George Lucas speaks out against "cultural imperialism"

[nobody]

This is a funny (and short) article from "Opinion Journal" (a "Wall Street Journal" editorial page):

VADER VENDOR: Director George Lucas is worried about American "cultural imperialism." In a speech to the World Affairs Council in San Francisco on Wednesday, he cited the lifestyles portrayed on "Dallas" as an example of how Hollywood irresponsibly infects the minds of poor people overseas. "They say, 'That is what I want to be' . . . [and] that destabilizes a lot of the world," AFP quotes him as saying. U.S. filmmakers should be more careful about the messages they send, Mr. Lucas added. Marketers, too, presumably, since a lot of poor people in other countries probably see Mr. Lucas's "Star Wars" line of products and think: "That is what I want to have."

[LH-C]

George just needs to shut up.

[loyal1]

I read something like this on imdb, not with George Lucas, but with the same subject matter.  Theere was one teacher from Switzerland who lived in America for a time, and MANY of her students view America from our movies and television shows.  She said many of them pictured us like Jerry Springer guests...lol.  So is it our responsibility that they chose to view us from one aspect?  Why should we censor for an image.  America is DIVERSE and doesn't have a true cultural...many mini culturals melded uner one government.  That is who we are.  

Oh, and there was a lot of heat from people because of Hostel (we are not like that, you are ruining are reputation) and so on.

[Neville]

George Lucas is perfectly aware of the paradox he represents. I remember reading an interview in which he spoke about how he still considered himself an independent filmmaker (he created Lucasfilms to aboid interference from big studios), but that he was also aware that the success of the "Star Wars" franchise had turned him into the head of a big corporation.

[plan9superfan]

So, in other words, George Lucas has tuned to the Dark Side of the Force...

[Neville]

Yeah. Why else do you think he made the bad guys win this last time? You didn't buy all that "prequel" stuff, did you?

[LH-C]

Neville Wrote:
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> Yeah. Why else do you think he made the bad guys
> win this last time? You didn't buy all that
> "prequel" stuff, did you?

I sure as hell didn't. They were boring and a waste of many good actors. And I want to see that Maori guy that played Fett in some other things. He was really cool.

On another note, while I respect and admire greatly the technical aspects of the making of the Star Wars movies, I'm really beginning to think the same way Alec Guiness did about them.

[Flangepart]

Be great on George's busness card...GEORGE LUCAS : CULTURAL IMPERIALIST!
True in so many ways...

[Neville]

The way to turn Lucas into an independent filmmaker? Whenever you meet him, mention how inspiring and influential "Howard the Duck" was on your life.

[plan9superfan]

Or the Star Wars Holiday Special, for that matter.

[LH-C]

plan9superfan Wrote:
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> Or the Star Wars Holiday Special, for that matter.

Argh....I actually remember watching that piece of garbage back in 1978, about a month or so before I turned 3.

[Just Plain Horse]

plan9superfan Wrote:
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> So, in other words, George Lucas has tuned to the
> Dark Side of the Force...

Yeah, apparently so he could "instruct" us all  to follow the true virtues of transcending materialism... *rolls eyes*

Hey George! If you want to be of some good to anyone else, maybe you should channel your billions of Star Wars dollars into something positive- like housing the homeless, funding struggling schools, or providing aid for scientific research to battle diseases... perhaps even help a 3rd world country (I'm sure you have sufficient funds to build your own damn Cuba). Oh, and try to get in better shape... I've seen Star Wars fans who are in better physical condition than you.

[Neville]

...And shave that beard!

[trekgeezer]

Lucas is an independent film maker. He completely funded all the prequels himself.

[Flangepart]

Well, goes to show, independance does not nessarily equal competance.