Agree 100%. If A New Hope came out today it might get destroyed by ppl pointing out all the inconsistencies. To me, it represents a more naive time in my life & in our culture where I was unaware of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. To this day I believe Joseph Campbell‘s influence is intentionally not discussed because it’s much harder to stimulate/entertain those who understand the formula. That’s also why I like “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” 😀
@@encycl07pedia- Not that i am into canon fiction books, but I'm pretty sure there's a string of books detailing Palpatine's execution of certain plans to perpetuate his life through the Force. He must have spent a great deal of time on that between Episodes III and VI, and he had 30 years to complete it.
"Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought onboard." Man, not even Vader got burned that bad...
The funny thing is he didn't understand the contract's details at the time. Lucas offered him a cut of the earnings in order to "entice him", and his agent advised him to take the deal so he did, it was a brand new thing in the 70s, actors got signed to a film studio contract prior to the 70s. He would have signed on without the percentage.
@@dp6297 My point is he was already looking to sign on, but Lucas not knowing that offered him a percentage of gross anyway. He didn't think he was going to get much out of it since he didn't understand it.
Can you imagine being George Lucas and trying to keep everyone optimistic about this entirely new franchise and knowing that people are laughing at you and calling your work childish and stupid but then suddenly have a seasoned veteran actor like Guinness saying those words? It’d be such a confidence boost to me honestly.
He didn't see it as a franchise then...not even close. Lucas has mentioned how he felt lucky the studio even sprang for the first film. That's why he started Lucasfilm and backed Empire with a lot of his own money.
Given that Fox were having to bribe cinemas into showing it by saying "if you want Damnation Alley before Christmas you have to take Star Wars in May" By October none of them wanted to take Star Wars off to put Damnation Alley on.
People think that actors will just do parts for free or because they love it a lot and they might love it but they’re always doing it because it’s their job and they get paid
AJMitchell Actors can do as much work as those people and sometimes more. Some actors reshape their body entirely for a role and dedicate themselves to it
@@ChupeTTeTo be fair Guinness adored Star Wars, until it defined his career, he was really proud to be part of the film and happy that he finally got to endulge in his dream of playing a wizard character, he enjoyed the experience of working on the set and was pleased with how the final film turned out, he just started to resent that he was never able to move on from it and both audiences and producers only saw him as Obi-Wan.
His criticism of the dialogue is spot on. George Lucas is positively brilliant at grand, sweeping, epic visions. He can create worlds so fascinating, so magical, so compelling, so immersive that you want to live there. But he can't write dialogue for crap. Harrison Ford, during the filming of the original movie, confronted Lucas with the exact same criticism. He said "George, you can type this shit, but you sure can't say it."
"You know of the rebellion against the empire?" "It'll take a few moments to get the coordinates from the navi-computer." Those two lines make me cringe every time.
@@HappyCynic How? For me, it's the Tosche station line. Asking about the rebellion against the Empire? How is that cringe, exactly? It'll take a few moments to get the coordinates from the navacomputer? Again, how? Those lines were pretty much needed in the movie lol. And I liked that they called it that instead of just computer. Makes it stand out more and be it's own thing in a completely fictional, fantastical universe. In The Clone Wars TV show, they reference the navicomputer in S1 and it's pretty glorious haha.
@@Vandicoup I think the lines just feel awkward “of the rebellion” where the Toshe station line is meant to be whiny, like is a brat in the first movie
@@holdengohs6997 Luke lives on Tatooine which is supposed to be a remote system far away from the Empire and rebellion. It makes sense he doesn’t know exactly what to call it.
Some of the dialogue was bad on purpose. It was meant to invoke an earlier style of film-making. Other dialogue was just bad because Lucas didn't really have much experience with other people. He was from a quiet town and he was, I have gathered, a shy, awkward, lonely kid who spent more time as a teenager working on his cars than making friends. He didn't really know how people interacted, because he was more familiar with cars and technology. I think...I wasn't there. His experience with people was through the TV and movies that he came to love. But that was all stylized, too. But for all the flaws of the dialogue, we still love it because it was all charming and all came from a place of innocence and love.
The dialogue was bad in all of them (even the prequels) but that wasn't what the movie was shooting for. It was the fantasy Saturday matinee good vs. evil sci fi!!!!!!!!
After years of hearing be hated Star Wars these interviews really paint a different picture. Maybe he got a little annoyed by fans at times. Maybe he didn't really like this being the role that cements his eternal fame, but damn, it sounds like he enjoyed it, and it was a positive part of his life.
@@sonoftheway3528 Carrie Fisher once told a fan who had watched Star Wars over a hundred times (before home videos etc) "nobody should watch any film that many times".
@@zacmumblethunder7466 Didn't Alec Guinness saying something similar? Some kid said he watched it 40 times and Alec said something like ''well, that's a waste of time''
@@sonoftheway3528 He probably did. Apparently he was once very rude to an eight year old child who wanted him to sign his autograph as Ben Kenobi. I remember Carrie Fisher saying it on a chat show many years ago. I daren't think what Harrison Ford would tell someone who said the same.
@@sonoftheway3528 A young kid asking for an autograph told him he saw it like 40 times and Alec said he would only sign the autograph if the kid quit watching it like that.
It was offered to him. He had a choice of a small percentage in royalties or a set price, and took the royalties. The 2.5% he got from the royalties were many times more than if he had taken the one time offer. The same was offered to Peter Cushing, but unfortunately for him he just took the money for doing the movie. Hopefully Lucasfilm/Disney offered his estate money for allowing them to use his likeness in Rogue One.
in another interview Alec remembered thinking "every film ive ever had a percentage on has ended up losing money, but why not" (im paraphrasing obviously)
Compare to Donald Sutherland, who turned down a similar deal for Animal House, thinking it would flop. He took a flat $35k for a day's work instead of 2% of gross. The movie grossed $141.6 million. He could have had the equivalent of $11.1 million in present-day cash.
The dialog was appalling. Interesting that Sir Alec had the insight to see one of George's weaknesses that only became more apparent to me in the prequels. It's encouraging, however, to know that you don't have to score a perfect 10 on everything but can still makes something really special and timeless.
The weaknesses were always there. What made them less apparent in first two films is that George wasn't such an authority yet and others dared to chime in and even override his bad decisions.
@Jonsin 1459 I think the _Jedi_ manages to be good because the good parts are great and outweight the bad ones by a decent margin, but the cracks were starting to show on that one.
To Alec's credit, he was a very well respected and Oscar winning actor. His involvement might have helped sell Star Wars to the studio. Good for him getting a piece of the back end!
yes, Guinnes was a fine actor, but he was already forgotten and cheap. I think, Lucas being nominated for the academy award a couple of years before for Best Director gave Guinnes confidence to be part in this project.
He tied everything together. mark and carrie brought the innocence, harrsion brought the cool anti hero factor but alec gave the story believability. He was able through hes presence to add credibilty to the story to bring the audience along for the journey.
And the ever excellent Peter Cushing peesonified the cold villainy of the Empire. Back in 77 Vader was the henchman to Tarkin, who was once voted the greatest villain in movies.
Amazing how Guiness could be so candid about his apprehensions regarding the material but at the same time admit how riveted he was by it, and how he new it was going to be something that had never been done before. Truly a visionary actor.
You get famous internationally, the Queen Knights you. I mean we live in a time where Elton John or the Founder of Virgin is a Knight....god forbid it goes to Warriors who prove themselves. Knighthood is a joke nowadays. Hell Bill Gates got an honorary one.
"Warriors" who fight in wars with falsified motives, just killing each other to make the people in power richer and more powerful? I think creativity should be celebrated more than destruction.
Wonder what he would say to dialogue like: "Another happy landing" "Blast us into oblivion" "The negotiations were short" "I have the high ground" "I saw a security hologram of him......killing younglings" and "Hello there"! (wait, that was his first line)
"The negotiations were short" ain't so bad, it could've been a line for Han in the OT for instance. What's bad is that it wasn't delivered as a dry, sarcastic remark, but as the punchline to a set up joke.
To be honest those are the ones that stick to my mind to this day. And I always come back to them when something related to the scene they appear on happens.
Just remember that this man gave huge credibility to the first film. Add on the fact that we absolutely love him for his performance as Obi-Wan, then we can be more than thankful to his contribution to this film. Mind you, Bridge over the River Kwai was brilliant.
every single person was scared to tell anything to George Lucas, and that was really damaging for the prequels. There's a video about how the original trilogy was saved in post by his wife; without her the ot would've been terrible!
True, that's pretty much the only flaw I can actually see with the prequels, those actors had a little bit less grunt and they followed the script well instead of trying to change it while staying in character, because everyone in the originals improvised and changed their lines and it led to some iconic moments (such as Han's "everything's... fine... here... how are you?")
"I asked George to remove the dialogue where my character talked about how 'gritty sand is' and how it 'gets everywhere'. Well he quite agreed, but he said that after I died he may make a new series of films and have another character say it instead. That was ok by me, that's why I enjoyed working with George, he was a good man for compromising with."
“But there was something about it” that made him insist on a cut of the movie’s profits in his contract. What a move. Well done Sir Alec, very shrewd. His estate is still earning royalties from it to this day.
@@holliswilliams8426 Major coup for Lucas if he can get Guiness on board, Lucas probably felt it would give some boost to the movies credibility to the public I suppose. Seems like I offering a cut was the cheapest way to add incentive for Guiness to join the party-- if the movie bombs-- no big loss for either-- if it does Ok, then Guiness makes a bit more comfort money.
I'm glad videos like this have surfaced to disprove the mean spirited rumors he hated working on these movies; anybody who knew Guinness personally knows he loved working on these movies.
Yes. He loved the innocence and the escapism of these movies. The only thing he didn't like about it (and he called this before it even came to pass) was the fact that people would read too much into these movies and make it something bigger than it actually really was. As a huge SW nerd I don't mind it being a religion of sorts, I love all of it even now when Disney are doing their thing, but all of this affected Guinness's work. He wanted to be remembered as a brilliant actor from his many roles, not just Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars. And that's okay in my books, it doesn't make him hateful or greedy.
Yep. He said in an interview with Parkinson that “people might read too much into it” but saw the film in London and loved the escapism in it. When the film was over he stood outside the cinema and noticed how poor the weather was and the streets were dirty, Star Wars was a break from that. Plus in a recent interview with Brian Blessed, who was a close friend of Alec, he enjoyed working on the film and the film itself, just not the attention from super fans
It has also much to do with how fans would drool over these movies. He did perform some great roles but many people will still remember him as an ben kenobi from a space opera, kids movie. Same case with Harrison Ford, he absolutely hated the character of han solo after he got a break from indiana jones. Maybe people just don't want to be associated with sw cult
@@Furcapper But George Lucas intended for people to read more into the story than whats on the surface. Here in this video he's explaining what message he was trying to get across: ua-cam.com/video/t5TGJquhP1s/v-deo.html
@@albertrand71 And thats good, Star Wars unrealistic dialogue adds up to its mystic, thats why the dialogue works in the OT and the Prequels, even though its "bad", but the story is there to back it up and holds every element of the movie together, because George understood perfectly the concepts of story telling, world building and specially mythology. Disney Star Wars doesnt work because they never understood those fundamental concepts that make Star Wars great.
Alec Guiness first read the script for Star Wars in 19 December 1975, which is the last day of shooting of the movie he was referring to (Murder by Death). That was still the third draft, with Utapau and Kiber Crystals. I don't know if Sir Alec Guiness noted the difference, though. The fourth draft, which is pretty much the movie he shot (sans a few changes, and Luke being called Starkiller) was dated January 1976.
I’ve heard he gave royalties to mark hamal carrie fisher and Harrison Ford it was more money than for himself to use so he gave some back to the cast but Anthony Daniels (c3po) didn’t get any royalties
Since Alec Guinness didn’t like his non Star Wars roles being ignored, I encourage you all to watch The Ladykillers, one of his only non Star Wars films I’ve seen, and it’s quite brilliant
This man has shown that sometimes story outshines dialogue. A good story can be told without a single line of dialogue and the first Star Wars movie is able to do that.
Although there was pleeenty of dialogue throughout ANH though lol. It's just that the story was powerful enough that it overshadowed the subpar dialogue, not that there wasn't "any" dialogue whatsoever in that movie.
@@Vandicoup yeah that's my point. While there was a lot of dialogue in ANH (very clunky dialogue), none of it was necessary because of the story, sets, and detail packed in every frame of the film.
@@imjustlookingformywatch the first half of Wall-E is a masterclass in visual storytelling for me; the movie manages to tug at your heartstrings and make you care for these two sentient robots who can hardly form words - letting the animation, cinematography, and expressions of the characters tell the story was immensely powerful.
Bruh .... the story should ALWAYS outshines the dialogue, I never understood this fascination people have with dialogue, it is just a means to an end, nothing more! The movies that I dislike the most are the ones who have perfect dialogue in a shitty plot, whats the point of hearing something if the story is not interesting?
@@aesir1ases64 Sure, but what is the point of the story if the dialogue is shit - and I don't mean clunky as in the original trilogy but shit and illogical and cringe as in the latest one?
For me good casting is one of the most tricky and vital things in making a movie a success most of the time. If its casted right it's also a lot easier for the director as well, the Nostromo crew in Alien and the characters for John Carpenter's THE THING were also casted well.
Casting was good for all star wars movies, the problem is the dialogue in the prequels were a little clunky and the sequels ruined everything, literallym
@@firelordkushroll I think his performance was OK given that he didn't care for the film and no-one else was bothering to put in a good performance, plus the dialogue was trash.
The irony is that one of the appealings elements of the movies is the appaling dialogue, even if people dont like to admit it, Star Wars "bad" dialogue works in the context. If the dialogue was perfect it would take away from the charm of the series and therefore diminished its quality.
And, Obi-Wan Kenobi was right. So, he could say, "I called it before any of you guys did." A lot of the British actors, etc. were rather disparaging of the film while they were making it...the understanding has always been, the shot of The Tantive IV racing above the atmosphere of Tatooine, while being attacked and pursued by The Devastator, changed a lot of minds then and there about the value and success of the film.
Disney writing "They fly now" and "Somehow Palpatine Returned" as well as "It's not about fighting what we hate, it's saving what we love": "YOU UNDERESTIMATE MY POWER AND I'M SURE AS HELL GOING TO TRY IT"
I think his lines are fine. Most of the time at least. The sand bit was written to be awkward, and it's done really well. It's even a little deep if you think about it.
Funnily enough, RIdley Scott also had one of those fucking moments. He had heard about the fans complaining about not enough aliens in Prometheus. He shouted "I'll show them fucking aliens!" and proceeded to make Alien: Covenant.
He totally understood the film. It does have taste and imagination even with it's one dimensional vibes and terrible dialogue.There's some about the way George did it that makes it very special.
The dialogue was apalling, but there was something about it that made you keep on turning the pages” that is the absolute perfect description of Star Wars, being someone who grew up on it entirely.
I believe that in every interview Sir Alec Guiness did and was asked about Star Wars, there is a bit at the very start that is always edited out in which he says "You know I've done other things, right?"
@Roger B That's a strong statement. No one remembers? Not likely. _I_ remember it, and I wasn't even born when Star Wars came out. And surely anyone who appreciates the art form will want to know about previous works? What kind of interviewer doesn't know who they're interviewing, at least by way of their prior credits? To not set the current works in the context of all that came before goes against what critiques and interviews are even _for_ Only those fixated on the idea of movies as a commodity, constantly in pursuit of the next big winner, would be so keen to bury history and deny the wishes of the actual artists involved. Then interviews become sources of soundbites and scandal, something else to monetise and drain the life out of another human achievement.
So articulate in the words he chooses. I remember my older brother saying that the Star Wars movies were made for kids, but he didn't see the inner stories, just the surface sci fi spaceship stuff. The Empire Strikes Back was especially a very dark film that explored human failings and suffering. Alex Guiness as Obi Wan seemed to be the teacher that brought the lessons into perspective in a very humble way. He knows he failed Anakin and has suffered for those failings, but he tries to nudge Luke in the right direction without forcing him. Guiness manages to bring this all to the screen with his magnificent acting.
@@SILVER-zf2hu I mean you are right the some lines were a bit off with the delivery but i think that its more that some lines sound good on paper but when speaking they sound a bit strange
@@boskopajovic2105 to each his own, I guess. I have seen all of the SW films in the theater, and even though I was young for the originals, I don't remember then or since cringing at the dialogue. However, I have to skip over large portions of the prequels because the dialogue literally makes me squirm in my seat. That's just me, though.
It was the pacing of his dialogue & the music that he enjoyed in the finished cut, he saw once it was edited for 1977 space western that it was a work of art, craft & story
At the time of writing this comment there are 84 dislikes. What particularly is there to dislike in this? It's a distinguished actor recounting his involvement with a movie that is pivotal in both science fiction and movie making. I am constantly amazed at how some videos that seem inoffensive attract dislikes.
There was never a movie like Star Wars and there will never be one again. When the trailers were shown in the theaters back in the day, the entire audience would start cheering. I’ve never seen that since. You be in a theater seeing Poltergiest or something and the music from Star Wars would come on during the trailer and everyone would go nuts and when the movie you went to see came on, it was a let down.
He's exactly right. No one wanted to produce star wars Sci Fi was on the decline in that era. But they made strong choices in production to make it stand apart. For one thing, classical music scores were not that popular at the time but by going with John Williams and making a beautiful score, the movie rains timeless. Imagine if there was techno of the times in star wars. It would be tragic
How could you ever be involved in something if you didn’t think it had potential! Some people huh? Time is our most valuable asset and we shouldn’t waste it on anything we don’t believe in, it just makes sense that Alec would trust in his own abilities as an actor and as someone who agreed to be a part of something, that that something would be worthwhile.
I love his voice, I had the Star Wars album as a kid right after the movie came out and I used to love to listen to his voice on it. That's the best performance of any in all the movies or the rest of the crap they're peddling now.
James Earl Jones didn’t even want his name associated with it. Peter Cushing was already known as a grade B movie actor so Star Wars was right in his wheel house. But those three actors had a profound impact on Star Wars. Without the Voice of Darth Vader, the enunciation of Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin or the perfect British formality of Alec Guinness, Star Wars may well have come off as a grade B movie
Wow, never saw this side of him 🥺❤️ Kept seeing people saying he hated working on the movies this whole time... Glad this interview exists to prove me wrong 😌💚
Alec was an amazing actor. Try looking beyond star wars, at some of his earlier work - a true great in every sense of the word. He brought credibility to the first Star Wars movie, having such a highly regarded actor in the cast, and his performance was outstanding!
Smart man. He understood the big picture and was astute enough to peal off the flaws (the clunky dialogue) and sci-fi setting to see that it was something which would appeal to people.
@@samuelbishop3316 Not flirting, Anakin was making an analogy by comparing that which he hates the most (that being everything that he associates with sand, such as his tragic upbringing) and that which he loves and admired the most (being Padme and the features that remind him of her.) If people would learn to understand romance and how different people get it out differently then this wouldn’t be interpreted as a cringe worthy scene. Alas people aren’t usually romantics, nor willing to try and understand Anakin’s portrayal as a compassionate person struggling to show emotion due to his religious training. Yeah, sure, George could have had Hayden Christensen dumb that all down for the casual audience, but you stick with how you envision the character, not the audience. Anything less is appeasement, which is a concept Disney has been struggling with.
@@YewrValentine stop making excuses for bad dialogue, who te fuck talks like that, he is a fucking creep, you prequel fanboys make the prequels more tragic and dramatic than they were lmao
I once heard that in the original Star Wars script the Jedi wielded laser swords; and Alec Guinness suggested George Lucas rename them 'lightsabers' because they would sound more elegant that way.
Nah that's bullshit. All the early draft scripts of Star Wars are uploaded online, the term "Lightsaber" first appears in the 3rd draft written in 1975, a whole year before filming began. Though they are referred too as Laser Swords too, the characters call them Lightsabers, but all the action lines call them Laser Swords. Lucas still calls them Laser Swords in the making off documentaries for the Prequels too.
@@regidon793 Some people hate George Lucas so much that they feel compelled to tell and spread lies about him. It's sad and pathetic. Especially since the making of Star Wars is so well documented that it's all easily disprovable. I've heard so much retarded shit over the years.
It's incredible! He was certainly one of the best actors of the time in my opinion. Here in Brazil, Alec was always voiced by the great Isaac Bardavid, her voice suited him a lot. He even voiced Wolverine as well.
Thank you for sharing this!! I grew up with this saga and find this amazing that Sir Alec found faith in Lucas’s idea. I loved Alec in Lawrence of Arabia.
He didn't enjoy being in a sci-fi movie, but he was very professional about it and treated everyone and the product with respect. A true professional and British gentleman.
"Although the dialogue was appalling, but there was something about it that made you go on turning the pages"
Perfect description of Star Wars
Agree 100%. If A New Hope came out today it might get destroyed by ppl pointing out all the inconsistencies. To me, it represents a more naive time in my life & in our culture where I was unaware of Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey. To this day I believe Joseph Campbell‘s influence is intentionally not discussed because it’s much harder to stimulate/entertain those who understand the formula. That’s also why I like “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” 😀
I am haunted by the kiss you should never have given me
@@freddovich7925 You are in my very soul, tormenting me.
@@amysteriousviewer3772 Actually not a bad line, given the context.
@@LordVader1094 the execution was trash
Damn, Ewan McGregor sure has aged well since the 80s.
@HowardBEan Safe spaced alot I take it you must be.
@HowardBEan late to party you surley are.
@HowardBEan Dumb and stupid understand a sarcastic joke you cannot
@HowardBEan Annoying and clueless you are
@HowardBEan Clouded your mind is
1987: The Dialogue was appalling
2019: Somehow Palpatine returned
Lol
I was willing to watch that movie until that shit.
You must never have read any of the EU. Palpatine returning is in several Star Wars works. It didn't start in 2019.
Ah, awkward dialogue just like the originals
@@encycl07pedia- Not that i am into canon fiction books, but I'm pretty sure there's a string of books detailing Palpatine's execution of certain plans to perpetuate his life through the Force. He must have spent a great deal of time on that between Episodes III and VI, and he had 30 years to complete it.
"The dialogue was appalling"
BUT I WAS GOING INTO TOSCHE STATION TO PICK UP SOME POWER CONVERTERS
Don't listen to him. That wizard's just a crazy old man.
@ROGAN Are you kidding, at the rate they're gaining?!?
"you can get wasted with your friends later." - owen
The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force!
"Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought onboard."
Man, not even Vader got burned that bad...
An elegant man, of a more civilized age.
Not clumsy or random as a blaster...
Elegant yes but it was not more civilised at all
Before the Dark times, before the prequels.
@@davidjamessheets sequels*
@Doctah Wahwee the prequels are an elegant set of films from a more civilized age. Before the dark times. Before the Disney corporate empire.
Alec Guinness was the only cast member who took a cut of the earnings instead of just a fixed pay. It made him very rich.
What about Harrison Ford didn’t he make a fortune from it
The funny thing is he didn't understand the contract's details at the time. Lucas offered him a cut of the earnings in order to "entice him", and his agent advised him to take the deal so he did, it was a brand new thing in the 70s, actors got signed to a film studio contract prior to the 70s. He would have signed on without the percentage.
He also could afford to take risks at this point in his career. He was an already established actor.
@@dp6297 My point is he was already looking to sign on, but Lucas not knowing that offered him a percentage of gross anyway. He didn't think he was going to get much out of it since he didn't understand it.
@@colliric I understood your point. No need for another explanation.
Can you imagine being George Lucas and trying to keep everyone optimistic about this entirely new franchise and knowing that people are laughing at you and calling your work childish and stupid but then suddenly have a seasoned veteran actor like Guinness saying those words? It’d be such a confidence boost to me honestly.
I have little doubt he was likely the most difficult to work with during production.
@@thegamedudeguy actually no, it is said that nobody behaved professionally and gave their best unless sir alec guinness was on set
He didn't see it as a franchise then...not even close. Lucas has mentioned how he felt lucky the studio even sprang for the first film. That's why he started Lucasfilm and backed Empire with a lot of his own money.
Given that Fox were having to bribe cinemas into showing it by saying "if you want Damnation Alley before Christmas you have to take Star Wars in May" By October none of them wanted to take Star Wars off to put Damnation Alley on.
@@Djarra "Ironic"
Seeing a lot of people saying "but he liked the money" - in what reality do actors not work for pay?
"They're still using money. We have to find some."
Sad retail and people who do labour don't get as much as acting on camera for few hours
People think that actors will just do parts for free or because they love it a lot and they might love it but they’re always doing it because it’s their job and they get paid
AJMitchell Actors can do as much work as those people and sometimes more. Some actors reshape their body entirely for a role and dedicate themselves to it
AND, they didn't get high high pay for the movie.
Hiring this Man was Georges' greatest masterstroke.
He originally wanted Toshiro Mifune.
@@JnEricsonx No
Darth Vader would have died in the first page
@@ChupeTTeTo be fair Guinness adored Star Wars, until it defined his career, he was really proud to be part of the film and happy that he finally got to endulge in his dream of playing a wizard character, he enjoyed the experience of working on the set and was pleased with how the final film turned out, he just started to resent that he was never able to move on from it and both audiences and producers only saw him as Obi-Wan.
@@ChupeTTe lol what?
*cough* John Williams
His criticism of the dialogue is spot on. George Lucas is positively brilliant at grand, sweeping, epic visions. He can create worlds so fascinating, so magical, so compelling, so immersive that you want to live there. But he can't write dialogue for crap. Harrison Ford, during the filming of the original movie, confronted Lucas with the exact same criticism. He said "George, you can type this shit, but you sure can't say it."
"You know of the rebellion against the empire?"
"It'll take a few moments to get the coordinates from the navi-computer."
Those two lines make me cringe every time.
@@HappyCynic How? For me, it's the Tosche station line. Asking about the rebellion against the Empire? How is that cringe, exactly? It'll take a few moments to get the coordinates from the navacomputer? Again, how? Those lines were pretty much needed in the movie lol. And I liked that they called it that instead of just computer. Makes it stand out more and be it's own thing in a completely fictional, fantastical universe. In The Clone Wars TV show, they reference the navicomputer in S1 and it's pretty glorious haha.
@@Vandicoup I think the lines just feel awkward “of the rebellion” where the Toshe station line is meant to be whiny, like is a brat in the first movie
@@holdengohs6997 Luke lives on Tatooine which is supposed to be a remote system far away from the Empire and rebellion. It makes sense he doesn’t know exactly what to call it.
@@davidmcclendon9728 that’s fair
“Appalling dialogue it was.”
Yoda, 1977.
"But there was something about it that made you keep on turning the pages." The most apt description of Star Wars I've ever heard.
*1980
@@joelkurowski9276 Yoda watched A New Hope on his Dagobah Holo-TV in 1977
@@oxsila he saw the production of it.
-Somewhere pre 1977.
Palpatine returned, somehow.
"Although the dialogue was appalling".
LOL, and it didn't get any better over the years Sir Alec.
AZ the next script you write that's worth a shit will be your first
Aww...did I upset you with my opinion?
Some of the dialogue was bad on purpose. It was meant to invoke an earlier style of film-making.
Other dialogue was just bad because Lucas didn't really have much experience with other people. He was from a quiet town and he was, I have gathered, a shy, awkward, lonely kid who spent more time as a teenager working on his cars than making friends. He didn't really know how people interacted, because he was more familiar with cars and technology. I think...I wasn't there. His experience with people was through the TV and movies that he came to love. But that was all stylized, too.
But for all the flaws of the dialogue, we still love it because it was all charming and all came from a place of innocence and love.
"I'm haunted by the kiss you should never have given me."
The dialogue was bad in all of them (even the prequels) but that wasn't what the movie was shooting for. It was the fantasy Saturday matinee good vs. evil sci fi!!!!!!!!
After years of hearing be hated Star Wars these interviews really paint a different picture. Maybe he got a little annoyed by fans at times. Maybe he didn't really like this being the role that cements his eternal fame, but damn, it sounds like he enjoyed it, and it was a positive part of his life.
Yeah I think he just hated HOW SERIOUSLY people took it. He might've been annoyed by people loving ANY movie that much.
@@sonoftheway3528 Carrie Fisher once told a fan who had watched Star Wars over a hundred times (before home videos etc) "nobody should watch any film that many times".
@@zacmumblethunder7466 Didn't Alec Guinness saying something similar? Some kid said he watched it 40 times and Alec said something like ''well, that's a waste of time''
@@sonoftheway3528 He probably did. Apparently he was once very rude to an eight year old child who wanted him to sign his autograph as Ben Kenobi. I remember Carrie Fisher saying it on a chat show many years ago. I daren't think what Harrison Ford would tell someone who said the same.
@@sonoftheway3528 A young kid asking for an autograph told him he saw it like 40 times and Alec said he would only sign the autograph if the kid quit watching it like that.
might not have liked the script but he saw something in the movies to be the only one to ask for royalties.
It was offered to him. He had a choice of a small percentage in royalties or a set price, and took the royalties. The 2.5% he got from the royalties were many times more than if he had taken the one time offer. The same was offered to Peter Cushing, but unfortunately for him he just took the money for doing the movie. Hopefully Lucasfilm/Disney offered his estate money for allowing them to use his likeness in Rogue One.
Chris J I didn't know he was offered. I thought he asked. thanks for the info though.
He just said he liked the script. He thought the dialog was bad.
in another interview Alec remembered thinking "every film ive ever had a percentage on has ended up losing money, but why not" (im paraphrasing obviously)
Compare to Donald Sutherland, who turned down a similar deal for Animal House, thinking it would flop. He took a flat $35k for a day's work instead of 2% of gross. The movie grossed $141.6 million. He could have had the equivalent of $11.1 million in present-day cash.
The dialog was appalling. Interesting that Sir Alec had the insight to see one of George's weaknesses that only became more apparent to me in the prequels. It's encouraging, however, to know that you don't have to score a perfect 10 on everything but can still makes something really special and timeless.
Basically, the Jedi are cool. 'There is something to this...' lol . Yeah, the Jedi, and they are fucking awesome.
Okay Alec Guinness was one of the most tremendous actors of English history. Fuck that, Star Wars....
He also saw imagination, one of Lucas' strengths.
The weaknesses were always there. What made them less apparent in first two films is that George wasn't such an authority yet and others dared to chime in and even override his bad decisions.
@Jonsin 1459 I think the _Jedi_ manages to be good because the good parts are great and outweight the bad ones by a decent margin, but the cracks were starting to show on that one.
To Alec's credit, he was a very well respected and Oscar winning actor. His involvement might have helped sell Star Wars to the studio. Good for him getting a piece of the back end!
yes, Guinnes was a fine actor, but he was already forgotten and cheap. I think, Lucas being nominated for the academy award a couple of years before for Best Director gave Guinnes confidence to be part in this project.
Alec "From my point of view the Dialogue is evil"
George "Well then you are lost"
Fans: No, no. He's got a point.
Think you got that backwards.
This is just proof 💀💀💀
George: "I have failed you Alec, I have failed you".
@@gumdeo "I should've known the director was plotting to take over!"
“It’s being done with great taste and imagination. There’s something more to it than you think.”
Exactly. Similar to Indiana Jones - simple and pulpy but with some extra special ingredients.
Sounds more like Favroni's age
He tied everything together. mark and carrie brought the innocence, harrsion brought the cool anti hero factor but alec gave the story believability. He was able through hes presence to add credibilty to the story to bring the audience along for the journey.
When he let Vader cut him down I was gutted! Wtf!
Don't forget James Earl.
"This is CNN."
And the ever excellent Peter Cushing peesonified the cold villainy of the Empire. Back in 77 Vader was the henchman to Tarkin, who was once voted the greatest villain in movies.
I think we can all agree that we’re all glad Sir Alec Guinness saw the potential in George’s storytelling.
Amazing how Guiness could be so candid about his apprehensions regarding the material but at the same time admit how riveted he was by it, and how he new it was going to be something that had never been done before. Truly a visionary actor.
He got the prefix "Sir" for some good reason.
You get famous internationally, the Queen Knights you. I mean we live in a time where Elton John or the Founder of Virgin is a Knight....god forbid it goes to Warriors who prove themselves. Knighthood is a joke nowadays. Hell Bill Gates got an honorary one.
"Warriors" who fight in wars with falsified motives, just killing each other to make the people in power richer and more powerful? I think creativity should be celebrated more than destruction.
Well said Al.
I think the prefix "Dick" would have been more appropriate.
Come on Bill Gates got his for Windows 95 and rightly deserved it!
I can respect a man who despite not fancying something, doesn't conclude it to be bad or lacking in effort.
Wonder what he would say to dialogue like:
"Another happy landing"
"Blast us into oblivion"
"The negotiations were short"
"I have the high ground"
"I saw a security hologram of him......killing younglings"
and
"Hello there"! (wait, that was his first line)
Hello there was a brilliant nod and another happy landing was hilarious....but the rest...well...yeah.
I think the worst line in the prequels is "what? How did this happen we're smarter than this!?"
"The negotiations were short" ain't so bad, it could've been a line for Han in the OT for instance.
What's bad is that it wasn't delivered as a dry, sarcastic remark, but as the punchline to a set up joke.
@@mitchellemerson6916 *the best line in the prequels
To be honest those are the ones that stick to my mind to this day. And I always come back to them when something related to the scene they appear on happens.
Smooth faced Alec Guinness looks like he hasn't finished rendering properly
RIP Such an incredible actor. I could listen to his voice all day.
Just remember that this man gave huge credibility to the first film.
Add on the fact that we absolutely love him for his performance as Obi-Wan, then we can be more than thankful to his contribution to this film.
Mind you, Bridge over the River Kwai was brilliant.
Common misconception but the film is actually called The Bridge on the River Kwai, not over
@@C0L055i Common misconception but the film is actually called The Bridge on the River Kwai, not just Bridge on the River Kwai
Alec speaks with such intellect and grace.
problem with the prequels: the actors were TOO SCARED to change their own lines
Edward Norton changed a lot of dialogue in Incredible Hulk and look how it turned out.
Yeah. They needed actors like Alec Guiness and Peter Cushing to smooth things out. As for the sequels, they just need a bonfire.
every single person was scared to tell anything to George Lucas, and that was really damaging for the prequels. There's a video about how the original trilogy was saved in post by his wife; without her the ot would've been terrible!
@@billygilmusic5072 what kind of changes did she make?
True, that's pretty much the only flaw I can actually see with the prequels, those actors had a little bit less grunt and they followed the script well instead of trying to change it while staying in character, because everyone in the originals improvised and changed their lines and it led to some iconic moments (such as Han's "everything's... fine... here... how are you?")
"I asked George to remove the dialogue where my character talked about how 'gritty sand is' and how it 'gets everywhere'. Well he quite agreed, but he said that after I died he may make a new series of films and have another character say it instead. That was ok by me, that's why I enjoyed working with George, he was a good man for compromising with."
“But there was something about it” that made him insist on a cut of the movie’s profits in his contract. What a move. Well done Sir Alec, very shrewd. His estate is still earning royalties from it to this day.
I think he was offered the cut as far as I remember, he didn't ask for it.
@@holliswilliams8426 Major coup for Lucas if he can get Guiness on board, Lucas probably felt it would give some boost to the movies credibility to the public I suppose. Seems like I offering a cut was the cheapest way to add incentive for Guiness to join the party-- if the movie bombs-- no big loss for either-- if it does Ok, then Guiness makes a bit more comfort money.
I'm glad videos like this have surfaced to disprove the mean spirited rumors he hated working on these movies;
anybody who knew Guinness personally knows he loved working on these movies.
Yes. He loved the innocence and the escapism of these movies. The only thing he didn't like about it (and he called this before it even came to pass) was the fact that people would read too much into these movies and make it something bigger than it actually really was. As a huge SW nerd I don't mind it being a religion of sorts, I love all of it even now when Disney are doing their thing, but all of this affected Guinness's work. He wanted to be remembered as a brilliant actor from his many roles, not just Obi-Wan Kenobi from Star Wars. And that's okay in my books, it doesn't make him hateful or greedy.
Yep. He said in an interview with Parkinson that “people might read too much into it” but saw the film in London and loved the escapism in it. When the film was over he stood outside the cinema and noticed how poor the weather was and the streets were dirty, Star Wars was a break from that. Plus in a recent interview with Brian Blessed, who was a close friend of Alec, he enjoyed working on the film and the film itself, just not the attention from super fans
It has also much to do with how fans would drool over these movies. He did perform some great roles but many people will still remember him as an ben kenobi from a space opera, kids movie.
Same case with Harrison Ford, he absolutely hated the character of han solo after he got a break from indiana jones. Maybe people just don't want to be associated with sw cult
@@Furcapper But George Lucas intended for people to read more into the story than whats on the surface. Here in this video he's explaining what message he was trying to get across:
ua-cam.com/video/t5TGJquhP1s/v-deo.html
That`s crap. Guinnes was already forgotten and that film put him again on the map and made him rich.
"The dialogue was appalling"
Some things about Star Wars never change.
You're wrong, now the entire movies and T.V series are appalling
@@charlesmitchell8982 having just finished watching Kenobi, I have to agree with you.
@@albertrand71 And thats good, Star Wars unrealistic dialogue adds up to its mystic, thats why the dialogue works in the OT and the Prequels, even though its "bad", but the story is there to back it up and holds every element of the movie together, because George understood perfectly the concepts of story telling, world building and specially mythology.
Disney Star Wars doesnt work because they never understood those fundamental concepts that make Star Wars great.
But I was going into Tosche Station to pick up some better dialogue!
That voice. The sound of his voice just has such a calming quality. Never rushed and always so clear and understated.
“It’s being done with great taste and imagination. There’s something more to it than you think.”
What a perfect description.
Alec Guiness first read the script for Star Wars in 19 December 1975, which is the last day of shooting of the movie he was referring to (Murder by Death). That was still the third draft, with Utapau and Kiber Crystals. I don't know if Sir Alec Guiness noted the difference, though.
The fourth draft, which is pretty much the movie he shot (sans a few changes, and Luke being called Starkiller) was dated January 1976.
Utapau and Kyber Crystals have been a thing for that long? damn
@@roadhouse6999 Yep, Mace Windu was also in the earlier scripts.
@@drumbeard Close, the name was Mace Windi or something. Similar, but literally the last letter was the only difference.
Then, the Starkiller name was given to the protagonist in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
Luke Starkiller and General Vader. Yep.
George Lucas... now that’s a name I’ve not heard in a long time.
"Although the dialogue was appalling."
Hahaha savage. But true.
Harrison Ford wanted to tie him up and make him say his own lines back 😂
@@edinscot56789 Shouted across the studio by Harrison Ford at George Lucas:
“George, you can type this shit but you can’t act it!”
The way he stops mid sentence and hammers that point home lmao
My God it sounds exactly like Ewan. I mean Ewan sounds exactly like Alec. He did an amazing job replicating his voice and mannerisms.
I was looking for this comment. It really highlights Ewan’s talent as an actor
Well if you hear Ewan's actual accent he's Scottish so yeah, his Guinness accent was excellent.
Love how it’s a different interview 10 years later, but he delivers his story the exact same way every time. 🙏🏼🌹🙏🏼
Well his description of the dialogue went from "ropey" to "appalling" in that time. Maybe he just got more honest.
He probably came up with a basic speech & memorized it.
And remains more or less positive about the movie😊
like every public speaker. doh
IF Telling the truth you never need to change a word
He’s just chilling on a boat
One of my favourite actors, of all time! He was hilarious, in the 1959 ealing comedy, 'The lady killers'!!! LoL!
True gentleman,
Didn't care for it, but STILL defended the passion making it.
George gave him 2.25 % of the profits , Sir Alec Guinness, won the lottery. Call George whatever you want, but he wasn't greedy.
George made a fortune on the merchandise from the film.
@@Quirderph and..he's still not greedy.
I’ve heard he gave royalties to mark hamal carrie fisher and Harrison Ford it was more money than for himself to use so he gave some back to the cast but Anthony Daniels (c3po) didn’t get any royalties
@Tattle Boad Jesus was not greedy. So, you lose.
@@one7decimal2eight Jesus was a tan Middle Eastern Jew so you lose. Geroge Lucas also is a billionaire so no shit he's greedy
Since Alec Guinness didn’t like his non Star Wars roles being ignored, I encourage you all to watch The Ladykillers, one of his only non Star Wars films I’ve seen, and it’s quite brilliant
dont forget lawrence of arabia!
You need to watch Bridge on the River Kwai. Absolutely fantastic film with a brilliant performance by him.
This man has shown that sometimes story outshines dialogue. A good story can be told without a single line of dialogue and the first Star Wars movie is able to do that.
Although there was pleeenty of dialogue throughout ANH though lol. It's just that the story was powerful enough that it overshadowed the subpar dialogue, not that there wasn't "any" dialogue whatsoever in that movie.
@@Vandicoup yeah that's my point. While there was a lot of dialogue in ANH (very clunky dialogue), none of it was necessary because of the story, sets, and detail packed in every frame of the film.
@@imjustlookingformywatch the first half of Wall-E is a masterclass in visual storytelling for me; the movie manages to tug at your heartstrings and make you care for these two sentient robots who can hardly form words - letting the animation, cinematography, and expressions of the characters tell the story was immensely powerful.
Bruh .... the story should ALWAYS outshines the dialogue, I never understood this fascination people have with dialogue, it is just a means to an end, nothing more!
The movies that I dislike the most are the ones who have perfect dialogue in a shitty plot, whats the point of hearing something if the story is not interesting?
@@aesir1ases64 Sure, but what is the point of the story if the dialogue is shit - and I don't mean clunky as in the original trilogy but shit and illogical and cringe as in the latest one?
The casting turned out to be absolutely perfect for the first three films. It’s hard to imagine anyone else in those roles at that time.
For me good casting is one of the most tricky and vital things in making a movie a success most of the time. If its casted right it's also a lot easier for the director as well, the Nostromo crew in Alien and the characters for John Carpenter's THE THING were also casted well.
Casting was good for all star wars movies, the problem is the dialogue in the prequels were a little clunky and the sequels ruined everything, literallym
@@aesir1ases64 and people wonder why george sold star wars
Love this man’s work! From Colonel Nicholson to George Smiley, he has been phenomenal! ☮️🖖🏽
The sign of an amazing actor is one who can turn in the performance of a lifetime in a story they found rubbish, timeless legend Sir Alec Guinness
It definitely isn't his performance of a lifetime, just his most iconic one. He did better or at least as good often.
@@firelordkushroll I think his performance was OK given that he didn't care for the film and no-one else was bothering to put in a good performance, plus the dialogue was trash.
@@holliswilliams8426 Your comment and the one above u is the only thing trash around here, alongside the sequels!
@@firelordkushroll You're joking right?
@@holliswilliams8426 Come on, you didn't have to trash the whole cast, many did a great job.
I'll always remember him more for his work on the movie "bridge on the river kwai"
He'd love to hear that haha
@@sonoftheway3528 its one of my fav war movies and more people should see it
I remember him for a small role as Pope Innocent III in “Brother Sun, Sister Moon”. Always thought of him as Pope Obi Wan after that.
@@the98themperoroftheholybri33 I think Alec hated that everyone would remember him for Star Wars and not other movies like that.
@Ben Kenobi your username says otherwise lol. That is a great movie though.
What a soothing voice. RIP
Couldn't you just go about your entire day listening to him read the newspaper... or whatever was available?
That moment (as a non-english speaking person) you realize how close and how far apart the words 'appalling' and 'appealling' are...
'The dialogue was app(e)alling'
The irony is that one of the appealings elements of the movies is the appaling dialogue, even if people dont like to admit it, Star Wars "bad" dialogue works in the context. If the dialogue was perfect it would take away from the charm of the series and therefore diminished its quality.
Obi Wan's dialogue is some of the most memorable in A New Hope...every line is perfect.
Hello there
@@pcb1175 Come here my little friend, don't be afraid
He probably rewrote his own dialog. Even Mark Hamill who was a nobody at the time said to George some of his lines were too stupid.
His best film for me anyway was called: Kind Hearts & Coronets... superb fun.
the dignity of the man brought something unexpected, plus best description of STAR WARS ever !
I could just listen to him say " These aren't the droids you're looking for" all day long
Star Wars is one of those movies you can overlook flaws and enjoy the legendary masterpiece that it is.
And, Obi-Wan Kenobi was right. So, he could say, "I called it before any of you guys did." A lot of the British actors, etc. were rather disparaging of the film while they were making it...the understanding has always been, the shot of The Tantive IV racing above the atmosphere of Tatooine, while being attacked and pursued by The Devastator, changed a lot of minds then and there about the value and success of the film.
Really?
Oh Alec Guinness. I love you. Where and whenever you are, thank you. Great actor.
I love Sir Alec's voice. It's interesting to hear his initial take, but his assessment that there was "something more to it" was spot on.
I do believe that Alec Guinness was born to play Obi Wan. He embodies the character. And Jedis too.
"The dialogue was appalling"
George writing anakin's lines for AoTC
I'LL FUCKING SHOW YOU APPALING
Lmaoo
Disney writing "They fly now" and "Somehow Palpatine Returned" as well as "It's not about fighting what we hate, it's saving what we love": "YOU UNDERESTIMATE MY POWER AND I'M SURE AS HELL GOING TO TRY IT"
I think his lines are fine. Most of the time at least.
The sand bit was written to be awkward, and it's done really well. It's even a little deep if you think about it.
Yes, some of the most cringe...
Funnily enough, RIdley Scott also had one of those fucking moments. He had heard about the fans complaining about not enough aliens in Prometheus. He shouted "I'll show them fucking aliens!" and proceeded to make Alien: Covenant.
He totally understood the film. It does have taste and imagination even with it's one dimensional vibes and terrible dialogue.There's some about the way George did it that makes it very special.
The dialogue was apalling, but there was something about it that made you keep on turning the pages” that is the absolute perfect description of Star Wars, being someone who grew up on it entirely.
Something the BBC didn’t show was that he proceeded to explain the tragedy of Darth Plagueis The Wise.
I think you’ve got the wrong character
Why does obi wan kenobi know about the tragedy of Darth plagueis the wise?
To all those who said that Alec Guinness hated Star Wars and was embarrassed by it - clearly he was not, and it showed in his performance
i like how literally every actor trashes george’s SCRIPT writing but love the stories he tells
Even in real life his character was very wise and experienced. He truly was a man of great character and he will forever be missed.
I believe that in every interview Sir Alec Guiness did and was asked about Star Wars, there is a bit at the very start that is always edited out in which he says "You know I've done other things, right?"
@Roger B That's a strong statement. No one remembers? Not likely. _I_ remember it, and I wasn't even born when Star Wars came out. And surely anyone who appreciates the art form will want to know about previous works? What kind of interviewer doesn't know who they're interviewing, at least by way of their prior credits? To not set the current works in the context of all that came before goes against what critiques and interviews are even _for_
Only those fixated on the idea of movies as a commodity, constantly in pursuit of the next big winner, would be so keen to bury history and deny the wishes of the actual artists involved. Then interviews become sources of soundbites and scandal, something else to monetise and drain the life out of another human achievement.
So articulate in the words he chooses. I remember my older brother saying that the Star Wars movies were made for kids, but he didn't see the inner stories, just the surface sci fi spaceship stuff. The Empire Strikes Back was especially a very dark film that explored human failings and suffering. Alex Guiness as Obi Wan seemed to be the teacher that brought the lessons into perspective in a very humble way. He knows he failed Anakin and has suffered for those failings, but he tries to nudge Luke in the right direction without forcing him. Guiness manages to bring this all to the screen with his magnificent acting.
"That's no moon. It's a space station." Dialogue seems legit to me. "Hold me like you did by the lake at Naboo," however....
"Hold me like you did by the lake at Naboo" is actually a good one
Sure but that line was made legendary by the delivery I think
@@SILVER-zf2hu I mean you are right the some lines were a bit off with the delivery but i think that its more that some lines sound good on paper but when speaking they sound a bit strange
@@boskopajovic2105 to each his own, I guess. I have seen all of the SW films in the theater, and even though I was young for the originals, I don't remember then or since cringing at the dialogue. However, I have to skip over large portions of the prequels because the dialogue literally makes me squirm in my seat. That's just me, though.
@@jt-ff3yx Understandable not everybody enjoys this type or dialogue,whether it is good or bad
Such a gentlemen
In real life ?
Emm!, No comment.
A great man, indeed!! Thank you, Alec Guinness!!
It was the pacing of his dialogue & the music that he enjoyed in the finished cut, he saw once it was edited for 1977 space western that it was a work of art, craft & story
At the time of writing this comment there are 84 dislikes.
What particularly is there to dislike in this? It's a distinguished actor recounting his involvement with a movie that is pivotal in both science fiction and movie making.
I am constantly amazed at how some videos that seem inoffensive attract dislikes.
There was never a movie like Star Wars and there will never be one again. When the trailers were shown in the theaters back in the day, the entire audience would start cheering. I’ve never seen that since.
You be in a theater seeing Poltergiest or something and the music from Star Wars would come on during the trailer and everyone would go nuts and when the movie you went to see came on, it was a let down.
Lord of the rings had/have that same impact on people
@@dv96_dk Deadpool as well, but to be fair those both had pre-existing fan bases.
He's exactly right. No one wanted to produce star wars
Sci Fi was on the decline in that era. But they made strong choices in production to make it stand apart. For one thing, classical music scores were not that popular at the time but by going with John Williams and making a beautiful score, the movie rains timeless. Imagine if there was techno of the times in star wars. It would be tragic
The movie industry was lucky at one time having so many well trained theatre actors to cast.
What a peaceful and beautiful interview.
Brilliant actor. George Smiley in person!
Also, GL's wife was an editor. She saved the trench run and was instrumental in saving TESB from GL himself.
How could you ever be involved in something if you didn’t think it had potential! Some people huh? Time is our most valuable asset and we shouldn’t waste it on anything we don’t believe in, it just makes sense that Alec would trust in his own abilities as an actor and as someone who agreed to be a part of something, that that something would be worthwhile.
"Good taste, Imagination." Look how far Star Wars has fallen.
It was done not only imagination, but most important, it was done with the heart. That is the key
I love his voice, I had the Star Wars album as a kid right after the movie came out and I used to love to listen to his voice on it. That's the best performance of any in all the movies or the rest of the crap they're peddling now.
James Earl Jones didn’t even want his name associated with it. Peter Cushing was already known as a grade B movie actor so Star Wars was right in his wheel house.
But those three actors had a profound impact on Star Wars.
Without the Voice of Darth Vader, the enunciation of Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin or the perfect British formality of Alec Guinness, Star Wars may well have come off as a grade B movie
Star Wars: A B-Movie with A-List actors.
Legend, rest in peace 🙌
02:26 "although the dialogue was appalling"
-Alec Guinness
yes the prequels dialogue as well.
Wow, never saw this side of him 🥺❤️
Kept seeing people saying he hated working on the movies this whole time...
Glad this interview exists to prove me wrong 😌💚
I think he only came to resent it later, because it overshadowed his other work. He enjoyed doing the movie at the time.
Alec was an amazing actor. Try looking beyond star wars, at some of his earlier work - a true great in every sense of the word. He brought credibility to the first Star Wars movie, having such a highly regarded actor in the cast, and his performance was outstanding!
Smart man. He understood the big picture and was astute enough to peal off the flaws (the clunky dialogue) and sci-fi setting to see that it was something which would appeal to people.
0:27 If only he had lived to see, "Attack of the Clones."
Flirting by talking about sand.
Sadly, the Sequels make “Attack of the Clones” look like “Citizen Kane” by comparison.
@@samuelbishop3316 Not flirting, Anakin was making an analogy by comparing that which he hates the most (that being everything that he associates with sand, such as his tragic upbringing) and that which he loves and admired the most (being Padme and the features that remind him of her.)
If people would learn to understand romance and how different people get it out differently then this wouldn’t be interpreted as a cringe worthy scene. Alas people aren’t usually romantics, nor willing to try and understand Anakin’s portrayal as a compassionate person struggling to show emotion due to his religious training.
Yeah, sure, George could have had Hayden Christensen dumb that all down for the casual audience, but you stick with how you envision the character, not the audience. Anything less is appeasement, which is a concept Disney has been struggling with.
@@YewrValentine stop making excuses for bad dialogue, who te fuck talks like that, he is a fucking creep, you prequel fanboys make the prequels more tragic and dramatic than they were lmao
@@ElTiBo44 nothing is as bad as ep2
I once heard that in the original Star Wars script the Jedi wielded laser swords; and Alec Guinness suggested George Lucas rename them 'lightsabers' because they would sound more elegant that way.
Nah that's bullshit. All the early draft scripts of Star Wars are uploaded online, the term "Lightsaber" first appears in the 3rd draft written in 1975, a whole year before filming began. Though they are referred too as Laser Swords too, the characters call them Lightsabers, but all the action lines call them Laser Swords. Lucas still calls them Laser Swords in the making off documentaries for the Prequels too.
lol where did u get tht load of shit from? hahahahahahaha
@@regidon793 Some people hate George Lucas so much that they feel compelled to tell and spread lies about him. It's sad and pathetic. Especially since the making of Star Wars is so well documented that it's all easily disprovable. I've heard so much retarded shit over the years.
Um no. That is a pure LIE. Where the HELL did you hear that?
It's incredible! He was certainly one of the best actors of the time in my opinion.
Here in Brazil, Alec was always voiced by the great Isaac Bardavid, her voice suited him a lot. He even voiced Wolverine as well.
Thank you for sharing this!! I grew up with this saga and find this amazing that Sir Alec found faith in Lucas’s idea. I loved Alec in Lawrence of Arabia.
Obi wan
Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time
Yes, exactly! "Taste and imagination"! Perfectly summed up of what the Disney trilogy is lacking!
Obi-wan now that's a name I haven't heard in a long ,long time. The Force will be with you , always.
He didn't enjoy being in a sci-fi movie, but he was very professional about it and treated everyone and the product with respect. A true professional and British gentleman.
My friend has transformed into the force. R.I.P Alec Guinness