Now that Star Wars: The Last Jedi has officially screened for select audiences, reviews and reactions have started to flow in for us to process. One such response came from none other than Star Wars creator George Lucas, who referred to the film as "beautifully made." However, that doesn't mean the creator of the franchise approved of everything he saw in the film, as he apparently called out the movie's use of old-fashioned production methods during a visit to the set. Production designer Rick Heinrichs addressed this critique and explained:
We went into Star Wars saying we're going to do matte paintings and we're going to be hanging miniatures. That's the way we're going to do this cause that's what George would want. And of course George visited and he's like, 'Why are you building all these sets?' 'Well, because that's what you like, isn't it?' He's a cranky guy but his point is that for the big stuff, obviously planets, spaceships flying, when you're not close enough to see actors in it, there isn't much point anymore in actually building something.
Film production technology has come a long way since 1977. While using matte paintings and miniatures definitely honors the traditions of the original trilogy shoots, it also seems decidedly old-fashioned when we look at the resources modern filmmakers have at their disposal. George Lucas picked up on this during his visit to the set of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and it sounds like his biggest concern was the use of dated techniques on a film that should raise the bar for production methods.
Rick Heinrichs' remarks to THR about George Lucas' criticisms on the set of Star Wars: The Last Jedi actually seem to line up with his reputation as a filmmaker. Although many traditional techniques were used in the original trilogy, George Lucas has long been referred to as a pioneer and an innovator for Hollywood directors. He's a champion of creating new technologies and techniques to create new worlds, which is likely why theprequel trilogy took so many respectable swings (some of which worked and some of which didn't) between The Phantom Menace and Revenge of the Sith. We're looking at you, Jar Jar Binks.
The Star Wars franchise has always tried to push the technical side of the film industry forward into the future, and it sounds like George Lucas still champions that idea to this very day. However, based on how receptive he was to the final cut of Star Wars: The Last Jedi, we're willing to bet that he doesn't have much to complain about at the moment.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi will finally debut in theaters tonight, so grab your tickets while you still can and get yourself ready for the latest adventures of Luke Skywalker, Rey (no last name given), and all of the rest! Beyond that, if you want to know what we think of The Last Jedi here at CinemaBlend, you can check out our in-depth review to see for yourself!
