20 Lesser Known Facts Surrounding The Making Of Star Wars
16. Bigger Does Not Mean Better
Can you guess which is the longest and most expensive Star Wars film? Attack of the Clones. It's a shame, really, since that film is often considered the worst in the entire saga. Don't get me wrong - I love Star Wars, and that includes loving its rougher edges, but it's very hard for me to acknowledge that the acting was good or that some of the scenes deserved to be in Attack of the Clones (droid factory scene, anyone?). Attack of the Clones had a budget of $115 million, but ended up going slightly over budget and looking closer to $120 million when it was time to call wrap. In terms of length, Attack of the Clones clocked in at a whopping 142 minutes (longer than A New Hope by 21 minutes). It goes to show that money cannot buy everything - especially not a good film. Instead, Attack of the Clones felt like it was dragging narratively in places and some fans believe the special effects were overdone to the point of ridiculousness. Perhaps if Lucas had spent his money on hiring better screenwriters, the film would have been worth all that time and money, huh?
15. Realistic? You Decide...
Has no one else found it a little strange that Han, Leia, Luke, Chewie, and Lando all live until the very end of Return of the Jedi? Not that I'm disappointed that they did, but it really reminds you that these movies are a work of fiction and not completely grounded in reality. Originally, there was talk of Han Solo not living to see the demise of the wretched Empire. Harrison Ford was not contracted for the entire trilogy of Star Wars, you see: he thought it could be a good idea to kill off his character through an act of self-sacrifice, the ultimate redemption for a smuggler who previously only thought about himself. Lawrence Kasdan, who helped write the screenplay, also agreed with Ford, thinking it could add little tension and realism to the movie. Lucas strongly rejected the idea. Keep in mind that Lucas continually, above all else, tried to stay true to his roots in wanting children to be able to watch and enjoy these movies, and the deaths of everyone's favorite heroes were deemed unacceptable. So maybe it wasn't the most realistic ending, but hey, it's a galaxy far, far away. Anything can happen.
