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[Oddduck]

Francis Ford Coppola, director of The Godfather, believes George Lucas wasted too much of his filmmaking career on Star Wars for the past 20-30 years.

He calls it a pity because George Lucas's strength (as a writer and director) was making more experimental films.

In a new interview with Screen Daily, however, Coppola expressed his regret that Lucas got essentially sidetracked by the Star Wars phenomenon.

“I think Star Wars, it’s a pity, because George Lucas was a very experimental crazy guy and he got lost in this big production (Star Wars) and never got out of it,” Coppola said.

In addition to THX, Coppola produced Lucas’s first blockbuster, American Graffiti, and the two collaborated on the story that eventually became Apocalypse Now, among other films. Lucas went on to direct the first Star Wars in 1977 and had supervised the franchise until recently selling Lucasfilm to Disney.

“I still hope that he made so much money out of it that he will just make some little movies,” Coppola said. “He promises me that he will.”

Source: Entertainment Weekly

 

[uncelestial]

The director of Godfather III can shut the fuck up.

 

[Dai101]

The director of Jack can shut the fuck up.

FTFY

 

[Arthr2ShdsJcksn]

The director of Godfather III can shut the fuck up.

Godfather III was at least a film that had a couple of redeeming qualities mixed in with the garbage, unlike a certain prequel trilogy.

 

[davepoobond]

The director of Godfather III can shut the fuck up.

 

[Moppeh]

If George didn't get Star Wars off the ground, he would have directed your magnum opus, Coppola. You should be thanking him for choosing Star Wars over other projects.

 

[internetwolf]

Coppola is a hack

 

[Discotheque]

He's right. It seems like it killed his love for movies too

He never went back to something like thx or american graffiti again

Smh at the moronic posts in this thread

 

[Geist-]

I think he's right, Lucas was a pretty good filmmaker and it would have been interesting seeing what else he could have come up with. It's not like Star Wars wouldn't have been better off without him.

 

[strafer]

The director of Godfather III can shut the fuck up.

Don't compare the greatness of Part 3 to the star wars crap please.

 

[MMarston]

At least he still had a career, Coppola.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

He's right.

 

[Salsa]

The director of Godfather III can shut the fuck up.

gotta love people shittin on Coppola for this or Jack lolololol

lets see who else coulda made Apocalypse Now and bring it outta the hell it was

coincidentally he probably refers to his experience on it as the kind of stuff George experienced

I think it would have been interesting to see something else from George, too. I don't mind the comment.

Coppola is a hack

good fucking lord 😂 😂 😂

 

[higemaru]

The director of Godfather III can shut the fuck up.

and Jack. Don't forget Jack.

gotta love people shittin on Coppola for this or Jack lolololol

Well shit.

Lucas needs to direct something with a little less bombast though. Something closer to American Graffiti.I think he could end his career on a positive note if he did that.

 

[uncelestial]

FTFY

Oh damn I forgot about that one. Not Robin's finest moment.

 

[Rafa=FedKilla]

Wait, people don't like Jack?

 

[Sliver]

Here's a list of the movies Francis Ford Copolla has directed in the last 20 years. I know one of them.

2015 - Distant Vision
2011 - Twixt
2009 - Tetro
2007 - Youth Without Youth
2000/I - Supernova (uncredited)
1997 - The Rainmaker
1996 - Jack

Probably still better than being responsible for the Star Wars prequels, though.

 

[SummitAve]

Somebody should have told Peter Jackson this.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

At least he still had a career, Coppola.

What are you people even talking about.

 

[Fuchsdh]

gotta love people shittin on Coppola for this or Jack lolololol

lets see who else coulda made Apocalypse Now and bring it outta the hell it was

coincidentally he probably refers to his experience on it as the kind of stuff George experienced

I think it would have been interesting to see something else from George, too. I don't mind the comment.



good fucking lord 😂 😂 😂

I've seen the Apocalypse Now Redux. Whatever made that film good, it clearly was in spite of Coppola.

 

[tycoonheart]

Coppola is correct. I wish Lucas made more movies like THX 1138.

 

[MMarston]

I think Coppola and Lucas are equally broken, now that I think of it.

Lucas got stuck with SW because of how big it got, while Coppola went insane after Apocalypse Now.

What are you people even talking about.

I am admittedly gonna retract that statement.

 

[Drencrom]

The director of Godfather III can shut the fuck up.

The Godfather III was definitely underwhelming and disappointing coming from 1 and 2, sure. But it's a long shot from being straight up garbage like the SW episodes.

 

[davepoobond]

What are you people even talking about.

Francis Ford Coppola the guy who made 3 movies and nothing else

 

[Blader]

There's no reason Lucas couldn't have made more THX-esque stuff in between the OT and the prequels; he had plenty of money and creative freedom to do so. He just lost the interest in making those kinds of films again.

Which is too bad, because much as I love Star Wars and wouldn't trade it for THX 1139, I still would've loved to see more non-Star Wars work from Lucas.

The Godfather III was underwhelming and disappointing to 1 and 2, sure. But it's a long shot from being straight up garbage like the SW episodes.

It's been a while but I remember Godfather III being pretty garbage.

 

[Denton]

What the fuck is wrong with the people here shitting on Coppola ?

Also Coppola is not saying anything surprising, hell Lucas most likely agrees with him. Wtf ?

 

[tim.mbp]

Here's a list of the movies Francis Ford Copolla has directed in the last 20 years. I know one of them.

2015 - Distant Vision
2011 - Twixt
2009 - Tetro
2007 - Youth Without Youth
2000/I - Supernova (uncredited)
1997 - The Rainmaker
1996 - Jack

Probably still better than being responsible for the Star Wars prequels, though.

Tetro is amazing. Highly recommended.

 

[DontBeThatGuy]

Here's a list of the movies Francis Ford Copolla has directed in the last 20 years. I know one of them.

2015 - Distant Vision
2011 - Twixt
2009 - Tetro
2007 - Youth Without Youth
2000/I - Supernova (uncredited)
1997 - The Rainmaker
1996 - Jack

Probably still better than being responsible for the Star Wars prequels, though.

He basically got rich with his wine business and started doing whatever the fuck he wanted. Also, his experience with making Apocalypse Now seemingly changed that dude, although I'd rather watch fluff(compared to his previous output) like Peggy Sue Got Married over any prequel.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

If George didn't get Star Wars off the ground, he would have directed your magnum opus, Coppola. You should be thanking him for choosing Star Wars over other projects.

Coppola is a hack

FTFY

The director of Godfather III can shut the fuck up.

Eat it. Coppola earned the right to produce nothing but shit after draining all his mental juices on the masterpiece that is Apocalypse Now.

He's a hundred times the filmmaker Lucas ever was.

And American Graffiti is overrated as all fuck. Lucas made one great film not called Star Wars in THX.

One From the Heart is a giant misfire that's still better than everything Lucas has put out otherwise.

 

[backflip10019]

At least Coppola can make a competent wine.

 

[TheKaeptain]

Wasn't there a rumor that Lucas likes to film experimental short films with big name actors?

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Lucas himself said basically the same shit in the commentary for Episode III, I believe.

Wasn't there a rumor that Lucas likes to film experimental short films with big name actors?

First I've heard of it.

 

[Jeffolation]

Coppola is a hack

I wouldn't call him a hack, he just stopped making good movies. Dario Argento, John Carpenter and George Romero come to mind.

 

[D4Danger]

lol at people lashing out because they think he's criticizing something they like

 

[JABEE]

Coppola is a hack

The Conversation, The Godfather Part I & II, Apocalypse Now

 

[Dead]

Is it true Lucas was apparently supposed to direct Apocalypse Now originally?

Saw that mentioned in one of the countless SW related articles posted online atm

 

[shortsFortallPeople]

Here's a list of the movies Francis Ford Copolla has directed in the last 20 years. I know one of them.

2015 - Distant Vision
2011 - Twixt
2009 - Tetro
2007 - Youth Without Youth
2000/I - Supernova (uncredited)
1997 - The Rainmaker
1996 - Jack

Probably still better than being responsible for the Star Wars prequels, though.

that doesn't make his opinion any more or less valid though. He can lament his good friend being caught up in Star Wars, no? Or is his opinion only valid if he was pumping out oscar worthy and/or well received films more recently?

FFC has made some of the greatest films of the last century. People shouldn't be shitting on a legend because they don't respect his opinion on this

 

[Salsa]

I've seen the Apocalypse Now Redux. Whatever made that film good, it clearly was in spite of Coppola.

you're crazy.

people sure love to think Directors are some kind of vision man that only looks at dailies or something

dude made that film happen and it's very clear by how documented it is that it was a monumental effort both physically and mentally for everyone involved

but lol Jack am I rite. what's The Godfather 1 and 2


between this, Ridley Scott, and Cameron comments GAF sure likes to be edgy at these "hacks"

"oh shit they're not perfect! let's instantly forget about the best films ever fucking made, then"

 

[ezekial45]

He's not wrong. I would love for Lucas to make movies like American Graffiti or THX again

 

[Goro Majima]

There's no reason Lucas couldn't have made more THX-esque stuff in between the OT and the prequels; he had plenty of money and creative freedom to do so. He just lost the interest in making those kinds of films again.

Came to say this

He had plenty of time to make all kinds of movies if he wanted. Star Wars was done in 1983.

 

[Bobby Roberts]

Is it true Lucas was apparently supposed to direct Apocalypse Now originally?

Lucas and Milius wanted to shoot it handheld 16mm in Vietnam while the war was still on, at one point.

 

[Mimosa97]

He made 5 billions though.

 

[Blader]

I've seen the Apocalypse Now Redux. Whatever made that film good, it clearly was in spite of Coppola.

Did somebody else direct the original Apocalypse Now?

Is it true Lucas was apparently supposed to direct Apocalypse Now originally?

Saw that mentioned in one of the countless SW related articles posted online atm

Yep, Lucas would've directed but opted out when he got to do Star Wars instead.

 

[Garlador]

Francis Ford Coppola gave me these:

He's earned the right to make a dozen more "Jack"s.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

What does Coppola's filmography have to do with his point? Did Coppola spend 30 years making nothing but progressively worse Godfather movies? He and Lucas are friends I think he probably has a little more of an insight to this than most people.

 

[Netherscourge]

Francis forgot that he made the Godfather 3 and that HORRIBLE Dracula movie.

Those were a pity.

 

[SCULLIBUNDO]

Francis Ford Coppola gave me these:



He's earned the right to make a dozen more "Jack"s.

You missed The Conversation.

 

[Salsa]

What does Coppola's filmography have to do with his point?.

absolutely nothing, but dude just had to make that first comment

 

[strafer]

Yep, Lucas would've directed and Coppola would've produced.

How do you green screen the jungle?

 

[Kwixotik]

I'm losing my mind. Somehow I got mixed up and thought Kubrick directed Apocalypse Now. I've even seen all of the special features for Apocalypse Now and I thought that was Kubrick the whole time. Holy shit.