George Lucas

A Life

By: Brian Jay Jones

Narrated by: Jay Snyder

Length: 18 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

The definitive biography of one of the most influential filmmakers ever - George Lucas.

On May 25, 1977, a problem-plagued, budget-straining, independent science-fiction film opened in a mere 32 American movie theatres. Conceived, written, and directed by a little-known filmmaker named George Lucas, Star Wars reinvented the cinematic landscape, ushering in a new way for movies to be made, marketed, and merchandised. And if that wasn't game changing enough, Lucas went on to create another blockbuster series with Indiana Jones and completely revolutionized the world of special effects, not to mention sound systems. His work and legacy have led to a rash of innovation and democratization in film and television.

Simply put, George Lucas is one of the most influential filmmakers of the past 50 years. He is an icon, and his fans will be eager to listen to a biography as impressive as his achievements - especially in the midst of J. J. Abrams' reboot of the Star Wars franchise.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2016 Brian Jay Jones (P)2016 Hachette Audio

Leaves You With More Questions Then Answers

If you are reading this review, you are probably a big Star Wars or Indiana Jones fan. And like most fans, your relationship with Lucas is a complicated one. On one hand, his creative spark on franchises we all have grown up with have left permanent marks on pop culture forever. On the other hand, his desire for complete control over everything, from the history of making the Star Wars films and minimizing the influence of others to his refusal to listen to criticism when making the Special Editions/Prequels.
I have noticed the tide in the fandom has shifted a bit in how one characterizes Lucas in the creation of Star Wars. In an age when film historians are re-examining the history of film and how women have always been silenced, I notice more people want to give more credit to the contributions Marcia Lucas made in making the film. After all, she won the Oscar for it. While the biography does get a bit of armchair psychology with Lucas, it does feel like after the divorce, the story of his life gets into much more broad strokes. Leading up to the divorce, the biography was granular in details which was exciting. But it seems like those years from 1983-2016, so much of his life was cut out. Grant it, he wanted to spend more time with his family but it also feels like there are missing pieces in the puzzle for his complete denial to the artists and craftmen/women who helped make the first trilogy possible and actively erasing them with the release of the Special Editions (the biographer never addresses the fact Lucas refused to release the theatrical cut with the Special Editions).

If you want to get more insight into the man, this is a good jumping off point. However, if you want a history of Star Wars or Indiana Jones, look elsewhere. Most of the information can be found in the "Empire of Dreams" documentary.

There are great sources on the internet, looking to examine how it was a team effort in making Star Wars, not just Lucas himself.

great look

a great look into the life of Lucas. an important figure in the history of Cinema.

thoroughly enjoyed

great to hear his journey, wonderful backstory, very inspiring and telling : ) Must listen!! highly recommend, enjoyed his movies more after this

Seemed like a very well balanced story of Lucas

I was impressed because I feel this really did give a good well-balanced view of George Lucas. he definitely celebrates his achievements and innovations, but it also isn't afraid to talk about how he could be quite hard to get along with at times. I know people that know him and it seems like it's a pretty accurate portrayal.

amazing

beautifully written and read, thank you!
it was a massively entertaining and interesting look into one of my heroes of film

Great information on movies

Yes, this book gives you a lot of u formation on Star Wars, but it is also information on movies and the movie making process. The beginning is rather tedious as you get a history of Modesto, California but after a few chapters it rewards your patience.

Great Audible Book

I enjoyed this book very much. It seemed to give a pretty in depth look at the life span of George Lucas
from where he got his start all the way up to when the force awakens came out. Anyone who is a fan of George Lucas would enjoy this telling of his life history. I feel like i gained a better understanding of why he did what he did in his movies.

Behind the scenes of Lucas and his movies

I really liked this book, as it filled in a lot of background of Lucas and his movies. I actually expected this to only cover the 1970's, but it goes up to 2015.
It was one of those books that made me want to drive, so that I could hear more.

Looonggg

The book was interesting but I think a bit too long. Much to George Lucas’ dismay, I think there are parts that could’ve been shortened or edited to make it shorter.

Enjoyed this honest summation of a storytelling titan

Enjoyed this honest summation of a storytelling titan. The book is well organized, informative, and inspiring.