SXSW Film Preview: The People vs. George Lucas

He is either one of the most beloved men or the most hated men in America, depending on who you ask. He has only ever done what he thought was right, but everywhere protesters argue the exact opposite. He is almost impossible to reach, hidden away inside his secure ranch, where no sign-carrying fanatics can harm him. No, we’re not talking about George W. Bush—don’t you see the poster on the right ? Didn’t you read the title of the post? We’re talking about George Lucas! Sheesh!

Seriously, though, think about it. Everyone in the last three generations can basically be divided into two groups—those who worshiped at the feet of anything Star Wars and considered Lucas almost a deity…and those that think the prequels were boring, who like the clones cartoon, and think “Jar Jar is funny!” And both sides wonder—how can these things have come out of the same person?

In the documentary The People vs. George Lucas, those people finally get a chance to speak out. Director Alexandre O. Philippe has gone through over 600 hours of footage in an effort to let everyone know that the geeks of the world are united in this opinion: George Lucas has screwed the pooch. The film takes interviews with just anyone and just about everyone—from the most passionate film nerds to the most knowledgeable sources you can get, short of the man himself, and tries to examine what happened, and why. Then it stirs in a healthy dose of madness—Youtube rants, parodies, animation, and even sock puppets—to let the fans illustrate how passionately they feel about the Skywalkers and how their beloved franchise has been ruined.

More about the film, screening times, and trailer after the jump!

But has it? As one interviewee asks, “Has [Lucas] fulfilled his destiny or has he destroyed his legacy?” Aye, there’s the rub. Philippe has said he tried to be fair and balanced. He certainly did the fieldwork, nabbing face time with Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back producer Gary Kurtz, author Dale Pollock (the book Skywalking), writer Neil Gaiman, and even Dave Prowse—known more commonly as the actual Darth Vader. (No, really. The real one. From back in the day. Did your heart just skip a beat?)

So what if it’s not some important (boring) Michael Moore doc that’s supposed to change the way we see our government? This one looks like fun! And if you’re like us, you have quite a few opinions you’ve never had the chance to share, and it will be nice to see someone sharing them for you. Maybe you can even start preparing a rant of your own for the sequel, in case it ever goes to a higher court.

The People vs. George Lucas screens Saturday March 13 at 6:30 PM at the Alamo South Lamar. It will also be shown Tuesday March 16 at 1:45 PM at the Alamo South Lamar, and at 3:30 PM on Thursday March 18 at the Paramount. For the full schedule, see my.SXSW or B-Side.