The fact that Kurtz chose not to work on the succeeding lesser Star Wars films helped create the perception that he was an almost mythic totem that, once lost, caused the blockbuster saga to spin helplessly out of control. The perception isn't entirely correct, however, since Kurtz's presence on Return to Oz or the 1989 Mark Hamill starrer Slipstream did little to elevate those misbegotten movies. But perhaps Kurtz has learned from his mistakes, since he's now producing a modestly budgeted (20 million dollar) film that combines the war and horror genres -- Panzer 88. More after...