George Lucas: "I made Star Wars for 12 year olds"

[MessiahDecoy123]

As an older fan what's your response to what Lucas said?

 

[writer0327]

As an older fan what's your response to what Lucas said?

I agree... SW is a sci-fi movie taking place in a galaxy "far, far away", featuring talking robots, a princess, laser swords, giant space battles, and magic, all set within a standard "good vs. evil" story. Sounds about right for a 12 year old.

I've always felt SW was meant for pre-teen and teenage crowd. Not particularly heavy with themes, lots of lighthearted comedy and romance. ESB certainly upped the stakes, but I never felt it was a movie that was meant for adults or for little kids under the age of 8.

 

[Samuron]

Actually, he said "12 year old boys".

However, Lucas has changed his story about what he was doing so many times that I doubt he actually remembers what he originally intended.

 

[godisawesome]

I kind of agree, though with a major caveat; he was definitely making the film's for a 12 year old audience as the demographic, and to his credit, he defitnetley isn't guilty fo talking down to kids, either. Thus, his argument works in terms of his beliefs about what should be the main conflict and characterizations of Star Wars; that they're not "Hard Sci-Fi" and that there is a strong element of popcorn-flick to them. However, it does not work as an argument against quality control, which is what the comment may be perceived as, especially in regards to the Prequels.

The themes and ideals in conflict are more intuitive and emphatic than adult. I'd say arguing they lack depth is a misnomer; any kind of struggle with a father's legacy or the idea of redemption vs damnation is going to hit hard on people of all ages. The film's operate on a clear moral level and deal with very familiar archetypes, which does make it less like adult works.

However, Lucas clearly doesn't seem to be a "kids and young teenagers are stupid ADHD lemmings" guy. That kind of thinking wouldn't have allowed the Darth Vader reveal in the first place, let alone made it the core of the OT, and would have run screaming away from Episode III. George Lucas's idea of "kid" entertainment runs much closer to Avatar: The Last Airbender than some people may think, perhaps even a bit darker, since a child murderer being set on fire is a major plot element. And the thing about that kind of entertainment is that enjoyment of it isn't limited to those 12 and under; quality entertainment for that level continues to appeal to the vast majority of living people.

Lucas's best technical film in the Saga is still clearly ANH, where, as someone somewhere else put it, he was humble enough to allow other professionals to assist in the entire creative process. His second best is ROTS, which is where he showed he has more balls than the brains behind half the "remake, but from the villain's POV" crowd, even if there were still numerous issues.

If he means it in terms of what the focus and demographic is, and why all the films and TV shows thus far have mostly the same moral outlook and archetypes, that's accurate. But it can't serve as an excuse for the problems in 1 and 2.

 

[Thundercrack85]

As an older fan what's your response to what Lucas said?

I guess that's why I enjoyed it when I was 12.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I'll put it this way.

We haven't outgrown Star Wars, Star Wars has outgrown George Lucas.

I mean is it so terrible that SW is so popular among the general public?

Without Star Wars the biggest obsessions are Trump, religion, sports, and celebrities.

We could all use a little more Star Wars.

Maybe Lucas doesn't like adults using Star Wars allegories that relate to real world challenges.

I guess he prefer if the Star War universe was just a bunch of Jar Jars that was quickly forgotten.

Not happening, turkey neck.

 

[2kt09]

Does explain why I can't get into it anymore.

 

[Thundercrack85]

Well, Disney is turning Star Wars into Assassin's Creed or Call of Duty. Every year there is a movie. I do wonder if audiences will get tired of it.

I suppose it depends on the quality too.

Star Wars used to be an 'event' franchise though. I still remember when Episode One came out. It was like a national event. Force Awakens was also a massive thing. But if they release a Star Wars movie every year, it's going to lose that.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Does explain why I can't get into it anymore.

No it doesn't.

Unless you're saying you're more mature and sophisticated than every SW fan.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Well, Disney is turning Star Wars into Assassin's Creed or Call of Duty. Every year there is a movie. I do wonder if audiences will get tired of it.

I suppose it depends on the quality too.

Star Wars used to be an 'event' franchise though. I still remember when Episode One came out. It was like a national event. Force Awakens was also a massive thing. But if they release a Star Wars movie every year, it's going to lose that.

I'll take a less hyped Rogue One over a mega-hyped Phantom Menace any day of the week.

 

[Thundercrack85]

To be fair, most Star Wars fans sort of revert to children when they watch Star Wars. You know that whole "the kid in me" thing.

I actually didn't see Star Wars until I was in my teens, so I never had that problem.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I'll take a less hyped Rogue One over a mega-hyped Phantom Menace any day of the week.

I'd rather have an unforgettably bad movie than a forgettable so-so movie.

In 20 years I will remember scenes from Phantom Menace, but I'll be surprised if I can remember anything about Rogue One other than the cringe-worthy ending.

 

[Darepool]

Who did he make the prequels for? 12 year olds?

Anyone who thinks Star Wars is just for 12 year olds or is juvenile, etc, probably shouldn't be on a website called Super Hero Hype.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I'd rather have an unforgettably bad movie than a forgettable so-so movie.

In 20 years I will remember scenes from Phantom Menace, but I'll be surprised if I can remember anything about Rogue One other than the cringe-worthy ending.

Yeah, I totally disagree.

Movies like TPM and Batman and Robin actually piss me off because of the wasted opportunities.

5 minutes with Vader in RO eclipsed 6 hours of the prequels by itself imo.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

To be fair, most Star Wars fans sort of revert to children when they watch Star Wars. You know that whole "the kid in me" thing.

I actually didn't see Star Wars until I was in my teens, so I never had that problem.

I saw ROTJ when I was a child and I have no regrets.

Love watching it with kid eyes, adult eyes, even third eyes.

 

[writer0327]

To be fair, most Star Wars fans sort of revert to children when they watch Star Wars. You know that whole "the kid in me" thing.

I actually didn't see Star Wars until I was in my teens, so I never had that problem.

I saw all three OT films before turning 12 strangely enough....

There is definitely a nostalgia element for those who grew up on SW.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

There's nothing wrong with nostalgia.

It's a hell of a drug.

But why is Lucus pretending he never put religious or political themes into Star Wars?

Does he regret it because he disagrees with the spiritual and political connotations nowadays?

 

[David H.]

As an older fan what's your response to what Lucas said?

He's telling the truth.

 

[2kt09]

To be fair, most Star Wars fans sort of revert to children when they watch Star Wars. You know that whole "the kid in me" thing.

There is definitely a nostalgia element for those who grew up on SW.

For sure. For me it's mostly:
While other nostalgic things seem to have grown up more wherein they're mature
because they simply put more effort into the various themes and characters, SW maintains first-and-foremost as a spectacle-driven good time at the theaters.

 

[writer0327]

There's nothing wrong with nostalgia.

It's a hell of a drug.

But why is Lucus pretending he never put religious or political themes into Star Wars?

Does he regret it because he disagrees with the spiritual and political connotations nowadays?

Did he really say that?

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Did he really say that?

If you say Star Wars is for 12 year olds then you're pretty much dismissing any political or spiritual themes within the mythos.

Typically 12 year olds have little appreciation or awareness of those things.

 

[writer0327]

If you say Star Wars is for 12 year olds then you're pretty much dismissing any political or spiritual themes within the mythos.

Typically 12 year olds have little appreciation or awareness of those things.

I'd argue that Disney/Pixar films are made for kids and yet have tons of adult material that children have no appreciation or understanding of.

Some of the best fairytales had political and religious overtones.

 

[2kt09]

I'd also argue those Disney/Pixar films are more mature.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

I'd also argue those Disney/Pixar films are more mature.

More mature?

Maybe Wall-E and Up but let's not forget SW deals with WW2 fascism, Vietnam, and Eastern religion/philosophy.

It's not just glowing swords and beeping droids.

 

[TheVileOne]

I think it's just Lucas trying to get some of his filmmaker cred back after the prequels were so maligned. They weren't well liked because they were misunderstood.