Rogue Trooper
Super Freak
I always kinda doubted that one, also the one about George being on set during the entire filming of Jedi.
David Lynch was going to direct Return of the Jedi?
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I always kinda doubted that one, also the one about George being on set during the entire filming of Jedi.
thenammagazine
Super Freak
Likely he would've turned Yoda into a gay little elf with mime make-up on who just giggled in the background for no reason at all. Or, just ditched Frank and his puppet all together and hired Robert Blake to do it instead.
Irvin Kershner said in SW Insider that Lucas asked him to direct Jedi so I assume that would have put him ahead of Spielberg. Kersh was actually quite frank in his opinion of ROTJ, he kind of ripped on how "easy" the challenges were for the characters vs. ESB and how he disagreed with the choice to ever show Vader's face under the mask. He would have filmed the "unmasking" scene so that you only see Luke's reaction to Vader's face, leaving his actual visage to the imagination of the audience.
thenammagazine
Super Freak
That would've blown donkeys.
devilof76
Super Freak
Revelation of Vader's face was landmark. That would have been even worse than replacing Lapti Nek with Jedi Rocks (probably the only thing worse).
Not really. Though Lucas did himself direct key sequences, including the Vader unmasking scene and the Funeral Pyre (which was actually shot at/near Skywalker Ranch).
Nope. It went Spielberg, then Lynch, then Kershner, and finally Marquand.
Well the movie didn't turn out half bad considering it was made by his fourth choice director. Lucas has gotten a lot of flack for going with a "yes man puppet director" but if he'd had his druthers that wouldn't have been the case at all.
thenammagazine
Super Freak
Not so sure. Spielberg was definitely a "yes" man on KOTCS.
Very true. But he really wasn't on the other INDY films (except for perhaps TOD, which was as dark as it is because Lucas was going through his divorce at the time and hated the world).
I must be one of the only ones here who think Dune was a great film. The scale, the visuals, sound, music, atmosphere were stunning. Yeah the narrative suffered but has anyone tried Reading the book recently? It's looooong, convoluted and nearly impossible to condense into a single narrative....
Lynch wouldve done a good job no doubt however, bar the inclusion of the Ewoks, the film was great and that was Lucus's idea anyway.
More of a travesty was Lucus not handing the directing reigns over to younger directors for the prequels. Anyone remember the Fincher to direct a prequel rumour?
Lynch wouldve done a good job no doubt however, bar the inclusion of the Ewoks, the film was great and that was Lucus's idea anyway.
More of a travesty was Lucus not handing the directing reigns over to younger directors for the prequels. Anyone remember the Fincher to direct a prequel rumour?
Mad Old Lu
Super Freak
I tend to think that ROTJ would have turned out pretty much the same no matter who was in the driver's seat. Spielberg has always said he was merely a hired gun for the Jones movies. And he said the SW movies were Lucas's baby and not his when asked why he turned down Jedi. Lucas loves to be in control so I doubt even Lynch could have changed the movie in any significant way.
Yeah, I remember. Every hot young director was at one point rumored to be attached to the prequels at some point in the early 90s.
Interesting bit of trivia: Fincher actually grew up across the street from Lucas and one of his first jobs in film was as an FX Tech Asst. at ILM, where he helped work on stuff for ROTJ.
Interesting bit of trivia: Fincher actually grew up across the street from Lucas and one of his first jobs in film was as an FX Tech Asst. at ILM, where he helped work on stuff for ROTJ.
Mad Old Lu
Super Freak
You're not alone in the Lynch Dune love. I think it's a woefully underrated movie. I've read the book several times and I think Lynch did a pretty good job adapting and condensing the plot. Yes, there are a few omissions that I think should have stayed in, but overall I think he kept the spirit of the story. Visually the movie is stupendous. The art direction and design are phenomenal. I always thought the SW prequels should have borrowed heavily from the designs of Dune. The very regal and almost Victorian look would have worked great as a history to the SW universe.
thenammagazine
Super Freak
You know, as a kid I didn't like it too much, but now, while it is a bit non-Indyish (you know what I mean), it's not as bad as I used to think it was. I look at it more as Indy in his cowboy days before he became the "responsible" professor Jones.
Oh, I know what you mean. And same here. But now TOD is my 2nd favorite in the series (RAIDERS will never be topped). And a big reason is because it might actually be the most like a pulpy 30s serial than any of them.
devilof76
Super Freak
If it weren't for Raiders, Temple would be my favorite too. My 4 year old cousin has been an Indy fan since he was 2, and Temple of Doom is hands down his favorite one.
I can fully appreciate what Marquand did. The first half of the movie is pure Star Wars, and the throne room scenes are the best material that any of the six films had to offer. I can remember being 9 in the theater and thinking that the atmosphere had a quality to it that was more advanced than ESB, in the same way that ESB was more advanced than ANH. It wasn't a better movie, but the cinematography came across as more fresh. It felt new.
I can fully appreciate what Marquand did. The first half of the movie is pure Star Wars, and the throne room scenes are the best material that any of the six films had to offer. I can remember being 9 in the theater and thinking that the atmosphere had a quality to it that was more advanced than ESB, in the same way that ESB was more advanced than ANH. It wasn't a better movie, but the cinematography came across as more fresh. It felt new.
doesitmatter
Super Freak
I love Jedi, but every time I remember that Spielberg was supposed to direct it, I die a little bit thinking about what could have been.
I'd always heard Steven wanted to do it and George didn't want him too. In George's mind, "I've already given you Indiana Jones."
Nope. DGA politics squashed it.
thenammagazine
Super Freak
Wasn't he also already set to direct something else during the shooting schedule as well?
No. He had just finished E.T. (and POLTERGEIST, as Producer) and was Exec-Producing TWILIGHT ZONE. He didn't direct again until TEMPLE OF DOOM, which shot in 1983 (which would have been after ROTJ).
And in case anyone was wondering why the DGA issues prevented him from doing SW but not INDY...
The issue actually arose in 1980, when the DGA filed suit against Lucas because he used a guild director (Kershner) but did not abide by the guidelines of having the director's name on the opening credits. They also fined Kershner. As you know, the SW films don't have opening credits. Lucas explained this, but the DGA held firm because they contended that the "A Lucasfilm Ltd. Production" credit that did come before the film was giving the Producer a credit (Lucas) but not the Director. It was okay to them with SW in '77, because Lucas was the director. But they jumped on him for EMPIRE. He told them to pound sand, paid Kershner's fine, and resigned as a member of the DGA & WGA.
When ROTJ was in prep (1981), this was still a very fresh, sore issue. Spielberg, as one of the most prominent members of the DGA and powerful Hollywood mogul, would have been forced to basically blow up the industry union status all on his own had he signed on to do ROTJ.
This was never a problem with the INDY films because, a) They did have the credits at the beginning and b) While Lucasfilm productions, they technically were made within the Hollywood studio system at Paramount.
The guilds are obviously much less ridiculous these days about that stuff.
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