10 Must-See Fan Documentaries About The People Who Matter Most

3. The People Vs. George Lucas

Few movies have been as hotly anticipated and subsequently roundly despised as the Star Wars prequels - few filmmakers have been so loved and hated in equal measure, credited both for shaping childhood memories and taking a huge dump on them from a great height. In this regard, George Lucas resides in a league entirely of his own; a near-mythical creator and a simultaneous destroyer of dreams. That's hyperbole but it captures the essence of the superb documentary The People vs. George Lucas, in which fans the world over discuss the legacy of the Star Wars series and the dichotomy between artistic freedom (using the term very loosely in the context of George Lucas, naturally) and audience expectations. Beyond this, it goes into the rich history of fan-created media, ranging from the hilariously cheap to the professionally made, and demonstrates how popular franchises which transform into such huge social phenomenons are perhaps more open source than we realise. Director Alexander Phillipe strives for a balance that doesn't quite come across, yet few would argue with the central position held by many throughout the documentary, that Lucas went from an accomplished "ideas man" to little more than a corporate businessman concerned only with cold, hard cash. The People vs George Lucas is a spirited, impassioned and often funny look at the films and the creator everyone loves to hate.