George Lucasis set toreceive an honorary Palme d’Or prizeat this year’s Cannes Film Festival in honor of his significant contributions to the development of modern cinema. While he will likely be most closely associated with theStar Warsfranchise for eternity, Lucas’ work to advance the cinematic art form spans far beyond the development of the galaxy far, far away. Lucas helpedshepherd many projects out of development, developed bold new technology, and made several films outside of the Star Warsfranchise. Whilst studying film at the University of Southern California,Lucas made several experimental short films that first indicated his talents.
The short form medium is often used by aspiring filmmakersto test their abilities, and occasionally leads them to expand their ideas into feature-length productions. Lucas experienced this first-hand whenhe turned short filmTHX-1138into a feature-length science fiction thrillerstarringRobert Duvallin 1971. However, Lucas’ earliest work was even more experimental, as he was simply using his expertise to push the boundaries of the medium.Lucas’ first short filmLook at Lifelaid the groundwork for his tremendous success, changing Hollywood forever.
What Is George Lucas' ‘Look at Life’ About?
Given the context surrounding Lucas’ journey to film school, it’s not surprising that his early work seemed rebellious and anti-establishment. Lucas had begun studies at USCafter a near-death car accident torpedoed his chances of becoming a racer, and subsequently inspired him to take note of the chaotic world events that surrounded him.Lucas became a filmmaker during the American “decade of change,”in which events like the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the Civil Rights marches, and the initial stages of the Vietnam War inspired activism on college campuses. Unsurprisingly, Lucas’ first foray into filmmaking was obliquely political in its intentions.
Look at Lifewas a montage of photographstaken fromLifemagazinethat encapsulate some of the major historical events from the 1960s.Lucas opted to use a segmentfrom the soundtrack of the filmBlack Orpheusin place of any traditional dialogue or expository information; instead, he created a visual language that implied movement through the quick succession of images. It’s not hard to determine the casualty that Lucas is implying, as he contrasts the heroism of Dr. Martin Luther King with chaotic events involving international war, race riots, attacks on Buddhist monks, and the corrupt Soviet Union administration.The film ends on an ambiguous note, as the text “Anyone For Survival” is followed by “End” and “?”
Despite its relative brevity,Look at Lifewas statistically distinct from anything else that the industry had seen up until that point.Documentary filmmaking was still in its infancyin 1965, and the notion of a nonfiction narrative without talking heads or a specific area of focus was rather unprecedented. While nonfiction storytelling wasn’t necessarily something Lucas would return to, the success ofLook at Lifeinspired him to develop several other short filmswhile he was studying at USC.
George Lucas Reveals Why He Kept His Name Off This Successful, Sexy Thriller
“I didn’t put my name on a bunch of movies.”
George Lucas Returned to the Themes of ‘Look at Life’
While he may have only been fulfilling the parameters of a class assignment,Lucas would return to the themes ofLook at Lifethroughout his career.The film’s sharp critique of powerful institutions resonates within his first three films;THX-1138imagines a future where the government has outlawed the expression of emotion,American Graffiticenters on young peoplewho reject the future laid out to them by their parents’ generation, andStar Warscenters on young freedom fighters resisting the oppression of a more well-equipped Galactic Empire.Look at Lifeseemed to initiate Lucas’ interest in using artistic expression to reveal the flaws within institutions. It’s also interesting to note that he incorporates peaceful figures like King and the Buddhist monks, as their pacifistic policies have a significant influence on the Jedi of the Star Warsfranchise.
Although he’s a filmmaker best known for his worldbuilding,Lucas is a very political artist who has adopted protest themes into many of his most well-known works.THX-1138’s release in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal can be seen as a direct contamination of governmental overreach, and the threat of the Vietnam War hangs over the events ofAmerican Graffiti. While the originalStar Warstrilogy only hinted at the galactic politics at play, the prequel films were more direct in paralleling recent events.Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithexamines the collapse of democracythrough a willingness to accept facism, a dire warning that continues to feel relevant.
‘Look at Life’ Showed the Technical Innovation of George Lucas
Although it can be dissected for its political intentions,Look at Lifeestablished Lucas’ ability to tell stories that didn’t solely rely on actors.Much of the best storytelling in the Star Wars franchise is reliant on creatures, droids, and action sequences in which human actors aren’t visible on screen. While it would have been easy for this to be impersonal, Lucas was able to create an emotional impact through inventive editing techniques. The rapid pace in which he cuts between stills inLook at Lifeshowed a technical adaptability that prepared him for the constant setbacks he faced duringthe difficult production ofStar Wars.
Although thestress of its completion landed him in the hospital,Lucas deserves to be acknowledged for his work outside of theStar Warssaga. The work that he did to revolutionize sound, visual effects, and theatrical distribution irrevocably changed the industry, and his lesser-known projects provide fascinating insights into his mindset. Like much of Lucas’ work,Look at Lifeis a prophetic masterwork that may have simply been ahead of its time. It should continue to serve as an inspiration for young filmmakers as to what they can accomplish within the short film medium.
Look at Lifeis available to watch on YouTube. The Star Wars franchise is available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
