THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
directed by IRVIN KERSHNER produced by GARY KURTZ
screenplay by LEIGH BRACKETT and LAWRENCE KASDAN story GEORGE LUCAS
executive producer GEORGE LUCAS editor PAUL HIRSCH
This is what made empire a stand out in the series with this kind of quality behind the project, so why did Lucas change all this and not keep the same line up for Jedi? I'm aware Leigh Brackett tragically died just after writing the script for Empire, but for Return of the Jedi Lucas saw to it he got a young Director who would let him interfere and change what he wanted (marquand, who fought with lucas over casting decisions that lucas didn't want like ian mcdiarmid for the emporer), a new producer in howard kazijian who went along with ewoks and puppets (something Kurtz left over) and Lucas got himself in on the screen-writing (always a bad thing, even though kasdan was still there lucas was still contributing something to the script) and changed the editor to have more involvment in that. Do you think this is part of his ego in saying that Star Wars is his? I mean check out The Phamtom menace and attack of the clones:
directed by LUCAS produced by RICK MCALLUM (a total yes man)
screenplay by LUCAS (to quote lawrence kasdan upon reading lucas' early ROTJ screenwriting drafts "I can't believe he wrote this, it's absolutly terrible") AND JOHNATHAN HALES (for AOTC, probably another yes man judging by the awful dialogue and script in that film)
executive producer and editor LUCAS (along with his sound effects man ben burtt, probably another yes man)
Is it any wonder wonder Star Wars went down hill from Empire onwards - the more lucas gets involved the more it sucks. He just refuses to let anyone in on it, he's like a spoilt kid with a toy - doesn't he know it's poor in standard to the first two star wars films?
This post has been edited by Garth Vader: 04 October 2004 - 06:50 PM