Was George Lucas Wrong?
Filed under: Fandom, Exhibition, Newsstand, George Lucas, Home Entertainment
With that headline, you're free to make any number of assumptions as what, exactly, filmmaker George Lucas was wrong about. Was he wrong to make the Ewoks cute and furry? Was he wrong to tweak the sacred Original Trilogy into pristine beauty? Was he wrong about Jar Jar Binks? Was he wrong about Indiana Jones? I could go on and on, but Vanity Fair writer Julian Sancton narrows it down to one thing, claiming that Lucas was wrong about ... (drum roll, please) ... the future of movies.
VF points to the "startling predictions" he made two and a half years ago "that the age of the blockbuster was over; that 'the secret to the future' was a large quantity of small, web-distributed movies; and that the habit of moviegoing would be a thing of the past." (See Cinematical's story from three years ago with similar Lucas predictions.) VF says that the crazy opening of Fast & Furious proves that "people are still thirsting for relatively cheap entertainment, and that big-budget, mindless, good-bad movies are a welcome distraction from the general glumness."
VF offers their own prophecies: fewer "middle-range" movies (budgeted between $25 - $100 million); more people investing in movies; plummeting DVD sales; and more frequent record-setting opening weekends. Frankly, those sound boring compared to Lucas' predictions, so let's go back to his ideas.
Was George Lucas wrong? Do you even care how much movies cost to produce? Or are you more concerned about the price of a ticket? For those of you who are regular (every week or two) moviegoers: Will you go see any big, dumb movie just to distract you from other problems? For less frequent moviegoers: Are you staying home because it's more convenient, or because the quality of movies has gone down?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
4-07-2009 @ 10:19PM
Zacqary Adam Green said...
Didn't Lucas say that the average movie would cost $15 million to make in 2025? Odd that Vanity Fair is declaring him wrong when it's not 2025 yet.
Considering that nobody really expected YouTube in 2000, I think it's safe to say that the movie industry will be very, very different in 15 years, not to mention every other industry that can theoretically distribute its products over the Internet.
Reply
4-08-2009 @ 1:29PM
Tom G said...
Movie theaters will never be a thing of the passed. Afterall, people still go to the opera, and plays, and read novels.
Reply
4-08-2009 @ 12:41AM
Matt S said...
Well, I personally hope that the future isn't exclusively web distributed films. I absolutely adore the theater going experience and would HATE to see it go, but I do welcome the idea of a larger quantity of movies being made for much lower budgets. If less money is being spent, chances are, producers will be more willing to take more chances on films. The constant onslaught of mundane, cookie cutter, and run of the mill films is my biggest issue with the modern film industry. I think more films for less money could make some positive changes........ Who knows who'll be right in the end.
Reply
4-08-2009 @ 1:21AM
Brad said...
Two and a half years ago? Wow. That long, huh?
Geez. Give it time.
Reply
4-08-2009 @ 9:08AM
Kevin said...
I agree that VF seems to be hitting Lucas a little early for this one. I kind of think Lucas might be right. We definitely will get more web released content in the coming decades, but I don't think that means that we'll be losing the theater experience. Take that Dr. whatever movie from Joss Whedon that came out online a few months (the one with Neil Patrick Harris and Firefly in it). That movie seemed to be extremely popular as a web viewing experience, but it would never have done well on the silver screen. In contrast, you've got movies like Iron Man that would be entertaining to watch on a computer but people are definitely willing to shell out 10 bucks to see it on a giant screen with ear numbing sound systems. So I think he's really talking about 2 different things and just doesn't realize it. The big budget blockbuster film industry isn't going anywhere, but smaller productions will (and are) definitely become much more popular. Personally I think thats awesome. I love watching viral videos and smaller films online, but nothing can compare to seeing a movie on the big screen.
Reply
4-08-2009 @ 9:12AM
Kevin said...
I meant for that second sentence to read "I think Lucas might be kind of right", meaning that I think part of what he said is correct. Hopefully that makes the rest of my ramble a little bit more coherent.
4-08-2009 @ 9:22AM
ML said...
Personally, I care more about the price of a ticket; however, I do think that the studios are stupid to spend so much and that they waste a ridiculous amount of money.
Reply
4-08-2009 @ 9:38AM
Cyhort said...
I hope Lucas is wrong. I go to the movies almost every week and I don't go to escape reality or to distract me from life I do it because I enjoy movies. I enjoy being entertained by a good story. I don't really care about the morals, social commentary, "shallowness", or any of that other crap that critics like to talk about in movies. I like a story and if a movie has a good story then I'll enjoy it. But I would be pretty pissed off if I had to buy said movies online then download them and watch them at my desk on my computer. If they're going to do that I'd rather they just make all movies straight to DVD.
The theater experience is unique, it's a place for people to get together and hang out (although I wish more parents would go with their little 13 year olds or at least teach them not to talk and giggle through the entire movie) and just have fun away from home for a few hours in a safe setting. Plus there is no experience like going to a midnight opening of the next huge blockbuster.
Reply
4-08-2009 @ 11:43AM
Tim said...
I think we are definitely going to see movie releases going towards the Internet as we get further and further technologically. While I see this happening, I do NOT see the theater experience dying...EVER. It is such a grand tradition that I believe despite the availability of Web releases people will still be happy to shell out a few bucks to see theater released flick. How many of us grew up looking forward to those days when our parents said: "Let's all go to the movies!"? Then there is that anticipation that you can only feel as the lights go down and the previews start up signaling that you are only moments from the thing you have been waiting days, months, and years to see: the next big blockbuster! have no fear...theaters are here to stay...
Reply
6-08-2009 @ 10:31AM
DD said...
I think it comes down to the fact that I, and not movies, have changed over the years. I used to really love going to and renting movies. But now, for me, the moviegoing experience is akin to having one deja-vu after another.
Underneath all the different masks most films, including indies, are neither original nor exciting.
Reply
6-18-2009 @ 1:13PM
Bernie said...
Whenever I see this mf, it will be a misunderstanding. And I'll be taking that sister he's dragging around with him too.
Reply