Happy Birthday George Lucas! You might know his landmark student film, Electronic Labyrinth THX 1138 4EB (1967) and that Francis Ford Coppola encouraged him to turn it into a full film, THX 1138 (1971), but it served as the type of film that Lucas wanted to make a tone poem, more than a sci fi future. He also defined films with his semi-autobiographical American Graffiti (1973) insisting on a soundtrack of songs by the original artists that is the standard today. We might also know that he moved past his Flash Gordon film idea for Universal and instead created his own world using his Akira Kurosawa, John Ford, and Alex Raymond influences to form something new with Star Wars (1977). There was also his insistence to having the toy merchandise and forcing effects to bring something energetic to films with what became ILM. Then, there was Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and finally Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983). There were two tv movies after the original trilogy with stories by George Lucas; The Ewok Adventure (1984), also called the Caravan of Courage, and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985). Lucas contributed the story for Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), collaborating with his friend, Steven Spielberg, to craft a modern cliffhanger serial classic. There was also Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and later Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).
He wrote the screenplay to the Disney attraction, Captain EO (1986), then the first collaboration with Disney on Star Tours which first opened in 1987, and was the writer for the fantasy film Willow (1988). He was able to executive producer Tucker: The Man and His Dream (1988) for Francis Ford Coppola as director. Lucas executive produced the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular! which opened at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 1989. Later, he worked again with Disney for Indiana Jones Adventure: Temple of the Forbidden Eye which opened at Disneyland in 1995. Lucas created the television show The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992-1993). Harrison Ford returned to play Indy in Young Indiana Jones and the Mystery of the Blues (1993). This of course formed the effects and production pipeline for Lucas to return to Star Wars with the prequels starting with Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999). He continued the prequels with Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (2002) and the conclusion was in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith (2005). Lucas also was executive producer on Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008-2014) animated series. He returned to write the story for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008). Lucas accomplished the film he wanted to make for some time executive producing Red Tails (2012). He provided the story for the animated film, Strange Magic 92015). On October 2012, Lucasfilm was sold to Disney and Lucas instead focusing his energies on the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art set to open in 2021. Happy Birthday George Lucas!
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