Another fascinating aspect of the book is how it details the friendship of Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Martin Scorsese. Scorsese's recent Oscar acceptance, with the other three proudly looking on, emphasized the strength or durability of this friendship. It's hard to think of four directors with a greater impact on American culture and Hollywood moviemaking. In many ways, weren't these friendships really forged over this critical period of time, back in the early to mid-70s?
Actually Lucas's friendship with Coppola started circa 1966 or '67, and with Spielberg in 1967 -- at least that's when they met. And Lucas's then-wife, Marcia, edited many films for Scorsese, so they all spent a lot of time together. There was also John Milius, Michael Ritchie, Matthew Robbins and Hal Barwood, Brian De Palma, John Korty, Carroll Ballard -- etc., etc. I'm sure there was a lot competition -- but they also really helped each other out, reading each other's scripts, watching rough cuts, etc.
Of perhaps even greater impact than the Star Wars movie itself was the birth of Industrial Light & Magic, which was created to do the special effects for that film but soon took on a trailblazing role for the whole industry -- a role it continues in today.
Yes, but it happened slowly. A few of the key members elected to stay in LA after the first film. And ILM didn't start to do outside productions at full tilt until the mid-1980s. In some ways, Spielberg was their first outside client, with the
Lucas had difficulties with his prior films, but in terms of the shooting and in his dealings with the studio, but nothing like what he experienced in Star Wars, which at one point drove him to check into a hospital. Was that why he decided not to direct The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi?
Yes, he had "retired."
His insistence on creative and marketing control seems incredibly far-sighted. There, too, he really blazed the way, didn't he?
According to his lawyers and agent, Jeff Berg, Lucas was the driving force. But it was more about control. He couldn't have known Star Wars was going to become so huge -- because it was unprecedented. But he did know he didn't want a lot of rip-off, badly produced spin-off products out there based on his creative work.
Is there other archival material, for example relating to the two sequels, that has yet to come to light? Is this the last "Making Of" book?
Well, the next two already have published books out there. But there is a ton of never-seen-before visual material that we could publish. A lot depends on how The Making of Star Wars does in the marketplace. If it's a success, then I'll be able to leverage deluxe versions, with many more photos and art, for Empire and Jedi -- perhaps for their anniversaries.
This May, Jonathan Rinzler will be available to sign copies of The Making of Star Wars at the following locations:
CALIFORNIA
May 5th
Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista
Corte Madera, CA 94925
MINNESOTA
May 12th
Barnes & Noble
2100 North Snelling Ave
Roseville, MN 55113
CALIFORNIA
May 17th
Borders Books & Music
2765 E Bidwell St
Folsom, CA 95630
UTAH
May 19th
Davis County Library (South Branch)
725 South Main Street
Bountiful, UT 84010
NEVADA
May 20th
Borders Books & Music
2190 N. Rainbow Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89108
CALIFORNIA
May 25th - 27th
STAR WARS CELEBRATION
Los Angeles Convention Center
Los Angeles, CA
