George Lucas: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers)
Producer/director/writer Lucas seems to have spent much of his career defending his work against the criticism that it is shallow and insubstantial. Famous for blockbusters, including American Graffiti and the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" series, he is often thought to have helped bring the industry into a new and, some would say, regressive era in which megabudgets, megastars, and special effects are paramount. In this engrossing collection of 18 pieces (some are actual interviews, some are essays with quotations incorporated), he comes across as a thoughtful and dedicated filmmaker whose talents for action, editing, drama, and storytelling are often overlooked by those who see his films as "junk food for the mind." He maintains that the huge revenues his films generate create more opportunities for art-house and independent films. Though guarded and impatient with those who expect him to be Fellini, he provides insight into the motion picture business. This book nicely complements the entertaining, pictorial George Lucas: The Creative Impulse (LJ 10/1/92). Recommended for public and academic cinema collections.ARichard Grefrath, Univ. of Nevada Lib., RenoCopyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.