Pity George Lucas.
The man behind the “Star Wars” franchise thinks this country is in the grip of greedy capitalists. Yet Lucas’ entire career is defined by his quest for more, more more.
Not only does Lucas keep milking the “Star Wars” franchise via sequels, animated off-shoots and 3D re-releases, he’s responsible for a revolution in the way movie tie-ins hit the market. Lucas’s first “Star Wars” film changed the way movie marketers reached the public, forever transforming your nearby Toys R Us store into a veritable film merchandising mart.
That doesn’t seem to cross his mind while chatting with talker Charlie Rose to promote his new film, “Red Tails:”
CHARLIE ROSE: There’s also the side of you that’s a political animal. I mean, you are, among people who know you, a billionaire who’s not that crazy about capitalism.
GEORGE LUCAS: That’s true. (LAUGH)
ROSE: Tell me about —
LUCAS: Well, I grew up in the ’60s. I grew up in San Francisco. And so I’m informed in a certain kind of way about, you know, believing in democracy and believing in America. And I’m a very ardent patriot. But I’m also a very ardent believer in democracy, not capitalist democracy. And I do not believe that the rich should be able to buy the government. And that’s just the way I feel.
ROSE: Is that the America you see, where the rich have bought the government?
LUCAS: Oh, come on. It’s been that way for a long time. And it’s just — you know, it’s — it’s not right. And — and it’s not gonna work and —
ROSE: And will it change?
LUCAS: Well, I hope it changes. I mean, it’s hard, because you got human nature. You got people — you know, basically, it’s all — we got a country based on greed. (emphasis added) And as long as you got that, then it’s corrupt. And as long as it’s corrupt, you’re never gonna get a real meeting of the minds on what is best for —