La Force was on the Croisette this Friday, May 24, 2024. A few days after the arrival of New Hollywood, alongside Francis Ford Coppola, who submitted his megalopolis to the competition. And, of course, the Star Wars saga, which he created before presenting Episodes II and III in the South of France.
Before receiving the Palme d’Or at the closing ceremony, George Lucas held a masterclass at the Cannes Film Festival. In just under 90 minutes, the man who revolutionized the Hollywood industry and pop culture looked back on the big moments of his career. And here are some excerpts, 100% Star Wars.
When he discovered the Star Wars theme
As any fan of the saga will tell you: the theme of Star Wars is an inexhaustible source of wonder and excitement. But how did George Lucas react when he first heard about it?
I loved it! I was talking to Steve – Steven Spielberg – I was saying that everything in the film goes back to the 1930s soap operas and they used classical music. I wanted the same thing, quote “Pierre and the Wolf” As a model: I wanted each character to have their own theme, to have an orchestra, not the synthesizers of the time.
I wanted a 30s score because I was doing a 30s film, Stephen told me about John Williams but I thought he only did jazz. He replied that nobody knew him as a classical composer then, but he might be. We recorded it at Abbey Road Studios in England and when I first heard it with an orchestra – which I hadn’t done before – I was like. “Oh my god !”
And that’s what everyone will do when they hear this score. Because I firmly believe that sound is half of a movie. And what costs the least: you get 50% of the results for about 25% of the total cost. People haven’t always thought about soundtrack design, but I do.
When he acquired the rights to the Star Wars sequels
It was nothing to them. They didn’t like the movie, they thought it was terrible and stupid, so they didn’t care about allowing a sequel. They thought the studio was going to resell it and nobody would blame them, especially since they thought it wouldn’t work.
I had to struggle for two, three or four years to make each film
The secret to all of this, ultimately, is persistence. I had to struggle for two, three or four years to make each film. I kept pushing, nagging and not giving up because I was passionate about the film and I didn’t care about the deal. The main thing for me was to make a film. As in film school, it was our only passion.
When he sold the rights to Star Wars to Disney
A world where Star Wars didn’t exist? Well, it almost happened (laughs) When I sold my company I explained that I had just had a little girl, that I had gotten married, and that my life had changed. I was 69 and I knew it would take me about ten years to make these films, I couldn’t see that at 79.
It was time to give it up and let someone else take it. Even though I was on the set of The Empire Strikes Back at the time because I was the only one who knew what Star Wars was, Irwin Kershner was a good friend and I played a consultant, an advisor. who knew the world.
They did not know, for example, what force was. Other films came out when I sold the company and some of my ideas got lost along the way. But that’s life. If you refuse, you give up.
Comments collected by Maximilien Pierret in Cannes on May 24, 2024
Source: Allocine
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
