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The Star Wars Money Machine 248
Darth Cola writes " The Star Wars franchise has made George Lucas plenty rich. But his fortune is only a peice of a much bigger financial pie, one which Forbes.com estimates at just shy of $20 billion. They have a rundown of the Star Wars financial empire, and a market by market breakdown of where the money comes from." From the article: "It all started with a story treatment, handwritten in pencil on a few sheets of lined yellow legal paper. That's all that existed of the multibillion-dollar financial empire, now known as the Star Wars universe, when filmmaker George Lucas sat down in 1974 to write what, within three years, would be the biggest meteor to hit Hollywood since there's been a Hollywood."
George Lucas (Score:3, Funny)
Re:George Lucas (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:George Lucas (Score:5, Interesting)
Will George Lucas "go Hollywood" now that he's joined filmdom's elite? Not likely, the San Francisco-area resident indicates in a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine. When asked about the folks who run the film industry, Lucas replied, "They're rather sleazy, unscrupulous people. L.A. is where they make deals, do business in the classic corporate American Way, which is screw everybody and do whatever you can to make the biggest profit."
I laughed until I cried.
Source: Saint Petersburg Times (pops) [sptimes.com]
Re:George Lucas (Score:2, Insightful)
Of course he took advantage of starwars' success, but who wouldn't have? That doesn't make him sleazy and unscrupulous.
Re:George Lucas (Score:5, Insightful)
No, admittedly it does not.
However, I don't know how old you are, but I am 32. I barely remember seeing the orginal Star Wars in the theaters. I remember thinking it was neat, and that the people around me were totally and completely awestruck.
It was a turning point in US Cinematography, as well as Science Fiction in general. Star Trek was still dead, Galactica was camp, and out of nowhere came this shining new well crafted "Space Opera".
It was truly a defining moment for the science fiction culture, as well as a generation of filmgoers. Then came Empire. Still good, not quite as fast paced, and obviously written with sequal in mind. It also introduced us to the notion that spoilers could get your ass beat in the lobby.
Jedi was the turning point. As many have said, it took something near and dear to many, and almost religious to some, and turned it into a marketing machine for action figures.
That hurt.
As time has passed, it has become clear that Mr Lucas does not understand (or understands all too well, but does not care) how important his creation was and is to many many people.
He has changed it, manipulated his fans, and slowly bled every penny he could, and with them every feeling that it is something more than just a film, from his fan base. He refuses to release the orginal 3 movies in their original formats on DVD. Do you realize that some people actually bought laserdisc players JUST to see that!
He took something we loved, and used it against us. He has proven that the $ is all he cares about. Thats why many people feel he is "sleazy and unscrupulous."
Re:George Lucas (Score:2)
Re:George Lucas (Score:2, Interesting)
In the 80s and 90s, Lucas put a lot of effort into convicing people that Star Wars was Great Art and he was a Great Artist And Thinker. All that Joseph Campbell stuff that Lucas read in English Lit 101. Funny how people still see "Indiana Jones" for what it is (good fun, with Nazis!) and haven't been marketed i
Re:George Lucas (Score:5, Informative)
True.
Galactica was camp, and out of nowhere came this shining new well crafted "Space Opera".
Galactica didn't come out until after Star Wars, riding on its coattails, as did Buck Rogers.
The only 70s SF shows of any significance I can think of that came out before Star Wars were Space:1999, another timeless classic that has aged quite well; and Dr. Who, when Tom Baker was the Doctor.
Re:George Lucas (Score:2)
You're kidding, right? Space: 1999 was on a par with Lost in Space. If the Razzies had existed back then (and maybe they did) it would have gotten worst plots, worst acting, worst special effects, and probably a lifetime worst achievement award
Re:George Lucas (Score:2)
Re:George Lucas (Score:2)
Star Wars had a lot more context than people these days realize.
Re:George Lucas (Score:2, Insightful)
I think those people that think a movie is more than just a movie need to get out more. I'm sure glad George doesn't submit to the will's of the unwashed-nerd masses, because the anal retentivness and out-spoken arrogance of many bothers the hel
Re:George Lucas (Score:2)
The point of all t
Re:George Lucas (Score:2)
Re:George Lucas (Score:3, Insightful)
Typical empty-headed Hollywood liberal, running down free-market capitalism between bites of caviar and lobster. Fuck them.
This sounded a bit more like sour grapes from your part than reality. From the beginning, the money making (licensing and whatnot) was necessary as he was self financing everything. The very first movie was financed by Fox. It was reject time and again as something that wouldn't sell. He finally got it through. When he started working on his second film, he wanted more control over
Re:George Lucas (Score:3, Funny)
That was tehn (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:That was then (Score:5, Insightful)
Star Wars nerds ruined Star Wars the same way that Trek nerds ruined Trek - by accepting any shit thrust upon them with the appropriate branding, the producers felt free to sacrifice quality in order to broaden appeal and merchandise the hell out of the product.
In both cases, we get bland crap that doesn't stand up well to the original. Greedy producers, stupid nerds... a fatal combination.
Re:That was then (Score:3, Informative)
If you're talking about the pod race, and the subsequent release of "Episode I Racer"...bullshit. Not only does Lucas put high-speed "thrill rides" into his movies just on general principle (the Death Star in ANH, the speeder bikes in ROTJ, the street race in American Graffiti, the climatic car chase in THX 1138), he was also making a gratuitious homage to the chariot race in Ben-Hur. [1] [wikipedia.org] [2] [wikipedia.org]
but not the Darth Vader one (Score:2)
That one is kinda cute, but the one with Darth Vader was just sad.
When I was y
Re: (Score:2)
Quote from Yoda Pepsi commercial you'll never hear (Score:5, Funny)
Re:George Lucas has the Right Timing (Score:2, Insightful)
And don't forget the oil crises and a very tense state of affairs in the middle east.
My, how times have changed.
KFG
He joined the dark side to get there... (Score:5, Insightful)
In the end he's now got the big studio and calling the shots. It's as though he joined the dark side to defeat the dark side.
Re:He joined the dark side to get there... (Score:5, Insightful)
In my opinion, he's simply trying too hard to make a blockbuster. Star Wars was meant to be a cheesy little space opera, not some grandiose epic. While RotS may be a decent film in its own right, I doubt it will have the appeal of the original trilogy.
Jar-Jar (Score:4, Funny)
Is that a direct quote from Jar-Jar?
Re:Jar-Jar (Score:2)
(obligatory) Later this fall... (Score:4, Funny)
Re:(obligatory) Later this fall... (Score:2, Funny)
Phooey (Score:2)
One thing has changed (Score:5, Funny)
Re:One thing has changed (Score:2)
I'm sorry, I don't understand.
From TFA... (Score:5, Funny)
Don't forget Poland!
- sm
Re:From TFA... (Score:2)
Map [nasa.gov]
Re:From TFA... (Score:2)
I don't remember anyone claiming that it was...
And yes, I did RTFA.
Re:Can this be true? (Score:2)
, and India - another billion. Add in the rest of Asia, plus the majority of Africa, much of Europe, and all of Austrailia, and it starts looking quite feasable.
North and South America really aren't that populous. You've got the USA, which is last I heard around 350 million, plus Mexico (no idea) and Brazil (also no idea) which I believe are the next two most populous countries. Canada's only 35 million or so..
George Lucas's wealth (Score:5, Insightful)
"I've earned the right to just make things that I find provocative in my own way," he's quoted as saying. [wired.com] "I've earned the right to fail, which means making what I think are really great movies that no one wants to see."
I always wonder what the hell that means? Earned the right to fail? Like he wasn't allowed to fail before? Exactly how much money was he supposed to make before he could buy his way into the club of mere mortals who are allowed to fail? Kind of a strange way to approach a creative ambition, I think. What mental process must go on in Lucas's head that he has to actually give himself permission to be creative, and justify it by pointing to his past commercial successes?
In general, I'd love to see a psychological profile of George Lucas sometime. Especially considering some of the truly bizarre moral commandments he's put into his recent films (missing your mom is wrong, getting angry at things is bad and makes you a bad person, if you want to be a hero then relationships are forbidden, etc.)
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:5, Interesting)
I can't speak for Lucas but I did hear a similar sentiment from jazz clarinetist Artie Shaw [npr.org]. I'm a jazz fan and picked up on Artie Shaw in a history of jazz program, then later heard an extended series of interviews with him. He spoke of the right to fail as a prerequisite to great playing. He was of the opinion that people who play it safe and play to a known recipe aren't able to make great music. He went on to say his best playing always contained errors because he was reaching beyond his present abilities in an attempt to conquer new heights (my loose paraphrase). I think Lucas means something similar when he talks of the right to fail as the right to go beyond the status quo ante and break new ground even if in the attempt he is seen to fail.
cheers
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
He did give up playing for many years, IIRC he quit playing sometime around the 50's, then, when he did come back it was more as a front man. He was very interested in writing and wrote a couple of books about being a side man, and his interest in writiing, along with an interest in math and precision shooting took up his time after he quit playing. I can't
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
It means he can afford to make a movie
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
But that's nonsense. He's been able to make any movie that he wanted to make since the 80s since he has vast sums of money.
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Lucas had one hit before Star Wars, and while American Graffiti was big, it wouldn't have singlehandedly saved his career from feeling any effects
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Even after Star Wars, Lucas would have failed miserably if The Empire Strikes Back tanked, because he took everything he made from Star Wars and American Graffiti and invested it in ESB. The first opportunity he had to fail was...Return of the Jedi.
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Then again, he only executive produced it.. :)
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
> be creative, and justify it by pointing to his past commercial successes?
I figure a couple decades or so of relenteless abuse from moviegoers brought it about. Even when we all loved Star Wars and episode 1 hadn't released yet, very few people attributed the success of the earlier films to Lucas.
He's probably one of the most successful failures in the world.
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:4, Insightful)
George, when's the next Star Wars movie coming out?
George, when's the next Star Wars movie coming out?
George, when's the next Star Wars movie coming out?
George, when's the next Star Wars movie coming out?
George, when's the next Star Wars movie coming out?
George, when's the next Star Wars movie coming out?
Here you filthy ingrates! Now leave me alone!
I think that's what he meant by "earned the right".
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:5, Insightful)
It's a very rare luxury in modern Hollywood to be able to do pretty much whatever you want with film and get it distributed. That's what Lucas has achieved for himself. Whether that's a good or bad thing for the rest of us, well...
p
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
He didnt need any fscking carte blanche to do what he wanted.
lotr is in fact one of his less creative work.
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Spielberg's filmography http://imdb.com/name/nm0000229/ [imdb.com] isn't exactly chock full of critical successes either. He's got a few holocaust projects to his credit but, outside of Jaws and, possibly ET, that's it. I like Sugarland Express. He's got a thing the 2ww, though, check out those credits on Medal Of Honour.
The only other people that I can immediately think of who do this sort of thing is Clint Eastwood and John Sayles. Once
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
I think this quote can mean that now he can make an unpopular [crappy] movie and still be able to make more. You know, when a new director screws up, there's often no second chance. Either get it right the first time, or you'll never be directing anything again.
Different people's definition of sucess (Score:4, Insightful)
It reminds me of an engineer who said "I knew I was sucessful when I knew I could turn down clients."
I think the point is that he wants to make something that he is happy with and screw everyone else, at thats a pretty good goal to have. You don't wear your comfy pjs and sweats on the streets because of social pressure, not because you don't like the clothing.
Alot of art is peer reviewed. Your sucess or failure depends on what others say; teachers, critics, art dealers, customers. The social pressure is huge especially in a highly visible position he has.
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
I assume you probably were a formerly intelligent enough person who had been around slashdot a long enough time to use the cliche disclaimer "1) don't get me wrong", followed by "2) I like X and
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Nuff said.
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
20 minute long senior projects by film students routinely cost in excess of $50,000 and that is with the dramatic cost-reduction of digital film, and the benefit of near-free student labor.
In hollywood earning the right to fail means you never have to worry about having a project greenlighted, and failing to make a profit doesn't keep you from making your next project.
Stephen Spiel
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Either than or he is talented. I know hich is most likely.
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
It was remade with a slightly larger budget, but it was still made with what would today be called an "independent film" budget and crew. It did achieve something of an "art film" following, and made a modest profit over production costs well enough that studios considered him to be worth the risk to go onto other things like
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
That pretty much contradicts everything I have ever read. Source?
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
http://www.geocities.com/drazzaia/history.html [geocities.com]
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Bungalow/3577/l ucasnofrm.html [geocities.com]
While I will admit that the initial release wasn't a huge success, it wasn't that difficult to break the production costs of $777,777 for TXH-1138. Even now that is considered an independent film budget. All I said was that it made back that money. Certainly Geroge Lucas was not a millionaire due to that movie.
The w
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
In the long term. In the short term, Lucas had to pay back Warner Brothers $500,000 for their losses on THX, and Coppola had to direct a project he wasn't initially interested in at Warner Brothers' insistence. (Perhaps fatefully, that project was The Godfather).
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
Keep in mind, neither in the game nor the movies do many Jedi actually follow this rule. There's still
Re:George Lucas's wealth (Score:2)
So wait (Score:4, Funny)
I thought I was a badass Sith because I chose the peanut M&Ms...but it's a lie....DAMN YOU LUCAS! DAMN YOUUUUUUUUU!!!
Comment removed (Score:5, Funny)
It startde with the New Gods comic in 1971... (Score:5, Interesting)
To quote the relevant bit:
Also, there's no point just throwing comic characters at me as if I'm saying all comics are better than film, because I'm not. I'm just saying I can blatantly see Lucas' influences and I prefered New Gods to Star Wars. (New Gods had Darkseid and the Source, Star Wars has Darth Vader and the Force. Orion is revealed to be Darkseid's son; Luke is Vader's son. New Gods had a spiritual leader/father figure to Orion called Highfather; Star Wars has spiritual leader/father figure to Luke called Obi Wan Kenobi. New Gods:1971. Star Wars: 1977. George Lucas was a comics fan. Say no more).
Sound convincing enough to me.
Cheers,
Ian
Re:It startde with the New Gods comic in 1971... (Score:2)
Lucas wanted to remake Flash Gordon (Score:4, Interesting)
http://www.straightdope.com/mailbag/mstarwar.html [straightdope.com]
Here it is, straight from Lucas' first Hollywood boss and fellow USC graduate, Francis Ford Coppola: "George wanted to do Flash Gordon
Re:It startde with the New Gods comic in 1971... (Score:5, Insightful)
Essentially, there are several archetypes (one could even call them "stereotypes") of the sci-fi genre that a great many filmmakers and writers have adopted for their own use. Motifs such as the villain being the hero's father, a spiritual father figure to the hero, and mystical overtones (such as the Force) can be found ALL OVER sci-fi movies and literature. Lucas was not the first to adopt them, and he undoubtedly will not be the last.
But, of course, the fact that these archetypes are being used over and over again by no means means that they cannot be used *well.* Peoples' fond memories of the original SW movies, the plot/characters of which were somewhat cliche as far as sci-fi movies go, only proves the point. Luke was the naive hero, Han the roguish "wild card", Leia the "damsel in distress", Vader the evil villain. What matters, however, is that Lucas honed each part to near-perfection, such that the characters were so believable and *human* that they didn't *seem* like stereotypes. I believe that it's this element that is sorely missing from the prequels, but that's another rant altogether!
Re:It startde with the New Gods comic in 1971... (Score:2)
Re:It startde with the New Gods comic in 1971... (Score:2)
In French, they changed it to Dark Vador, but I suspect it was more for pronouciation issues.
Although I'm a netive French speaker, I was introduced to the Dutch language while still fairly young. So it's always been obvious to me that Darth Vader was just meant to be "Dark Father".
Re:It startde with the New Gods comic in 1971... (Score:2)
This is not... (Score:2, Funny)
We don't need to see your replies.
George is still a regular Joe just like you..
Move along..
Make it stop! (Score:3, Funny)
Did anyone think Lucas would have learned? Out of control and horrible... I'm hugging my tie-fighter from 1974 in the closet under a pile of socks. All ewoks must die.
Re:Make it stop! (Score:2)
mwahahahahah!
Jar-Jar Cigarz!
Skywalker Malt Liquor!
Does the trail of money ever end?
Re:Make it stop! (Score:2)
Chewbacca : urgh rgh wuhh wuhh
Vader: Bring me skywalker
Chewbacca : urgh urgh wah wah urgh
Vader : i grow impatiant with you wookie
Chewbacca : urgh urghhhhh: no dude seriously lets hug and let the love flow man
Vader
Chewbacca: *last dealth gulp : ugrpp urpch wurf
Re:Make it stop! (Score:2)
AOL to TW: "Don't underestimate the power of the dark side."
Re:Make it stop! (Score:2)
The ultimate geek franchise. (Score:5, Insightful)
Star Wars is the ultimate franchise because even as a film it's an amlagam of marketable genres.
The original trilogy alone features:With all of that thrown together... in space... there's a little something for every geek. And market after market after market that you can sell games, toys, lunch boxes, books, clothing, artwork, women's delicates and more to.
Re:The ultimate geek franchise. (Score:2)
Re:The ultimate geek franchise. (Score:3, Interesting)
GL is said to have used WW2 aerial footage when pitching Star Wars back in 1975.
A billion dollars and the kids are still in it (Score:3, Funny)
Forbes writers need to do better research (Score:4, Interesting)
Actually, there were quite a few more rereleases than that:
1977 - Star Wars original release
1978 - Star Wars rerelease
1979 - Star Wars rerelease
1980 - Star Wars - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back original release
1981 - rereleases of both Star Wars (now retitled Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope) and Star Wars - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
1982 - rereleases of both Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope and Star Wars - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
1983 - Star Wars - Episode VI: Return of the Jedi original release
1985 - Star Wars - Episode Vi: Return of the Jedi rerelease
Note also that 1971's THX 1138 and 1973's American Graffiti were both rereleased in 1978 as well, More American Graffiti was released in 1979, Raiders of the Lost Ark was released in 1981 and rereleased in 1982, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was released in 1984 (the only year from 1977 to 1985 that no Star Wars film got at least a limited theatrical release).
Special Editions were not originally for theater (Score:2)
Re:Forbes writers need to do better research (Score:2)
Story treatment (Score:3, Informative)
Which looked something like this [guerrestellari.net], for those of you who haven't seen it...
Here's also a small discussion [lofficier.com] on how the script evolved.
Comment removed (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:MONEY BREEDS COMPLACENCY (Score:3, Insightful)
Probably. But most people do their best work early on, because they have something to prove. Okay, so there are exceptions, like the Beatles etc., but if you think of a lot of artists, once they become middle aged they're not exactly making ground-breaking work like they were when they began. I think they just lose the drive and mellow out with age. Plus I guess having bazillions of dollars helps ease the pain.
Incidentally, Lars is a hopeless drummer.
Weakness (Score:5, Funny)
GOLD LEADER: Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are indie films going to be against that?
DODONNA: Well, Hollywood doesn't consider a small indie film to be any threat, or they'd have a tighter defense. An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the machine....The approach will not be easy. You are required to write better film and skim by on a budget of almost nothing. The target audience is a small group of people who, if enticed, will being a word of mouth campaign that will snowball until eclipses the Star Wars Money Machine and causes it to implode on itself.
A murmer of disbelief runs through the room.
merchandising (Score:5, Funny)
Star Wars Bad Guys (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Star Wars Bad Guys (Score:2)
Re:Star Wars Bad Guys (Score:3, Insightful)
(EG. Did you ever see a movie called "The Contender"? I actually wasted $10 or so on the DVD, never having seen it before in the theater - because it looked like it might be an entertaining political thriller. Started out with some promise, in fact, but by the end, turned into mindless stereotyping of conservatives followed by ramming home a f
Beat you - four words (Score:2)
Honest! Check your 7-11.
At least you have a chance of your Star Wars habit paying off for once.
Re:3 Words... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:3 Words... (Score:2)
THAT is marketing gone wrong....
Re:hemispheres... (Score:2)
Re:hemispheres... (Score:2)