Legendary writer, director, and producer George Lucas is one of the most iconic figures in Hollywood, amassing an unfathomable fortune of over $5 billion, second only to Steven Spielberg among film directors. Pioneering modern visual effects with Industrial Light & Magic, revolutionizing cinema sound through THX, and having a major hand in shaping the modern blockbuster merchandising model – he is rightly regarded as one of the most innovative in the industry.
When one mentions Lucas, though, the first thing that inevitably springs to mind is Star Wars. This is hardly surprising considering he invented the galaxy, characters, and lore, and directed four of the original six movies. But outside that galaxy far, far away, he has a vast array of other notable movie credits under his belt.
Why You Should Trust Me: I have been writing about movies for MovieWeb for five years and have written about action thrillers, comedies, animated movies, and everything in between. Naturally, I am an avid fan of George Lucas, who has been so instrumental in shaping modern cinema, and I have made a concerted effort to explore pretty much everything he has lent his hand to. My expertise in all things Lucas will guide you through some of his greatest movies that are unrelated to Star Wars.
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American Graffiti (1973)
A Coming-of-Age Teen Dramedy Directed by George Lucas and Produced by Francis Ford Coppola and Gary Kurtz
Watch This If: You’re a fan of classic teen comedies like Dazed and Confused, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Grease. Pre-dating the aforementioned, American Graffiti pioneered the teen-hangout style movie. Instead of the intense teen drama of 1955’s Rebel Without a Cause or the insular story of 1967’s The Graduate, here, the bittersweet essence of youth is beautifully captured as we follow a group of teens aimlessly cruising around town on the night before some leave for college.
Skip This If: You’re looking for a strong, focused plot and deep character arcs. Unfolding over just a single night, it may feel somewhat drawn out to those expecting a conventional, event-driven story. Because of the low-stakes nature of the movie, the characters’ decisions are fairly inconsequential – which might leave you feeling like you have no one to root for and that nothing really happened.
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‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ (1981)
Lucas Co-Wrote This Spielberg-Directed Action-Adventure Masterpiece
Watch This If: You want to experience the greatest adventure movie of all time. While there is certainly stiff competition from the likes of Lawrence of Arabia and Lord of the Rings – for me, nothing tops Indiana Jones’ first big screen adventure. Expect memorable villains, outrageous action set-pieces, a soaring score, and comedic quips as Dr. Jones works his way through mind-boggling ancient puzzles, clues, and codes while hunting for the Ark of the Covenant.
Skip This If: You’ve grown accustomed to the modern visual effects of more recent fast-paced action blockbusters. For its time, over 40 years ago, Raiders of the Lost Ark was the pinnacle of Hollywood spectacle. However, if you go into it now expecting the same cinematic scale as the likes of Avatar or The Odyssey, you might come away feeling a little short-changed. Personally, I feel most of the practical effects still hold up well today, but admittedly certain parts, like the time-lapse face-meeting and the floating ghosts, do look dated.
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‘Strange Magic’ (2015)
Inspired by His Daughters, Lucas Penned The Story For This Animated Fairytale
Watch This If: You want to witness the unbridled imagination of Lucas delivered through a genre and format not normally associated with the maverick. Strange Magic is an animated jukebox musical. It’s a charming fairytale with goblins and elves that Lucas has stated was written with his three daughters in mind.
Skip This If: You are looking for the kind of clever, multi-generational appeal found in the likes of Shrek and Disney’s greatest output. Stange Music is very much a children’s movie and faced criticism for its overly simplistic plot and thin character development.
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‘Red Tails’ (2012)
Lucas Served as Executive Producer on This Visually Impressive WWII War Flick
Watch This If:You’re a WWII history buff (or if you want to see some awesome aerial combat).Red Tailsis based on the true, but massively under-told, story of the Tuskegee Airmen and their battle against both Nazi Germany and institutional racism within the U.S. military. (Although interestingly, both lead actors, Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr., have previously portrayed a Tuskegee pilot in other movies).It’s a superbly acted action war movie that features some incredibly visceral, exciting, and fast-paced digital dogfights.
It’s also worth noting that aside from acting as the executive producer for the movie, Lucas also directed some additional footage, after the first wrap, that was incorporated into the final cut.
Skip This If: You’re looking for a unique and original war movie experience. The specific story told in Red Tails is rarely seen onscreen; the overall movie relies rather heavily on typical genre conventions and tropes. It’s by no means a bad movie, just don’t go into it expecting something groundbreaking.
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‘Radioland Murders’ (1994)
Lucas Wrote This Story As a (Sort of) Prequel to American Graffiti
Watch This If: You’re a fan of, or have an interest in, the zany screwball comedies that rose to prominence during the Great Depression. Radioland Murders is a loving homage to the style, complete with the genre’s trademark characteristics – including a “battle of the sexes” premise, rapid-paced dialogue, heavy absurdism, and the exploration of social class contrast.
George Lucas subtly intended this as a prequel to American Graffiti. While it stands completely apart in terms of theme and tone, it cleverly traces the lives of the original characters’ parents.
Skip This If: You prefer your humor to be a bit more subtle. Radioland Murders is anything but restrained. It relies heavily on over-the-top slapstick humor and extremely fast-paced back-and-forth dialogue, which you might find jarring and feel distracts from the movie’s character development.
3
‘Willow’ (1988)
A Certified Cult Classic Based on a Story by Executive Producer George Lucas
Watch This If: you’re a fan of campy ’80s fantasy. Willow is a weird and wonderful high fantasy adventure movie starring Warwick Davis as the eponymous aspiring magician who vows to protect a young baby princess from an evil queen. It’s lighthearted fun that feels both cinematic and kitschy at the same time.
Skip This If: You’re looking for gritty, mature fantasy. Like much of Lucas’ work, this is intended for family viewing. If you love the bloody, high-stakes political intrigue found in the likes of Game of Thrones, Willow will most likely feel a little too whimsical and gentle.
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‘Howard the Duck’ (1986)
Marvel’s First Big Screen Adaptation Was Produced by Lucas, and It’s “So-Bad-it’s-Good”
Watch This If: You are a sucker for “so-bad-they’re-good” movies or are looking to experience one of the most bizarre moments in the history of cinema. Lucas was so confident that audiences would be won over by Marvel’s relatively unknown anthropomorphic alien duck, over the likes of fan favorites like Spider-Man and Captain America, that tens of millions of dollars were allocated to making it the first theatrically released Marvel movie. Needless to say, he was wrong. It was a commercial and critical disaster – criticized for its wildly uneven tone, its poor attempts at humor, and its terrible effects. As well as bombing at the box office, it was nominated for 7 Golden Raspberry Awards, winning 4. However, Howard the Duck has since found a second life as a beloved cult classic.
Skip This If: You’re looking for a movie that makes sense. From the unsettling interspecies romance and adult innuendos to a story that lacks any logical progression, nothing in Howard the Duck feels cohesive. If you enjoy movies that are grounded in reality with logic and sense, Howard the Duck is not for you.
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‘Labyrinth’ (1986)
A Musical Fantasy Co-Produced by Henson Associates and Lucasfilm
Watch This If: You are a fan of music icon David Bowie. Following the success of director Jim Henson’s previous movie, The Dark Crystal, Labyrinth adopts the same winning formula – a dark high fantasy world inhabited by weird and wacky creatures, brought to life with top-class puppetry – and expanded on it by throwing in the world’s biggest pop star. Bowie exceeded expectations, earning high praise from critics and audiences alike for his spellbinding performance as the Goblin King.
Skip This If: You don’t want your fantasy fiction to double as a synth-pop musical. Bowie is a revelation, the puppetry is outstanding, the plot is original, and the story is riveting. However, the movie pauses its narrative multiple times for full-blown musical numbers sung by Bowie, which might break the immersion for you (or simply irritate you).
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