Celebration V Guest List: Gary Kurtz Is Showing Up?

[lazypadawan]

Let's see, a few days ago we found out that Anthony Daniels will be taking a break from Star Wars In Concert to drop by Celebration; I couldn't imagine the guy missing it.

Then Official Pix jumped the gun by announcing Gary Kurtz as a guest before he formally signed on the dotted line; the announcement was quickly pulled but Philip Wise posted on Rebelscum's forum that for all intents and purposes, Kurtz will be there. Plus he promised a forthcoming announcement on an "oh, cool, he's signing??!" kind of guest. Uh, who could that be?

Kurtz did appear at Celebration IV and he's appeared at cons in Europe for years but I think this is the first time he'll be in the same building as Papa George at like the same time in ages :O. Interesting.

Comments

[darth-pipes.livejournal.com]

That's right, I forgot that GL offered the ROTJ director's job to David Lynch and Steve Spielberg. Those two guys aren't exactly lapdogs, especially Spielberg.

[may-child.livejournal.com]

Nope, they aren't. Lynch turned Lucas down because he wanted to make Dune and also because he felt he wouldn't have been given as much creative freedom as he wanted. The you-know-who predictably pounced on that last, and it's possible he was correct in his belief...but considering how much creative freedom Lucas gave Kersh, and, more to the point, Marquand, it's just as possible he was incorrect.

Speaking of Marquand...I know I've said this before, but ever notice how the you-know-who tore him to shreds as a no-telent "lapdog of Luca$" -- but suddenly became passionate defenders of him and his "artistic rights" with regards to the SE version of ROTJ? You'd think that they'd have been happy that some Ewok footage was cut out of the ending and replaced with galactic celebration footage, given how much they bitch about Ewoks, but no...they screamed about Lucas "desecrating" the movie (which was their favorite punching bag before the prequels started coming out) and wailed that, since Marquand is dead, he cannot approve or disapprove of the changes made to "his movie."

Which brings me to another thing I know I've said before...one of the most outlandish conspiracy theories I've seen bedwetters spin around Lucas is that he waited so long to put the OT on DVD because he hoped the elderly Irvin Kershner would die, and thus be unable to do the director's commentary (Marquand, "conveniently," was already dead). That's patently absurd, and I pointed out that if Lucas didn't want Kersh to do the commentary, all he'd have to do is say, "Kersh, you're not doing the commentary." Bedwetter response: "But that would make him look bad. If he just waited until Kersh died, then Kersh would automatically be excluded."

Oh good LORD...there are just no words.