George Walton Lucas Jr. was born on May 14, 1944, in Modesto, California, as the first and only son of Ellinore and George Sr. The family's ethnic origins are European. The famous director will be influenced by this culture in the later years of his career and reflect it in his films.
Lucas, who was interested in cars and motor racing long before he became a fan of movies, spent every spare minute he had after school racing on the tracks or learning car mechanics in garages. Lucas, who was trying to pursue a car racing career until June 12, 1962, was unable to get into a racing car again when he almost died in an accident that day.
George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. Lucas is best known for creating the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises and founding Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic, and THX. He served as chairman of Lucasfilm before selling it to The Walt Disney Company in 2012. Lucas is one of history's most financially successful filmmakers and has been nominated for four Academy Awards. Lucas personally directed or conceived 10 of the 100 highest-grossing movies at the North American box office, adjusted for ticket-price inflation. Lucas is considered to be one of the most significant figures of the 20th-century New Hollywood movement, and a pioneer of the modern blockbuster. Despite this, he has remained an independent filmmaker away from Hollywood for most of his career.
He lost interest in his racing career and took courses in anthropology, sociology, and literature at Modesto College. Here he started shooting short films and car races with 8 mm cameras with his friends.
George Lucas, who discovered Canyon Cinema around this time, strengthened his love for cinema by watching films of the new generation of European directors such as Godard, Truffaut, and Fellini. He transferred to the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, one of the rare universities at that time that based all its courses on cinema.
Here he became friends with Steven Spielberg, with whom he would later become famous. Inspired by 'experimental' directors, he saw that he could bend the planes of light, color, movement, time, and space in his films. He went beyond a natural and realistic narrative and took steps towards becoming a more dynamic and original voice in cinema.
After graduating with a fine arts degree in 1967, Lucas tried to join the Air Force. However, he was not taken because the accumulated speeding tickets were written on his criminal record. He was later drafted into the army to fight in Vietnam, but upon examination, he was found to be diabetic and was discharged from the army.
He became a fan of the French movement called 'Cinéma Pur'. He watched movies that had no plot, no characters, no motivation, and sometimes no dialogue. Adopting this technique, George Lucas preferred to create emotions in the audience visually with montage, camera movements, and techniques rather than the story.
He looked at films as poetry and wanted to be called 'film creator', not 'director'. Later in his career, he would be criticized by critics and fans for considering the story of the film to be less important than the visual elements.
Lucas, who taught cinematography and documentary making to soldiers who were interested in film in the naval branch of the Navy, shot a short film called Electronic Labyrinth: THX 1138 4EB while continuing his teaching. Lucas, who won first prize at the National Student Film Festival with the film, also received a scholarship/internship from Warner Bros. Later in his career, he would be criticized by critics and fans for considering the story of the film to be less important than the visual elements.
Lucas started his film career in the late 1960s and made a name for himself with independent films. But his real fame came with the first "Star Wars" movie (later called "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope") in 1977. This science fiction epic series revolutionized the history of cinema and became a cultural phenomenon. Lucas' creative vision and innovative approach have been one of the key factors that shaped the universe of the "Star Wars" franchise and influenced millions of fans.
In addition, the "Indiana Jones" series, directed and produced by Lucas, was also a great success. This series, created in collaboration with Steven Spielberg, tells the adventures of archaeologist Indiana Jones.
George Lucas is also known for technological innovations in the movie industry. He founded the company ILM (Industrial Light & Magic) and achieved groundbreaking work in visual effects.
Beyond cinema, Lucas also contributed to the fields of education and literature. The educational aspects and impacts of the "Star Wars" series have been the subject of many academic studies and reviews.
George Lucas is considered one of the leading figures of modern cinema because of his creativity, the innovations he brought to the world of cinema, and his profound influence on pop culture.
GEORGE LUCAS MOVIES
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005): This film is the final installment of the prequel trilogy of the "Star Wars" franchise. It tells the story of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker's turn to evil and his transformation as Darth Vader.
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002): The second film in the prequel trilogy of the "Star Wars" franchise. It describes the collapse of the Galactic Republic and the Clone Wars.
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999): The first film in the prequel trilogy of the "Star Wars" series. It is about Anakin Skywalker's youth and his meeting with Jedi Knight Qui-Gon Jinn.
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977): The beginning of the main story of the "Star Wars" series. It tells the adventures of rebel heroes fighting against the evil Empire that rules the galaxy.
American Graffiti (1973): This film depicts youth culture and American street life in the late 1960s. This film, directed and written by Lucas, also drew attention to its young actors Ron Howard and Harrison Ford.
THX 1138 (1971): Lucas' first feature film, "THX 1138," stands out as a science fiction production set in a dystopian future.
Look at Life (1965): This documentary is known as Lucas' short film. It deals with how young people view life and their hopes for the future.