George Lucas Claims Racism Reason for Lack of Studio Support for 'Red Tails'

[KalMart]

Pizzas Orbiting The Chandelier

 

[Why Are You Crouching Spock?]

I think only Blaxploitation could objectively be called a "black movie". It's specifically made to appeal to black culture.
However, white people do enjoy them as well regardless. The black Wizard of Oz is the best version.

 

[Motown Marvel]

Actually, StarWars was a helluva movie to direct, it was no mean feat he got that movie made the way he wanted to. Every step of the way he had to fight with the crew who did not understand what he was trying to achieve, the cameramen were a nightmare, and would refuse to shoot the movie the way Lucas wanted it, keeping to their traditions, that Lucas wanted to break.
Everyone on the set thought the movie was a joke, a sure flop, and it was a gargantuan task to get the film going at all.
this is all well-documented, and the crew on the film have all now come out and admitted they had an attitude that did not help George with the filmaking at all.

He may have been a shy guy when it came to directing actors, but he still directed them in that first film to it's benefit, making sure they took the material seriously, as opposed to camping it up.

At the end of the shoot he had to be hospitalised because of the stress and strain on his body that the process had on him. The movie burnt him out as a director basically. If you want to look at it this way, the 'dark side of the force', the evil forces in the world, satan, whoever, did not want that movie made, haha, it did everything possible to mess it up and force George to compromise his vision, but he did not, he fought the good fight, and changed cinema forever, giving us the most popular film series of all time.
that was being a great artist and a director, anyone who says otherwise is ignorant of the facts.
even back in filmschool he was a lauded talent, winning a lot of awards for a short film he made(not the early version of thx1138, a diff one).

i highly respect lucas for what he was able to accomplish with star wars. it should never be ignored. but its also impossible to ignore his career since star wars. he hasnt directed a good movie since the first star wars. and aside from indiana jones, he's barely even produced a good movie.

 

[KalMart]

In all seriousness.....


....it is a bit more than curious that this movie had a hard time finding distribution...seeing how many movies that are so obviously more questionable do.

 

[Anti-Moderator]

But we can all agree that George Lucas is indeed not black.....


Right?

 

[wb95240]

The only guy that has actually successfully, in a sense, actually gotten full minority casts in his action/adventure films is Robert Rodriguez, due to his own studio of course.

And it's sad that he pretty much had to tell Hollywood to go f*** themselves and then moved back to Texas and started doing things his way. And so far so good, he's been able to get great actors in some pretty cool movies if you ask me.

 

[Motown Marvel]

The fact that IT HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN THE HISTORY OF FILM(which at this point is over a hundred years) is a little more than the word of George Lucas and when the Most Successful Independent Film Producer Of All Time explicitly states it... May have a little something to it. The green trail isn't there and so they don't wanna risk it. That's what he stated and that is the truth.

okay, so the fact that its never happened definitely says something. cant be ignored.

but does it say hollywood could be generalized as racist? or has it not happened because it doesnt make financial sense for a studio to dump big money into minority driven movies which have strong track records of limited returns at the box office?

and if minority driven movies dont make well at the box office do we then generalize the movie going public as racist?

What makes me a little wary about Black Panther possibly getting made is that they'll find some way to shoehorn in a white guy basically playing audience surrogate to that wild and exotic African adventure.

lets hope black panther beats the **** out of that guy.

 

[RockSP]

And it's sad that he pretty much had to tell Hollywood to go f*** themselves and then moved back to Texas and started doing things his way. And so far so good, he's been able to get great actors in some pretty cool movies if you ask me.

I don't think it's sad. It's a great example to filmmakers that hollyweird isn't the only option.

 

[Thebumwhowalks]

i highly respect lucas for what he was able to accomplish with star wars. it should never be ignored. but its also impossible to ignore his career since star wars. he hasnt directed a good movie since the first star wars. and aside from indiana jones, he's barely even produced a good movie.

eh, I do like Revenge of the Sith, I actually think it's one of the better sci-fi *action* films of the past decade, in fact I think it's probably got the best action of any sci-fi film since the Matrix.
It has enough going on in it that you can excuse some of the wonkiness.

But aye, you're right, he has not produced many movies at all, and the good ones are few and far between. For the most part he has concentrated on the business side of things, things like building up his effects company, and making sure Sw fans always have something to moan about with the latest editions of the movies.

 

[KalMart]

Here's a question...aside from the leads' race and Bay not being there...is there anything that seems to stand this movie out from Pearl Harbor?

 

[Motown Marvel]

eh, I do like Revenge of the Sith, I actually think it's one of the better sci-fi *action* films of the past decade, in fact I think it's probably got the best action of any sci-fi film since the Matrix.
It has enough going on in it that you can excuse some of the wonkiness.

But aye, you're right, he has not produced many movies at all, and the good ones are few and far between. For the most part he has concentrated on the business side of things, things like building up his effects company, and making sure Sw fans always have something to moan about with the latest editions of the movies.

i could give him revenge of the sith, that one was pretty entertaining.

but its impossible to ignore the number of films on his imdb page that he's written, directed, and/or produced...and realizing that like only 8 of them are good.

 

[KalMart]

But we can all agree that George Lucas is indeed not black.....


Right?

Does that title mean to say that he feels he's being 'treated' like one? No doubt, this issue is fraught with danger.

 

[T'Jai]

okay, so the fact that its never happened definitely says something. cant be ignored.

but does it say hollywood could be generalized as racist? or has it not happened because it doesnt make financial sense for a studio to dump big money into minority driven movies which have strong track records of limited returns at the box office?

and if minority driven movies dont make well at the box office do we then generalize the movie going public as racist?

Really? Thank You.

well how many positive portrayals of blacks vs negative do we have in the media right now (and I ask that being fully cognizant of the "Gritty" "Reality" trend we have going) there is definitely a market for positive black product otherwise such shows as The Cosby Show and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air would never have lasted 8 and 6 seasons respectively. so where was the ball dropped? Heck if you look at the late 60's Blacksploitation films were Very profitable as evidence I bring up the fact that Hollywood kept making them. so did that audience just disappear? or did those making decisions decide not to invest in those properties anymore? They were making money and they aren't being made anymore nor do we have comparable shows that tap into that market... what could be responsible for that?

every market must be built can you show me one minority project that received the same marketing push as a comparable white film? even when you bring in comedies and Hood Dramas it is the audience itself that makes things profitable or post release word of mouth... Hollywood does not put it's weight behind minority projects to find said audience as it does for all it's other projects...

institutionalized racism is real whether or not everyone wishes to acknowledge it. From a personal event one a co-worker of mine ( a man I considered a good friend and someone I know would literally take a bullet for me)once told me I wasn't "Really Black" when pressed it was revealed that because I don't echo the negative aspects of our culture (ones associated as the entirety of it and not just an aspect) that he didn't consider me black. that is the rule in most cases and not the exception for the prevailing racial mindset of today...

 

[wb95240]

okay, so the fact that its never happened definitely says something. cant be ignored.

but does it say hollywood could be generalized as racist? or has it not happened because it doesnt make financial sense for a studio to dump big money into minority driven movies which have strong track records of limited returns at the box office?

and if minority driven movies dont make well at the box office do we then generalize the movie going public as racist?

The fact that a movie may have an all black cast doesn't mean that it is minority driven. A movie is a movie. I didn't go watch Goodfellas and say I'm going to watch this Italian movie. Just like you don't go watch any other movie and say I'm going to go watch this white movie.
Every year Hollywood has a lot of hits and misses. So why can't the same be applied to movies with a strong minority cast? You keep giving them the green light and the money until you find what works.

 

[T'Jai]

Just read wb's post he phrased it a lot less heatedly and much more succintly than I...

 

[Schlosser85]

The title of this thread doesn't make any sense.

 

[C. Lee]

The title of this thread doesn't make any sense.

Welcome to the Hype....first time here?

 

[Motown Marvel]

Really? Thank You.

well how many positive portrayals of blacks vs negative do we have in the media right now (and I ask that being fully cognizant of the "Gritty" "Reality" trend we have going) there is definitely a market for positive black product otherwise such shows as The Cosby Show and The Fresh Prince of Bel Air would never have lasted 8 and 6 seasons respectively. so where was the ball dropped? Heck if you look at the late 60's Blacksploitation films were Very profitable as evidence I bring up the fact that Hollywood kept making them. so did that audience just disappear? or did those making decisions decide not to invest in those properties anymore? They were making money and they aren't being made anymore nor do we have comparable shows that tap into that market... what could be responsible for that?

every market must be built can you show me one minority project that received the same marketing push as a comparable white film? even when you bring in comedies and Hood Dramas it is the audience itself that makes things profitable or post release word of mouth... Hollywood does not put it's weight behind minority projects to find said audience as it does for all it's other projects...

institutionalized racism is real whether or not everyone wishes to acknowledge it. From a personal event one a co-worker of mine ( a man I considered a good friend and someone I know would literally take a bullet for me)once told me I wasn't "Really Black" when pressed it was revealed that because I don't echo the negative aspects of our culture (ones associated as the entirety of it and not just an aspect) that he didn't consider me black. that is the rule in most cases and not the exception for the prevailing racial mindset of today...

you pose lots of legit points that i definitely wanna respond to....but not while im about to run out the door. this is a good discussion. surely racism exists to some degree, which can play to some degree into the issue you bring up. but the way lucas tells it, its the sole blame for it coming from an overtly racist industry. and i dont think thats the case. either way, i'll expand on your points later.

The fact that a movie may have an all black cast doesn't mean that it is minority driven. A movie is a movie. I didn't go watch Goodfellas and say I'm going to watch this Italian movie. Just like you don't go watch any other movie and say I'm going to go watch this white movie.
Every year Hollywood has a lot of hits and misses. So why can't the same be applied to movies with a strong minority cast? You keep giving them the green light and the money until you find what works.

blacks are considered a minority. a movie with a predominantly black cast would fairly be considered a minority driven movie. which is the topic of discussion. the term isnt being used with negative intent, nor should it be taken as much.

and a business is going to be willing to lose only so much money before they "find what works". but lets say they get a hit, then what? repeat that formula ad nauseum until its reviled? or maybe after enough honest attempts, they fail to "find what works" and lose enough money forcing them to give up on their good intentions. well then, now they're "racists" because they decide not to fund george lucas' movie.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

But we can all agree that George Lucas is indeed not black.....


Right?

I'll need some further empirical evidence.

 

[lordofthenerds]

I'll need some further empirical evidence.

 

[wb95240]

and a business is going to be willing to lose only so much money before they "find what works". but lets say they get a hit, then what? repeat that formula ad nauseum until its reviled? or maybe after enough honest attempts, they fail to "find what works" and lose enough money forcing them to give up on their good intentions. well then, now they're "racists" because they decide not to fund george lucas' movie.

I have to disagree with you on this one. In 2011 we had a movie called Mars Needs Moms which flopped. I guarantee you that in 2012 we will still get an onslaught of this type of flick aimed at the same audience. Then we had Sucker Punch which made like four million more than what its budget was. Yet even after that horrible disaster (Sucker Punch) Snyder is given the green light to make the next Superman movie.We also had the remake of Arthur, Also a flop but again, in 2012 you will see remakes aimed at the same audience as Arthur.

Guess my point is like I mentioned before, Hollywood aims at the same audience all the time and a lot of movies don't do anything at the box office. Yet they continue to green light projects that we've all seen before.

 

[DarkSovereignty]

so...YES.

 

[Victarion]

Bob Marley?

Anyway, I find myself more interested in George's neck. Is he a frog?

 

[DarkSovereignty]

I'd say he's an oviraptor.

 

[Asteroid-Man]

Honestly...any more than 3 pretty much eats itself away. But anyway, I still thing he's a bit full of it when he talks about what he 'intended'. The first Star Wars was an absolute mess until his editors decided to chop away at it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8czqAf5qek

[YT]p8czqAf5qek[/YT]