"The People vs. George Lucas" teaser trailer

Filmmaker Alexandre Philippe, who in 2004 made Earthlings: Ugly Bags of Mostly Water, an engaging doc about a particular subset of Star Trek fans, is turning his attention from where no man has gone before to a galaxy far away. The People vs. George Lucas is an in-depth look at Star Wars fandom (not to mention scholarship and criticism), particularly with respect to what many consider to be series creator George Lucas' betrayal of his original vision. I believe by now Alexandre and his crew have interviewed hundreds of people...as it happens, two of them are myself and my buddy Todd Hanson, head writer for the Onion. Todd and I both worked on a Star-Wars-themed book a few years back that took a look at the franchise's impact on the larger culture, and I'm grateful that Alexandre found it pertinent enough to seek me out. Both the distinguished Mr. Hanson and I are in the teaser trailer seen above. (Hanson: blazer, goatee, long hair; me: age-inappropriate Mark Ecko Yoda t-shirt, fat-faced, balding.) I have to say the movie looks pretty good. Those whose computers don't seize up at high-def renditions of such stuff can find a snazzier version of the trailer here. And by all means check out the film's website. 

Comments

[Ti Alan Chase]

Glenn,

Some of your links in this article have an extra "http//" in them, which sends you nowhere if you click on them.

(Thought you'd like to know.)

[Glenn Kenny]

Thanks. Fixed.

[Joe Leydon]

Dude! We're co-stars!

[bill]

That should be fascinating. Because my disappointment in the prequels failed to fully crush my spirit, I was forced to consider the idea that I was never that invested in "Star Wars" to begin with. Of course, I wish I'd liked them more, and I think Lucas is an arrogant bonehead, but I have been able to sit back and watch so many other people's reaction with a kind of detached interest, which is part of the reason this film looks so intriguing to me.

I really hope they spend more than a little time on the films Lucas claims he wants to make but never does. That's referenced in the trailer, so here's hoping.

[Jürgen]

I dig the French dude who says, "The hatred that people claim they have for the new films proves how profoundly they love them." A fellow Star Wars fan once told me his stock answer for prequel hate was, "What did you expect?" and that made a lot of sense. What Lucas has accomplished is unique -- I don't know of another six film saga about the life of a single character, planned & executed over a nearly 30 year span -- so, as Les McCann said, compared to what? I'll have to go with destiny fulfilled.

[Glenn Kenny]

@ Joe Leydon: Indeed we are. Stick with me, pal, we'll take over the character actor industry!

[Account Deleted]

Jürgen: "The hatred that people claim they have for the new films proves how profoundly they love them." - love that line too.

I kind of liked some of the prequels and hated other parts. But that's just my rational 34 year old brain thinking. I did think that the last 30 minutes of 'Clones' was the most exciting thing i'd seen in the cinema for years. 'The Matrix'? Pah!

I recently found a pic of my 6 year old self playing with all his Star Wars toys. If he had seen the prequels they would have blown his mind. Which reminds me of the most important thing anyone has ever said about the prequels, funnily enough from the creator himself:

"Remember, the fans grow up. The films don't."

[lazarus]

Well said, markj.

In 50 years, I think people will be laughing at the leather and sunglasses chic of The Matrix, when bullet-time photography won't be so impressive anymore. But they will enjoy the prequels as much as its proponents did when they were released. As much as people seem to think the effects were the focal point, they're still all about the characters and the story, even if both aren't as clearly defined as in the originals.

[Account Deleted]

I agree Lazarus. I'd say The Matrix has already been forgotten. Nobody talks about it anymore. The two sequels destroyed it. I watched the three films recently (to listen to the critic commentary, which is a lot of fun btw) and they're all bad films, much worse than the prequels. The cutting-edge fx work in the first Matrix blinded a lot of critics to its faults, bad dialogue, wooden acting, a plot that doesnt hold up when examined in-depth. Basically all the things the prequels were attacked for.

[Designer Sunglasses]

That's a nice teaser. I liked it.

[azshop]

Nice trailer, I will wait for this movie.
Thank for share.