DBWI: "Star Wars" was finished?

The story of Star Wars is an infamous one, it was a project by George Lucas of American Graffiti fame, it was supposed to be absolutely groundbreaking and change movies forever, but he suffered a heart attack and died during production because of extreme stress, he was putting too much effort into it. What do you think would happen if this movie was finished, how would it affect the film industry as a whole?
 
The story of Star Wars is an infamous one, it was a project by George Lucas of American Graffiti fame, it was supposed to be absolutely groundbreaking and change movies forever, but he suffered a heart attack and died during production because of extreme stress, he was putting too much effort into it. What do you think would happen if this movie was finished, how would it affect the film industry as a whole?

Based on interviews with Timothy Truman, Jim Henson, and Jack Kirby, the idea seems like a independent studio attempt at filming a sci-fi epic. I would venture though it would probably have bankrupted 20th Century before it could even "break even", just as Alexander Jodorowsky's Dune (1981) starring Orson Welles, Mick Jagger, Salvador Dali, and Gloria Steinem for United Artists (UA)...,

For instance, Pink Floyd is infamous for lawsuits for anyone playing the soundtrack without their permission...
 
I remember reading an interview with a writer by the name of Carrie Fisher a few years back. She's had a couple of novels published and works mainly in TV now but she originally started out as an actress (I guess being the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher opens a few doors.)

I can't remember exactly where the interview was but she said that she played one of the leads, some sort of.... space princess rebelling against the evil space Roman empire? Though she described the screenplay as "fantastic" and "wonderful," the production went off the rails from day one. Lucas was completely overwhelmed, the special effects that were supposed to be revolutionary never worked and - surprise! - the British crew in London where they were shooting hated him.

So yeah, I think if it had ever been released, it would be a completely forgotten piece of dreck by now. Alec Guinness, the one name in a cast full of unknowns (then and now) always said that he loved it, that children all over the world should have had a chance to see it, but I can't see it. The big sci-fi revival in the 80s was always going to come from TV and The Star Wars wasn't going to derail that (though butterflying away those eight Space 1999 films would've been manna from heaven.)
 
There is a theory that was floated around European film circles that Jodorowsky was the Salieri to Lucas' Mozart. If one believes the theory, Jodorowsky "acquired" special effects people like Stan Winston, H.R. Giger, and Salvador Dali, often through a combination of bribery, blackmail, and threats that would make Stanley Kubrick blush. When Lucas refused to help, the director was left financially and emotionally broken...,

Anu thoughts?
 
The story of Star Wars is an infamous one, it was a project by George Lucas of American Graffiti fame, it was supposed to be absolutely groundbreaking and change movies forever, but he suffered a heart attack and died during production because of extreme stress, he was putting too much effort into it. What do you think would happen if this movie was finished, how would it affect the film industry as a whole?

Well, oddly enough, Star Wars might have ended up being a good thing for Star Trek.

If Star Wars had premiered in '77 or '78 and done well at the box office, Paramount might have decided to go big-screen with Trek rather than the Phase II TV series that ended up in syndication (Paramount's "fourth network having failed pretty miserably and pretty quickly). Who knows, we might still be getting Star Trek movies up through the late 1990's if not early 2000's. And if the movies had done well, there may have even been another attempt to revive Trek on TV.
 
Probably Lucas shouldve stuck to an already established franchise, imagine if he had the backing of someone like Hasbro (Their Transformers movie which jumpstarted the animated sci-fi era of movies.)

Still looking at the script I can see what he wanted, and the first scene would've hooked people up (The giant model sailing over the screen). I actually think it wouldve done a lot more than we think.
 
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