Lucas’s Impact on Cinema and Culture

Every red-blooded American knows about George Lucas, even if they don’t know him by name. You can’t fail to recognize the ominous silhouette of Vader’s helmet or the cult-like following of Star Wars fans at the movie theaters.

But is that the extent of Lucas’s impact? I answer with a resounding, “No!” In this, our FINAL INSTALLMENT in The Genius of George Lucas series (woot woot!), we’ll acknowledge three major areas that Lucas has impacted throughout his career. Join me, won’t you?

Happy Birthday, PWD!

If you can’t believe it’s been two years since Past Watchful Dragons began gracing your inbox with awesomeness, then join the club–neither can I! Nevertheless, it’s true, and I wanted to take a week to reminisce on some of the great stuff we’ve learned together during the past year. Also, I’m eager to hear from you! What do you want to read about next year?

The Fun of Indiana Jones 1-3: Heroism

A bullwhip, a brown fedora, and a whole lot of moxie–no one else can pull it off like Indiana Jones. This guy is a hero in a league of his own. Find out what makes the original trilogy a cult classic in today’s post!

The Shortcomings of Star Wars I-III, Part 2

In the last post, I was so busy talking about what I liked from Episodes I-III that I didn’t even have time to talk about their shortcomings. Today, I’m making time. Join me as I look at some common sentiments as well as (maybe) some unique ones. As always, feel free to leave questions, comments, or bitter diatribes!

PS: Next time, I think I’ll post something that isn’t about Lucas or Star Wars, just to give you non-geeks a break. You’re welcome. 🙂

The Shortcomings of Star Wars I-III, Part 1

You weren’t surprised to see “Part 1” at the end of today’s title, were you? You know me too well by now. Characteristically, I’ve written an article that was way too long to publish as one post, so I was forced to split it in half. That left a manageable list of “pros” for today and a manageable list of “cons” for next time. Curious? Read on! I’d love to hear your thoughts as well, so feel free to comment!

The Success of Star Wars IV-VI: Discussion

When you think of the original Star Wars trilogy, what words come to your mind? Inspired? Groundbreaking? Flawed? While there are many fantastic aspects of these films, they’re certainly not perfect. That’s why today’s post will discuss the good, the bad, and the edited, so grab a cup of Jawa juice and settle in for a good read!

The Success of Star Wars IV-VI: Backstory

Now that you know all about George Lucas from the past two posts, you’re ready to plunge right into the original trilogy. What were the inspirations behind the films, and what made them so popular? I’ll take a stab at answering these today, so hang on to your hats, kids. This is gonna be one fast Kessel run.