Who is the GREATEST DIRECTOR of ALL TIME??

[orestes.]

One pop culture hit is sure a hell of a lot better than what most will ever produce.

[AwallaceUNC]

what other 'roles' has he played?

imbd him, his whole career has been banking off this herb's star wars franchise.

Um, ok, I'll IMDb him...

Lucas' roles in film:
-Screenwriter
-Director
-Producer
-Editor
-Cinematographer
-Actor
-Sound Director
-various other miscellaneous crew positions



-Aaron

[STASHONE]

dude, thats not striving for much.

Im assuming most film directors do not do what they do for the aim of pop culture stints.

listing him among the greatest filmmakers is the equivalent of shouting out michael jordan as the greatest athlete to ever grace the astroturf of Chi stadium...


The past thirty years of his "career" have been sponsored by internet fanboys and eccentric nerds.

hes insignificant in the film world.

[STASHONE]

what other 'roles' has he played?

imbd him, his whole career has been banking off this herb's star wars franchise.

Um, ok, I'll IMDb him...

Lucas' roles in film:
-Screenwriter
-Director
-Producer
-Editor
-Cinematographer
-Actor
-Sound Director
-various other miscellaneous crew positions



-Aaron

uh bro, here's a sample of his screenwriting credits...


R2D2 Beneath The Dome
Star Wars: Obi-Wan
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure
Star Wars: Yoda Stories (
Star Wars: Rebel Assault
Indiana Jed ... aka Indiana Jed & the Search for the Infinite Power
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor
Droids
The Ewok Adventure
The Star Wars Holiday Special


and Production...

The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Adventures in the Secret Service
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Masks of Evil
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Spring Break Adventure
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: The Trenches of Hell
Young Indiana Jones and the Treasure of the Peacock's Eye
Wow!
Star Tours
Howard the Duck
Ewoks: The Battle for Endor
The Ewok Adventure
Twice Upon a Time
Body Heat

etc.

Im not even gonna copy/paste any further, half these credits are "special thanks" or "video box title", "production assistant".

I hear he was the bagel boy on the illustrious "Mortimer and the Riddles of the Medallion"!


now thats impressive, however it wasnt until he reprised his greatest role as the man in the background on Sesame Street Presents Follow That Bird that he rose to esteem as an established veteran of cinema arts.

[lord-of-sith]

Yes STASHONE, he's insignificant in the film world. I mean, he's only founded the biggest special effects company around, Industrial Light and Magic. Was one of the biggest founders of digital effects, editing, and sound. And created a series that changed the way movies are made. Yeah, he did nothing. Oh, and I think you mean his six significant films.

[STASHONE]

Im no expert, but Im fairly certain he never directed more than 3 star wars movies. and please explain to me how the impact of that effected the change of how films were made?


actually, I really dont care..

I thought this discussion was in regards to the greatest directors of all time?

Im going to sleep.

[2099net]

Yes STASHONE, he's insignificant in the film world. I mean, he's only founded the biggest special effects company around, Industrial Light and Magic. Was one of the biggest founders of digital effects, editing, and sound. And created a series that changed the way movies are made. Yeah, he did nothing. Oh, and I think you mean his six significant films.

But that's not Directing. Even his latter Star Wars films are dubious for directing honours.

Look at how much work his crew do when it comes to the look and 'feel' of the films, and how hands-off some of his decisions seem to be in the Phantom Menace DVD documentary.

(and remember, he only Directed the first of the original trilogy).

Lucas HAS contributed to the cinema, both as an artform and as a business. His work (especially ILM, THX and Skywalker sound) but it's not DIRECTING!

[Son of the Morning]

Personal favorites:

<a href="http://imdb.com/name/nm0000033/">Alfred Hitchcock</a> (Vertigo, Notorious, Rebecca)
<a href="http://imdb.com/name/nm0000186/">David Lynch</a> (Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, Eraserhead)
<a href="http://imdb.com/name/nm0000040/">Stanley Kubrick</a> (Barry Lyndon, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Eyes Wide Shut)
<a href="http://imdb.com/name/nm0000019/">Frederico Fellini</a> (8½, La Dolce Vita, Amarcord)
<a href="http://imdb.com/name/nm0000320/">Luis Buñuel</a> (Le Fantôme de la liberté, Le Charme discret de la bourgeoisie, Cet obscur objet du désir)

Off the top of my head...

[AwallaceUNC]

Lucas HAS contributed to the cinema, both as an artform and as a business. His work (especially ILM, THX and Skywalker sound) but it's not DIRECTING!

Bingo.

Stashone, in my first post I said that Lucas gets props in his other roles, but that directing isn't one of them. You asked what other roles he's had, as if he's primarily known as a director when that isn't the case at all.

Now whether you like his scripts or not is up to you, but to argue that the Star Wars and Indiana Jones stories haven't been influential (on film and many other things) is absurd. The same can be said for his production and certainly his contributions to visual effects and sound.

You go to his IMDb page and bring back children's programming and television specials? Most Hollywood heavyweights are involved with these sort of things. When I listed his IMDb credits, it's only because you asked for them as if directing was all he did. I'm focusing on the top-listed roles for which he's most known.

Has Lucas directed? Yes. Is he a director? No - that is, it's not 'what he's all about.'

-Aaron

[STASHONE]

whatever, he's done a lot with his production company for digital effects and sound mixing, but to credit him as a screenwriter, cinematographer (that's a laugh!), editor and actor is the same as calling him the greatest director.

He's really none of those.


my friend's shot some movies in film school too, he's listed at the imdb also... does that make him a cinematographor cause he was dp on some kid's short film?

an actor... oh yeah, the dissapointed man in beverly hills cop 3!

he's edited like 3 cheesball tv productions and some movie titles than goes mysteriously uncredited as editor on a couple of his friend's franchise projects. If it's anything like his directorial work, I'm sure the bulk of his task was spent in the lab eating cheesburgers and keeping his production crew company. Those majestic cinematic use of sweeps in the Star Wars films have got to be the work of a profound post-production mastermind...

seriously, he does digital effects (for better or worse I wont argue the impact) and sound production. I think it's definitely the case of being in the right place at the right time and knowing the right people, rather than creative and artistic insight.

He made a fun adventure movie and somehow garnered a mass following of eccentric dorks who hail him as the second coming.

If there's one thing I could give him credit for, it's definitely in the marketing department. That's really his meal ticket right there, dude is a genius when it comes to merchandising and promotion.

[AwallaceUNC]

So let me get this right- as far as you're concerned, Lucas isn't a director, producer, or screenwriter at all?

-Aaron

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

These are all the films Geroge Lucas has directed:

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)
2. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)
... aka Attack of the Clones: The IMAX Experience (USA: IMAX version (promotional title))
... aka Star Wars II (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Star Wars II: Attack of the Clones (USA: video box title)
3. Short Chaos 10 (2000) (V)
4. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)
... aka Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace (USA: video box title)
... aka The Phantom Menace (USA: short title)
5. Captivated '92: The Video Collection (1991) (V) (video "Rush, Rush")
6. Star Wars (1977)
7. American Graffiti (1973)
8. THX 1138 (1971)
9. Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138' (1971)
10. Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB (1970)
11. The Making of 'The Rain People' (1969)
12. Filmmaker (1968)
... aka Filmmaker: A Diary by George Lucas
13. 6-18-67 (1967)
14. Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town (1967)
15. The Emperor (1967)
16. 1:42:08: A Man and His Car (1966)
... aka 1:42.08 to Qualify (USA)
17. Freiheit (1966) (as Lucas)
18. Herbie (1966) r

So he's directed 4 Star Wars films, but he directed American Graffiti and THX 1138!

[STASHONE]

As a profession.. no.

As an artist.. no.


Producer, yes. I don't know enough about his to know exactly what he's involved himself in, but I do know that he's fincanced distribution of some foreign films and I'm sure he's well involved in production.


As far as screenwriting and directing, he's had questionably minimal involvement in both and doesn't seem to be very good at either. How many scripts has he actually developped from scratch; the mexican segment from the young indiana jones spring break adventure? various tv characters and title sequences? weho would really approach george lucas for a screenplay?

No, he's not a writer.

I think THX for what it is, and American Graffiti are both excellent films. I give him full credit for that. But no Im not going to call George Lucas a screenwriter or list him among the best directors of all time cause he directed 3.5 movies and helped his friends write some short dialogue sequences for corny ass tv shows.

[lord-of-sith]

Nevertheless, people can still like what he's directed and respect him for that.

[2099net]

This Lucas thing is getting like my Lynch discussion at the top of this thead.

I think some people don't understand the job of a director. But as filming gets more and more "technical" and "effects driven" I do think there is an argument for the role of a director changing. However, I think Lucas absolutely 100% cannot direct actors well. In fact, most of the actors has commented on this themselves. As a result I cannot call him a great director.

Still, he makes some of the best trailers in the business! If only his films could be as good.

[Prince Eric]

Nevertheless, people can still like what he's directed and respect him for that.

Uh, yeah, but no one can put him on the list of all-time directors. Perosonally, I would be embarrassed to have my name anywhere on the two recent Star Wars movies, so his directing contributions are limited. I can think of dozens of directors I would rank higher than him, even those with an equal or less repetoire.

[STASHONE]

let me help you out here...

These are all the films Geroge Lucas has directed:

1. Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

2. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

3. Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999) - (did he even direct this, I thought he only did the last most recent one? for argument's sake, will say he did...)

4. Star Wars (1977)

5. American Graffiti (1973)

6. THX 1138 (1971)







... Short Chaos 10 (2000) (V) - What is this? George Lucas made that up.

... Captivated '92: The Video Collection (1991) (V) (video "Rush, Rush") - a compilation of music videos???

... Bald: The Making of 'THX 1138' (1971) - a making-of featurette for a dvd!

... Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB (1970) - more promotional crap for one the few movies he actually directed.

... The Making of 'The Rain People' (1969) - a short "documentary" about his friend's movie. I actually saw this, nothing too intriguing.

... Filmmaker (1968) - This is the exact same thing as above, the internet can be sneaky.

... 6-18-67 (1967) - some more another making-of fluff.



The rest are all short student films he made in school. I'm betting they're an embarassment to Lucas himself and if we're going to include these in his filmography than maybe I should reccommend some of my friend's to the director's guild of america since all they'd need is a couple of behind-the-scenes features on their resume and they'd be nominated into the thread of ultimate disney forum members greatest directors.


Anyone Lived in a Pretty How Town (1967)
The Emperor (1967)
1:42:08: A Man and His Car (1966)
Freiheit (1966) (as Lucas)
Herbie (1966)


he directed thx, american graff and star wars. It's questionable how much "directing" he actually assumed with the past 2 or 3 star wars movies. Not surprisingly, they all pretty much blowed.

I don't even know what we're arguing... are you trying to establish that this guy was a seasoned scriptwriter, dp, actor, world class director and bla bla bla..?

I think at this point, most people clicking these posts would agree that he was none of the above.

you might dig Star Wars but that doesnt accredit Lucas anymore in any of these fields.


Again, I'll elucidate... short student films and homework aside... he made two movies and star wars. an exciting if dated popcorn flick that's possibly the most overrated thing to ever touch film celluloid.

[STASHONE]

This Lucas thing is getting like my Lynch discussion at the top of this thead.

I think some people don't understand the job of a director. But as filming gets more and more "technical" and "effects driven" I do think there is an argument for the role of a director changing. However, I think Lucas absolutely 100% cannot direct actors well. In fact, most of the actors has commented on this themselves. As a result I cannot call him a great director.

Still, he makes some of the best trailers in the business! If only his films could be as good.

bingo.

[Prince Eric]

This Lucas thing is getting like my Lynch discussion at the top of this thead.

I think some people don't understand the job of a director. But as filming gets more and more "technical" and "effects driven" I do think there is an argument for the role of a director changing. However, I think Lucas absolutely 100% cannot direct actors well. In fact, most of the actors has commented on this themselves. As a result I cannot call him a great director.

Still, he makes some of the best trailers in the business! If only his films could be as good.

bingo.

Yeah, even Natalie Portman says that she viewed her time on the sets of Star Wars as a big joke. The man just doesn't know how to handle the human element in films. It's all about the visual bombast, which is never a good thing in my book. I mean, look at Hayden Christenson and Natlaie Portman in the movies - they're dead! There's no soul in their eyes! They sound like they're reading off of cue cards in a wooden monotone! There's a reason why Ewan McGregor is the stand-out, he's a more mature and experienced actor, so he can overcome an inadequate (and some might say incompetant) director.

[Disney-Fan]

It's questionable how much "directing" he actually assumed with the past 2 or 3 star wars movies. Not surprisingly, they all pretty much blowed.

Well, to each his own. You might think they blow (I can see why) but these are among the most beloved movies on my list... Saying who can and can't direct is a matter of opinion. I think he can, you think he can't... Can't we just leave it at that?