New book details the making of RotJ, and reveals that George was just pulling it out of his ass as he went along. Oh, and everybody (but George), hated the fucking Ewoks. Some tasty tidbits: Lots more at the link.
I remember months before its theatrical release, "Return of the Jedi" was originally entitled "REVENGE of the Jedi". The link provides a very interesting read. Thanks Tuck!
It's apparent his loathing hadn't subsided by the time the Special Editions and prequels rolled around.
1) I still own a "Revenge of the Jedi" baseball cap. 2) Dark Horse Comics is publishing a "Star Wars: the First Draft" comic.
Haven't you ever noticed that Lucas seems to have a "thing" about people getting their hand chopped off? Their right hand, I might add. Obviously, George has some "issues," IYKWIM.
What amazes me is that there were scenarios where Return of the Jedi was even worse than it was. It seems to me that Lucas thought the ONLY alternative to his "happy ending" for ROTJ was an immensely dark one (like Luke becoming Vader). Which to me sounds like his imagination was rather limited. There were all kinds of ways that ROTJ could've been "darker" yet not been a complete "gone to the darkside" movie. You could still have the Rebel Alliance win but make the victory very bittersweet and phyrric (yeah can't quite remember the spelling). This is ultimately what the expanded universe opted for as the aftermath of ROTJ turned out to be largely a disaster for the galaxy.
Not "talentless" per se. Lucas had enough imagination to manage to steal and pillage mercilessly from EVERY possible source from the 40s, 50s, & 60s, and turn them into the great "Star Wars". But in very many ways, Lucas is like Orson Scott Card. He has had maybe one or two good ideas and has now ridden them mercilessly for decades. Of course, given that Hollywood prefers a "sure thing" over "originality" then Lucas fits in perfectly.
Eh, looks interesting enough to read. Too bad grad school has pretty much killed the whole reading for recreation thing for me.
