help us George Lucas, you're our only hope

I consider myself very fortunate to have grown up in era that gave us Star Wars. With the world of recorded media growing by leaps and bounds, our children's, children's children's (you get the idea) will be able to enjoy Lucas' crowning achievements from now on. Although I hope younger generations are as awe-struck as I was, there were so many environmental variables that existed in 1977 that made seeing it on the big screen so poignant. I think one of the most important things to consider is that movie goers went to theaters having no idea what they were about to see. For a movie that took on $11 million dollars to make (that's less than 40,000,000.00 adjusted for inflation in 2009 dollars), and having an almost nonexistent advertising budget; the majority of learned about the film by word of mouth.

I will never forget the summer of 1977. After seeing Star Wars for the first time, my friends and I decided we were going to watch it over and over again. So, with the little bit of money I'd earned hoarding my allowance, my friends and I watched it 25 times that summer alone. From the time Star Wars left the big screen, to the time The Empire Strikes Back, the franchise fan base exploded. So much so, I believe these movies are among only a select few that shifted all of pop culture off it's axis.

I've been involved in numerous conversations where "so called" experts debate the likenesses and the differences between the first and second trilogies. Some might argue that the first three movies were better because everything was hand made. Everything from makeup and wardrobe to physically built sets. It was genius! Lucas was forced to use old school filming techniques and adapt them into his projects in a manner that had never been seen before. I look at it from the standpoint of someone buying a car. The first three films represent buying your very first car on our own. You get to enjoy that new car smell, you don't have to worry about how the car was treated by the previous owners etc. On the other hand, I compare the prequel trilogy to buying a used car. Even though the car may be new to you, you will never have the distinction of being the car's first owner.

Lucas once said in an interview that CGI has allowed him to bring his imagination to the screen that would not have been possible in the 70's and 80's. On the other hand, these is an axiom that states the more CGI you incorporate into a motion picture, the harder it becomes for audiences to identify with the characters. No matter the position, I think most would agree that life seems so different now. We have all been affected by Lucas' vision in one form or another.

I lived in Chicago around the time of Return of the Jedi was to be the biggest blockbuster of the summer. I remember there was a lot of hype in the media regarding this third release. Although some claims were really out there, some of these "spoilers" were actually accurate. I will never forget the afternoon when my mother and I were in the car going somewhere and we were listening to WBBM FM 96.3 when the dj announced over the broadcast that Darth Vader dies in the film. I'm sure George Lucas has much better control over the flow of information now and it would be highly unlikely that any dj would be able to get his or her hands on Mr. Lucas' intellectual property.

One such rumor came out that summer that I am hoping is true. I remember an announcement had been made that stated George at one point had been planning to make a total of nine motion pictures. He was later quoted as saying that he had condensed the entire story; front to back until only six scripts were left. Since the release of episodes I, II and III, one of the most common questions asked of Lucas regarding the franchise is, "will there be more"? The closest thing to the word "no" has been his comment that Star Wars was written with just six chapters.

Mr Lucas, your fans are diligent and resolute. We are going to continue clapping our hands and stomping our feet until we get our encore. Even if it is announced that you have left the building, we will continue to stand at our feet, clapping and stomping until you give us what we ask for. You are our only hope