Star Wars is no stranger to debate and controversy. Fans love the films and are willing to argue about the tiniest details of the films, books, and mythology. And George Lucas's desire to constantly fiddle with the films to bring them closer to his own vision has only made the controversies more intense.
But, CELEBRATION V may have kicked over the hornet's nest in a new series of interviews with Gary Kurtz. Kurtz directed the most beloved of the Star Wars films - THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK - and left the films during the early stages of RETURN OF THE JEDI. He has remained silent over the details for decades. But he has finally broken his silence.
“We had an outline and George changed everything in it," Kurtz said. “Instead of bittersweet and poignant he wanted a euphoric ending with everybody happy. The original idea was that they would recover [the kidnapped] Han Solo in the early part of the story and that he would then die in the middle part of the film in a raid on an Imperial base. George then decided he didn’t want any of the principals killed. By that time there were really big toy sales and that was a reason.”This new story vindicates conspiracy theorists who have speculated for years that Kurtz had a "better" story in mind for the film than the final version produced. And this ending sounds a lot more satisfying to the adults that most fans are today. Although, I can't help wondering if the children who first watched JEDI would have agreed.
The discussed ending of the film that Kurtz favored presented the rebel forces in tatters, Leia grappling with her new duties as queen and Luke walking off alone “like Clint Eastwood in the spaghetti westerns,” as Kurtz put it.
Kurtz said that ending would have been a more emotionally nuanced finale to an epic adventure than the forest celebration of the Ewoks that essentially ended the trilogy with a teddy bear luau.
4 comments:
That is a telling line... "by that time there were really big toy sales and that was the reason."
Explains much of Lucas decision making for the prequels.
I think Lucas started as a true indie filmmaker, but changed over time. American Graffiti and even the original Star Wars were very visceral, realistic, gritty films that seemed to have real people populating them.
But he turned into a true executive, thinking about the tie ins and money more than the artistic integrity of the films.
Ah well.
Love the line... "essentially ended the trilogy with a teddy bear luau." :)
I love the teddy bear line too.
I really don't have many problems with ROTJ. I think killing off Han in the middle of the movie would not have made it better.
Thankfully, Lucas accomplished with the Ewoks what he was not able to accomplish with the Gungans. They were a non-human race that actually was capable of putting the heros or villains in peril. Neither the Jedi nor the droid armies were ever in any real danger from the Gungans. Even with that, the Ewoks were lovable so Lucas got his child friendly aspect of the film without totally ruining the tension.
George Lucas's desire to constantly fiddle with the films to bring them closer to his own vision has only made the controversies more intense. swtor credits swtor credits
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