Yes, this is George Lucas created, so you need to keep a healthy dose of cynicism about you as you watch. Still, much of this documentary about the making of the original Star Wars trilogy seems to be fact-based and balanced. Naturally, there is zero reference to the critical and fan revulsion of his recent Star Wars films. Instead, he makes us all laugh by acting surprised that his adherence to the independent film ethic has backfired as he's become the head of a conglomerate corporation consisting of Lucasfilm, THX, Industrial Light and Magic, and other offshoots. Still, the documentary is appealing due mostly to the interviews with the cast and crew, especially Mark Hamill, who is an engaging and humorous interviewee. How I would love to see him in some new films, and not just as the voice actor he has become. (And here's hoping he gets some in-person acting gigs because of this doc.) The other reason this documentary keeps your interest is the skill displayed in matching the interviews with production materials, no more evident than in interview segments with Lucas discussing the casting process interspersed with original casting call videos. Wonder how the lead cast members were chosen? I'm sure casting is a difficult process, but it's beyond evident to the viewer why the principals were picked. If you don't have an abiding detest of Lucas that prevents you from watching him onscreen, you shouldn't hesitate to check this out. It's on the 4th disc of the new Star Wars trilogy DVD set.
year: 2004
length: 151 min.
rating: 3.0
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0416716/combined
Friday, October 29, 2004
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