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The Rebel Filmmaker
Mar. 12th, 2008 07:04 pmThere are people who have contemplated the idea that the SW saga is a metaphor for trying to succeed as an independent filmmaker. George Lucas's struggles to maintain his artistic vision and his preference for Marin County over Bel Air or Beverly Hills are legendary. Think about it…the Empire is Hollywood's studio establishment, dominating the universe and steamrolling over little guys everywhere into submission to the ultimate Studio Boss, the Emperor. Darth Vader? A talented player who sold out to the system. Stormtroopers? Studio flunkies and the fawning entertainment media. Boba Fett? Ever hear of a guy named Anthony Pellicano, now on trial? Jabba the Hutt? The excesses of Hollywood: hookers, strippers, drugs, boozy parties, loads of money spent on stuff like sail barges, and tacky décor.
Luke represents the independent filmmaker, a pie-eyed kid from far outside of the system who nonetheless possesses talent. He tries to take on the system with his merry band of outsiders: a shady character who provides no-questions-asked funding (Han), a guy who used to be a star but found himself exiled from the industry (Obi-Wan), an ethnic minority (Chewbacca), a spunky gonzo cameraman (Artoo), a crackpot assistant (Threepio), and a starlet who won't play the casting couch game (Leia). He fights resistance from parental authority who thinks he needs to find a more realistic career path, like moisture farming (Uncle Owen). After Obi-Wan shows Luke the basics, he's able to make his first blockbuster from outside of the Hollywood system, making them literally explode with envy. At the end, Luke collects his first award (I guess Han was the producer). Then the Empire strikes back, doing everything it can to derail Luke's career, but in the end, Luke triumphs. He sets up his independent studio on Endor, a place that looks suspiciously like Northern California, and employs cheerful Ewoks (Lucasfilm employees).
The metaphor continues in the prequels. Anakin is young, talented, and quite possibly the most innovative filmmaker ever. He's a maverick and a rebel, making odd movies that the kids think are cool but the old fogeys who are stuck in their conventional ways (the Jedi Council) don't understand. They're afraid of his ideas, so they do everything to keep him down, all of the while taking advantage of his innovations for their own mainstream movies (see "Tucker" for a similar metaphor involving cars). Sure, on the surface, it looks like the enfant terrible of the galaxy has it all: success, good looks, and a hot socialite who digs those hip movies (Padmé). But Anakin's frustrations get the best of him and he ends up saying, "To hell with it." Tragically, he signs on with a major studio to make "Look Who's Talking IV: Look Who Won't Shut Up." Then he writes a memoir trashing everyone he's met along the way and dumps his wife and kids to join some crazy Hollywood cult (the Church of Sithy-ology).
Think about it, it makes sense.
Luke represents the independent filmmaker, a pie-eyed kid from far outside of the system who nonetheless possesses talent. He tries to take on the system with his merry band of outsiders: a shady character who provides no-questions-asked funding (Han), a guy who used to be a star but found himself exiled from the industry (Obi-Wan), an ethnic minority (Chewbacca), a spunky gonzo cameraman (Artoo), a crackpot assistant (Threepio), and a starlet who won't play the casting couch game (Leia). He fights resistance from parental authority who thinks he needs to find a more realistic career path, like moisture farming (Uncle Owen). After Obi-Wan shows Luke the basics, he's able to make his first blockbuster from outside of the Hollywood system, making them literally explode with envy. At the end, Luke collects his first award (I guess Han was the producer). Then the Empire strikes back, doing everything it can to derail Luke's career, but in the end, Luke triumphs. He sets up his independent studio on Endor, a place that looks suspiciously like Northern California, and employs cheerful Ewoks (Lucasfilm employees).
The metaphor continues in the prequels. Anakin is young, talented, and quite possibly the most innovative filmmaker ever. He's a maverick and a rebel, making odd movies that the kids think are cool but the old fogeys who are stuck in their conventional ways (the Jedi Council) don't understand. They're afraid of his ideas, so they do everything to keep him down, all of the while taking advantage of his innovations for their own mainstream movies (see "Tucker" for a similar metaphor involving cars). Sure, on the surface, it looks like the enfant terrible of the galaxy has it all: success, good looks, and a hot socialite who digs those hip movies (Padmé). But Anakin's frustrations get the best of him and he ends up saying, "To hell with it." Tragically, he signs on with a major studio to make "Look Who's Talking IV: Look Who Won't Shut Up." Then he writes a memoir trashing everyone he's met along the way and dumps his wife and kids to join some crazy Hollywood cult (the Church of Sithy-ology).
Think about it, it makes sense.
