George Lucas: Genius

George Lucas was once considered an unparalleled film genius. At some point, he fell from grace and was demoted to being merely an ideas man. Although the historical truth lies somewhere in between. George Lucas’ talents were balanced by his flaws in other areas, both of which were growing so large that the flaws became undeniably obvious. Lucas was more than just an “ideas man” however. It is said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration, which best describes Lucas’ approach.

He is a unique individual who, growing up, was told that movies had to be made a certain wa. And to which his response was American Graffiti. He was told that science fiction films were a waste of time, and he turned this belief on its head by reinvigorating the genre. He found that special effects were in decline, so he gathered people together to change the world of filmmaking. He saw that film itself was a crude medium and so he set in motion a transformation in how movies could be made.

How many individuals spend two decades of sheer determination to contribute as much as he did to change the way filmmaking happens? Not by just cultivating the idea itself, but by spending limitless time, money and resources. And what was most on the line in his path towards redirecting the industry - his reputation as a filmmaker. George Lucas saw multiple ideas become not just reality, but created a new norm. He revolutionized filmmaking by making it mainstream to have an idea (even a great idea) and having that idea change the world! Lucas stuck so closely to his ideas (and the ideals he considered to be a new cannon in filmmaking) that like a runaway freight train, he overcame obstacles that appeared before him with unrelenting resolve.

Was every idea good? Of course not. Sometimes success came about after a string of failures, not unlike other revolutionary minds throughout history. There were moments when he sold out, and there were moments when he stayed true to himself. Ironically the former often saw him as a hero and the ladder a villain. That his pursuit of what he considered to be ideals sometimes lead to failure does not diminish what he accomplished or overshadow his virtues. The very things that made him a success also frequently lead him down the wrong path. His judgment was sometimes clouded or blinded to the reality of what was going on around him. Insecurity and fear drove him to (either intentionally or unintentionally) misrepresent himself and alter facts to fit his preferred history. It should be no surprise that a man who so tampered with his signature films has likewise tampered with his own version of himself as he presents it.

I have traveled, as an observer and at times partaker, through Lucas’ long and sordid filmmaking journey. It is astonishing to see all that he has accomplished and how he has otherwise acquitted himself in that time. In weighing the sum of his contributions, the bad alongside the good, it is my belief that it becomes clear his humanity and love of the craft shine through his every endeavor.