George Lucas to TIME: "All democracies turn into dictatorships..."

TIME Magazine via TheForce.net ^ | April 21, 2002

[Darth Sidious]

Here's the press release for the latest edition of Time Magazine which is on newstands now:

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COVER: Yoda Is An Action Hero
in the latest STAR WARS Feature

TIME Interview--GEORGE LUCAS:
'All democracies turn into dictatorships...That's the issue I've been exploring: how did the Republic turn into the Empire'

TIME's JESS CAGLE Was First Journalist To See the New Movie, Which Opens May 16

New York - Yoda is the real action hero of the newest "Star Wars" prequel opening May 16, reveals TIME's Jess Cagle - the first journalist to see the entire feature this past Thursday, at the side of creator George Lucas at Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, CA.

Now fully computer-animated, Yoda (who appears on TIME magazine's cover) is "no longer the endearing puppet animated by Frank Oz's hand" but is "both more supple and more thoughtful," Cagle reports. "Who'd have thought that our sedentary sage was such a deft martial artist, with lightsaber maneuvers...a Gandhi-turned-Rambo?"

In TIME's cover story, "Yoda Strikes Back!" An exclusive guide to the new STAR WARS movie, Episode II--Attack of the Clones" (on newsstands Mon., April 22), Cagle and critic Richard Corliss provide the most detailed view yet of the much-awaited fifth feature. Cagle talks to Lucas about how Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader - and political analogies in the latest "Star Wars" installment (some scenes remind TIME of Kofi Annan and John McCain).

Lucas tells TME about his own geopolitics, reflected in the features:
"All democracies turn into dictatorships--but not by coup. The people give their democracy to a dictator, whether it's Julius Caesar or Napoleon or Adolf Hitler. Ultimately, the general population goes along with the idea. What kinds of things push people and institutions in this direction? That's the issue I've been exploring: how did the Republic turn into the Empire?...How does a good person go bad, and how does a democracy become a dictatorship?"

Lucas also opens up about how Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader:
"Because he gets attached to things...He can't let go of his mother...his girlfriend...things. It makes you greedy. And when you're greedy, you are on the path to the dark side because you fear that you're going to lose things. You fear you're not going to have the power you need."

Lucas admits to TIME that his 1999 Star Wars movie, Episode I--The Phantom Menace, was not universally revered - though it made $431 million at the North American box office, making it the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time (after Titanic, the original Star TIME 'Star Wars' cover story/p. 2 of 2) Wars, and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.) "I'm getting my education now from the press," Lucas says. "They come in and say, 'Wow. People hated your movie. What do you think about that?"

"There's only one issue for a filmmaker," Lucas tells TIME. "Will this make it's money back so I can make the next one?" With Phantom Menace, Lucas admits he did not know: "It didn't have Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher. It was not a slam dunk."

Lucas also talks with TIME about fatherhood ("My kids don't have a perfect life...they don't have a mother, and they just have to get over it"); making movies for 12-year-olds ("We had reached a period in terms of our society of not having a mythology, of not having a code that you pass down to the next generation"); demands of fans ("I can't really make a movie for fans"), and more.

Cagle and Corliss conclude Clones is "two hours of serious fun." By adding love scenes between stars Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen, Cagle and Corliss conclude the hit new feature "looks like Shaquille O'Neal standing three feet from the basket." Clones extends the franchise "from 12-year-old boys (the action scenes) to 15-year-old girls (the love scenes). If it works, Lucas has quite a combo: the Star Wars and Titanic markets in one package."

TIME also reports:

? Interview: NATALIE PORTMAN:
When she's not playing Amidala, actress Natalie Portman has been going to college and keeping a low profile. "When I'm at a restaurant with my parents," Portman tells TIME, "I don't want to be stared at." Yet last week she wrote a letter to the Harvard Crimson objecting to a racially-charged essay about the Palestinian conflict that appeared in the paper; her family immigrated from Israel. Portman has completed her credits for a B.A. in psychology but may go back for another year of college before the summer of 2003, when the next Star Wars film goes into production.

? Interview: HAYDEN CHRISTENSON:
Actor Hayden Christenson, 21, whose role as Anakin Skywalker, Jedi knight-in-training, will make him world-famous, tells TIME "I think I'm a pretty grounded individual and will handle it as well as anyone my age would...Or maybe I'll become a big mess. Who knows?"

? Digital Yoda:
Once rubber, Yoda is now digital for Attack of the Clones. "We didn't want to make him look like he was real," Lucas tells TIME. The digital Yoda remains remarkably true to the delicate puppetry of Frank Oz, who still supplies the voice, TIME reports.

? FIRST ENTIRELY DIGITAL FEATURE 'FILM':
Clones is the first major feature to be shot and, in certain theatres, shown on digital disks. "The result," writes TIME's Richard Corliss, "is a breathtakingly clear image that lends a superreal glamour."

? 'Star Wars' Effect:
The series' huge success "forever altered the way Hollywood made movies and did business," according to TIME. Now, "films are made for kids, especially teen boys." Once, "movies were one-offs; there was no 'Gone With the Wind II." Now, "Studios swing for the fences to get a megahit action film that can win name-brand recognition and be profitably cloned for years to come."

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You can read more by clicking here and check out the Lucas interview by clicking here.

[Maelstrom]

Zimbabwe was a democracy.

The US no longer abides by it's limitations, and unless we somehow restore those restrictions, even the mighty US of A will eventually elect a Nero or a Hitler.

[aruanan]

George Lucas: What a political dip-sh-t.

[Darth Sidious]

A government must be strictly *LIMITED* to prevent it from becoming tyrannical, whether it's a democracy or a monarchy.

The answer to that is coming in Episode II.

And you'll probably want to shoot its messenger... if you haven't desired to do so already ;-)

[Darth Sidious]

Is that the depth of your commentary?

[breakem]

I'll add that the Roman republic was also not a democracy.

[dogbyte12]

George Lucas has been accused of being a fascist at heart. I think I might agree.

In Star Wars, you had the choice of Annakin or his son. Those are the two sides that all the peons had to go with. They had no choice. Oh well.

Annakin (Vader) murders 6 billion people, including obliterating planets, Yoda and Obi Wan flat out lie to Luke about who his dad is, then after committing atrocities that would make Hitler blush, Vader kills his boss, and becomes bathed in white light and is a good guy again. Excuse me?

So, if Hitler rescued his nephew from a mortar attack right before the end in 45 he would have been swell too?

So, then we get to Episode 1... We have a guy 10 times worse than Hitler portrayed as a child saying such deep dialogue as "Yippee!!!!!", while hanging around with Jar Jar Binks.

Yet, we are to be shocked when Howard the Duck, and Radio Land Murders don't do well at the box office for Lucas. Star Wars was a fluke. Lucas sucks.

[over3Owithabrain]

Lucas is a leftist, period. He himself says that in the very Time article you are referencing. My guess is his current problem with "democracy" has more to do with who is in the White House. Like most Hollywood liberals and leftists in general, they are all for the taking away of rights when it is THEIR guys in power. When they perceive a political opponent is in charge, they all of a sudden become champions of limited government.

[Hazzardgate]

Mr. Lucas is a revisionist.....

Word on the street is that he's re-editing the orginal trilogy with newly filmed footage so it will meld with Episodes 1-3. And note that the PHANTOM MENACE DVD is different from the one that played in movie theatres.

I never cared much for revisionists.

[over3Owithabrain]

Yes, Lucas is merely trying to make a buck, hence the gimmick of turning an evil Hitlerian type (Vader) into a sympathetic hero. Makes for a good plot twist and sequel fodder. Anyone who looks for real meaning and life lessons in the Lucas space fantasies are wasting their energies.

[Fabozz]

"Anakin Skywalker becomes Darth Vader: 'Because he gets attached to things...He can't let go of his mother...his girlfriend...things.'... 'My [adopted] kids don't have a perfect life... they don't have a mother, and they just have to get over it.'"

Ah, yes, now I understand the deep moral vision that infuses Lucas' movies. People are "things," and the desire to acquire these "things" (by, say, adopting children into a motherless home) is part of man's base nature that the pure of heart rise above. The noblest emotion is thus indifference.

Star Wars was an outstanding remake of The Hidden Fortress. The further Lucas has gotten from Kurosawa's source material, the worse his movies have gotten. He's a brilliant cinematographer, a mediocre storyteller and, as shown in this interview, a moronic philospher. Looking to him for wisdom of the ages is ridiculous.

[Maelstrom]

Same as Republicans.

But not Libertarians.

[RLK]

"All democracies turn into dictatorships--but not by coup. The people give their democracy to a dictator, whether it's Julius Caesar or Napoleon or Adolf Hitler.

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This seems to be the historical tendency. It's happening here as the constitution is deconstructed.

[RANGERAIRBORNE]

I agree- if this is the "mythology" that Lucas wants to hand down to our children, I think it would be wise to have them start learning those old Greek myths again.

I was unable to stay awake through the entire "Episode I", although I am assured that the second half is much better than the first. It would almost HAVE to be, wouldn't it?

The first STAR WARS movie was a re-telling of all of the serials that we used to see as kids (especially FLASH GORDON- I even recognized some of the episodes he based the movie on). As such, it was great- exciting for the kids, a little Jean Shepherd-like nostalgia for the parents.

The quality of story fell off dramatically, especially with "RETURN OF THE JEDI", even as the special effects got better by leaps and bounds.

[Maelstrom]

Firing for effect: *bang*

For all the criticism I see here though, I'll note that Lucas didn't draw a parallel between his doomed "Republic" of the Star Wars saga and the USA.

[Texas Yellow Rose]

	"All democracies turn into dictatorships--but not by coup.
...but not by coup....   In 1913 our Republic passed the following Amendment to the Constitution opening the door for a more "democratic" form of government directly following another amendment that same year giving the federal government "power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration. " Amendment XVII The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, elected by the people thereof, for six years; and each Senator shall have one vote. The electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislatures. When vacancies happen in the representation of any state in the Senate, the executive authority of such state shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, that the legislature of any state may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct. This amendment shall not be so construed as to affect the election or term of any Senator chosen before it becomes valid as part of the Constitution. Originally: Article I Section 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof. To repeat.... "When the leaders of a constitutional republic run the country by polling focus groups, it degrades into a democracy." Article IV Section 4. The United States shall guarantee to every state in this union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, or of the executive (when the legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence. Someone needs to tell our President to "get with the program".  We are GUARANTEED A REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT.  What's the matter are they afraid to say "Republican"?????
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[pocat]

I'm not too sure about Lucas' political leanings myself, but he is DEAD ON with this quote. I do, however, remember his statement about Clinton being "well-intentioned."

Anyway, I've always been a big Star Wars fan. I never noticed the political message of Star Wars until my later years, but it IS there - and whether he's a liberal or not - it's a reminder to all of us how easily governments can obtain absolute power. Once the whole SW saga is completed, I'm sure it will illustrate the decline from republic to empire well.

[Cultural Jihad]

And when you're greedy, you are on the path to the dark side because you fear that you're going to lose things.

Imagine John Lennon without possessions... It's easy if you try...

[RLK]

Someone needs to tell our President to "get with the program". We are GUARANTEED A REPUBLICAN FORM OF GOVERNMENT. What's the matter are they afraid to say "Republican"?????

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I suspect it is not within Bush's capacity to understand such things. Saying such things is out of the question both by capacity and temperament.

[Eala]

it's a reminder to all of us how easily governments can obtain absolute power

Especially when aided by new technologies.