George Lucas: A Life

by Brian Jay Jones

Overview

The essential biography of the influential and beloved filmmaker George Lucas.

On May 25, 1977, a problem-plagued, budget-straining independent science-fiction film opened in a mere thirty-two American movie theaters. Conceived, written, and directed by a little-known filmmaker named George Lucas, the movie originally called The Star Wars quickly drew blocks-long lines, bursting box-office records and ushering in a new way for movies to be made, marketed, and merchandised. It is now one of the most adored-and successful-movie franchises of all time.

Now, the author of the bestselling biography Jim Henson delivers a long-awaited, revelatory look into the life and times of the man who created Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, and Indiana Jones.

If Star Wars wasn't game-changing enough, Lucas went on to create another blockbuster series with Indiana Jones, and he completely transformed the world of special effects and the way movies sound. His innovation and ambition forged Pixar and Lucasfilm, Industrial Light & Magic, and THX sound.

Lucas's colleagues and competitors offer tantalizing glimpses into his life. His entire career has been stimulated by innovators including Steven Spielberg and Francis Ford Coppola, actors such as Harrison Ford, and the very technologies that enabled the creation of his films-and allowed him to keep tinkering with them long after their original releases. Like his unforgettable characters and stories, his influence is unmatched.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316257428
Publisher:	Little, Brown and Company
Publication date:	11/21/2017
Pages:	560
Sales rank:	143,983
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Brian Jay Jones is the author of the New York Times bestseller Jim Henson: The Biography. He worked for nearly two decades as a public policy analyst and speechwriter, and has a degree in English literature from the University of New Mexico. He lives in Maryland with his wife.

Table of Contents

Prologue: Out of Control March 1976 3

Part I Hope 1944-1973

1 Scrawny Little Devil 1944-1962 9

2 Geeks and Nerds 1962-1966 38

3 The Right Horse 1967 68

4 Radicals and Hippies 1967-1971 86

5 American Graffiti 1971-1973 127

Part II Empire 1973-1983

6 Bleeding on the Page 1973-1976 167

7 "I Have a Bad Feeling About This" 1976-1977 215

8 Striking Back 1977-1979 246

9 Darkening Skies 1979-1983 278

Part III Return 1983-2016

10 Empty Flash 1983-1994 325

11 A Digital Universe 1994-1999 382

12 Cynical Optimism 1999-2005 408

13 Letting Go 2005-2016 436

Acknowledgments 475

Notes 479

Select Bibliography 527

Index 531

Editorial Reviews

Praise for George Lucas

One of the Best Books of 2016 - Kirkus

A San Francisco Chronicle and The Globe and Mail Holiday Gift Guide Pick

One of Bustle's "Best Nonfiction Books of December"

One of Amazon's Best Books of December

"George Lucas is a terrific book! Brian Jay Jones has pulled off the rare trick of a writing a biography that appeals to both hard-core fans and casual readers. It is filled with fascinating details, backed up by deep and dogged research, woven into a breezy, fast-paced story that effortlessly pulls the reader into Lucas's world. Future film buffs and historians will look back on George Lucas as a landmark achievement."—Debby Applegate, Winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for The Most Famous Man in America: The Biography of Henry Ward Beecher

"Like the famous opening shot of the very first Star Wars, George Lucas: A Life is sweeping, humbling, and instantly transports you into the world of the mad dreamer. Fellow nerds unite! Finally, we get a book that examines the history of a titan who really changed our lives. Beautifully obsessive and relishes every detail. Just like us."—Brad Meltzer

"A sweeping, perceptive biography. This in-depth portrait...is never less than fascinating. Masterful and engaging: just what Lucas' fans and buffs, who love the nitty-gritty of filmmaking, have been waiting for."—Kirkus (starred review)

"Maestro biographer Jones tackles another brilliant entertainer. The world knows George Lucas as the filmmaker who brought us Star Wars, one of the most iconic Hollywood franchises in history, but as Jones' in-depth, fascinating, and even gripping exploration reveals, Lucas is much more than a gifted storyteller....Jones digs deep to limn the highs and lows of Lucas' career and life, capturing his drive and innovation in crisp, sparkling prose. Masterful and essential for film and pop culture enthusiasts."—Booklist (starred review)

"The collective double take over Star Was never gets old.... Jones, who comes to Lucas from a celebrated life of Jim Henson, tells a more straightforward story in definitive detail."—Tom Shone, New York Times

"Exhaustively chronicles the life and movies of George Lucas, arguably America's most successful filmmaker. [T]ells in granular detail how his films were produced: from initial concept and scriptwriting, to casting and location selections, to the filming and, most importantly for Lucas's process, the editing. [P]roves Lucas's singular legacy is well deserved."—Publishers Weekly

"Engaging... Jones captures the bone-crushing work, the frustrations with film studio overlords and the near failures that resulted in ground-breaking films like American Graffiti and Star Wars."—Jane Ciabattari, BBC

"The most compelling part of Brian Jay Jones' very readable book covers the years in which this kid went from a provincial, and nearly rural, childhood to studying illustration and going to film school at the University of Southern California.... [Jones'] narrative of the ordeal [of making Star Wars] and triumph makes wonderful reading.... Jones is a good storyteller... he proves that an American billionaire can be an odd, brilliant but quite ordinary fellow."—David Thomson, San Francisco Chronicle

"Lucas changed not only the way movies are made but even the way they are shown...Jones mines the literature on Lucas's life and work to produce an admirably comprehensive view."—Charles Matthews, Washington Post

"A fast-paced portrait of the reclusive and visionary George Lucas. His rise from unknown, budget-stretched writer to film industry legend is all here. And it's told through anecdotes and insights that build out the man behind the creation. The perspectives from colleagues, competitors, mentors and friends are at times brutally honest.... It's the one biography for casual and die-hard fans alike."—G. Clay Whittaker, Rolling Stone

"Just in time for the theatrical release of the new Star Wars movie... Brian Jay Jones masterfully unveils the very private man behind the blockbuster film empire he created."—Parade

This book offers quite a lot of interesting trivia and insight into the quiet, enigmatic genius who hated working in the very studio system that led to his biggest hits....Many of the on-set stories and pieces of trivia have been told before, but are fun to revisit, and in that way, A Life makes a nice complement to Star Wars actress Carrie Fisher's new memoir The Princess Diarist....Jones goes 'deep inside the baseball' when it comes to filmmaking techniques and industry minutiae-though movie nerds will eat those parts up....A solid read about a fiercely independent, unforgettable American filmmaking icon."—Brian Truitt, USA Today

"Lucas was in need of a biography's re-appreciation (or reckoning), and Jones-whose previous subject was Jim Henson-was a good candidate for the job....GEORGE LUCAS serves as a reminder for the staggering amount Lucas contributed to culture."—Ryan Vlastelica, A.V. Club

"Jones' ebullient bio shows that the Force has always been with filmmaker Lucas. Packed with fun insider info, [George Lucas] is a whiz-bang tribute to a genius."—People

"A lot of fun in Jones' retelling of Lucas' early years... Film geeks will rejoice at the detailed explanation of how Star Wars was made. And there's great insight into the way the film industry works — and how Lucas and company changed it.... Lucas emerges as a likable and largely admirable person."—Rick Moser, Chicago Tribune

"Jones's narrative is undeniably spellbinding and will be especially compelling to film nerds....deeply researched and striking."—Ethan Gilsdorf, Boston Globe

"Just in time for Rogue One,check out this sweeping biography."—Variety

From the Publisher

10/10/2016
Biographer Jones (Jim Henson) exhaustively chronicles the life and movies of George Lucas, arguably America’s most successful filmmaker. The creator of two enduring franchises, Star Wars and Indiana Jones, he sold his company, Lucasfilm, to Disney for $4 billion in 2012. The author chronicles Lucas’s story, from his upbringing as the son of a prosperous stationery store owner in Modesto, Calif., to his career as a filmmaker who took on the Hollywood studio system and won. From the beginning, Lucas’s goals were independence and control. Jones cites this obsession in seemingly every major decision Lucas made, to the point of repetitiveness. The greater part of the book tells in granular detail how his films were produced: from initial concept and scriptwriting, to casting and location selections, to the filming and, most importantly for Lucas’s process, the editing. This minutiae may lose the casual reader, but Jones is more successful at explaining Lucas’s many contradictions: an aspiring avant-garde filmmaker who made blockbusters, a pessimist who loved fairy tale endings, an introvert in the most collaborative of arts, a man with a professed uninterest in money who became a billionaire. Jones also proves Lucas’s singular legacy is well deserved. He revolutionized all aspects of filmmaking, particularly visual effects, sound, and merchandising. Photos. Agent: Jonathan Lyons, Curtis Brown. (Dec.)

Publishers Weekly

11/15/2016
The life and work of the visionary filmmaker and mogul is explored in this unauthorized biography by Jones (Jim Henson), who not only follows George Lucas's successes and missteps as a director, writer, and producer, but also investigates his acumen as a businessman who rebelled against the Hollywood system and forever changed the way films are produced, distributed, and experienced. Jones finds in Lucas's early life themes that would shape his future, including a need for creative independence and a teenage enthusiasm for design and drag racing that would inspire works as diverse as American Graffiti and Star Wars. The tone is admiring but evenhanded: Lucas's innovation, philanthropic interests, and loyalty to friends are emphasized, but so is his need to assert total control over projects, which sometimes affected his personal and professional relationships. Well researched and comprehensive—Lucas's 2012 sale of Lucasfilm to Disney and the release of The Force Awakens are both covered—the biography gives fans a chance to understand the man behind so many magical movie moments. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers of modern biographies, film enthusiasts, and Star Wars aficionados. [See Prepub Alert, 6/6/16.]—Sara Shreve, Newton, KS

Library Journal

★ 2016-09-22
A sweeping, perceptive biography of the influential director. Jones (Jim Henson: The Biography, 2013, etc.) sets the stage for this impressive biography with a short prologue set in 1976. Lucas was in the Tunisian desert starting his 84-day shoot of Star Wars. The weather was terrible, and sand got into everything. The machines, including R2-D2, wouldnt work, and the studio was stingy with funds (at that point, Lucas pledged to always control the money). About a year before the release date, Lucas was certain the movie was going to be terrible. Jones extensively researched, unauthorized biographyhe wasnt able to interview key people, including Lucaslays out in luscious detail the path Lucas took to become one of films most successful directors. Born in Modesto, California, in 1944, he grew up in the 1950s and loved comic books, TV serials, and building things. A mediocre, bored student in high school, he managed to get into the University of Southern California. When he discovered their film school, he fell madly in love with [film], ate it and slept with it 24 hours a day. He also met Francis Ford Coppola, who helped him get his student film, THX 1138, made into a movie. He also helped him make the popular American Graffiti, which provided Lucas with much-needed money. He could now focus on his Flash Gordon thing, Star Wars. Jones wisely eschews unnecessary plot summaries to focus on where the ideas for Lucas films came from and how he wrote them and how he dealt with studios and contract negotiations, funding, casting, filming, and marketing. This in-depth portrait of the modest and audacious Lucas, a brilliant and enigmatic technological wizard, and those who were crucial to his successhis editor wife, Marcia, Stephen Spielberg, Haskell Wexler, Garry Kurtz, John Milius, John Dykstra, Harrison Fordis never less than fascinating. Masterful and engaging: just what Lucas fans and buffs, who love the nitty-gritty of filmmaking, have been waiting for.

Kirkus Reviews