Who Is George Lucas

As a child his passions were comics and cars, but George Lucas grew up to be one of the most successful filmmakers of all time. He is a producer, screenwriter, director and entrepreneur whose company Lucasfilms pioneered the movie effects that changed the world of animation. He founded Industrial Light and Magic, which transformed special sound and visual effects throughout the Hollywood film industry. He is best known, of course, as the creator of the Star Wars movie, television, gaming, toy and merchandise empire, as well as the archeologist-adventure series Indiana Jones. Discover the man behind the magic in Who Is George Lucas?

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.

A director, producer, and writer, George Lucas is the power behind "The Force." The son of a conservative small-town businessman, he grew up to become arguably the most identifiable and popular filmmaker in the history of the medium. Yet unlike his more publicly engaged contemporaries, Lucas rarely grants reporters an audience. This first book of Lucas's interviews affords fans and students of film and science fiction a rare opportunity. Editor Sally Kline collects conversations from the reticent director spanning Lucas's entire career, from the making of his first film, 1971's "THX-1138," through "American Graffiti," the triumph of the "Star Wars" trilogy, and even a 1999 interview given while awaiting the release of "Star Wars: Episode One--The Phantom Menace." In interviews from venues such as "Rolling Stone," "Playboy," and "American Film," Lucas reveals his distrust of the Hollywood establishment, his love for making movies, and his unambiguous values and how those values translate into the epic clash between good and evil created when he explores characters like Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. Lucas revolutionized the movie industry and created the most successful film series of all time. Along with films of his close friend Steven Spielberg, Lucas's releases invented the notion of blockbuster movies. Before the end of the millennium, he could count the loyal fans of the Star Wars trilogy in the millions. Sally Kline is film critic for "The Journal" newspapers. She has worked as a film commentator on a number of Washington, D.C. radio stations and as a guest lecturer at George Washington University. A freelance writer and researcher, she has contributed to two books, including a biography of Robert F. Kennedy.

I created the Star Wars franchise. I am George Lucas. Learn all about this remarkable man, whose accomplishments are truly inspiring, in the continuation of the I AM series. I AM GEORGE LUCAS will follow one man's journey to become the most famous filmmaker in the world. Discover everything you wanted to know about this celebrated movie guru and creator of Star Wars. This book will feature a full-color illustrated cover, one-color illustrations throughout, a detailed time line, introductions to other notable people from the story, sidebars, and a top-ten list of important things to know about George Lucas.

The first major biography (since 1983) of the great movie mogul George Lucas, whose marketing techniques have transformed the film business. His fourth Star Wars film, The Phantom Menace, released in 1999, was perhaps the most eagerly awaited cinematic event of all time. George Lucas is one of the most innovative bigtime players on the movie scene. His three Star Wars films and the trio featuring the action hero Indiana Jones (all six of which Lucas conceived, produced and co-wrote) comprise the most popular group of films ever made. To finance them, he masterminded a revolutionary redrawing of the financial agreements under which films were produced in Hollywood, snatching away control of funding, intellectual content and the distribution of profits from studios, and placing them in the hands of the film-makers themselves. Yet Lucas remains (like Stanley Kubrick, the subject of John Baxter's recent biography) an enigma and a recluse. He has specially built the Skywalker Ranch a long way from Hollywood - a Victorian village community in a redwood forest where he and his friends can work in splendid isolation, free of studio pressure but with the highest technology.

This title examines the remarkable life of George Lucas. Readers will learn about his family background, childhood, and education, his career as a movie producer and director, and his famous works. Color photos and informative sidebars accompany easy-to-read, compelling text. Features include a timeline, fast facts, list of famous works, and a critical evaluation activity.Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Readers will learn about the early years of George Lucas and how he got his start in film. The title will also cover when he created Star Wars and Indiana Jones. Each title is complete with simple text, a timeline, and great photographs of George Lucas from childhood to present times. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Abdo Kids Jumbo is an imprint of Abdo Kids, a division of ABDO.

Destined to be the classic illustrated survey of Lucas's career, the book is sure to fascinate not only die-hard fans but also general film and popular culture enthusiasts.