April 23, 2005
Lucas: 'Star Wars' shouldn't rule fans' lives
George Lucas told fans he will miss the camaraderie of the “Star Wars” family “as I go off and make movies no one wants to see.” -- Joe Vitt / The Star
By Bonnie Britton
bonnie.britton@indystar.com
George Lucas, the master of all Jedi, was in town Saturday for Celebration III, and for about 10,000 soggy “Star Wars” fans at the Indiana Convention Center, it must have been akin to an audience with the pope of pop culture.
The 60 year old filmmaker made his first fan event appearance since 1987.
Two of his children, Katie and Jett, came onstage during each of the three sessions in the Sagamore Ballroom to introduce a “home movie” about their dad. It showed Lucas in blue makeup; he makes a brief appearance as Baron Papanoida in “Star Wars: Episode III —Revenge of the Sith,” which opens May 19.
The four day event, featuring films, activities, sessions with actors, an autograph hall and other attractions, ends today. (Sunday). It’s expected to draw more than 28,000 people.
Actor Jay Laga’aia, from “Attack of the Clones” and “Revenge of the Sith,” kept the half hour sessions moving along.
A limited number of fans lined up on either side of the stage Saturday to ask questions.
At one session, Lucas, relaxed and in jeans and a charcoal sweater, said people should take away what they can from the “Star Wars” movies, “but don’t let it take over your lives.”
He said the movies suggest “to get on with your lives, take that challenge, to leave your uncle’s moisture farm (as Luke Skywalker did), to go out in the world and change it to save the universe.”
Lucas is happy with all six “Star Wars” movies, and sees them as one big movie, not six separate films.
He told the gatherings that “Star Wars” may not be over with “Revenge of the Sith,” in which Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen ) goes to the Dark side.
He’s not promising Episodes VII, VIII and IX, however. One continuation of “Star Wars” would be a half hour animated 3D TV series. The other would be a live action spin off series. The first season of scripts will be written before shooting begins. He also talked to actor Warwick Davis backstage about a possible “Willow” TV series. And, he’s reading an Indiana Jones script this weekend.
“Revenge of the Sith” will get a PG 13 rating, and Lucas said it’s because the movie is “much rougher” than the other films. The audience gets to see how Anakin becomes disfigured. “It’s not a pleasant experience.” Plus, more arms and legs get cut off.
Lucas said he will miss the camaraderie of the “Star Wars” family “as I go off and make movies no one wants to see.”
Two moving moments came when young fans, sitting in the disabled area, were allowed on stage to shake Lucas’ hand.
One youngster at the microphone said, “My dad keeps telling me the Stormtroopers are the good guys.”
Perhaps not wanting to make the boy’s father look bad, Lucas replied, “The Stormtroopers are the good guys — they just take orders from very bad men.” Why do the Sith have yellow eyes, one fan wondered, and was the transformation gradual or instantaneous?
Lucas replied, “It happens when you become particularly evil.”
One fan, from New York, asked Lucas what would happen to him when he dies, because Jedi either just lay there or fade away.
“I’m not sure, but I think I’ll just lay there dead,” he responded.
A Texas man asked what Steven Spielberg’s involvement was in “Episode III.” “Uh, he did the whole thing, I just put my name on it,” Lucas joked. He added that Spielberg had the summer off and was bored at the pool, so he worked on storyboards. Some found their way into the movie.
“How did you come up with the name Star Wars?” asked a child.
“It was first called ‘The Star Wars,’ a war of the stars. The studio didn’t like it, they thought it was about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton,” Lucas joked.
Except for one question that got too close to being a movie spoiler — and caused a loud buzz among the assembled — most fans were respectful of Lucas and prefaced their questions with praise for his movies and merchandise.
One young man from Turkey asked why “Star Wars” merchandise was impossible to find in his country. Lucas didn’t know and was surprised they hadn’t tapped that market.
Which “Star Wars” character would he like to play?” R2 D2, he replied, because he’s a hero and has all the fun.
Another fan wanted to know why Lucas created “Star Wars” (the movies have grossed more than $3.4 billion worldwide).
“I ask myself that every day,” he said. “About half way through, I wondered, what was I thinking about?” He added he wanted to make it fun, and with values. “Little did I realize you would like it so much.”
