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None of this is news, of course.
And Lucass wide-ranging chat at Cannes didnt exactly offer any revelations.
Hes always so matter of fact about it.
We just wanted to make movies.
He then spent a good part of his 90-minute chat talking about money.
Not in a bad way, though.
Coppola told him to write a feature length script instead, which he promised to produce.
That 1971 debut feature, the Robert Duvall-starringTHX-1138, actually played at Cannes, in the Directors Fortnight sidebar.
We didnt know there was a press conference!
AfterTHX-1138failed to recoup its cost, the studio asked for its money back.
Desperate for funds, Coppola took on the job of directingThe Godfather.
When Lucas asked how he could help, Coppola suggested he write a comedy.
I dare you to make a comedy.
Which is how Lucas came to writeAmerican Graffiti, whose incredible success gave him the clout to makeStar Wars.
Lucas recounted that after Universal executives first sawAmerican Graffitiat a preview screening, they hated it.
Francis said, How dare you?
This kid almost killed himself making this movie, shooting it in 28 days and nights.
How dare you at least not say it was an interesting movie?
It set Lucas up to makeStar Warson his own terms.
And then keep making it, sequel after sequel.
But that was Hollywood then, Lucas said.
Ive been retired for 10 years.
Im not sure what its like now.
