Escaping Modesto

George Lucas, Film Auteur, and the Alteration of Movie History

Overview

Dissecting George Lucas' early films, THX 1138 (1971), American Graffiti (1973), and Star Wars (1977), based on their autobiographic qualities, this short documentary investigates the advantages and disadvantages of reviewing a complicated cinematic work through the lens of an individual auteur. Does a filmmaker, particularly one whose films are drawn from personal experience, have the right to restrict access to their original works by substituting theatrical releases with director endorsed re-edits?