George Lucas on Indiana Jones 5

Tusky

“If I can come up with another idea that they like, we’ll do another. Really, with the last one, Steven wasn’t that enthusiastic. I was trying to persuade him. But now Steve is more amenable to doing another one. Yet we still have the issues about the direction we’d like to take. I’m in the future; Steven’s in the past. He’s trying to drag it back to the way they were, I’m trying to push it to a whole different place. So, still we have a sort of tension. This recent one came out of that. It’s kind of a hybrid of our own two ideas, so we’ll see where we are able to take the next one.”

Ive put the most interested bit in bold.

There were plenty of things that were great about Crystal Skull. Mainly the old fashioned bits without CGI. The bike chase, the scene in the cafe at the start & the quicksand scene spring to mind.

From the above comments, we can pretty say for sure that Lucas influence is to blame for what went wrong with the movie.

This recent one came out of that. It’s kind of a hybrid of our own two ideas, so we’ll see where we are able to take the next one.”

I definitely felt this. Unfortunately, the bad outweighed the good. However, now it looks like Lucas wants the next installment to be even more different for want of a better word, than the original style.

Heres hoping it doesnt happen.

iMax

Indy is done as far as I'm concerned, there's great stories that could be told, but they're probably gonna be "Son of Indiana Jones" with Mom & Dad in a cameo (bailing him out at the end). Not that there would be anything wrong with that, I'd just prefer to see far less CGI & more real action

tylerdurden94

I dont actually think i wanna see another Indy movie after the last one it kinda soured the whole Indiana Jones saga for me.

Galvasean

Spo basically he wants everything about the next Indy film to be digital. Because Episode 2 was so great! :rolleyes:

pixelburp

Jesus, that man clearly doesn't pay the slightest bit of attention to his detractors & critics; his obsession with CGI really left its mark on Indy4; it was interesting how Spielberg spoke about how little CGI there was going to be (compared with how much there was in the end). Obviously Lucas waded in and kicked up a fuss. I suspect both Ford and Spielberg are smart enough to steer clear of a 5th movie, but who is the controlling interest in the franchise? If it's Lucas then the Indy series is gonna get fooked.

grames_bond

Galvasean wrote: »

Spo basically he wants everything about the next Indy film to be digital. Because Episode 2 was so great! :rolleyes:

no it wasnt, it was sh!t................oh i see what you've done there!!

they really should just let sleeping dogs lie imo!

Sad Professor

Agreed, no more Indy please.

As much as I'd love to blame Lucas I think it's Spielberg who really deserves it. He was the director and as the director he should have made the film he wanted to make but instead he made the film he thought everyone wanted to see. He's been guilty of this mistake many times throughout his career. You think he would have learned by now.

The biggest problem with the film imo was the overwhelming amount of slapstick which I'm inclined to attribute to Spielberg more so than Lucas. Spielberg's on set comedic improvisations are notorious. And to be fair to Lucas, he does his own thing and stands by it. Where as I fully expect Spielberg to have disowned this film in a couple of years.

BlitzKrieg

they really should just let sleeping dogs lie imo!

your kidding right?


This is George Lucas

he's already announced that he's redoing all six bloody star wars films again IN 3D!

we got that god awful looking cgi film next week

and we still have to see what overpriced monstrosity he has planned when he brings the films to blu ray.

He never lets anything lie.

faceman

I was really pi$$ed off reading that interview. For years there was no Indy 4 because himself, Speilberg and Ford couldnt agree etc etc, then we are led to believe the chemistry was right for Indy 4. The film was crap, and afterward Lucas paints a different picture.

Now that we have had the pleasure of watching the Dark Knight, it even moreso emphasises how poor Indy 4 was.

Blitzkrieg wrote:

he's already announced that he's redoing all six bloody star wars films again IN 3D!

Ashamedly, im curious to see how these turn out!

is_that_so

The Crystal Skull, even though it was a bit of fun, reminded me how good the first three were, way back when. It's like trying to relive your youth and realising how downright embarrassing some of it is now. Let it go George.

godtabh

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

we got that god awful looking cgi film next week

What film is that?

faceman

kearnsr wrote: »

What film is that?

The Clone Wars. Looks awful.

BlitzKrieg

edit:


CURSE YOU FACEMAN!



yeah it looks horrible and doesnt even have Gendy Tarkoski (guy who made the series full of awesome) working on it.

ixoy

kearnsr wrote: »

What film is that?

'The Clone Wars' - I think it looks very poor. There's some sort of lifeless quality to the thing.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

samurai jack pwnz clone wars.

missingtime

samurai jack's pretty class.

not a fan of lucas at the moment. he's been milking these 2 ideas he's had forever.

godtabh

faceman wrote: »

The Clone Wars. Looks awful.

And I though that was a new game being released rather than a film. No wonder I couldn't see what format it was being released on

Tusky

kearnsr wrote: »

And I though that was a new game being released rather than a film. No wonder I couldn't see what format it was being released on

How have you missed it ? The trailer was shown before Dark Knight!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA14TnyCkgE

pixelburp

Yes, there probably was a time I would be terribly excited about Clone Wars. But it looks dull, lifeless and utterly pointless. I why give us ANOTHER movie with a bunch of characters we didn't care about the first time around & whose fates we know about already. Lucas has the whole Star Wars universe to play with and yet he's revisiting the same rubbish setting.

godtabh

Tusky wrote: »

How have you missed it ? The trailer was shown before Dark Knight!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA14TnyCkgE

Not the screening of the Dark Knight I saw.

I just saw a poster for it on a side of a bus last week and that's the first I've heard of it. Don't pay much attention to Star Wars stuff these days

If they want to do another Indiana Jones then get Sean Patrick Flannery and do a prequel, though his position as a cult star and lack of celebrity may make this a bit difficult.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKI2tJ69Mg8

Firetrap

No, they should stop now. I enjoyed Indy 4 (I might even be the only person in the country who did judging by what's been said here on Boards) but doing another one would be pushing the boat out. The last Indy visibly had George Lucas' fingerprints all over it, more than the others. I hated the gopher creatures, that opening sequence that was like an out-take from American Graffiti and the use of noticeable CGI.

Pigman II

Disagree with most of what's said here. I want Indy 5 and I'm glad Lucas is taking control and pushing Spielberg aside. It's his creation after all!

From the sounds of it Spielberg wanted to make a movie that would have been technically acceptable 20 years ago. When you're gambling with these kind of budgets you just can't get away with decisions like that. It'll turn too much of your target audience off and leave you picking up the cheque.

People accuse Lucas of milking his two big hit series yet then when the outcome is a product of the modern era and not just a regurgitation of the early movies and totally faithful to them they moan about that too. Ironic.

Tusky

Pigman II wrote: »

Disagree with most of what's said here. I want Indy 5 and I'm glad Lucas is taking control and pushing Spielberg aside. It's his creation after all!

From the sounds of it Spielberg wanted to make a movie that would have been technically acceptable 20 years ago. When you're gambling with these kind of budgets you just can't get away with decisions like that. It'll turn too much of your target audience off and leave you picking up the cheque.

People accuse Lucas of milking his two big hit series yet then when the outcome is a product of the modern era and not just a regurgitation of the early movies and totally faithful to them they moan about that too. Ironic.

Are you suggesting that if Indy 4 wasnt full of CGI less people would have went to see it ? Because my take on it (and the vast majority of my friends and people I have spoken to) thought it was a CGI filled mess.

Now if they had of made a film more like the originals, I would probably have went to see it 2 or 3 times in the cinema as well as buying the dvd. I think it would have made MORE money, not less.

Pigman II

Tusky wrote: »

Are you suggesting that if Indy 4 wasnt full of CGI less people would have went to see it ? Because my take on it (and the vast majority of my friends and people I have spoken to) thought it was a CGI filled mess.

Now if they had of made a film more like the originals, I would probably have went to see it 2 or 3 times in the cinema as well as buying the dvd. I think it would have made MORE money, not less.

Are most of you friends in the 6-12 age bracket? Cos that's who's money (by proxy) Lucas is going after with these movies. He's struck gold 4 outta 4 so far with Crystal Skull and the 3x SW prequels.

Tusky

Pigman II wrote: »

Are most of you friends in the 6-12 age bracket? Cos that's who's money Lucas is going after with these movies. He's struck gold 4 outta 4 so far.

So you are saying that the Indy film and future films are aimed at 6-12 year olds...yet you want him to continue making them ? Are you in the 6-12 age bracket ?

Pigman II

Tusky wrote: »

So you are saying that the Indy film and future films are aimed at 6-12 year olds...yet you want him to continue making them ? Are you in the 6-12 age bracket ?

No but I can still enjoy a film made for a 6-12 year old. I doubt a 6-12 could enjoy a movie made for me however. This is why they dictate the tailoring of these particular movies.

Galvasean

While I get your logic Pigman, I'd prefer they didn't butcher the franchise in a cynical attempt to maximise profit.

Driver 8

I wish Lucas would at least try to step out the comfort zone of the two franchises, and try something, like that World War II movie he's been talking about forever.

Spielberg goes back to Indy to take a break between films like Munich, whereas Lucas has never done anything else since American Grafitti. If he'd branch out, it'd mean interesting projects from him, and a reprieve for the franchises he insists on tampering with

Pigman II

Galvasean wrote: »

While I get your logic Pigman, I'd prefer they didn't butcher the franchise in a cynical attempt to maximise profit.

Who's they?

Anyway, Lucas has been on a cynical attempt to maximise profit ever since 1972. I don't get why it's only started bothering people in the last ten years?

Galvasean

Pigman II wrote: »

Who's they?

Anyway, Lucas has been on a cynical attempt to maximise profit ever since 1972. I don't get why it's only started bothering people in the last ten years?

They as in Lucas and his cronies. I think his recent stuff bothers people more because the man has apparently given up on artistic integrity entirely and is just getting very lazy.

BlitzKrieg

Pigman II wrote: »

Who's they?

Anyway, Lucas has been on a cynical attempt to maximise profit ever since 1972. I don't get why it's only started bothering people in the last ten years?

I'd say it would have to do with the fact that he kept his *cynical attempt to maximiase profit* to merchandising etc, his so called expanded universe offered viewers the oppurtunity to play the

If its not in the film its canonicity is debatable.

That all changed 10 years ago when he started making films again. You cant ignore his really bad ideas when he puts them into the films.

you can when he approves it into a video game or comic if you dont read comics or play video games.


Also the attitude of the people around Lucas have a part to play.

Looking at A New Hope and Empire Lucas had to bow down to practicality or financial status quo many many times and as such the spark of creativity was born out of necessity. Be this how some of the designs in the star wars saga were born to who performed specific tasks (new directors for empire and Jedi) allowed other people aside from Lucas to influence the direction of the series and in some cases even over-rule Lucas.

This simply does not happen now, He gets what he wants, no actor is going to tell Lucas his dialog is rubbish in the prequels or tell him that certain characters are unappealing. Or even if some set pieces just look stupid.

End result is a man who really needs to be reeled in.

Spielberg can be as bad sometimes, but thats more to do with his ego then his actual filmmaking ability, he has taken credit for things he is undeserving of over time (most notable being his role in Jaws gets bigger and bigger as time goes by while others such as the editor Verna Fields got smaller and smaller.) In fairness to Spielberg he has updated himself as filmmaker quite well over the years.

I find the comment that Spielberg would have put the film back 20 years to be confusing to say the least since he has been more forward thinking then Lucas in filmmaking in alot of cases. Both technically (Minority Report, AI, War of the Worlds, Transformers) and in quality of actual films. Regardless if you like them or not, he is much more technically capable then Lucas as a director and a producer.


On the Crystal Skull, I think the reasoning behind alot of the blame falling at Lucas feet is because the faults in Crystal Skull would be similar faults found in the star wars prequels, and less so faults that were found in Spielbergs last few films (comparing the CGI of War of the Worlds to Indiana Jones, its handled much better in the older film, arguable the story takes an equally painful nose dive in its finale as the Crystal skull.)

Driver 8

Spielberg. Mention of third act nosedive. Anticipating A.I. reference

Preventitive action mobilised:
They're not aliens! :P Phew

Sanjuro

Let's not just blame Lucas for the debacle that is Indiana Jones And the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Lucas is dreadful at filmmaking. As a businessman, cant fault the guy. He even started Pixar for christ sake. He is a brilliant businessman. But as an artist, he's appalling. You only have to look at the prequal trilogy compared to Tartakovsky's Clone Wars to realise that. But the prequal trilogy was always going to be crap as long as Lucas had sole control over it. Nobody was going to say no to him.

When it comes to Indy, there are three factors that account for the success of the films. Lucas, certainly. Spielberg, possibly more than Lucas. And Harrison Ford. Take one of these factors out, and it all falls apart. Allow one factor to overshadow the other two, and it all falls apart. And herein lies the problem. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull looks and feels like a George Lucas film. It has his fingerprints all over it. What seems to have happened is that Spielberg and Ford just didn't say no enough. Maybe it's because Spielberg's heart wasn't fully in it, and Ford desperately needed a hit. But somewhere, the chemistry just didn't come together like it did before.

I don't solely blame Lucas. Although I lement his quite obvious influence over the film. But Spielberg and Ford have to share the responsibility for not calling Lucas up on his quite obviously ****ty decisions. It's collective responsibility. Not just Lucas'.

Driver 8

Good point, well made. I suppose it becomes hard to shoot down the decisions of a close friend. That said, it's a shame that Lucas' influence was so pervasive, including turning down Darabont's script which had Spielberg and Ford's backing.

Firetrap

It's a pity Darabont's script never got made - it would have been interesting.

I've a theory that as special effects have improved, Lucas' films have gotten worse.

Star Wars: the special effects had to be made from scratch. Empire: Financial constraints and anyway, he didn't direct it.

The rot set in with Return of the Jedi, where the director was essentially a puppet of Lucas and the film was destroyed by Ewoks and rubbery creatures.

Roll on to the prequels and anything Lucas wants can be rustled up on a computer. I can't think of a more soulless set of films than those prequels. Unfortunately, this spilled into Indy 4.

MisterAnarchy

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

I'd say it would have to do with the fact that he kept his *cynical attempt to maximiase profit* to merchandising etc, his so called expanded universe offered viewers the oppurtunity to play the

If its not in the film its canonicity is debatable.

That all changed 10 years ago when he started making films again. You cant ignore his really bad ideas when he puts them into the films.

you can when he approves it into a video game or comic if you dont read comics or play video games.


Also the attitude of the people around Lucas have a part to play.

Looking at A New Hope and Empire Lucas had to bow down to practicality or financial status quo many many times and as such the spark of creativity was born out of necessity. Be this how some of the designs in the star wars saga were born to who performed specific tasks (new directors for empire and Jedi) allowed other people aside from Lucas to influence the direction of the series and in some cases even over-rule Lucas.

This simply does not happen now, He gets what he wants, no actor is going to tell Lucas his dialog is rubbish in the prequels or tell him that certain characters are unappealing. Or even if some set pieces just look stupid.

End result is a man who really needs to be reeled in.

Spielberg can be as bad sometimes, but thats more to do with his ego then his actual filmmaking ability, he has taken credit for things he is undeserving of over time (most notable being his role in Jaws gets bigger and bigger as time goes by while others such as the editor Verna Fields got smaller and smaller.) In fairness to Spielberg he has updated himself as filmmaker quite well over the years.

I find the comment that Spielberg would have put the film back 20 years to be confusing to say the least since he has been more forward thinking then Lucas in filmmaking in alot of cases. Both technically (Minority Report, AI, War of the Worlds, Transformers) and in quality of actual films. Regardless if you like them or not, he is much more technically capable then Lucas as a director and a producer.


On the Crystal Skull, I think the reasoning behind alot of the blame falling at Lucas feet is because the faults in Crystal Skull would be similar faults found in the star wars prequels, and less so faults that were found in Spielbergs last few films (comparing the CGI of War of the Worlds to Indiana Jones, its handled much better in the older film, arguable the story takes an equally painful nose dive in its finale as the Crystal skull.)

Excellent article.

Pop's Diner

George Lucas interview from 1971 (aged 27). This PBS doc is pre-Star Wars , Pre-Indiana Jones, pre-everything we associate with the man tbh.

It's interesting to see the amount of fire and resentment he has at the studio system and to see how far he has probably moved artistically from the idealist young chap he is in this footage.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/06/23/votd-interview-with-27-year-old-george-lucas/

kaimera

ftr, lucas wanted indy to know kung-fu originally.

i'll dig up the transcript of that brain-storming session later

That_Guy

No more Indy please. The first three were absolute classics. I had my doubts about the fourth one and my doubts shone through.

There were decent bits in the fourth one but they should really let it die now and not tarnish Indy's reputation by bringing out a fifth, god awful movie.

If Lucas is serious about wanting it to be in the future then may have God have mercy on his soul.

Indy with a lightsaber....... surely couldn't happen.... could it?

Indie18

Pigman II wrote: »

Are most of you friends in the 6-12 age bracket? Cos that's who's money (by proxy) Lucas is going after with these movies. He's struck gold 4 outta 4 so far with Crystal Skull and the 3x SW prequels.

If he really is going after the money of 6 - 12 year old age bracket then why not come up with a new franchise and market it towards that age group instead of digging up an old one and pushing that. It seems he was after the money of all the old Indy fans who loved it when they where 12 and would undoubtly go see this film, most 6 - 12 year old kids before the new one would have said Indiana who now? if you had mentioned the old movies and the only reason that its was rated for younger ages is so all the old fans of the series could bring their kids along to see it.

They shouldn't have made a fourth and shouldn't even consider a fifth.

Magic Eight Ball

BlitzKrieg wrote: »

he's already announced that he's redoing all six bloody star wars films again IN 3D!

Jesus Christ, will someone please take those movies away from that man!! :mad:

George Lucas — chews on fanboy disappointment like Popeye does spinach!