George Lucas: biography, personal life, films

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The legendary filmmaker, a recognized innovator in the science fiction genre, who in 1977 blew up the world film distribution with his rectilinear space film, which, upon closer examination, is a successful hybrid of Tolkien's fairy tales and Kurosawa's samurai films, was and remains a trendsetter in the sci-fi genre.

Outstanding Cinematographer

From such a simple description, every movie fan will recognize the iconic figure of George Lucas, despite the extensive filmography, best known as the creator of two exemplary franchises: the Indiana Jones 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 dystopia THX 1138. In general, the filmography of George Lucas as an actor, screenwriter, director and producer includes more than 80 television and film projects, including short films.

The founder of the genre

George Lucas is considered the founder of a new genre that did not exist before, because he was the firstopened the magical door to virtual reality and the end of the 70s was marked by the release of a story about the brave Anakin, the beautiful Princess Leia and the powerful Jedi, which had a tremendous impact on the existing mass culture. The heroes of the space epic, having appeared on the screen, soon spread throughout the world in the form of souvenir symbols and toys.

Few dare to dispute the fact that Lucas created a typically postmodern, resourceful, ironic, sometimes frankly parodic, built on all sorts of references and quotes, surprisingly intricate "star fantasy". Only by an unfortunate coincidence, due to the excessive efforts of the military and individual politicians, the name of the film series has become 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 claim was not upheld.

This was a saying, a fairy tale will be

Contrary to popular belief about the instant success of the first in the saga by the year of release and the fourth in the story chronology of the picture in 1977, it would be useful to give the following data: at first it was released in only 32 theaters, and its weekly rental fees amounted to only $ 2, 6 However, after a real sensation began, as a result, in 1977, the tape collected $ 307, 3 million. Warmed by the success, George Lucas wished to leave the troublesome profession of a director and had already acted as a producer of the subsequent no less successful and profitable two series, The Empire StrikesStrike Back and Return of the Jedi, in 1980 and 1983 respectively. The space franchise seemed to be over.

But in 1996, information was leaked to the press about George Lucas' intention to prepare an updated version of the tape that made him famous with the addition of modern special effects and re-editing of individual episodes. The film's run time was increased by almost 5 minutes, and the venture cost $10 million to implement.

George Lucas' Next Star Movies

The list of films, as evidence of the continuation of the stormy creative activity of the filmmaker at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries, was replenished with three more "missing" series of the cycle, which were prequels telling the background of events. They replenished the budget of the enterprising creator by $431.1 million, $310.7 million and $380.3 million respectively (only rentals in the US). In general, the "space franchise" brought Lucas almost 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 people believed in the success of the project, the astute George concludes an agreement with the XX Century Fox studio, according to which the rights associated with the trademark of the tape are transferred to him, in return he cut his director's fee considerably. This ingenious machination allows Lucas to still receive dividends fromarrived.

Numbers and fatality

In the biography of George Lucas, a successful and respected director of Hollywood, first of all, the numbers are impressive. He was nominated for an Oscar 66 times, received 17 coveted statuettes. In addition to this significant fact, the filmmaker's list of achievements includes 12 Emmy awards, the British Academy of Film and Television and BAFTA awards, and many less significant awards that other directors could rightfully be proud of.

The second thing that is no less striking in the fate of the film genius, recluse and billionaire, is fatality.

George W alton Lucas, Jr., born May 14, 1944 in sunny California, grew up a gifted but modest child. In high school, he got involved with the wrong company of bullies, from which he was quickly turned away by very strict parents. Dorothy Eleanor Lucas and George W alton Lucas were very religious, somewhat narrow-minded people, sometimes used harsh methods of education.

The young man had to conquer the film industry because of his personal drama. In his youth, he was fond of car racing, as a result, one day he crashed into a tree at high speed. The accident resulted in a serious injury to the lungs, incompatible with the profession of a race car driver.

Fateful Acquaintance

After graduating from college, the young man, rather “out of grief” than “obeying the call of his heart,” enters the film department of the University of California. There, his talent was immediately noticed, and not by anyone else, but by one ofoutstanding masters of world cinema Francis Ford Coppola. It was he, a mega-scale figure, each of whose works is a masterpiece and a grandiose event for film gourmets and critics, who sponsored Lucas' first directorial experiments. In 1970, aspiring director George Lucas made his debut film, the dystopian fantasy drama THX 1138, which failed at the box office. Coppola, bravely enduring the loss of a million dollars, once again gets involved in a risky adventure and finances George's next painting called American Graffiti. The project is an unprecedented critical and commercial success. Harrison Ford, the future star of George Lucas' films, is being shot in the movie.

Private life of a brand person

In 1969, George Lucas married editor Marcia Louis Griffin. After a while, the couple adopted baby Amanda, who stayed with her father after the divorce of the adoptive parents. Subsequently, Lucas, being a single father, adopted two more children - a son, Jett, and a girl, Kathy.

In 2013, the filmmaker announced his engagement to businesswoman Mellody Hobson, the same year the couple got married. Now parents are raising their daughter Everest.

Lucas does not hide his love and concern for children. He himself took them to school and cooked breakfast. At the same time, he is a strict father, not going to make them utterly spoiled Hollywood "movie kids". Lucas is confident that his children should make their own way, as excessive custody can paralyze their personality.initiative.

Condition

According to the ranking of the richest celebrities in the United States, compiled by Forbes magazine in 2017, the first position in the list is occupied by the author of "Star Wars" George Lucas. Prior to that, in the published general list of world billionaires, the creator of franchises was ranked 294th. After the sale of his film company Lucasfilm to Disney, which continued to produce new episodes of the saga, dividends and the total profit of the producer increased. And the winning Star Wars reboot did not have a significant impact on the fortune of George Lucas, which the publication estimated at $5.5 billion.

Book revelations

Most recently, George Lucas, in the pages of his forthcoming book A History of Science Fiction with James Cameron, shared his vision and creative ideas not embodied in the saga. According to his confession, the director has been nurturing his author's creative idea for the world of microbiotics for many years. But after releasing the prequels (“Episode I, II, III”), he realized that his vision was of little interest to fans.

Indeed, after showing the prequels, in which George fully revealed the concept and nature of the Force, explaining its presence in the presence of midi-chlorians in the blood, the fans of the saga rebelled, accusing the creator of spoiling everything that he came up with earlier. But after the release of The Last Jedi, fans initiated an online petition demanding that Episode VIII be removed from the franchise and that George Lucas be brought back.

Charity

As you know, withWith great fortune comes no less great responsibility. Many artists not only work to exhaustion for fabulous fees, but also share their earnings with those to whom fate was less favorable. 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 rest easy on his laurels, because he gave mankind a lot. But Lucas is not a man who can live his life in peace. Like the top 10 we althiest people on the planet, including Warren Buffett, Ted Turner and Bill Gates, George has given some of his we alth to a foundation that funds unique research, such as the eradication of malaria. He also has a nominal educational fund, whose competencies include encouraging innovation in the educational process of American schools.

The 74-year-old filmmaker is currently busy with 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 related to the film saga to one degree or another in the futuristic-style building. He is single-handedly financing the construction, the estimated cost of which exceeds one billion dollars. And future exhibits and museum donations are estimated at around 400 million.