How Marcia Lucas saved Star Wars and shaped it into the classic we love |
A long time ago in an editing bay far, far away, Marcia Lucas (then the wife of writer/director George Lucas) helped take a somewhat jumbled collection of shots and storylines and crafted them into one of the most iconic science fiction films of all time. This, of course, was Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, originally titled simply Star Wars. And while George is still considered the mastermind behind what many believe to be a near-perfect film, some refer to Marcia as the “heart” who made it all come alive.
Many film historians have explored the idea that editors are often underappreciated. A clip posted on the RocketJump YouTube page titled, “How Star Wars was saved in the edit” takes a look at editing and just how much Marcia was able to use her brilliant mind to make it all make sense. (She had helped do this with with many cinematic greats, including a few of George’s other films.)
The clip explains that the movie didn’t test especially well a few months before it was released in May of 1977. “George Lucas invited some of his closest friends to watch a rough cut of his new film, Star Wars. In attendance, among a handful of people, were Steven Spielberg and Brian De Palma. The response was…not good. According to Spielberg, this is how De Palma reacted—” The video then cuts to Spielberg speaking on the matter, doing an impression of De Palma: “What? This makes no sense! Nonsense!”
The narrator continues that the movie needed help. “Sure you could point at the superficial problems with the rough cut such as placeholder VFX, stock footage, and unfinished sound and temp music. But the real issues were fundamental: the story, the scenes, the characters, the pacing.”
Optimistically, he adds a bit of hope befitting for a movie with this title. “The film was not beyond saving because they say a film is written three times. First in the screenplay, next in production and finally, in the edit.” All three of these are exemplified through clips of........