I THINK WHEN PEOPLE, LIKE, WANT TO RECREATE SOMETHING,

ESPECIALLY "STAR WARS," THE FIRST THING I THINK OF IS PARODY.

IT'S 'CAUSE PEOPLE LOVE IT, AND IT'S EASY TO TEASE.

[HEAVY BREATHING]DARTH VADER.

ONLY YOU COULD BE SO BOLD.

THE IMPERIAL SENATE WILL NOT DISTILL FOR THIS.

IT IS POSSIBLE, HOWEVER UNLIKELY,

THAT THEY MAY FIND A WEAKNESS AND EXPLOIT IT.

THE PLANS THAT YOU REFER TO WILL SOON BE BACK IN OUR HANDS.

WHAT IF WE TOOK "STAR WARS" AND JUST SPLIT IT UP

AND SOMEHOW GOT PEOPLE TO WORK ON IT TOGETHER?

[IMITATES BEEPING AND WHIRRING]

THAT WOULD BE REALLY FUNNY. [LAUGHS]

THAT'S THE FIRST THING I THOUGHT. IT'D BE, LIKE, REALLY HILARIOUS.

[BEEPS AND WHIRS][PURRS]

[BEEPING]

I'LL TAKE "STAR WARS," EPISODE IV,

AND I'LL SPLIT IT UP INTO 473 15-SECOND PIECES.

WITHIN 3 DAYS, ALL THE SCENES WERE TAKEN, ALL 473.

I WAS LIKE, "OH, CRAP." [LAUGHS] "THIS IS WORKING!"

THE AMOUNT OF CREATIVITY THAT HAS GONE INTO THIS PROJECT IS JUST ASTOUNDING.

A LOT OF IT'S AMATEUR. THAT'S MY FAVORITE.

BUT THERE'S ALSO, LIKE, YOU KNOW,

HIGH QUALITY ANIMATION, STOP MOTION PHOTOGRAPHY.

WE CAN RECREATE THE SCENE IN, LIKE, A CLEVER WAY

AND STILL KEEP TO THE ORIGINAL SPIRIT.

I THINK THAT'S A LOT MORE UNIQUE AND INTERESTING.

IT'S NOT WISE TO UPSET A WOOKIE.

BUT SIR, NOBODY WORRIES ABOUT UPSETTING A DROID.

THAT'S 'CAUSE A DROID DON'T PULL

PEOPLE'S ARMS OUT OF THEIR SOCKETS WHEN THEY LOSE.

WOOKIES ARE KNOWN TO DO THAT.

[GROANS]

I SEE YOUR POINT, SIR.

I SUGGEST A NEW STRATEGY, R2. LET THE WOOKIE WIN.

[GROANS]

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS

THAT DRAWS "STAR WARS" FANS TO ACTUALLY MAKE

THEIR OWN VERSIONS OF "STAR WARS".

AND SOME OF THESE FAN FILMS ARE, LIKE,

VERY SERIOUS AND GOING OFF ON TANGENTS OF,

YOU KNOW, THEIR OWN "STAR WARS" CHARACTER.

SOME OF THEM ARE WILDLY SUBVERSIVE

IN WHAT THEY FIND TO DO WITH "STAR WARS."

I'M NEVER GOING TO GET OUT OF HERE.

IS THERE ANYTHING I MIGHT DO TO HELP?

Man: WHO WILL SURVIVE THE EVIL OF THE EWOKS?

[WOMEN SCREAMING]BUTCHERED...

AAH!DEGRADED...

[INDISTINCT][SCREAM ECHOING]

"DON'T GO IN THE ENDOR WOODS."

Henry Jenkins: THEY ARE TURNING THE FRANCHISE ON ITS HEAD

USING THE MASTER'S TOYS TO DO IT.

WHATEVER HE CREATED HAS OBVIOUSLY SPARKED SOMETHING OTHER PEOPLE

TO NEED TO CREATE.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS I ENJOY,

BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE ME WANT TO DO IT, YOU KNOW?

I LOVE REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS,

BUT I NEVER ENTERTAINED THE IDEA OF BECOMING, YOU KNOW, A CANDY MAKER.

IT REALLY BECAME A JUMPING-OFF POINT

FOR WHETHER YOU WANTED TO MAKE MOVIES OR WRITE FICTION.

I'M SURE THERE'S PROBABLY "STAR WARS" NEEDLEPOINT OUT THERE.

PEOPLE JUST FIND THEIR OWN THING THAT THEY LIKE,

AND THEN, THEY FIND A WAY SOMEHOW TO ADAPT "STAR WARS" TO IT.

[PERFORMING "FORCE THEME"]

♪ A LONG TIME AGO, FAR, FAR AWAY ♪

♪ KISS A WOOKIE, CAN'T CONTROL IT ♪

♪ FLY THE "FALCON"

♪ THROUGH AN ASTEROID

♪ TILL THE PRINCESS IS ANNOYED ♪

JULY OF 1981, I WAS 10 YEARS OLD,

AND I WAS COMING OFF OF A BIG "STAR WARS"--

YOU KNOW, BIG, HUGE "STAR WARS" FAN.

I WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT "RAIDERS,"

SO I WENT TO THE THEATER WITH MY DAD,

AND LITERALLY, IN THAT FIRST VIEWING,

IT JUST SORT OF BLEW ME AWAY.

IT JUST SPLIT MY BRAIN COMPLETELY IN HALF.

AND I WANTED NOTHING MORE THAN TO

INHABIT THE WORLD OF "INDIANA JONES."

IT WAS REALLY OUT OF JUST ROLE PLAYING,

JUST, YOU KNOW, BEING A FANTASY.

AND TOOK IT A LITTLE FARTHER THAN MOST.

WE HAD NO IDEA THAT IT WOULD TAKE US

7 YEARS TO DO OUR LITTLE RECREATION,

BUT WE STUCK TO IT.

[ROCK RUMBLING]

THEY WERE RECREATING THE SCENE WHERE INDIANA JONES MEETS MARIAN,

AND BY THE END OF THE SCENE,

THE NAZI BAD GUYS HAVE COME IN,

THEY'VE HAD THIS HUGE GUNFIGHT,

THE WHOLE PLACE IS IN FLAMES AND FALLING AROUND THEM,

AND IT'S REALLY GREAT, IN THE ORIGINAL MOVIE.

WHEN YOU WATCH THEIR VERSION,

YOU KNOW, IT TAKES ON EVEN MORE TENSION,

'CAUSE YOU'RE HOPING, "GOD, PLEASE LET THESE KIDS GET OUT OF THIS THING ALIVE."

THEY BASICALLY JUST GOT

THESE BIG MASON JARS FULL OF ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL

'CAUSE THEY'D READ IN A MAGIC BOOK THAT IF YOU SET IT ON FIRE,

IT WOULD BURN FOR A MOMENT, AND THEN, IT WOULD EXTINGUISH ITSELF,

AND IT WOULDN'T ACTUALLY LEAVE ANY MARKINGS.

THEY SET THE WHOLE BASEMENT UP IN FLAMES.

IN THE REAL MOVIE, ONE OF THE GUYS WINDS UP, YOU KNOW, UP IN FLAMES.

SO THEY'RE LIKE, "OH, WE HAVE TO DO THAT."

THE DIRECTOR TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF.

"OK." WRAPPED HIMSELF UP IN A RAINCOAT,

WHICH--IT SAID ON IT IT WAS FIRE RETARDANT,

SO HE FIGURED, "OH, GREAT. I'M GOING TO BE PERFECTLY SAFE."

AND THEN, AT THE LAST MINUTE, HE DECIDED,

"WELL, FORGET THE ALCOHOL. LET'S JUST USE GASOLINE."

[SCREAMING]

IT IS, WITHOUT QUESTION, THE BEST FAN FILM EVER MADE.

I MEAN, THERE ARE ONES THAT ARE TECHNICALLY BETTER.

THERE'S ONES WITH BETTER ACTING AND BETTER EFFECTS.

BUT YOU'D BE REALLY HARD-PRESSED TO FIND ANYTHING WITH MORE HEART

AND JUST UNABASHED LOVE FOR WHAT THEY'RE PAYING TRIBUTE TO.

Man: IN THEATER NUMBER ONE,

THE MAIN CHINESE AUDITORIUM,

WE'RE PRESENTING "STAR WARS," THE NEW EDITION.

Lucas: WHEN I FIRST FINISHED "STAR WARS," AND EVERYBODY SAID,

"WELL, JEEZ, THIS IS FANTASTIC. THIS IS GREAT.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?" I SAID, "WELL,

"IT DIDN'T REALLY TURN OUT THAT WELL.

I'M NOT REALLY HAPPY WITH IT."

THE MOST OBVIOUS THING THAT'S HAPPENED IS

WE'VE GONE BACK TO THE ORIGINAL NEGATIVE,

CLEANED IT UP CONSIDERABLY,

RE-DONE A LOT OF THE OPTICAL EFFECTS--

THE WIPES, THE DISSOLVES--

AND IMPROVED THE QUALITY OF THE FILM,

BECAUSE IT WAS DETERIORATING.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO DO WAS PRESERVE THE FILM

SO THAT IT COULD BE

STILL A VIABLE PIECE OF ENTERTAINMENT IN THE 21st CENTURY.

THIS IS ONLY ABOUT AN ARTIST GOING BACK

TO DO THE FILM AND MAKE IT IN THE WAY

IN WHICH HE ORIGINALLY ENVISIONED IT.

WE WERE ALL ON BOARD. WE WERE ABSOLUTELY ON BOARD.

I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE EXCITED.

WHEN THE TRAILER WAS RELEASED ON THE INTERNET,

IT GROUND MY OFFICE TO A HALT

BECAUSE, LIKE, THERE WAS 60 PEOPLE

ALL DOWNLOADING THE SAME LITTLE, YOU KNOW,

POSTAGE-SIZED TRAILER JUST SO THEY COULD SEE

THAT ONE SHOT OF THE X-WINGS GOING BY

ON THEIR WAY TO THE DEATH STAR.

WHEN I WATCHED IT, I REALIZED, "OH, IT'S DIFFERENT."

AND THEN, I REALIZED-- [STAMMERS]

IT'S HIS VISION, AND I HAVE TO RESPECT THAT,

BECAUSE THE AUTEUR THEORY, 'CAUSE I WAS TAUGHT IN FILM SCHOOL,

BUT THERE'S THIS OTHER VERSION THAT--AAH!

WHAT HE WANTED TO DO WAS MAKE IT WHAT HIS INITIAL VISION WAS.

WHAT HE DIDN'T REALIZE-- THERE'S A SHITLOAD OF PEOPLE OUT THERE

WHO REALLY LIKED HIS UNFINISHED FINAL PRODUCT.

I THINK IF YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE TRYING TO IMPROVE ON ANYTHING

THAT BECOMES THAT MUCH OF A CULTURAL TOUCHSTONE,

YOU'RE ONLY GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE.

EVEN IF YOU MAKE IT BETTER,

YOU'RE STILL ONLY GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE,

BECAUSE PEOPLE, THEY TAKE OWNERSHIP OF IT,

AND THEY DON'T WANT IT FUCKED WITH.

GEORGE LUCAS TOOK AWAY YOUR SANDBOX,

HE TOOK AWAY YOUR COLORING BOOK AND SAID,

"NO, NO, NO. IT BELONGS TO ME AGAIN,

"AND I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO REWRITE MY STORIES.

I'M GOING TO DO A VERY FAN THING TO DO,"

WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, THE SPECIAL EDITIONS ARE FAN FILMS.

HE'S A FAN OF HIS OWN FILM. AND WE FELT HE DIDN'T DO IT RIGHT.

LOOKING SPECIFICALLY AT THE EPISODE IV CHANGES,

THERE ARE THE TWEAKS THAT ARE JUST SMALL TIMING TWEAKS,

LIKE MOVING THE 20th CENTURY FOX LOGO 20 FRAMES EARLIER,

MOVING THE INITIAL HIT OF "STAR WARS" WITH THE MUSIC 2 FRAMES.

THEN THE NEXT TYPES OF CHANGES YOU HAVE ARE INTERNAL TRIMS

TO RESTORE SEQUENCES.

THE CHANGES ARE DRAMATIC.

I'M TRYING TO THINK OF SOMETHING

WHERE THE CHANGES ARE DRAMATIC

THAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED SOME DEBATE-- OH, YEAH. THE BIBLE.

IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT?

THERE'S A CHAPTER 5.5 OF "GENESIS," AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THEY ACTUALLY--

YOU KNOW, HERE'S SOME NEW STUFF

THAT HAPPENED IN CREATION YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT.

ADDED THE JABBA THE HUTT SCENE WITH HAN SOLO,

WHICH WAS A SCENE THAT HAD BEEN CUT OUT

DUE TO TIME AND MONEY CONSTRAINTS,

AND ONCE I FINISHED THE THIRD FILM,

I REALLY WANTED TO GO BACK AND PUT THAT BACK IN THERE.

IT WAS STUPID.IT WAS, A LITTLE.

IT WAS COOL THAT HE WAS THERE,

'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A DEFINITE CONNECTION WITH THIS BEAST,

BUT HE WAS MORE MENACING IN "JEDI."

I MEAN, HE WAS THIS MAFIA GODFATHER BOSS.

HE KNOCKED YOUR ASS DOWN INTO A HOLE,

AND THAT BEAST CAME OUT AND ATE YOU.

AND IT WAS, LIKE, COMICAL.

WHEN HE STANDS ON HIS TAIL...

[SIGHS] IT'S HIDEOUS.

Lucas: THE SCENE WAS ORIGINALLY SHOT

WITH AN ACTOR PLAYING JABBA THE HUTT

TO STAND IN FOR WHATEVER CREATURE WE DESIGNED.

IT WAS GOING TO COST WAY TOO MUCH MONEY

AND TAKE TOO MUCH TIME TO DO IT,

AND I FIGURED--

I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER I WAS EVER GOING TO GET TO MAKE THE OTHER MOVIES.

FROM A DRAMATIC POINT OF VIEW,

THE SCENE IS TOTALLY UNNECESSARY.

WE HAD TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES SHOOTING THAT SCENE ORIGINALLY,

AND THAT CHARACTER WAS GOING TO BE A HUMAN BEING.

WE SHOT IT 3 DIFFERENT TIMES,

AND WE HAD CAMERA PROBLEMS

AND OTHER DAMAGE TO THE NEGATIVE AND THINGS.

SO WE ABANDONED IT.

BUT IN THAT PROCESS, WE PUT ALL THE INFORMATION IN THAT SCENE

INTO THE GREEDO SCENE IN THE CANTINA.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, I WAS JUST GOING TO SEE YOUR BOSS.

TELL JABBA THAT I'VE GOT HIS MONEY.

THE NEXT TYPE OF CHANGES ARE CHANGES THAT...

I THINK WERE MADE, UH,

PROBABLY MORE BECAUSE GEORGE IS A DIFFERENT FILM DIRECTOR

THAN HE WAS IN THE MID-SEVENTIES.

WHEN I SAW THE FIRST "STAR WARS" GROWING UP IN DEERING,

WHEN GREEDO CONFRONTS HAN IN THE CANTINA,

HAN PULLS HIS PISTOL RIGHT OUT OF THE HOLSTER

AND, WITHOUT ANY WARNING, FIRES THROUGH THE TABLE

AND HITS GREEDO IN THE CHEST, AND GREEDO DIES.

YES, I'LL BET YOU HAVE.

THEN YOU DID THE SPECIAL EDITIONS,

AND GREEDO SHOOTS FIRST AND MISSES FROM 2 FEET AWAY.

YES, I'LL BET YOU HAVE.

I STOOD UP RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT THEATER,

AND I SHOUTED, "GREEDO NEVER SHOT FIRST!"

THE ONLY GUN THAT'S FIRED BELONGS TO COCKADOODIE HAN!

DID HAN SHOOT FIRST?YES.

DUDE.PERIOD.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

IT COMPLICATES A SITUATION

THAT ISN'T EVEN COMPLICATED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

AND IN ADDITION TO THAT,

GREEDO MISSES!

HE MISSES, AT CLOSE RANGE!

[INDISTINCT]

WHAT'S THE POINT OF SENDING, LIKE, A BOUNTY HUNTER ASSASSIN

WHO CAN'T SHOOT FROM, LIKE, 3 FEET AWAY? [LAUGHS]

HE COULD'VE, LIKE, SPAT ON HIM.

FANBOYS SAY THAT--

I GREW UP WITH THOSE MOVIES.

"HAN SOLO FIRED FIRST!

YEAH. THAT-- THAT WAS--

HAN SOLO FI--RIDICULOUS.

AND WHEN WE DO IT IN THE TRILOGY,

HAN SOLO FIRES FIRST, AND FANS GO CRAZY.

HUGE, HUGE REACTION OFF OF THAT. CRAZY!

[GREEDO SPEAKING HUTTESE]

Han Solo: YES, I'LL BET YOU HAVE.

[PIANO PLAYING]

WHO SHOT FIRST? WHO GIVES A SHIT. Man: YEAH.

YOU GOT TO ADMIT, IT'S WHAT'S CALLED SUPER NERD NITPICKING

OVER SOMETHING THAT'S NOT REALLY THAT IMPORTANT.

IT'S NOT GEEKY NITPICK.

WHEN YOU GO INTO THE HEART OF A CHARACTER,

AND YOU DO SOMETHING WHICH CHANGES THAT CHARACTER'S DYNAMIC,

THAT'S NOT NITPICKING, THAT'S DESTROYING STORY.

THAT'S BETRAYAL.

TO PEOPLE WHO LIKE "STAR WARS,"

THAT IS LIKE ENGLAND LOSING ON PENALTIES AGAINST GERMANY.

IT'S THAT DISAPPOINTING. IT'S LIKE, UGH!

I FEEL LIKE PINOCCHIO, BEING MANIPULATED

BY THE STRINGS OF A CRAZY, POWER-MAD DIGITAL PUPPETEER.

[SPEAKING HUTTESE]

HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE HAN SHOOT FIRST?

AND STILL JUST IGNORE THE FACT

THAT HE AND CHEWIE ARE RUNNING DRUGS

BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE UNIVERSE?

EVEN AS A CHILD, I UNDERSTOOD

THAT THIS WAS THE KIND OF MAN THAT HAN SOLO WAS.

HE WAS DANGEROUS.

SO, YES, IT'S A SMALL CHANGE,

BUT IT'S A CHANGE THAT IS INFORMING THE WHOLE CHARACTER.

BETTER HER THAN ME!

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IMPULSE IS

TO GO BACK AND A TAKE A CHARACTER

AND PUT THIS LACQUER ON IT, THIS SORT OF, LIKE,

VARNISH TO CHANGE THE INTENTION.

SHE'S RICH.

[SPEAKING IN SHYRIIWOOK]

THAT'S THE PART THAT THEY DIDN'T TELL US ABOUT

WHEN THEY TOLD US HOW COOL THE SPECIAL EDITIONS WERE GOING TO BE.

YOU KNOW, THE PARTS THEY TOLD US ABOUT WERE, YOU KNOW,

"WE'RE GOING TO DRESS UP THE SPECIAL EFFECTS.

WE'RE GOING TO DO, YOU KNOW, NEAT THINGS WITH THE EXPLOSIONS."

IT'S ALSO GOING TO LIE TO US ABOUT THESE CHARACTERS.

IT'S GOING TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF OF "STAR WARS"

AND MAKE IT A SAFER, DUMBER PLACE.

[SPEAKS IN HUTTESE]

[PLAYING]

[SINGING IN HUTTESE]

THE THINGS THAT GEORGE IN THE SEVENTIES,

I DON'T THINK, WAS SHYING AWAY FROM

BECAUSE HE WAS TAKING THE POINT OF VIEW AS

IT'S ACTION, AND IT'S FUN.

BUT NOW, AS A PARENT OR MAYBE AS AN OLDER FILMMAKER,

HE'S LOOKING AT IT SAYING, "WOW, THAT'S REALLY BRUTAL."

YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

YOU CAN'T DO THAT.

MARTIN SCORSESE'S MAKING "THE DEPARTED."

IT'S LIKE, "WELL, YOU KNOW, MAYBE I--

YOU KNOW, MAYBE I'LL HAVE A FEW LESS DEATHS

AT THE END BECAUSE I HAVE AN 8-YEAR-OLD CHILD."

IT'S LIKE...SERIOUS? ARE YOU SERIOUS?

WHEN THE NAME OF YOUR SAGA IS "STAR WARS,"

YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TO-- YOU PRETTY MUCH--

THERE'S PRETTY MUCH 2 THINGS YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE IN THE SAGA,

YOU KNOW, ONE OF WHICH IS STARS,

AND THE OTHER OF WHICH IS WARS.

[EXPLOSION]DID YOU HEAR THAT?

WE'LL BE DESTROYED FOR SURE.

RED 2?

WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?

HE WENT FROM, YOU KNOW, BEING ONE FILMMAKER

WHO JUST DID IT HIS WAY, HE WAS A MAVERICK,

AND NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, LIKE,

RETHINKING EVERYTHING AND SECOND-GUESSING HIMSELF

AND DECIDING THAT HIS STUFF WAS MAYBE TOO HARD EDGED.

BUT I CAN'T ASK YOU TO CONDEMN A MAN

ALREADY CONDEMNED TO SERVITUDE,

EITHER TO TECHNOLOGY OR HIS RELENTLESS NEED

TO KEEP TINKERING WITH HIS ART.

WELL, IF DA VINCI WERE ABLE TO JUMP IN A DELOREAN

AND GO THROUGH TIME AND APPEAR TODAY,

AND THEN TELL EVERYONE, YOU KNOW,

"THE MONA LISA, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T HAVE THE MOUTH QUITE RIGHT.

LET ME GO AND REPAINT SOME OF THIS."

THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET HIM.

SOMETIMES, YOU HAVE TO SAY "THE WORK IS FINISHED.

IT NOW BELONGS TO THE AGES."

IF IT AIN'T BROKE, GEORGE. IF IT AIN'T BROKE.

ART IS NEVER FINISHED. IT'S JUST ABANDONED.

AND--HOWEVER, IT'S ABANDONED AND THEN SHOWN.

AND THOSE THINGS, WITH THEIR FLAWS,

ARE WHAT AFFECT PEOPLE.

IF JACKSON POLLOCK CAME BACK LATER AND SAID,

"YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE'S A BOOT PRINT THERE,

AND I DROPPED MY CIGARETTE. LET ME PULL THAT OUT."

WE'D BE LIKE, "NO, THE CIGARETTE IS

THE KEY PART OF THE PAINTING."

HE'S LIKE, "NO, I DROPPED MY CIGARETTE.

YOU JUST THOUGHT IT WAS A KEY PART OF THE PAINTING FOR 40 YEARS."

IF YOU GO BACK, SAY, TO THE MIDDLE AGES,

OR THE 1500s, 1600s, ARTISTS DID.

WE KNOW, THANKS TO X-RAY TECHNOLOGY.

WE CAN LOOK WHAT'S BEHIND THE PAINTING,

AND WE CAN FIND THERE WAS ANOTHER PAINTING

THAT'S SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT.

SO, IN A WAY, ARTISTS HAVE ALWAYS CHANGED THEIR WORKS.

FILM IS A PRODUCT OF ITS TIME AND CONDITIONS.

ALL OF THE CONDITIONS THAT WE HAD IN 1977,

THE CONSTRAINTS OF MONEY, THE CONSTRAINTS OF TIME

AND EVERYTHING ELSE

CREATED THAT ORIGINAL FILM.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

IT REALLY BOTHERED ME THAT THIS WAS BEING DONE,

OR CERTAINLY, BEING DONE WITH AN UTTER DISDAIN

FOR THE ORIGINAL RELEASE OF THE MOVIES THAT MEANT SO MUCH TO US,

AND ALSO, THE ORIGINAL FILMMAKERS.

GEORGE LUCAS MAY BE THE BRAINCHILD BEHIND "STAR WARS."

HE MAY HAVE COME UP WITH THE STORY AND A LOT OF CHARACTERS.

BUT EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN MAKING THOSE FILMS

HAD SOME TYPE OF CREATIVE INPUT.

I MEAN, THEY WON AN OSCAR FOR BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS.

SOME OF THOSE EFFECTS ARE STRIPPED OUT

AND REPLACED WITH CGI ENHANCEMENTS,

IF YOU WANT TO CALL THEM THAT.

I THINK THAT THAT'S REALLY DISRESPECTFUL

TO THE PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THOSE MODELS

AND DID THOSE SHOTS.

IS THE VERSION OF "STAR WARS" EPISODE IV

THE VERSION THAT WON THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR BEST EDITING?

I--I WOULD SAY MAYBE NOT.

I'M VERY SORRY YOU ALL FELL IN LOVE WITH A HALF-COMPLETED FILM,

BUT I WANT IT TO BE THE WAY I WANT IT TO BE.

GEORGE LUCAS IS TRYING TO REVISIT HISTORY, REWRITE HISTORY.

HE'S IS ALMOST, LIKE, A HOLOCAUST DENIER,

BUT HE'S A "STAR WARS" DENIER.

IT'S LIKE, "THIS NEVER EXISTED. DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT."

IT'S AN AWFUL THING TO SAY TO SOMEBODY WHO GREW UP LOVING SOMETHING.

ONCE WE SAW THE ORIGINAL FILMS

AS THEY WERE ORIGINALLY PRESENTED THEATRICALLY,

AND THEY WERE PRESENTED TO US, IMPRINTED ON OUR MINDS,

THAT WAS IT.

IT HURTS. IT PHYSICALLY HURTS YOU.

IT'S LIKE YOU'RE BEING FORCE-FED

SOMEONE ELSE'S MEMORIES INSTEAD OF YOUR OWN.

Announcer: "SINGIN' IN THE RAIN,"

DIGITALLY REMASTERED AND RESTORED IN WIDESCREEN

BY GEORGE LUCAS HIMSELF.

AUDIENCES WANT TO BE ABLE TO SEE THE ORIGINAL VERSIONS

THAT CREATED THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT FOR THEM.

BY TAKING AWAY THAT CHOICE,

IT'S SOMETHING THAT, I THINK,

IS A BIT OF A SLAP IN THE FACE TO THE FANS OF GEORGE LUCAS.

WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MR. LUCAS,

IT'S NOT JUST YOUR DREAM. IT'S NOT JUST YOUR FANTASY.

IT'S A UNIVERSE THAT WE ALL LIVE IN NOW.

THIS IS AN INTERESTING QUESTION--

DOES THE PUBLIC HAVE THE RIGHT TO THE MATERIALS OF ITS OWN CULTURE?

AND I WOULD SAY YES.

I THINK THAT ONCE YOU PUT IT OUT THERE--

'CAUSE I KNOW WHAT-- THINK ABOUT IT.

YOU'RE PUTTING YOUR STUFF OUT THERE.

IS IT YOURS, OR IS IT EVERYONE ELSE'S?

YEAH.I THINK IT'S SHARED.

I LIKE TO MAKE THE ANALOGY OF THE SHIRT THAT YOU ACTUALLY OWN.

AND "STAR WARS" IS THAT SHIRT FOR GEORGE LUCAS.

HE ACTUALLY OWNS THIS SHIRT.

AND HE CAN DO WITH IT WHATEVER HE WISHES.

NOW, THE THING IS--

BUT IT'S A DICK THING TO DO.

GOT TO RESPECT THE FANS, A LITTLE BIT.

I MEAN, THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE THAT BOUGHT

AN EMPTY CARDBOARD BOX FROM KENNER IN '77.

IT'S JUST IRRESPONSIBLE, BECAUSE WHAT, YOU'RE LIKE,

"I'VE BUILT THIS FUCKING EMPIRE

"ON ALL OF YOU PEOPLE,

WHO I HAVE YOUR BILLIONS OF DOLLARS,"

AND YOUR REWARD IS "BITE ME."

ON A CERTAIN LEVEL, THAT PLACES AN UNDUE BURDEN ON ANY ARTIST.

WHO CAN COPE WITH THE FACT THAT ALL OF A SUDDEN,

EVERYONE FEELS THEY OWN YOUR ART?

[SPEAKING IN SPANISH]

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

Jay Sylvester: I STARTED THE SITE CALLED "ORIGINAL TRILOGY,"

AND THE WHOLE POINT OF THE SITE WAS

TO PROVIDE A GATHERING PLACE FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE UNHAPPY.

AND THAT'S WHERE THE IDEA OF THE PETITION CAME FROM.

WITHIN THE FIRST 24 HOURS, WE HAD, LIKE, 10,000 SIGNATURES.

AND OVER THE COMING MONTHS,

IT MADE IT UP TO ABOUT, I THINK IT WAS 78,000 CONFIRMED SIGNATURES.

THIS COMES FROM THE P.R. DEPARTMENT AT LUCASFILM.

"WE HOPE THAT RELEASING THOSE 'ORIGINAL' MOVIES ON A BONUS DISC--"

"ORIGINAL" WAS IN QUOTES, BY THE WAY,

AS IF THEY'RE NOT REALLY THE ORIGINALS.

IT'S JUST SOMETHING WE MADE UP.

"THE NEGATIVES OF THE MOVIES WERE PERMANENTLY ALTERED

"FOR THE CREATION OF THE SPECIAL EDITIONS,

AND EXISTING PRINTS OF THE FIRST VERSIONS ARE IN POOR CONDITION."

"SINCE THESE MOVIES DO NOT REPRESENT GEORGE'S ARTISTIC VISION..."

WELL, WE WERE JUST TOLD THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN EXIST ANYMORE.

IT'S NOT EVEN POSSIBLE.

WHY EVEN FALL BACK ON THE WHOLE ARTISTIC VISION ARGUMENT?

"WE WANT YOU TO BE AWARE THAT WE HAVE NO PLANS,

"NOW OR IN THE FUTURE,

TO RESTORE THE EARLIER VERSIONS."

HE'S SAYING THAT BASICALLY,

THE ORIGINAL NEGATIVE NOW NO LONGER EXISTS

BECAUSE OF THIS RESTORATION.

BUT HOW COULD THAT BE?

BECAUSE HE MUST HAVE TRANSLATED THE FILMS TO DIGITAL,

AND THEN, HE MUST HAVE WORKED ON HIS NEW SPECIAL EFFECTS

WITH THE DIGITAL VERSION.

AND THEN, THAT NEW DIGITAL VERSION

WOULD BE TRANSLATED BACK INTO FILM.

SO YOU'VE GOT THE FILM AS NOW THE NEW VERSION, OK.

BUT THEN, YOU'VE STILL GOT THE ORIGINAL FILM

THAT YOU STARTED OUT WITH.

NOBODY ACTUALLY, PHYSICALLY CUTS A NEGATIVE.

YOU KNOW, AN ARCHIVAL NEG--

YOU DUPE THE NEGATIVE, AND THEN, YOU MAKE THE CHANGES FROM THAT.

SO I FIND IT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE

THEY'VE ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY DESTROYED THE NEGATIVE OF THE FILM.

AND IF THEY DID, I MEAN, THAT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, HEINOUS.

YOU CAN NEVER SEE THE ORIGINAL AGAIN. THAT'S WHAT HE'S--

LUCASFILM IS CLAIMING, BUT IT'S PROBABLY NOT TRUE.

[SPEAKING IN FRENCH]

WELL, SEE, I HAD NEVER HEARD THAT.

THAT--THEN I JUST WANT TO SAY "FUCK HIM" ALL THE WAY.

'CAUSE, LIKE, "YOU CAN'T COLORIZE YOUR OLD MOVIES,

"BUT I'M GOING TO COMPLETELY CHANGE MINE,

AND THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS." AND THAT'S OBSCENE.

THAT'S OBSCENE.

YOU YOURSELF LED THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE COLORIZATION OF FILMS.

YOU UNDERSTAND WHY FILMS SHOULDN'T BE CHANGED.

THAT'S DIFFERENT. THESE ARE MY MOVIES.

Anthony Slide: I THINK AN ARGUMENT COULD BE MADE

THAT ONCE A FILM IS IN THE NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY,

IT BELONGS TO EVERYONE.

IT BELONGS TO ALL AMERICANS,

BECAUSE IT'S SO IMPORTANT CULTURALLY TO THE UNITED STATES.

SO WHEN YOU SAY INDISCRIMINATELY,

"WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE IT, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT BETTER,

AND IT'S GOING TO EVOLVE WITH THE TIMES,"

AND, UM, IT'S LIKE CARVING,

YOU KNOW, BILL CLINTON ON MT. RUSHMORE.

HE DEFINITELY HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO FILM HISTORY.

YOU KNOW, I-- YOU KNOW, IT--

CAN YOU GET CONGRESS TO, SAY, ENACT--

SAY, "LOOK, YOU GOT TO HAND THAT OVER TO THE SMITHSONIAN NOW"?

PROBABLY NOT, BUT IT WOULD BE AWESOME IF IT HAPPENED. [LAUGHS]

MR. LUCAS, PLEASE, JUST RELEASE THEM, OK?

RELEASE THEM. MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO PEOPLE.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, GIVE US THE ORIGINAL FILM FOREVER.

JUST GIVE US THE ORIGINAL.

EVEN IF HE ONLY RELEASED THAT IN THIS 70-DISC BOX SET

WHERE YOU HAVE TO BUY ALL 70 DISCS--

LIKE, EVERY VERSION WITH "THE CLONE WARS,"

FINE. I'LL BUY IT, SELL THE REST OF THAT GARBAGE ON eBAY,

AND KEEP THE 3 FUCKING DISCS THAT I WANT.

THAT'S FINE.

STEVEN SPIELBERG PUT OUT AN EDITION OF "E.T."

IT'S A DOUBLE DISC SET.

HE DIGITALLY CHANGED SOME STUFF.

AND THE ORIGINAL VERSION OF "E.T." IS ALSO IN THAT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK "BLADE RUNNER" EXISTS IN 5 DIFFERENT VERSIONS.

"BRAZIL" EXISTS IN 3 DIFFERENT VERSIONS.

TERRY GILLIAM EMBRACES THOSE VARIOUS VERSIONS.

WHEN CRITERION PUT OUT THEIR BOX SET,

IT INCLUDES EVERY VERSION,

INCLUDING THE ONE THAT HE HATED AND HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH.

WHAT BETTER WAY FOR LUCAS TO DEMONSTRATE HIS CONFIDENCE IN THE CHANGES HE'S MADE?

PUTTING BOTH OF THEM ON THE SAME DISC

AND SAYING, "HERE, WATCH ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER.

COMPARE THE TWO. I THINK THIS ONE'S BETTER."

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH CREATIVITY.

IT'S TO DO WITH MARKETING AND BUSINESS

AND SALES OF HOME VIDEOS

AND RELICENSING ON TELEVISION AND ALL THE REST OF IT.

WHEN I WENT TO FILM SCHOOL, I SWORE TO MY FATHER, WHO WAS A BUSINESSMAN,

THAT I WOULD NEVER, EVER, EVER BE A BUSINESSMAN.

"STAR WARS," YOU KNOW, BECAME SO SUCCESSFUL THAT IT KIND OF TOOK OVER MY LIFE,

IN TERMS OF IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I COULDN'T PASS UP.

TO HAVE CREATED SOMETHING, I THINK,

SO POPULAR, SO INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL,

MUST BE A VERY, VERY HEAVY LOAD.

SOMETIMES, I WISH I'D NEVER MADE "STAR WARS."

THE GREAT SUCCESS OF "STAR WARS" DIDN'T LEAD

TO THE INDEPENDENCE AND THE PERSONAL FILMMAKING.

GEORGE NEVER MADE ANOTHER FILM AFTER THAT.

INSTEAD, HE BECAME, YOU KNOW, A PRODUCER

AND AN ENTREPRENEUR.

IT'S KIND OF THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED

TO GEORGE LUCAS, IN A WAY.

HE COULD HAVE HAPPILY MADE A CAREER MAKING

SOME DRAMAS AND DOCUMENTARIES AND AVANT-GARDE STUFF.

AND INSTEAD, HE'S KIND OF BEEN TURNED INTO

THIS BIG, CORPORATE ENTITY.

HE BECAME SOMEONE WHO WAS FIGHTING THE ESTABLISHMENT

AND BECAME THE ESTABLISHMENT ALMOST OVERNIGHT.

IT'S ARGUABLE THAT

THE SUCCESS OF "STAR WARS" DESTROYED GEORGE LUCAS AS A FILMMAKER.

WE WERE DEPRIVED OF THOSE FILMS

THAT HE WAS GOING TO MAKE AND MIGHT HAVE MADE.

AND INSTEAD, WE HAVE A, YOU KNOW,

AN ENORMOUS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF INDUSTRIAL MARKETING COMPLEX.

WHEN A FRANCHISE BECOMES SO SUCCESSFUL,

IT'S PLUGGED INTO A GREAT MACHINE.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

"RETURN OF THE JEDI" WAS THE BEGINNING,

WHEN MERCHANDISING RAISED ITS UGLY HEAD.

AND THEN, THE WHOLE THING BECAME

SUPER COMMERCIAL FROM THEN ONWARDS.

Joe Nussbaum: IT FEELS LIKE AT SOME POINT,

THE STORYTELLER WENT AWAY AND THE BUSINESSMAN TOOK OVER.

ALL THE ANCILLARY THINGS OF "STAR WARS,"

I DON'T THINK, ARE TRUE TO THE REBELLIOUS NATURE OF THE REBEL ALLIANCE

GOING AGAINST THE BIG BEAST.

I CAN'T RECONCILE THE 2 GEORGES.

IT'S ALMOST A JEKYLL AND HYDE KIND OF THING

BECAUSE I HAVE SO MUCH ADMIRATION FOR HIM,

AND AT THE SAME TIME,

I DON'T KNOW WHY THE LESSONS THAT HE'S ESPOUSING,

HE DOESN'T RECOGNIZE IN THE MIRROR.

Nussbaum: I HAVE SO MUCH RESPECT FOR THE GUY, THOUGH,

BECAUSE BUSINESS-WISE, HE BUILT A BRAND THAT YOU CANNOT BREAK.

HE'S A BRILLIANT MARKETEER.

HE'S LIKE THE EVIL GENIUS OF MARKETING.

I THINK OF MYSELF AS A FILMMAKER.

AND I GOT INTO AN ARGUMENT ONCE AT A FILM CONFERENCE

WITH GEORGE CUKOR, WHO REALLY DOESN'T LIKE THE WORD FILMMAKER.

HE LIKENS IT TO TOYMAKER.

I LIKE BEING THOUGHT OF AS A TOYMAKER THAT MAKES FILMS.

THE MERCHANDISE IS INSANE.

I MEAN, EVEN IN "SPACEBALLS" THEY MAKE FUN OF IT WHEN--

YEAH!MEL BROOKS IS LIKE--

"SPACEBALLS" THE LUNCH BOX.

"SPACEBALLS" THE TOILET PAPER.

I MEAN, I'M WEARING "STAR WARS" UNDERPANTS, FOR CHRIST'S SAKE.

[GIGGLING]

WE'RE BASICALLY OLIVER GOING, "PLEASE, SIR, MAY I HAVE SOME MORE?"

AND INSTEAD OF GEORGE LUCAS SAYING NO,

HE'S GOING, "YEAH! I'VE GOT A WHOLE VAT OF PORRIDGE."

I CAN'T IMAGINE THE LANDFILLS THAT,

AFTER THIS GENERATION PASSES ON,

THE LEGACY WE'RE GONNA LEAVE IS LOTS OF PLASTIC.

AND I'M PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE.

YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THAT'S JUST--THAT'S JUST

GLOBAL CAPITALISM AND GLOBAL CONSUMERISM.

THAT'S NOT--I MEAN, GEORGE LUCAS DIDN'T INVENT THAT.

HE FOUND HIMSELF IN A WEIRD RELATIONSHIP WITH IT,

AND AS A RESULT, LIKE, ALL OF US FOUND OURSELVES

IN A WEIRD RELATIONSHIP WITH IT THROUGH HIM.

I WILL BUY JUST ABOUT ANYTHING THAT SAYS "STAR WARS" ON IT.

THAT'S A CONTRACT.

OK? IT'S LIKE...

YOU PUT SOMETHING OUT OF QUALITY,

WE'LL BUY IT.

WE'RE GONNA ASSUME IT'S QUALITY IF IT SAYS "STAR WARS" ON IT.

BUT THAT'S NOT HAPPENING ANYMORE.

THEY JUST THROWING SO MUCH STUFF AT YOU.

YOU ONLY HAVE SO MUCH SPACE,

AND YOU ONLY HAVE SO MUCH MONEY.

GEORGE LUCAS-- WHAT CAN I SAY?

THE MAN HAS RUINED MY LIFE.

TOOK MY HUSBAND AWAY, TOOK MY SON AWAY,

AND CONSUMED EVERY DOLLAR THAT I'VE EVER HAD

THAT I COULD NEVER SAVE.

EVERY TOY IN THIS ROOM THAT YOU SEE BEHIND ME

IS A CHIP AWAY AT MY HEART FOR THE LAST 30 YEARS.

THINK I'LL REALLY RELEASE A BOX SET,

AND SELL IT FOR WAY TOO MUCH,

AND NOT LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT WOULD BE CHEAPER TO BUY EACH INDIVIDUALLY.

THAT WOULD BE PRETTY FUN.

I PURCHASED IT ON VHS--

PROBABLY 3 OR 4 TIMES I BOUGHT THE BOX SET.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE LATEST BOX SET, AND I BOUGHT IT LIKE AN IDIOT.

THIS ONE 'CAUSE IT HAS FROM "STAR WARS" TO "JEDI" INCLUDED WITH IT,

AND THEN THE NEXT ONE BECAUSE IT WAS, UM,

IT WAS REMASTERED SO THAT IT GOT RID OF SOME OF THE IMPERFECTIONS.

AND THEN I BOUGHT IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS WIDESCREEN.

AND THEN I BOUGHT IT AGAIN BECAUSE IT WAS A SPECIAL EDITION.

UM, I DON'T KNOW WHY I DID THAT, ONE, BUT...

IT'S LIKE HE'S WANKED US OFF,

JUST GIVEN US A REALLY GOOD HAND JOB.

WE'VE COME, AND NOW HE'S GOING,

"COME ON, THERE'S MORE IN THERE. THERE'S MORE IN THERE."

AND WE'RE GOING, "JUST LEAVE IT ALONE. LEAVE IT.

I JUST WANT TO SLEEP NOW."

THE WHOLE THING OF "I'M BEING EXPLOITED," I MEAN, COME ON.

SERIOUSLY, DUDE. SOMEONE PROVIDES A PRODUCT,

YOU CHOOSE TO BUY IT.

IF YOU WANT TO VIEW IT, OR IF YOU WANT TO OWN IT,

IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PERSON WHO MADE IT.

THEY MADE IT 'CAUSE THEY THOUGHT THERE MIGHT BE A MARKET FOR IT.

IN THIS CASE, THEY'RE RIGHT.

IF FANS FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO BUY EVERYTHING

GEORGE PUTS OUT-- LIKE, THEY FEEL OBLIGATED TO DO THAT,

IT'S--IT'S LIKE CHASING THE DRAGON WITH HEROIN ADDICTS.

YOU CAN SAY SOMEONE GOT YOU ADDICTED TO DRUGS.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, YOU STUCK THE FREAKIN' NEEDLE IN YOUR ARM.

[SPEAKING JAPANESE]

WE'D LOVE TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE WE DON'T BUY ANYTHING,

BUT REALISTICALLY WE DON'T,

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE LOVE THE STUFF WE BUY.

SO YOU ADD THAT ONTO THE RESENTMENTS

THAT "STAR WARS" FANS INCREASINGLY HAVE TOWARD GEORGE LUCAS,

AND YOU HAVE A PARTICULARLY TORTURED RELATIONSHIP TO MERCHANDISE.

OH, GOD! YOU--

YOU KNOW, YOU THINK IT WOULD BE EASY TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS.

SEE, NOW I FEEL LIKE I'M IN THERAPY TALKING ABOUT THIS.

HI, MY NAME'S CHRIS.

THE FANS KEPT IT ALIVE

WITH THE TOYS AND THE STORIES

AND THE SPECULATION ON WHETHER THERE

WOULD BE MORE "STAR WARS" ADVENTURES, WHAT THEY WOULD BE.

UM, YOU KNOW, YOU HAD "CARAVAN OF COURAGE," BUT THAT DOESN'T REALLY COUNT.

YOU BASICALLY JUST WANT MORE OF IT,

AND WHEN THERE ISN'T ANY OF IT AROUND,

YOU'RE BASICALLY GOING CRAZY YOURSELF FOR IT.

FROM MAYBE III ONWARDS UNTIL "PHANTOM MENACE,"

THERE WAS NOTHING EXCEPT FAN WORKS.

IT WAS THE FANS WHO KEPT THAT SAGA ALIVE

WITH THE EXPANDED UNIVERSE AND THE VIDEO GAMES.

PEOPLE WANTED MORE.

HE CALLED "A NEW HOPE" EPISODE IV,

SO HE SET HIMSELF UP.

TODAY IS MY FIRST DAY OF WRITING THE NEW "STAR WARS" SERIES.

GOT A FRESH BOX OF PENCILS.

I'M ALL SET.

ALL I NEED IS AN IDEA.

I MEAN, I'VE BEEN WAITING AND WAITING AND WAITING

FOR THEM TO MAKE EPISODES I, II, AND III

SINCE I WAS, YOU KNOW, 14 YEARS OLD

WHEN THE LAST ONE CAME OUT.

WHEN, UH, THEY ANNOUNCED THEY WERE FINALLY GONNA COME OUT,

THE FIRST THOUGHT THAT WENT THROUGH MY HEAD

IS THAT THIS IS GONNA BE THE GREATEST THING

TO COME DOWN THE PIKE EVER.

LIKE, EVERYONE'S GONNA WANT TO SEE THIS MOVIE.

THIS IS GONNA BE LIKE A GIANT, GENERATION DEFINING MOMENT.

EVERY SINGLE "STAR WARS" FAN OUT THERE...

WHAT'S IT GONNA BE LIKE?

CREATED THEIR MOVIE, CREATED THE MOVIE RIGHT AWAY IN THEIR HEAD.

YEAH.

THE SECOND THOUGHT I HAD WAS, OH, MY GOD, EVERYONE'S GONNA HATE IT.

THERE'S NO WAY THAT THEY WON'T HATE IT

BECAUSE IT'S GOT--

THEY'RE SO EMOTIONALLY INVESTED IN THE FIRST ONE.

I REMEMBER THE DAY THEY ANNOUNCED THE NAME,

AND "THE PHANTOM MENACE" HIT THE AIRWAVES,

AND EVERYONE WENT Y--

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WHAT THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN?

STARTING FRIDAY, THOUSANDS OF THEATERS AROUND THE COUNTRY

BEGAN SHOWING A NEW 2-MINUTE TRAILER

FOR WHAT CAN POSSIBLY BE DESCRIBED

AS THE MOST EAGERLY AWAITED NEW MOVIE OF THE DECADE.

TWO WORDS: "STAR WARS."

"STAR WARS.""STAR WARS."

"STAR WARS." "STAR WARS." "STAR WARS."

MOVIE FANS LINED UP--JUST TO SEE THE TRAILER.

THE "HOLLYWOOD REPORTER" SAYS AT L.A.'s MANN'S CHINESE THEATER,

ATTENDANCE SHOT UP 1,100%

THE NIGHT THEY RAN A SNEAK PREVIEW

OF THIS "STAR WARS" TRAILER.

NO, I THINK I MIGHT LEAVE AFTER THE TRAILER, THOUGH. I DON'T KNOW, 'CAUSE--

YOU ACTUALLY PAID TO GO IN AND SEE A MOVIE JUST TO SEE THE TRAILER,

AND THEN YOU LEFT. YES.

'CAUSE IT'S AN AWESOME TWO AND A HALF MINUTES.

THAT WAS INCREDIBLE.

THERE WAS NOTHING EVER, ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

OH, MY GOD!

I WELLED UP. I MEAN, I HAVEN'T WELLED UP IN YEARS.

I JUST HEAD A HEART ATTACK.

I THINK GOD MUST BE ASHAMED AS A CREATOR

ONCE HE SAW THE PREVIEW FOR THIS MOVIE

AND REALIZED HE HASN'T MADE SOMETHING THIS GOOD.

THIS IS GONNA BE SOMETHING I'LL REMEMBER AND TELL MY CHILDREN.

IT'S WONDER-- I KNOW, I SOUND CRAZY.

IT WAS LIKE A BEATLES CONCERT.

IT WAS LIKE, WHEN, LIKE, "OBI-WAN KENOBI, MEET ANAKIN SKYWALKER,"

AND YOU THOUGHT, LIKE, THE WORLD WAS GOING TO END.

LIKE, MY GOD, IF THE WORLD ENDS,

I HOPE I'M STILL ALIVE BY MAY 19th TO SEE THIS

'CAUSE I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS GONNA HAPPEN.

THERE WAS NEVER ANYTHING MORE HYPED UP THAN EPISODE I.

NO.

IN THE HISTORY OF FILM.

EVEN JESUS WAS LESS HYPED.

YOU JUST MAY HAVE NOTICED THAT "STAR WARS," THE LATEST EPISODE,

OPENS NATIONALLY AT MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.

SOME 2.2 MILLION AMERICANS FROM NEW YORK TO L.A.

ARE EXPECTED TO SKIP WORK TODAY

JUST TO BE AMONG THE FIRST VIEWERS

OF THE NEW "STAR WARS" PREQUEL.

YOU SEE WE'RE HERE OUTSIDE MANN'S CHINESE THEATER,

AND PEOPLE ARE REVVED UP.

I'VE COME ALL THE WAY FROM AUSTRALIA,

AND LINING UP HERE FOR A THOUSAND HOURS.

I'M HERE FROM LONDON.

WE'RE FROM SWITZERLAND.

CAME HERE FROM POLAND.

IT'S LIKE A HISTORICAL EVENT FOR THIS GENERATION.

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO IF THE MOVIE REALLY SUCKS?

HEH! UH, PROBABLY SEE IT AGAIN.

I CAN'T SEE ANY WAY THAT IT COULD SUCK.

THERE'S JUST NO WAY THE MOVIE COULD SUCK. DON'T SAY THAT.

THERE IS NO WAY IT'S GONNA SUCK.

WELL, IT COULD SUCK.

IT COULD NOT SUCK.

IT COULD--HOW COULD IT SUCK?

ONCE THE OPENING SCROLL STARTS, I'M GONNA BE IN ECSTASY.

THERE'S GONNA BE PEOPLE CRYING HERE, YOU KNOW?

53 MINUTES AND COUNTING UNTIL "THE PHANTOM MENACE."

"STAR WARS!" WE'RE GONNA SEE "STAR WARS!"

I WAS THERE, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE WAS

IN MAY OF '99, WAITING IN LINE,

YOU KNOW, LIGHTSABER IN HAND,

MIDNIGHT SHOW.

I SAW THAT MOVIE IN SAN FRANCISCO

WITH I.L.M.

WE'RE SEEING IT IN A PLACE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN CALLED THE ORPHEUM,

A HUGE, HUGE THEATER.

IT HAD 1,700 SEATS, I BELIEVE,

AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY FULL.

EVERYBODY'S IN THERE.

THE AIR IS ELECTRIC.

THEY'RE PRACTICALLY, YOU KNOW, THROWING THEIR HATS IN THE AIR,

JUMPING UP AND DOWN. PEOPLE ARE JUST CRAZY WITH EXCITEMENT.

AND THEN THE LIGHTS WENT DOWN, AND EVERYBODY CHEERED.

AND THE PREVIEWS CAME ON, AND THEY BOOED.

AND THE LUCASFILM LOGO CAME UP, AND EVERYBODY CHEERED AGAIN.

THE HAIR STANDS UP ON YOUR NECK

AS SOON AS YOU SEE "A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY..."

AS SOON AS IT COMES UP ON THE SCREEN.

[CROWD CHEERS]

THE OPENING SCROLL, AND EVERYONE'S FREAKING OUT...

IT'S LIKE, THIS-- THIS IS INCREDIBLE.

I MEAN, WHOEVER THOUGHT THIS DAY WAS GONNA COME?

AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT MOMENTS

OF ANYBODY'S MOVIE-GOING LIFE.

[CHUCKLING] THEN THE MOVIE STARTS.

ALREADY I KNEW.

IT'S LIKE, JUST THE LANGUAGE OF THE CRAWL WAS WRONG.

IT JUST DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT.

BUT I'M LIKE, OK, I'M GONNA STAY WITH IT YOU KNOW?

IT WENT FROM THIS GLOW UP HERE IN YOUR HEART,

AND THEN IT DESCENDED, AND THEN IT WENT DOWN,

AND THEN IT JUST SAT HERE, RIGHT?

AND I JUST REMEMBER, YOU KNOW, THINKING,

OH, MY GOD, IS IT REALLY THIS--

IS IT ACTUALLY THIS BAD?

IT JUST FELT LIKE BEING SLAPPED IN THE FACE WITH A WET FISH.

IT WAS LIKE, WHAT?

THIS COULD SUCK?

YOU KNOW, I'M STARTING TO DEFLATE A LITTLE BIT,

BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M STILL, IT'S "STAR WARS."

YOU KNOW, OK. YOU KNOW, "JEDI'S" NOT GREAT,

BUT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER. IT'S GONNA BE GOOD. IT'S GONNA BE GOOD.

WHAT I WAS USED TO SEEING, YOU KNOW,

FROM WATCHING THE ORIGINALS IN THEATERS,

WAS PEOPLE CHEERING, THOSE BIG APPLAUSE MOMENTS,

YOU KNOW, BIG LAUGHS.

THIS WAS LITERALLY AN ALMOST, LIKE, SILENT SCREENING.

MAYBE IT WAS SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

MAYBE WE DIDN'T SEE THAT.

MAYBE THIS IS A "STAR WARS" FILM THAT WE NEED TO WATCH AGAIN.

THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE

THAT A MOVIE HAS EVER PROPERLY DISAPPOINTED ME

AND GUTTED ME

TO THE POINT WHERE I HAD TO LIE

ABOUT MY FEELINGS TO SAFE FACE.

I MEAN, I EVEN REMEMBER INTERVIEWS ON THE LOCAL NEWS

AND THEY'RE ALL SAYING, "YEAH, BUT WE'RE GOING BACK AGAIN TOMORROW."

THERE WAS STILL A HOPE.

AND I DON'T THINK IT REALLY SUNK IN FOR EVERYBODY

UNTIL THEY SAW IT THAT SECOND TIME,

BECAUSE EVERYBODY SAW IT A SECOND TIME.

WE ALL SAW IT AGAIN.

DID I WAIT 4 DAYS IN THE RAIN,

PEEING INTO MY OWN HAND AND DRINKING IT

TO GET "PHANTOM MENACE" TICKETS FOR THE THIRD TIME? YES, I DID.

IT'S LIKE ABUSE VICTIMS RETURNING

TO THE SITE OF THEIR ABUSE

IN ORDER TO CONQUER IT SOMEHOW.

I WENT TO IT OVER AND OVER.

BUT NOT LIKE HAVING FUN,

BUT MORE LIKE TRYING TO--TRYING TO CONVINCE MYSELF

THAT I WAS HAVING FUN.

I SAW "PHANTOM MENACE" IN THE THEATER 13 TIMES.

PART OF THAT WAS ME NOT BEING ABLE

TO SEE A "STAR WARS" FILM FOR 17 YEARS.

PART OF IT WAS COMING TO TERMS WITH WHAT IT WAS.

JUST SITTING THERE THE SECOND TIME THROUGH IT

AND JUST REALIZING, IT'S NOT GROWING ON ME,

THAT WAS A BUMMER, DUDE.

THAT WAS A FUCKIN' BUMMER.

Insane Ian: ♪ IT ALL STARTED THE NIGHT BEFORE ♪

♪ EPISODE ONE WITH MY GIRLFRIEND'S HAIR ALL DONE UP IN BUNS ♪

♪ BUT IT TURNS OUT THE MOVIE WASN'T QUITE WHAT I HAD HOPED TO SEE ♪

Yoda: HMM. TELL ME WHAT YOU WANT.

"STAR WARS," JUST DIDN'T, I THINK, TAKE CARE

OF THE PEOPLE WHO LOVED IT SO MUCH.

IS THIS THE BEST YOU COULD DO?

18 YEARS, MAN.

WE'RE NOT SO READY TO SEPARATE THE WAY WE SEE THINGS NOW

AND THE WAY WE SAW THINGS THEN

AND THE WAY THAT WE SEE THINGS BASED ON HOW WE SAW THINGS THEN.

WHEN THE "PHANTOM MENACE" CAME OUT,

THAT'S WHEN I NOTICED A REAL SHIFT IN FANS

FROM BEING LIKE FANS AND THEY REALLY ADMIRED GEORGE LUCAS

TO TAKING IT SO PERSONALLY

THAT GEORGE LUCAS ACTUALLY WROTE A MOVIE

TO PISS THEM OFF. YEAH.

WHO HERE LOVED THE PREQUEL MOVIES?

[SCATTERED APPLAUSE]

SHUT UP![LAUGHTER]

YOU'RE WRONG.

WE ALL KNEW PALPATINE WAS GONNA BE THE EMPEROR.

YOU ALL KNEW ANAKIN SKYWALKER WAS GONNA BE DARTH VADER.

BUT WE NEVER EXPECTED IT TO BE LIKE THIS.

IN MY "STAR WARS" UNIVERSE, THE NUMBERS 1, 2, AND 3 DON'T EXIST.

GEORGE LUCAS TALKED ABOUT MAKING PREQUELS,

BUT THEY NEVER MADE IT PAST SCREENPLAYS

BEFORE HE DIED ON THE VAN WYCK EXPRESSWAY

IN A FIERY CAR CRASH IN 1989.

RIGHT AFTER MAKING "THE LAST CRUSADE."

BRANDON, WANTING SOMETHING VERY BADLY

DOESN'T MAKE IT TRUE.

[TYPING]

THESE PEOPLE JUST MADE IT SEEM LIKE IT WAS THE WORST MOVIE EVER.

IT DIDN'T MATTER TO ME. I STILL SAW IT IN THE THEATER

ABOUT 13 OR 14 TIMES.

THERE WAS ACTUALLY, LIKE, A FAN APPRECIATION SITE

OF THE NEW TRILOGY, WHICH WAS PRETTY FUNNY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE A GROUP OF PEOPLE

THAT ARE LIKE, "YO, WE REALLY LIKE THE NEW MOVIE."

"WE REALLY WANT TO LIKE IT. WE REALLY DO."

I MEAN, I GUESS HE HAS LICENSE TO DO ANYTHING HE WANTS,

BUT I THINK HE JUST DISAPPOINTED A GENERATION OF FANS.

I'D SAY THAT. ME BEING ONE OF THEM.

FANS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WANT.

FANS WANT MORE OF THE LAST THING THEY READ AND THEY LOVED.

THAT'S WHAT FANS WANT.

IF THEY LIKED THAT THING YOU DID,

THEY WOULD LIKE ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE, PLEASE.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY RESPONSIBILITY

TO THE AUDIENCE AT ALL.

I THINK THERE'S NONE.

I THINK YOU GOT TO JUST DO WHAT YOU WANT TO DO.

YOU'VE GOT TO DO STUFF THAT YOU LIKE.

FOR ME, IF A COMIC STRIP DOESN'T MAKE ME LAUGH

OR I DON'T LIKE IT, THEN I WON'T PRINT IT.

I'M NOT GONNA TAKE ADVICE FROM ANYBODY.

HIS RESPONSIBILITY TO THE FANS IS TO TAKE THEIR MONEY.

I'VE GOT REAL BAD NEWS, REAL BAD NEWS, FOR US FANS.

WE'RE OLD. WE'RE PUNCHY.

AIN'T GONNA BE LIKE "STAR WARS" IN 1977, THAT SUMMER.

WHAT I TRIED TO DO TO MYSELF

IS JUST SAY, OK, LET ME REMIND MYSELF

IT'S JUST A BIG, DUMB MOVIE ABOUT SPACE WIZARDS.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.

SO AS LONG AS IT'S GOT SPACE WIZARDS IN IT,

I'M GONNA BE HAPPY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THAT TURNED OUT TO BE HARDER THAN I THOUGHT

BECAUSE OF JAR JAR.

JAR JAR'S THE KEY TO ALL THIS,

IF WE GET JAR JAR WORKING,

'CAUSE HE'S A FUNNIER CHARACTER THAN WE'VE EVER HAD

IN ANY OF THE MOVIES BEFORE.

YOUR HONOR, I HAVE DIGITALLY GENERATED MY OWN LAWYER

THROUGH THE MAGIC OF CGI.

NOTICE HOW SEAMLESSLY HE'S INTEGRATED

INTO THIS LIVE ACTION COURT ROOM.

AMAZING.

I CALL HIM PUDDLES McPOOPOO.

YOU HAD A BEAUTIFUL BALLOON, "STAR WARS" BALLOON,

AND EVERYONE LOVES A BALLOON,

AND THEN HE BRINGS JAR JAR BINKS ALONG,

WHICH IS A BIG NEEDLE,

AND JUST POPS THAT BALLOON.

[EXHALES]

[BABBLING]

JAR JAR BINKS.

WHAT KIND OF A NAME IS THAT FOR A SPACE FREAK?

YOU ARE A CRAZY ASS SON OF A BITCH.

YOU ARE A NO GOOD BASTARD.

YOU ARE FULL OF BULLSHIT.

YOU CAN PUCKER UP AND KISS MY ASS GOOD-BYE.

♪ JAR JAR BINKS

♪ JAR JAR BINKS

♪ JAR JAR BINKS

♪ JAR JAR BINKS

EX-SQUEEZE ME. EX-SQUEEZE ME.

♪ YOU ARE A CRAZY JACKASS ♪

HE DOESN'T LIKE YOU.

THAT'S OK, NOBODY LIKES HIM.

♪ YOU ARE AN EVIL ASSHOLE

♪ YOU ARE A STUPID LOW-LIFE FOOL ♪

Man: HOW DOES IT FEEL, JAR JAR?

♪ JAR JAR BINKS

HUH? YOU WANT TO DANCE NOW?

♪ JAR JAR BINKS

IN THE "NEW HOPE," YOU HAVE THIS VERY ORGANIC FLOW

OF, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH ALL THE CHARACTERS, MORE OR LESS.

AND HERE, THEY'RE ALL LIKE A BUNCH OF POKER FACED GITS.

AND THE PERSON WHO'S SUPPOSED TO BE FUNNY

IS THE LEAST FUNNY THING IN THE HISTORY OF LEAST FUNNY THINGS.

[LAUGHTER]

IT'S A CARTOON CHARACTER INVADING THIS WORLD

THAT I WAS TAKING SERIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, UP TO THAT POINT.

MY HEART SANK WHEN HE STARTED TALKING.

I WAS LIKE, "OH, IT'S THAT KIND OF MOVIE."

HE HAD TAKEN US TO THIS LEVEL,

AND THEN HE WAS LIKE, OK, WE'RE GONNA GO BACK

TO KIND OF CHILD POTTY HUMOR,

AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE SOME WEIRD ANIMAL FART IN OUR FACE

AND SAY PEE YOOSA, AND YOU'RE GONNA LAUGH, RIGHT,

BECAUSE YOU LIKE BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD.

JAR JAR BINKS IS WHAT SOMEONE WITH NO SENSE OF HUMOR

THINKS HUMOR IS.

HE TALKS FUNNY, HE WALKS FUNNY.

HE'S GOT THE SPEECH IMPEDIMENT THAT'S FUNNY, RIGHT?

SOME PEOPLE SAID IT WAS ALMOST LIKE THE RACIST STEREOTYPES

IN A THIRTIES COMEDY

WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE STEPIN FETCHIT OR MANTAN MORELAND

COME OUT, "OH, FEETS, DO YOUR STUFF!"

HE WAS LIKE THE HIP-HOP VERSION OF C-3PO.

THE DIFFICULTY WITH THAT, THOUGH,

IS THAT IF JAR JAR BINKS IS RACIST

BECAUSE HE LOOKS LIKE BLACK-FACED ENTERTAINMENT,

BUT NOBODY'S SEEN BLACK-FACED ENTERTAINMENT

WHO'S 12 YEARS OLD WATCHING THE "STAR WARS" PREQUELS,

DOES A RACIST CHARACTER WHOSE RACISM IS SO CODED IN HISTORY

REMAIN A RACIST CHARACTER?

THE SHITTIEST PART ABOUT JAR JAR IS THAT JAR JAR EXISTS.

WE CAN'T FIGHT IT.

IF YOU'RE A "STAR WARS" FAN,

IN YOUR HEART YOU KNOW THAT JAR JAR BINKS NOT ONLY IS IN THE FILMS,

BUT AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE FILMS.

JAR JAR BINKS IS ONE OF THE LYNCH PINS OF THE ENTIRE SAGA.

ME-SA PROPOSE THAT THE SENATE GIVE IMMEDIATELY

EMERGENCY POWERS TO THE SUPREME CHANCELLOR.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

HE'S THE DECIDING VOTE ON GIVING

THE EMPEROR A BUNCH OF POWER.

SO YOU KNOW THAT LUCAS IS LIKE FUCK YOU.

BUT THANKS, GEORGE, FOR TAKING HIM OUT OF THE SECOND MOVIE,

OR AT LEAST ONLY INCLUDING HIM FOR 5 MINUTES.

WE APPRECIATE THAT. HE DOES LISTEN SOMETIMES.

BUT THAT ONE SHOT IN EPISODE II WHERE JAR JAR FIRST COMES IN,

HAS THAT LITTLE MEETING WITH, YOU KNOW, ANAKIN AND EVERYONE,

AND THEN COMES, HE LOOKS AT THE CAMERA

AND KIND OF SMILES,

AS IF TO SAY, "HEY, I'M STILL AROUND, GUYS.

I KNOW YOU HATE ME, BUT I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE."

LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?

ARE YOU--ARE YOU ACTUALLY TRYING TO ANTAGONIZE US?

I LIKE THE BULLISHNESS IN HIM

THAT MAKES HIM PERSIST WITH THE CHARACTER,

AND THAT HE WILL PUT THEM IN EPISODE II,

HE'LL KEEP WITH THEM IN EPISODE III,

AND HE WON'T GIVE IN TO WHAT THE FANS WANT.

I THINK HE THINKS HE'S ABSOLUTELY STICKING TO HIS GUNS.

I HAD 3PO REALLY RAILING ON JAR JAR,

AND I GOT NOTES BACK TO TONE IT DOWN AT FIRST.

THEN I HEARD NOTES CAME BACK FROM GEORGE SAYING,

NO, 3PO SHOULD BE HARDER ON JAR JAR.

HE SHOULD TREAT HIM LIKE THE FANS DO.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

THE PROBLEM WITH JAR JAR BINKS ISN'T THE CHARACTER.

IT'S WITH YOU OLDER FANBOYS WHO HAVE FORGOTTEN WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE KIDS.

KIDS LIKE JAR JAR!WHY?

WHAT ABOUT THE EWOKS, HUH?

THEY WERE RUBBISH. YOU DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT THEM.

YEAH, BUT JAR JAR BINKS MAKES THE EWOKS

LOOK LIKE FUCKIN' SHAFT.

KIDS LIKE JAR JAR BINKS, MAN.

HAD TO DRESS UP AS THAT FREAKIN' THING AND GO TO BIRTHDAY PARTIES.

I THINK PEOPLE YOUR AGE HATE JAR JAR BINKS

BECAUSE HE'S ONE OF THE NEW CHARACTERS.

HE IS ONE OF THE NEW CHARACTERS, ACTUALLY.

WHAT'D YOU GUYS THINK OF JAR JAR?

JAR JAR BINKS, YEAH.

I THINK HE'S REALLY FUNNY.

I JUST LIKE THE NAME.

Man: DOES YOUR DAD DISAGREE WITH YOU?

DO YOU?

I DON'T LIKE HIM AS MUCH AS YOU.

YOU HAVE SWEETER TASTES, I THINK,

WHEN YOU'RE A CHILD, DON'T YOU?

YOU HAVE MORE SACCHARIN, KIND OF OUTLOOK ON LIFE.

SO MAYBE JAR JAR IS A WORK OF GENIUS.

WHO KNOWS?

YOU WEREN'T THERE AT THE BEGINNING.

YOU DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD IT WAS, HOW IMPORTANT.

THIS IS IT FOR YOU.

THIS JUMPED UP FIREWORK DISPLAY OF A TOY ADVERT.

PEOPLE LIKE YOU MAKE ME SICK.

WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?

MY FRIEND WHO HAS A 7-YEAR-OLD SON,

HE LOVES "STAR WARS."

BUT TO HIM, IT'S ALL "STAR WARS," YOU KNOW.

EPISODES I THROUGH VI, PLUS THE "CLONE WARS,"

PLUS THE VIDEO GAMES.

WHATEVER LUCAS WAS DOING RIGHT BY US,

KIND OF SEEMS LIKE HE'S STILL DOING RIGHT BY KIDS TODAY.

WHICH ONE DO YOU LIKE OF THE FILM?

ME?

I LIKE THAT ONE.

HI-YAH.

THE FILMS CAN'T FIGHT EACH OTHER, CAN THEY?

HE IS PURPOSEFULLY CONDESCENDING

'CAUSE HE'S MAKING THESE MOVIES FOR KIDS.

HE SAID THAT NUMEROUS TIMES.

GEORGE HAS SAID, "THESE MOVIES ARE FOR CHILDREN.

I MAKE THEM FOR CHILDREN."

AND WHEN WE LOVED THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY, WE WERE CHILDREN.

IS THE OLDNESS ON GEORGE OR ON US?

SHOULD WE AS ADULTS BE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HE'S DOING AS A FILMMAKER

OR SHOULD HE HAVE MADE FILMS FOR AN AGING AUDIENCE THAT ENJOYED THE FIRST?

I THINK THAT SAYING THAT IT'S MADE FOR KIDS

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY I COULDN'T GET IT

IS--IS BULLSHIT.

YEAH, IT'S HARD TO TELL WHETHER HE GENUINELY BELIEVES THAT

OR HE JUST GOT CAUGHT WITH HIS PANTS DOWN

AND NEEDED A RATIONALE FOR IT.

IF HE WAS MAKING IT FOR KIDS,

DO KIDS REALLY CARE ABOUT TRADE FEDERATION

AND TARIFFS AND TAXES AND SENATE MEETINGS

AND BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH?

I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO MY 5-YEAR-OLD SON,

WELL, YEAH, THE TRADE EMBARGO BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.

YOU JUST LOSE THEM.YEAH. HE WENT...

ONE WORD SUMMARIZES EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG

AND HOW HE TOOK A BIG F-YOU TO THE ENTIRE FAN BASE--

MIDI-CHLORIANS.

MIDI-CHLORIANS. [LAUGHS]

TELL ME ABOUT MIDI-CHLORIANS.

MIDI-CHLORIANS. THAT'S MY OTHER FAVORITE THING.

MIDI-CHLORIANS.

AND THE FORCE? WELL, THAT'S JUST MICROSCOPIC BACTERIA

IN YOUR BLOODSTREAM CALLED MIDI-CHLORIANS.

LOOK, IF YOU'RE NOT GONNA TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY,

I'M OUT.

WHEN OBI-WAN KENOBI FIRST INTRODUCES WHAT THE FORCE IS,

HE DESCRIBES IT AS AN ENERGY FIELD THAT BINDS THE GALAXY TOGETHER.

EVERYONE IN THE AUDIENCE KNOWS HE'S TALKING ABOUT A PSYCHIC FIELD.

HE'S TALKING ABOUT A SPIRITUAL THING.

THAT'S A LOVELY IDEA, A BEAUTIFUL NOTION.

THEN TO KIND OF REDUCE IT TO THIS KIND OF BIOLOGICAL DETERMINATE.

THAT TAKES THIS THING, THE FORCE,

THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE TIED TO YOUR SENSE OF SPIRITUALITY

AND YOUR MORAL CODE

AND TAKES IT FROM THAT INTO, LIKE, SOME CRAP

THAT YOU GOT FROM YOUR MOM AND DAD.

WHAT A BUNCH OF NONSENSE.

THAT'S SORT OF LIKE PAINTING THE FACE OF GOD, ISN'T IT?

YOU HAVE MIDI-CHLORIANS, YOU DON'T.

YOU WILL NEVER BE A JEDI NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY.

AH, THANKS, GEORGE.

EVERY ONE OF US WHO GREW UP WITH THE ORIGINAL SERIES

HAS HAD THAT MOMENT WHERE YOU'VE SAT AT HOME IN YOUR BEDROOM

AND YOU DON'T ADMIT IT, AND YOU TRY TO LEVITATE SOMETHING

WITH THE POWER OF YOUR MIND.

IT'S AN ACCESSIBLE THING, THEN.

IT WASN'T YET THIS MUTANT

UBER MENSCH DEMAGOGUE THING.

IT BECAME A MEASURABLE THING.

IT'S LIKE SAYING, HEY, LOOK.

LOOK AT HOW MUCH RELIGION YOU HAVE.

LOOK AT HOW MUCH SPIRIT AND FAITH YOU'VE GOT.

THE IDEA OF THE FORCE, THE IDEA OF--

IS RUINED.

NO, IT'S-- HOW IS IT RUINED?

YES, IT IS.WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL--

WHAT IS THE ESSENTIAL TEACHINGS OF THE FORCE?

TO LIVE WITHOUT FEAR, TO LIVE WITHOUT ANGER, RIGHT,

TO DO GOOD FOR YOURSELF AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

TO BE OPEN, RIGHT?

MY BLOOD TEST SAYS I CAN'T DO THAT.

HA HA HA! THAT'S BULLSHIT.

IT'S LIKE SCIENTOLOGISTS AND THEIR THETANS.

NOW STOP IT. DON'T BRING SCIENTOLOGISTS INTO THIS.

YOU CAN'T BE PREOCCUPIED WITH WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK.

LIKE "STAR WARS," FOR INSTANCE, IS MY STORY.

JUST LIKE MY HOUSE, YOU KNOW, IS MY HOUSE.

SO IF I WANT TO PAINT MY HOUSE GREEN,

EVEN IF EVERYONE ELSE THINKS IT SHOULD BE RED,

GUESS WHAT? I'M GONNA PAINT IT JAR JAR.

I THINK THE REASON THAT THE ORIGINAL "STAR WARS" MOVIES,

OR AT LEAST "A NEW HOPE" AND "EMPIRE STRIKES BACK," ARE SO GREAT

IS BECAUSE THEY WERE REALLY MADE IN COLLABORATION WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

ONCE GEORGE DECIDED TO APPROACH THE PREQUELS

AND REALLY DO IT IN A VACUUM,

I DON'T THINK THAT THAT IS THE BEST WAY FOR AN ARTIST TO FUNCTION.

HE'S BEYOND A CERTAIN LEVEL OF CRITICISM NOW.

HE'S BEYOND THE IDEA OF TRUE COLLABORATION.

AND THIS IS ALL ABOUT SOME INTERIOR CHANNELING

OF THESE STORIES HE'S HELD IN HIS MIND NOW FOR WAY TOO LONG.

I DID HAVE A VERY STRONG FEELING

ABOUT BEING ABLE TO BE IN CONTROL OF MY WORK

AND NOT HAVING PEOPLE TAMPER WITH IT.

THE ONLY REASON IT'S FUN IS BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER TO ANYBODY.

I DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TELLING ME WHAT TO DO.

THAT'S WHAT I'VE EARNED.

IF YOU'VE GOT A WHOLE MOVING-MAKING EMPIRE

TO HELP YOU MAKE MOVIES,

WHAT GOOD IS IT IF IT'S NOT AT LEAST ABLE TO GIVE YOU

A LITTLE BIT OF FEEDBACK?

I THINK HE TOOK SOMETHING WONDERFUL,

AND IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OVER IT

WHILE AT THE SAME TIME CAPITALIZING ON IT,

I THINK HE BROKE IT.

YEAH, HE'S LIKE AN OVERPROTECTIVE PARENT.

AND BY DOING THAT, HE'S RETARDED HIS CHILD.

AND THAT'S ANNOYING, 'CAUSE HE HAD A BRILLIANT CHILD.

THIS IS A VERY BIG DAY FOR YOU.

NOW, HOLD ON WHILE I SET IT UP.

SET WHAT UP?

YOUR NEW STUDIO, SILLY.

SO YOU CAN KEEP WRITING "STAR WARS."

WHAT?

YOU'RE GOING TO REWRITE EPISODE III, GEORGE.

BUT THIS TIME, YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT CORRECTLY.

YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE IT THE WAY I WANT TO SEE IT.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BETTER ONES.

IT'S CREDITED AS EPISODE I.II.

THIS VERSION IS ABOUT 70 MINUTES.

AND A MUCH BETTER MOVIE.

BUT I LOVE HOW IT'S-- HOW IT'S CREDITED HERE.

IT SAYS, "SEE WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN."

AND THEN THERE'S A GRAPHIC OF A BAND-AID.

IT'S HARD TO READ MOST OF THE FAN EDITS

AS ANYTHING OTHER THAN A DIRECT CRITICISM

OF THE CREATIVE DECISIONS THAT GEORGE LUCAS MADE.

SO THESE PROBABLY CUT DEEPEST IN GEORGE LUCAS.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

MY MOTIVATION FOR RE-DOING THE "PHANTOM MENACE,"

QUITE FRANKLY WAS BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE MOVIE WAS ABSOLUTE ASS.

IN THE ORIGINAL "STAR WARS," THERE WERE NO FART JOKES,

NOBODY STEPPED IN CGI DOO-DOO.

IN MY FAN EDIT, YOU WON'T FIND MENTIONS OF MIDI-CHLORIANS, YOU KNOW.

THAT'S NOT PART OF MY "STAR WARS."

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

SO A FANDOM IS BORN

OUT OF A MIX OF FASCINATION AND FRUSTRATION.

AND THE FAN EDIT IS ITS CLEAREST EMBODIMENT.

IT'S NOW AN ART FORM IN AND OF ITSELF.

BUT IT IS AN ART FORM THAT DARE NOT RAISE ITS HEAD.

IT'S AN ART FORM THAT EXISTS IN THE SHADOWS.

YOU'VE GOT THIS EXTRA SMALL EXTREME OF FANS THAT THREATENED ME,

SAID I SHOULDN'T TOUCH "STAR WARS,"

IT'S NOT MY FILM TO TOUCH,

HOW DARE I DO THIS?

BUT THE SCARY THING WAS WHEN I STARTED RECEIVING DEATH THREATS

FROM A FEW FANS.

IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY VERSION,

DON'T WATCH IT.

WATCH THE ORIGINAL.

I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEM AT ALL WITH FAN EDITS, FAN REMIXES.

Announcer: SPIELBALL DER MAÄCHTE.

IT'S AN ABSOLUTELY LEGITIMATE AND REALLY COOL RESPONSE

TO THE ART.

I TOLD YOU KIDS TO SLOW DOWN!

BUT I ALSO DON'T BELIEVE THAT ANY OF THOSE FANS

HAS THE RIGHT TO GO AND KNOCK ON MY DOOR

AND SAY, I DON'T LIKE THIS CHARACTER.

I WANT YOU TO TAKE HIM OUT OF YOUR BOOK.

'CAUSE IT'S LIKE, NO, I GOT TO MAKE THIS.

THIS CAME OUT OF MY HEAD. LEAVE ME ALONE.

HOW DO YOU FEEL, LORD VADER?

WHERE IS PADMEÉ?

IS SHE ALL RIGHT? IS SHE SAFE?

UM, I'M AFRAID IN YOUR ANGER

YOU KILLED HER.

FOR GOD SAKE, GEORGE, YOU HAVE GOT TO FIX THE ENDING

WHERE VADER SAYS--

NO! NO!

NO!

NO!

NO!

THIS IS A CRUCIAL, CRUCIAL SCENE, GEORGE,

AND YOU FUCKED IT UP.

HOW ARE YOU GONNA UN-FUCK THIS?

I THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER IF VADER IS JUST STANDING THERE,

YOU KNOW, GROWLING AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE

LIKE, [GROWLS].

AND THEN MAYBE YOU CAN HAVE SOME SPARKS COMING OUT OF HIS THROAT

AS HIS BRAND NEW, YOU KNOW, VOICE BOX THING

STARTS BREAKING ON HIM.

THAT WOULD BE SO MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE. IT WOULD GO...

PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO WANT TO PUT THEIR FINGERPRINTS

ON THE THINGS THAT THEY LOVE

AND TO FIX THE THINGS ABOUT THE THINGS THEY LOVE THAT THEY HATE.

DID THAT MAKE SENSE? HA HA HA!

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT OUR CULTURE

IS GOING TO BECOME MORE PARTICIPATORY.

WHAT'S AT STAKE ARE THE TERMS OF OUR PARTICIPATION.

THAT LUCAS AND LUCAS FILM

ARE GONNA HAVE TO CEDE MORE CONTROL TO THE FANS

IF THEY'RE GONNA SURVIVE

AND REMAIN VALUABLE AS MEDIA PROPERTIES.

TAKE "ALICE IN WONDERLAND."

WITHIN THE FIRST 20 YEARS

AFTER "ALICE IN WONDERLAND" WAS PUBLISHED,

THERE WERE MORE THAN 200 COMMERCIALLY PUBLISHED BOOKS

THAT TOOK OUT WONDERLAND OR ITS CHARACTERS

AND EXPANDED THEM IN NEW DIRECTIONS.

AND LITERARY CRITICS BELIEVE THAT'S PROBABLY WHY "WONDERLAND,"

AFTER THE BIBLE AND SHAKESPEARE,

IS STILL THE MOST QUOTED WORK IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE,

THAT LEWIS CARROLL EMBRACED

THE TRANSFORMATION OF HIS STORY.

HE'S THE BIGGEST PROPONENT OF THE FANS.

HAS HE GONE AFTER ANYBODY FOR DOING A FAN FILM?

ABSOLUTELY NOT.

HE'S ACTUALLY-- OH, MY GOD,

HE HOLDS A CONTEST FOR YOU.

HE MAKES LIBRARY SOUNDS AVAILABLE TO YOU.

LUCAS HAS BEEN, I THINK, FAR MORE GRACIOUS

TO HIS FANS THAN HIS FANS, PERHAPS, HAVE BEEN TOLERANT OF LUCAS.

WE WANT THE AUTHORS OF OUR TEXTS TO BE DEAD

AND FOR US TO HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OVER THEM

AND THEM NOT TO TELL US WHAT TO DO WITH IT ANYMORE.

WE LIKE THE IDEA THAT THERE ARE THESE SORT OF MAGICAL CHARACTERS

WHO CREATE AMAZING THINGS AND THEN LEAVE THEM TO US

TO GO FIND OUR OWN WAY HOME.

THIS THING THAT HE MADE, YOU KNOW,

WHATEVER HIS INTENTIONS WERE,

IT'S DEFINITELY NOT-- HE'S NOT IN CONTROL OF IT ANYMORE.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE FIGHTING THE ULTIMATE UPHILL BATTLE.

YOU KNOW, THE FANS ARE NEVER GONNA WIN ABOUT THAT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WE WILL HAVE TO PRY "STAR WARS"

OUT OF GEORGE LUCAS' COLD DEAD HANDS.

UH! YOU WANT YOUR "STAR WARS?"

EAT IT.

PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT MY MIDDLE NAME IS ACTUALLY "W."

I AM THE OTHER G.W.RIGHT.

AND I AM MORE THAN THE DECIDER, I'M THE CREATOR.

YOU ARE THE CREATOR.

I AM THE GEORGE WITH A CAPITAL "G."

I SEE, YEAH.

I THINK FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF CONTROL,

IT BELONGS TO GEORGE LUCAS.

HE CONTROLS HOW THE FANS ARE GOING TO SEE IT,

UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS THEY'RE GOING TO SEE IT.

AND THEY HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT.

HE'S VERY CONTROLLING OF HIS IMAGE.

HE MADE ONE FATAL ERROR,

AND HE'S DONE EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER

TO ERASE THAT.

AND THAT WAS THE "STAR WARS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL."

Announcer: THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL.

THE STORY GOES THAT FOR MANY YEARS HE DENIED IT EVER HAPPENED.

WHEN LUCAS DOES OCCASIONALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT EXISTS,

HE GENERALLY SAYS, "IF I COULD TRACK DOWN EVERY COPY

AND SMASH IT WITH A HAMMER, I WOULD."

IT IS THE SINGLE WORST PIECE OF TELEVISION EVER TO BE PUT TOGETHER.

THE GRAND CONCEIT OF THE "STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL"

IS THAT CHEWBACCA NEEDS TO RETURN TO HIS HOME PLANET OF KASHYYYK

FOR LIFE DAY, WHICH IS THE WOOKIE PLANETARY HOLIDAY.

HAPPY LIFE DAY, PAL.

[GROANS]

AT LEAST 20 MINUTES OF THE 2-HOUR SPECIAL

OCCURS WITHIN CHEWBACCA'S HOUSEHOLD

IN WOOKIE LANGUAGE WITH NO SUBTITLES.

[BOTH GROANING]

WHAT WERE THEY SMOKING?

PEOPLE WERE TUNED IN TO WATCH JUST GROWLING,

A HALF-HOUR OF CHARACTERS GROWLING AT EACH OTHER.

IT'S SURREAL.

THE GRANDFATHER OF THE CLAN, ITCHY,

PUTS ON SOME SORT OF HEAD GEAR

AND IS ABLE TO SEE A HOLOGRAM OF DIAHANN CARROLL

SINGING TO HIM.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY A KIND OF GALACTIC PORNOGRAPHY.

[GROWLS]

OH. OH, WE ARE EXCITED, AREN'T WE?

HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE SEEN THE "STAR WARS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL"?

YOU KNOW, IN SOME CULTURES, IT'S A WAR CRIME.

HE VERY QUICKLY REALIZED THAT THIS WAS DAMAGING

TO THE LUCAS IMAGE AND TO THE "STAR WARS" BRAND,

AND SO HE'S TRIED TO EXCISE THAT FROM HISTORY.

NOT QUITE SUCCESSFULLY.

SO HERE'S MY LEGALLY OBTAINED, PERFECTLY LEGITIMATE COPY

OF THE "STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL."

IF IT HAPPENS TO LOOK LIKE A VHS RIP SHODDILY ENCODED

TO AN INTERNET FORMAT, JUST A TRICK OF THE LENS.

YOU KNOW, IT IS PART OF "STAR WARS" HISTORY.

THIS IS LIKE THE HOLY GRAIL.

THIS IS FINDING BIGFOOT OR THE LOCH NESS MONSTER.

IT'S LIKE FINDING YOUR MOM AND DAD'S SEX TAPE.

IT SHOULD JUST EXIST FOR A CULTURAL TOUCHTONE FOR THE SEVENTIES.

IT BELONGS IN A MUSEUM.

CHRISTMAS OF 2008 IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE PALEY CENTER,

WHICH IS A MUSEUM DEDICATED TO TELEVISION HISTORY,

THEY WERE DOING AN ONLINE POLL

AS TO WHAT PEOPLE'S FAVORITE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL WAS.

AND THEY WERE GONNA SCREEN THE TOP 5 WINNERS.

AND THEY HAD "CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS,"

"RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER," "FROSTY," ALL THAT.

"STAR WARS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL" RAN AWAY WITH IT.

WHEN I SAW THE POLL, I THOUGHT, EVEN IF THIS WINS,

THERE'S NO WAY LUCAS WILL LET IT BE SCREENED.

AND IT TURNED OUT TO BE YET ANOTHER BOOTLEG WITH THE COMMERCIALS INTACT.

THE "STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL"

CREATES ATTENTION FOR LUCAS,

IN THAT IF HE IS TO BE THE ALL-CONTROLLING, ALL-ENCOMPASSING,

ALL-KNOWING CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE

WHO THEN LETS THINGS RUN OUT OF HIS CONTROL,

IT INDICATES THAT HE'S NOT ALL-KNOWING,

ALL-CONTROLLING, ALL-ENCOMPASSING.

EVERYONE GEEKS OUT FOR ONE THING.

WILL THERE BE AN END TO GEEKING OUT FOR "STAR WARS"?

GEE, I DON'T KNOW, MAN.

HOW LONG CAN YOU RUN A CHEESE GRATER ALONG YOUR FACE

AND STILL LIKE IT?

I NEVER SAW EPISODE III.

HE NEVER SAW--

HE ACTUALLY--HE FELT BURNED ENOUGH TO NOT SEE EPISODE III.

SO I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE TO BREAK THE CHAIN.

I STOPPED COMPLETELY.

I BURNED ALL MY TOYS.

I DIDN'T--I DIDN'T HAVE ANY TOYS.

BUT IF YOU DID.I WOULD HAVE BURNED THEM.

I DON'T LIKE THESE ANYMORE.

I DON'T-- ESPECIALLY DON'T LIKE THE DROID WARS.

WHAT GEORGE LUCAS DID TO A LOT OF WHAT I ENJOYED

WAS HORRIBLE.

ONE OF THE WORST THINGS THAT A NERD CAN DO--

IF I CAN USE THE WORD "NERD"--

IS WHEN THEY LOVE SOMETHING SO MUCH

THAT IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO BE MORE INTO IT THAN THE NEXT PERSON,

THEY HAVE TO HATE IT.

YOU THINK THIS REALLY COULDN'T GET,

YOU KNOW, SO FUCKIN' BAD,

BUT IT JUST GETS WORSE AND FUCKIN' WORSE.

GEORGE, YOU MUST OWN UP TO YOUR MISTAKE.

GEORGE, YOU NEED TO TAKE A LONG FUCKIN' WALK

OF A SHORT FUCKIN' PIER AT THE MOMENT

BECAUSE YOUR MOVIES ARE THE WORST PIECES OF SHIT

I HAVE EVER, EVER, EVER SEEN.

YOU USED TO BE SO GOOD.

AND THEIR NERD LOVE KIND OF EATS ITS OWN TAIL

LIKE A SNAKE EATING ITS OWN TAIL.

AND ALL OF THE SORT OF LOVE THAT WAS MOTIVATING THAT NERD

TO WANT TO GO ON THE INTERNET

AND TALK ABOUT "STAR WARS"

HAS NOW TURNED IN ON ITSELF.

AND, LIKE, THEY'RE LIKE SITH LORDS, YOU KNOW.

THEY NOW ARE JUST CONSUMED WITH HATRED OF "STAR WARS."

THAT'S HOW YOU CAN TELL THEY'RE "STAR WARS" FANS

IS THAT THEY HATE "STAR WARS" SO MUCH.

I GO OUT OF MY WAY FOR YOU.

I WATCH YOUR MOVIES. I BUY YOUR TOYS.

I EVEN BURNED MY COPY OF THE HOLIDAY SPECIAL JUST TO MAKE YOU HAPPY.

AND WHAT THANKS DO I GET?

DO "STAR WARS" FANS NEED TO GET OVER THINGS?

NOT NECESSARILY.

I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT PROFESSIONALS.

[SPEAKING FRENCH]

INDIANA JONES SURVIVES A FUCKIN' NUCLEAR BLAST IN A FRIDGE.

THERE ARE PEOPLE SWINGING FROM VINES LIKE FUCKIN' TARZAN.

AND THERE ARE FUCKIN' ALIENS.

WHAT THE FUCK?

THEY DID AN EPISODE OF "SOUTH PARK"

WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE BOYS ARE KIND OF TALKING AMBIGUOUSLY

ABOUT THIS RAPE THAT'S OCCURRED IN TOWN,

AND THEY'RE REALLY EMOTIONAL AND UPSET.

LOOK, WHAT HAPPENED HAPPENED.

WE CAN'T CHANGE IT NOW.

WE ALL HAVE TO MOVE ON.

MOVE ON?

OUR FRIEND WAS RAPED, STAN.

AND AS AN AUDIENCE MEMBER, YOU'RE WONDERING,

WHAT ARE THEY-- WHO GOT RAPED?

AND THEN BAM.

WELL, WELL, INDIANA JONES, YOU'RE LOOKING NICE.

LUCAS AND SPIELBERG GRAPHICALLY RAPING INDIANA JONES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S VERY "DELIVERANCE."

[SPEAKING JAPANESE]

I TOOK A COUPLE OF MY ANIMATORS,

THE ANIMATORS FROM "SOUTH PARK," WE WENT TO GO SEE IT.

WE ALL FELT LIKE GEORGE LUCAS AND STEVEN SPIELBERG

WERE TREATING US LIKE WE WERE IDIOTS, LIKE WE WERE STUPID.

WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT TO "INDIANA JONES"?

THE "SOUTH PARK" EPISODE, I THINK,

REALLY HAD MORE OF AN IMPACT

ON THE INDY FANS THAN INDY 4.

I THINK THAT--THAT WAS THEIR CLOSURE.

WE FELT THE SAME WAY AS THE BOYS DID.

WE'RE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IT

SINCE IT HAPPENED.

WHAT DOES GEORGE THINK ABOUT THE "SOUTH PARK" EPISODE?

GEORGE, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IT?

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I THINK.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? WHAT DO YOU THINK THAT SAYS?

WHENEVER I THINK OF GEORGE LUCAS,

I THINK OF CAPTAIN EO.

WHENEVER I THINK OF CAPTAIN EO,

I THINK OF MICHAEL JACKSON.

SO WHENEVER I THINK OF MICHAEL JACKSON,

I THINK OF DISNEYLAND.

SO THEN WHENEVER I THINK OF MICHAEL JACKSON

AND I THINK OF GEORGE LUCAS AND I THINK OF CAPTAIN EO

AND I THINK OF DISNEYLAND, I THINK OF MY CHILDHOOD.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I GO INTO THIS WEIRD PLACE

WHERE IT'S GEORGE LUCAS, MY CHILDHOOD SELF,

AND MICHAEL JACKSON.

OH, MY GOD.

I WAS AT A CONVENTION

AND I SAW SOME GUYS SELLING A T-SHIRT

THAT ACTUALLY DID SAY "GEORGE LUCAS RAPED MY CHILDHOOD."

ISN'T THERE A SONG, "GEORGE RAPED MY CHILDHOOD"?

♪ GEORGE LUCAS RAPED OUR CHILDHOOD ♪

♪ GEORGE LUCAS RAPED OUR CHILDHOOD ♪

♪ GEORGE LUCAS RAPED OUR CHILDHOOD ♪

NO ONE RAPED MY CHILDHOOD,

LEAST OF ALL GEORGE LUCAS.

AND QUITE FRANKLY, IF SOME METAPHORICAL

VERSION OF GEORGE LUCAS

WANTED TO HAVE SEXUAL CONGRESS

WITH SOME METAPHORICAL VERSION OF MY CHILDHOOD,

IT WOULD BE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL, CONSENSUAL OF LOVEMAKING.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN SAY GEORGE LUCAS RUINED MY CHILDHOOD

BECAUSE YOU'RE STILL LIVING IN YOUR CHILDHOOD.

YOU'RE ACTING LIKE A CHILD.

TOOK AWAY WHAT CHILDHOOD?

DID YOU BUY THE TOYS? DID YOU HAVE FUN? WERE YOU INSPIRED?

SHUT UP.

IT'S NOT LIKE HE'S TAKING THOSE CHARACTERS

AND DOING TERRIBLE THINGS WITH THEM.

WELL, HE KIND OF IS, THOUGH.

WE WERE ASKING FOR IT IN A WAY.

IT'S LIKE WHY WERE WE DRESSED LIKE THAT

IN THAT PART OF TOWN AT THAT TIME OF NIGHT

IF WE WEREN'T LOOKING FOR SOME TROUBLE?

AND IN GEORGE'S MIND, HE GAVE US WHAT WE WANTED.

HE GAVE US NEW "STAR WARS."

WE NEVER SAID WE WANTED GOOD "STAR WARS,"

WE JUST SAID WE WANTED "STAR WARS."

YOU COULD SAY LIKE GEORGE LUCAS IS A SEDUCER.

I'D SAY LIKE BATTERED WIFE IS PROBABLY A BETTER EXAMPLE.

WE KEEP GETTING BEATEN BY BAD DAD,

BUT KEEP GOING BACK TO BAD DAD TO GET BEATEN SOME MORE.

NO!

[SIZZLING]

HOW DID HE RUIN YOUR CHILDHOOD?

BECAUSE OF SLOPPY STORYTELLING.

WHEN I WAS IN THE THEATER,

I REALLY FELT LIKE, FUCK, THERE GOES--

FUCK, THERE GOES MY CHILDHOOD.

THAT WAS EXCITING.

I'M GONNA STEP AWAY FROM ACCUSING THE MAN OF LYING TO HIMSELF,

FOR CHEATING ANY OF US, OR, YOU KNOW, PILLAGING THE PLAYGROUNDS OF OUR MIND,

OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

BUT ONLY BECAUSE I'VE MADE FUN OF HIM IN MY COMIC STRIP AND I DON'T WANT HIM TO SUE ME.

I THINK WE'RE GIVING HIM SUCH A HARD TIME

BECAUSE THE FRANCHISE OF "STAR WARS" STANDS FOR SOMETHING.

IT WAS THE THING THAT WE HARKIN BACK TO AS BEING MOST PURE

IN REGARDS TO OUR CINEMATIC EXPERIENCE.

IT'S THE FOUNDATION.

THERE'S NO VILLAIN IN THIS STORY.

IT'S BETTER FOR US AS GEEKS

TO HAVE A SUIT TO BLAME FOR THINGS,

BUT WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A SUIT TO BLAME

AND WE REALIZE, OH, GEORGE IS THE SUIT.

HE'S ALSO THE CREATIVE GUY AND HE'S THE--GAH.

IT'S A LOT OF CONFLICTING FEELINGS.

LUCAS' OWN CAREER IS LIKE--

IS LIKE THE RISE AND FALL OF ANAKIN SKYWALKER.

I CAN'T HAVE BEEN THE FIRST PERSON TO SAY THAT.

I WAS SORT OF FIGHTING THE CORPORATE SYSTEM, WHICH I DIDN'T LIKE,

AND I'M NOT HAPPY WITH THE FACT THAT CORPORATIONS

HAVE TAKEN OVER THE FILM INDUSTRY.

BUT NOW I'VE FOUND MYSELF BEING THE HEAD OF A CORPORATION.

SO THERE'S A CERTAIN IRONY THERE

IS THAT I'VE BECOME THE VERY THING THAT I WAS TRYING TO AVOID.

THAT IS DARTH VADER.

HE BECOMES THE VERY THING THAT HE'S TRYING TO PROTECT HIMSELF AGAINST.

YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY LOOK AT THE "STAR WARS" MOVIES

AS AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL.

THERE ARE CLEARLY A LOT OF THESE PARALLELS

IN THE VERY FIRST "STAR WARS" MOVIE

WITH LUKE SKYWALKER BEING SORT OF THE LONELY ADOLESCENT KID

WHO YEARNS TO GET OUT OF HIS CULVER CITY OF A PLANET.

MAYBE GEORGE LUCAS HAS HAD THAT NIGHTMARE

WHERE HE GOES INTO THE TREE

AND HE SEES THAT VERSION OF HIMSELF,

LIKE LUKE SAW THE VERSION OF HIMSELF

THAT HAD TURNED INTO VADER.

HERE'S A REALITY CHECK, GEORGE.

YOU DID BECOME THAT GUY.

FOR A LOT OF GEEKS, YOU DID BECOME THE VERSION OF LUKE

IN THE TREE THAT IS IN VADER'S MASK.

I WONDER IF HIS SON IS GONNA KILL HIM

AND THEN MAKE HIS GHOST SAY SORRY.

I WILL SAY ONE THING ABOUT GEORGE LUCAS.

REGARDLESS OF HIS WEAKNESSES AS A FILMMAKER,

HE IS A--HE DESERVES RESPECT BECAUSE HE IS A TOWERING GIANT

IN THE HISTORY OF CINEMA.

I THINK MAYBE WE MADE HIM FEEL LIKE HE COULDN'T REALLY MAKE

ANYTHING BUT "STAR WARS."

PARAMOUNT WANTS ANOTHER FRANCHISE FILM FROM HIM.

THE DISTRIBUTORS OF "STAR WARS,"

THEY WANT ANOTHER "STAR WARS" FILM.

THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE ON GEORGE LUCAS

TO MAKE THESE BECAUSE THEY'RE BUSINESS VENTURES.

I'M HOLDING OUT THAT HE'S STILL

GOT SOMETHING IN HIM

AND HE COULD MAKE ANOTHER

"AMERICAN GRAFFITI," ANOTHER "THX,"

ANOTHER "STAR WARS."

NO WAY.I THINK HE COULD.

HE'S GOT TO GET OUT OF "STAR WARS."

HE'S GOT TO JUMP OUT OF IT.

I THINK GEORGE IS A BIG, BLOATED BILLIONAIRE

THAT STILL HAS THE SOUL OF AN IDEALISTIC HIPPIE.

AND INSIDE THAT IDEALISTIC HIPPIE

IS AN ALIENATED KID WHO USED TO GO OUT TO THE GARAGE

AND WORK ON MOTORS WHEN HE FELT LIKE HE DIDN'T FIT IN.

AND THEN ALL THAT IS INSERTED INSIDE

A GIANT DEATH STAR LIKE CORPORATION

THAT GREW UP AROUND HIM.

AND I SUPPOSE ALL OF THOSE 4 VERSION OF HIM

ARE BATTLING IT OUT.

AND I'M ROOTING FOR THE LITTLE KID IN THE MIDDLE.

I HOPE THAT HE EVENTUALLY COMES OUT

AND MAKES SOME MORE MOVIES.

NO MATTER HOW MANY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS "STAR WARS" COULD EARN

AND NO MATTER HOW VALUABLE THAT FRANCHISE THAT THEY CALL IS,

IT ISN'T WORTH A TENTH OF WHAT HE'S WORTH AS AN ARTIST

AND WHAT HE'S CAPABLE OF DOING.

[SPEAKING GERMAN]

HE INSPIRED ME TO GET ON YOUTUBE, DO MY THING,

AND BE PRETTY DANG GOOD AT WHAT I'M DOING.

[SPEAKING JAPANESE]

[SPEAKING JAPANESE]

[HUMMING "STAR WARS" THEME]

ALL THE FANS ARE STILL RIGHT THERE WITH HIM.

AND I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE WONDERFUL THINGS

ABOUT THE WORLD OF FANDOM

IS THAT WE'RE PRETTY FORGIVING PEOPLE.

LOOK, HE GAVE US HOURS AND HOURS OF ENJOYMENT.

100%. THAT HAS BEEN A LIFETIME OF ENJOYMENT.

IF I SAW GEORGE LUCAS, I'D GIVE HIM A BIG HUG AND SAY THANK YOU.

AND THE END OF THE DAY, HE'S A HUMAN BEING.

HE'S A HUMAN BEING WHO'S PLACED IN AN EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCE.

YOU KNOW WHAT, WHEN WE GET DOWN TO IT,

NONE OF US HAVE ANY HUGE RIGHT

TO COMPLAIN ABOUT 3 MOVIES WE DON'T LIKE.

'CAUSE HE GAVE US THOSE 3 MOVIES THAT WE LOVE FOREVER.

DID WE PAY TOO MUCH TO GO SEE THOSE 3 MOVIES?

DID I HAVE SOMETHING REALLY BETTER TO DO

AT 4:00 IN THE MORNING OPENING NIGHT OF EPISODE II?

NO.

COULD HAVE STAYED HOME AND PLAYED SOME "STAR WARS" VIDEO GAMES.

THIS CONVERSATION WILL NEVER GO AWAY.

WHEN WE'RE IN RETIREMENT HOMES ARGUING ABOUT THINGS

WE'LL BE HAVING A CONVERSATION ABOUT

WHAT WENT WRONG WITH THE "PHANTOM MENACE"?

WHY DIDN'T IT WORK? WHAT ABOUT THAT JAR JAR BINKS?

BECAUSE THAT'S THE THING.

THE HATRED'S COUPLED WITH SUCH LOVE

OF SOME OF THE THINGS HE'S DONE, YOU KNOW.

YOU CAN'T FIGHT IT. I WANT NEW--I STILL WANT NEW "STAR WARS."

WE'RE THE FIRST CIVILIZATION IN ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY

THAT MADE FUN, IMPORTANT...

AND GOSH, BY THAT FUNDAMENTAL MORAL STANDARD,

GEORGE LUCAS IS A FREAKIN' SAINT.

WE LOVE YOU, GEORGE.

YEAH. WE LOVE YOU.

THAT'S WHAT IT ALL COMES DOWN TO.

WE LOVE YOU.

WE LOVE YOU, UNCLE GEORGE.

I GOT HIM!GREAT, KID.

DON'T GET COCKY.

♪ DEAR GEORGE LUCAS

♪ YOU SHOULD CELEBRATE

♪ 'CAUSE I JUST SAW "REVENGE OF THE SITH" ♪

♪ AND IT WAS REALLY GREAT

♪ BUT THEN I HEARD A RUMOR

♪ YOU'RE CALLING IT A NIGHT

♪ AIN'T GONNA BE NO MORE "STAR WARS" MOVIES ♪

♪ THAT JUST CAN'T BE RIGHT

♪ WELL, I KNOW YOU'RE TIRED ♪

♪ I'M SURE YOU NEED A BREAK ♪

♪ BUT YOU CAN'T END THE STORY NOW ♪

♪ THERE'S JUST TOO MUCH AT STAKE ♪

♪ SO I'M GONNA HELP YOU

♪ WE'LL KEEP THIS THING ALIVE ♪

♪ I'LL PICK UP RIGHT WHERE YOU LEFT OFF ♪

♪ FOR "STAR WARS 3.5"

♪ 'CAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER STORY TO TELL ♪

♪ FOR THE JEDI AND THE SITH ♪

♪ I CAN HARDLY WAIT

♪ 'CAUSE "STAR WARS 3.5" IS GONNA TAKE THE CAKE ♪

♪ DEAR GEORGE LUCAS

♪ YOU MADE A PRETTY GOOD START

♪ BUT IT'S NOT WHERE THE STORY ENDS ♪

♪ SO I WROTE THE NEXT PART

[APPLAUSE]

CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT

CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org--

David Hinzmann: ♪ LUCAS

♪ LUCAS

♪ LUCAS

♪ LUCAS

♪ LUCAS

[SINGING IN GERMAN]

ALL RIGHT, LET ME DO THIS WITH AS FEW WORDS AS POSSIBLE.

[KISSING SOUNDS]

OOPS, I DIDN'T KNOW.

I DIDN'T KNOW, EITHER.

BLECH!

BLECH!

OK, I'M OVER IT.

WANT TO GET SOME COFFEE?

YEAH, I COULD GET SOME COFFEE.

LET'S GO GET SOME COFFEE.