Leonard Maltin Interviews George Lucas, Part 1

In part one of film critic Leonard Maltin's interview with George Lucas, the Star Wars creator discusses writing, casting, and shooting his sci-fi epic.
Lucas sums up his Star Wars experience as "unpredictable" -- the making of the films, the story, the success. The original impetus for Star Wars, says Lucas, were the Flash Gordon serials he watched as a boy. Inspired, he wrote his own space opera, which was turned down by every major studio until Alan Ladd, Jr., at Twentieth Century Fox said yes.
Asked about developing the script, Lucas says that his original draft was "way too big to make into a movie." He took the first part, expanded it, developed it, and focused on that. Everything else went on the shelf until a later date. Additionally, he developed backstories for Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Since there was no major studio that could make this film, Lucas had to put his own team together, which led to the foundation of Industrial Light & Magic. It was made up of a lot of young college students and filmmakers.
The casting of Harrison Ford was the most serendipitous. Ford was working as a carpenter at the time, and Lucas had him stand in for screen tests as his fifth Han Solo, and he read the lines better than anyone else.
Finally, Lucas says he had no idea that Star Wars would be a hit until the film came out. "I was always the pessimist," he says.

[@Austroid]

Very nostalgic. I remember seeing these on the 1995 VHS releases; my first time seeing the OT. Thank you George Lucas for creating Star Wars; all 6 parts.

[@tonyAJ420]

Too bad that was the same release Lucas started fucking every thing up such as the Greedo shot.

[@Austroid]

tonyAJ420 Actually the "Greedo Shot First" change wasn't done until the Special Edition version. The 1995 THX VHSes were the final release of the OT (more or less) in its original form.

[@abominationmaullkiller6619]

tonyAJ420 Fucking things that are insignificant and hardly matter up? Seriously, you guys are making too big of a deal out of the things that were added into the movies. They're minor details!

[@Austroid]

Abomination Maullkiller I'm personally not bothered by most of the SE changes. I don't let a split-second edit change how a character is perceived. Probably the only thing that I've been bothered by; though very, VERY minor, is during Luke and Vader's duel in ESB when Luke knocks Vader off the ledge in the freezing chamber. One of his grunt noises is reused instead of the "argh!" he originally had.

[@Austroid]

***** That's the main reason why I miss it! lol

[@Sanguiluna]

I remember being 6 or 7 years old and fast-forwarding past these interviews on the VHS releases. I'm glad I'm able to finally listen to these interviews, now that I have an appreciation for all the effort and creative will that went into making these films.

[@jerrythebaum4388]

Same thing here.

[@Tillolo79]

Same here

[@ajr6153]

Sanguiluna same here. Wow Star Wars does unite fans!

[@TheSoloTrooper]

same!

[@woeismoni2262]

me too haha and i was always so impatient that it took so long to fast forward through it lol

[@KingAceHernandez1291]

I still have my star wars trilogy on vhs nostalgia never dies nostalgia lives forever

[@linkieloos]

I used to skip these when I was a kid, glad I found these again.

[@NaviJediMaster]

Seeing this on VHS when I was a kid, this was how I was introduced to George Lucas as a person and as a filmmaker through this interview with Leonard Maltin and after that, the rest was history.

[@crissrudd4554]

Am I only one who didn't fast forward through this even at five years old?? Not that I knew fully what they were talking about but I remember sitting through these interviews when I watched my old trilogy. :)

[@MasamuneChad]

I was 7 always listening to them in an attempt to comprehend what they were talking about. Each time I caught on to something new.

[@NeonVars]

I remember watching these scenes in the vhs original trilogy. I always fast forward it.

[@scottychi]

I remember this on my old VHS tapes 😱

[@volcano83]

Seeing these again takes me back to discovering the world of Star Wars in the late 90s and completely falling in love with it all. Star Wars was special.

[@goldgodryukendo913x]

Holy shit. I had these on my VHS tapes.

[@volkswag12]

I know right, I remember these

[@KennethKralyJr]

Great video interview series. I remember these on the 1995 THX VHS releases of the Star Wars Trilogy the one last time release. Thank You for everything you did for Star Wars!!!

[@_JayRamsey_]

"The original Star Wars trilogy, on video ...ONE LAST TIME." I remember seeing this as a youngling, over and over on my grandparents' VHS copies of the original trilogy. I'm glad they included the original versions of the films as special features on DVD box sets of the original trilogy. I wouldn't want my son watching them with ≈20 years of '90s-quality CGI edits/additions.

[@Rune3D]

I'm very grateful that I grew up with the 1995 VHS un-specialized editions. These interviews are very nostalgic. :)

[@commie12akk44]

Thank you for this nostalgic review ! Thank You George Lucas for creating Star Wars Universe ! ( and Indiana Jones Universe )

[@RedPhoenix13]

I remember seeing these on Vhs!!! ...I would always fast forward through them. I was like 4-5 and was only interested in the movies themselves!

[@thegingerehle8768]

Same!!!! Hearing “Hello, I’m Leonard Martin!” Brings back so much childhood angst

[@Captain_Mckeggor]

I remember these from the VHS. I was only a kid so I used to fast forward through it lol. So glad to see this old relic.

[@Ioading...10]

i knew when i was kid and fast forwarding this saying i'll watch this when im older....here am I on KZbin wishing i still had my original films in the good condition i had them in....

[@jameschamp1406]

DUDE SAME HERE

[@WDDudeofallDudes]

It's a shame how far star wars has fallen. We miss you George, hopefully there will be others with your vision for storytelling.

[@MGSmainthemeBACK]

I rembember those in my old VHS tapes... not the special editions but the ones that came before them... it gave me crazy expectations about the prequels... it made me imagine that the clone wars was about jedi vs evil jedi clones or something like that... but that was my little young mind...

[@xViciousKnightx]

George lucas is a hero to the world of cinema thank u george for giving us the genius that is star wars

[@carsten7551]

***** Every movie

[@RickeGnool]

Iam ashamed of the amount of times I have fast forwarded through this interviews on VHS.

[@drcrowlee]

Leonard Maltin is so awesome

[@GTOAviator]

Who here remembers watching this interview at the beginning of each Star Wars VHS special edition tape? Nostalgia level over 1 million

[@Tex-Toons]

I would always fast forward these interviews on the VHS tapes so I could just watch the movie haha

[@JBTriple8]

The Man Is Genius One of My Favorite All time Directors/Writers

[@loyalcompanion2104]

what he did to the special edition and blue ray was a massive insult though

[@JBTriple8]

I own both the 2004 and Blu Ray

[@Phatooine]

I remember this interview from the 1995 VHS release of the OT. There is one for each movie.

[@Nathanatos22]

Thank you for this. Odd that they don’t include the interview date in the description.

[@anatomicallycorrectmuppets8180]

When I was a kid this felt like torture to sit through. I can’t believe it’s less than seven minutes it felt like an hour

[@renzokhamm]

Awesome! I really respect George Lucas 'cause he created a Universe where I can lose my mind and forget the real one!

[@timlockwood5563]

This brings back memories

[@PuffyOne1898]

For those who remember. For those who will never forget. And for a whole new generation, who will experience it for the very first time: The Star Wars Trilogy. Three timeless adventures that changed movie making forever. Now, the entire trilogy, digitally mastered in THX, for the ultimate in sound and picture quality. This will be your last chance to own the original version of Star Wars: the George Lucas masterpiece that launched the Star Wars Trilogy. The force is forever. For all generations. The original Star Wars Trilogy on video One. Last. Time.

[@ThomWillis]

Thank you for this video, Star Wars!

[@youngkyle6521]

Thanks Leonard Maltin and George Lucas For Star wars

[@chrisraymondmusic]

Thank you for uploading!

[@jackwilson9280]

This is like the most 90s thing ever

[@travellingshoes5241]

I remember this from one of the VHS copies i had. The one with the THX sound gimmick.

[@darth_kal-el]

THX is not a gimmick.

[@travellingshoes5241]

It was at the time. Widescreen, THX!!! Buy me now.

[@RandomNonsense1985]

WHHHSSSSSSHHHHH!! The audience is now deaf.

[@not.supermario]

I love how the guys who create incredible stories are always the most soft spoken ones. Like George Lucas, Gerry Anderson and J.R.R. Tolkien are such quiet, calm guys and their universes are just wild. 😂

[@Cococrash11]

Awesome Star Wars Leonard Maltin Interviews George Lucas Video.

[@NickMichalak]

I enjoy watching these interviews on the 1995 THX widescreen VHS box set - my favorite release of the trilogy.

[@C.A.Nanney]

So George Lucas took Star Wars to 20th Century Fox and they said “Yes”. Many years later, he took it to Disney and they TOTALLY approved it.

[@christopher5797]

I still have the VHS set these interviews were released on. I value them, because they are the original unspecial unedited versions of Star Wars.

[@626joshua]

This was the very first time I saw Leonard Maltin.

[@schoonfam08]

I remember that at the beginning on my VHS.

[@gabethedinosaur95]

George Lucas changed my life forever . I like to thank him for creating Star Wars and Indiana Jones.

[@SledgeNE]

Nostalgic. :-) I would like to see a bit about Episode VII. ;-)

[@Rstar320]

I did not know how to fast forward vhs as a kid so I always watched these interviews. I would say it was nice and it eventually became part of the star wars expirience for me and the background was cool. Also, it gave time to make popcorn or go to the bathroom.

[@AlbertStreams]

3:10 when I heard this at 7-8 years old my mind was blown - what do you mean, *new* Star Wars films are coming??? I wore these VHS out for years ever since my dad gifted them to me for my birthday, then one day on the nth viewing it jumped out at me - I thought I was the cleverest, most attentive kid who had found some secret. Magic times :)

[@XidiotX]

hahah can remember those interviews on my VHSs... god, i watched that so many times. i think that were the first special edition. and later they released another special edition... i think i watched the original star wars saga once the last 10 years. the special edition killed everything. but i watched the very old orginial edition, which came out in the early 90s 4-6 times a year. knew all the dialogues. and even when i hear the soundtrack, i just know exactly what happens in the movie...

[@tbirdUCW6ReAJ]

I wish Hollywood was like this where they take risks.

[@josiahboom3185]

I know. There is barely any originality anymore. The same stuff is just recycled over and over again with countless reboots, remakes, and sequels.

[@Bauglir100]

@@josiahboom3185 Not to mention racebending and genderbending for the sake of representation and diversity when they could be giving actual POC and female characters the spotlight instead. Oh, and altering their movies so they can get that extra buck from China.

[@barbacobre]

WUOOOOO this interview came included in the original trilogy cassettes (before the new edition)

[@modsleix6]

The Maker and Leonard Maltin. Thank you George Lucas. MTFBWY...

[@shhtha]

The VHS interview

[@ARTWORKALLOEKAKI]

from Japan🇯🇵

[@100NETTE]

weren't these at the beginning of the VHS versions?

[@KazakhV3]

yes

[@Aaron-od9ul]

Yes, the restored, but *original* trilogy, on VHS in the mid-90s.

[@MaheshWalatara]

A God among men.

[@jaimeiswithnintendoswitch3766]

Ur hot on ur profile pic!

[@MaheshWalatara]

That's what ur mama said.

[@ChinAMAPutatoDragun]

Makes me feel that if the prequels were given 5 months to make, they would actually turn out better.

[@PriveGitaarles]

I can't find an interview anywhere with George Lucas about Star Wars in 2013

[@robbychaney9376]

I remember seeing this on my old video and that was before I got the DVD special edition because I wanted to see the new scenes

[@punisherfan122]

Two names that will never die: Lucas and Spielberg

[@80sKidfromthe90s]

Agreed!

[@MagicianMovies1992]

I like George Lucas and I want to work at his company Lucasfilm someday and learn how he created these amazing worlds like Star Wars.

[@Whoopiegoldburger]

When I was a kid I thought Leonard was George Lucas lol

[@chaadlosan]

Looking at this now it's like Leonard is reading Cue Cards for all the questions. And the video seemed heavily edited.

[@96st206]

if you remember this, you had a cool childhood

[@jacobfaircloth2634]

Star wars is my favorite movie

[@OmarSanchez-ge5qg]

Thank God I saw this movie in VHS b4 it was redited. ;D

[@eugeniawong249]

I think this is the only time George dressed up for something

[@CubanPete1990]

This was way before Disney Own the rights for Star Wars film franchises!

[@Naminski1a]

Technically, 20th Century-Fox and Lucasfilm Ltd. are both part of Disney.

[@sgtgiggles]

“ONE LAST TIME!”

[@superjackster0165]

They weren’t kidding

[@jacobpike5661]

It’s possible, the archives are complete

[@SandisRozuleja]

A Mastermind!...

[@scottf5791]

George Lucas looks very “George Lucas” here

[@Sherpaful]

George seemed annoyed by Leonard Maltin

[@Bauglir100]

To be fair, he probably gets interviewed about this stuff all the time and even then had grown tired of answering the same questions over and over.

[@KBizzy]

Zach Galifnakis? Is that you?

[@jamsum7215]

Why is this guy in every documentary/interview about a movie

[@superjackster0165]

He’s a film historian

[@vapeymcvape5000]

A fun game is to count how many time George Lucas lies in this.

[@phoenix21studios]

had no editor? nope, he fired the editor.

[@kascnef]

First comment. ...great find....I guess its from the faces laserdisc.

[@stephanpartipilollc]

so even George pronounces it "hand" and NOT Hahn lol

[@giovannisticco7503]

George Lucas is a genius

[@natalieportmanfan1817]

Yes ❤

[@VintageInsomnia]

ikr

[@attaahmad111]

Star wars rocks

[@Raven.flight]

When he wrote 'A New Hope' he had the backstory written which was what he was working on when this interview was shot. So, why did the first three have so many plot inconsistencies? Because he had no clue what was going on before 'A New Hope'. He had to make it up and didn't do a very good job with it.

[@sithxflury6466]

A powerful Jedi like Mace Windu could not just die like that. Please return it. He must still appear in Star Wars I know it.

[@aBoxfulOfVids]

Back when George Lucas was a pretty cool guy.

[@not.supermario]

He still is. It's just the people who misjudge him that make him look the opposite

[@goldgodryukendo913x]

Also this is a pretty good rip of the VHS tapes. So uh. Unedited Star Wars Digital Downloads please? 10 bucks each. Why the fuck not? You'll make Papa Disney happy.

[@lostol7571]

Love GL, but he needs a haircut!!!!

[@ddc2363]

He didn't even answer half the questions...

[@talondiwisch5206]

Creepy interviewer but really interesting stuff. I wonder how he solved that dilemma he had.

[@superjackster0165]

Talon Diwisch the interviewer is Leonard Maltin. He's a film critic

[@jstarwars360]

This interview shows that the original Star Wars was love and care. Only $2 million of the $50 million budget went into effects. With the prequels I bet most of the budget went into the effects.

[@JJourdenaisART]

of the 10 Millions. not 50.

[@jacobfaircloth2634]

Star wars is my favorite movie