Episode VI: May 25, 1977

This is Blockbuster. Episode six. January nineteen sixty eight, Los Angeles. Nearly ten years before Star Wars. Excuse me, is this tea taken? Yeah. A student film by George Lucas titled THX1138 was in competition at the third annual National Student Film Festival, held on the campus of UCLA. Twenty-one-year-old Steven Spielberg had heard the buzz and has just taken a seat. So our next film is one that really grabbed our attention. We're so excited to be able to show it to you today.

by a young filmmaker named George Lucas. Ladies and gentlemen, THX1138. The curtain went up and the lights went down. More three. Yeah, leading on town. Oh no, yeah. The film was futuristic, convincingly futuristic. The props looked real, the editing was edgy, and the special effects blew the audience away. Steven too. He was a film student at Cal State Long Beach, and he'd made fifteen films of his own by then, Westerns, Mysteries, and even one about UFOs.

But as Steven watched this film, he was jealous. This director had a visionary gift. It was better than all of Stephen's films combined. I am truly sorry. When the film ended, the audience began to applaud, then stood up and then. Welcome George Snow. A standing ovation. George bowed. He had the bushy hair, the plaid shirt, but clean shaven. As people began to file out of the theater, Steven swam against the current to make his way to the front to George.

He slid across rows of seats and waited behind some others queuing up to meet the filmmaker. THX 1138 would win the festival. Hi George, I'm Steve. Thanks for coming. Remarkable film. Oh, thank you, thank you. Yeah, I'm a filmmaker too, at CSU Long Beach. Man, it's unbelievable. Their meeting only lasted a few minutes. It wouldn't be until several years later at the home of Francis Ford Coppola that the two filmmakers would bond over what they had in common.

They both wanted to create worlds. Escapes. Grand Adventures. They didn't know it yet, but over the next decade they'd become best friends, trusted confidants, and each other's biggest challengers and inspirations. Andiamo a casa!

Wednesday, May 25th, 1977. It's Star Wars release day, but movies don't usually come out on Wednesday, and George Lucas has put it all out of his mind. If anything, the Wednesday release is a sign of desperation, embarrassment to George. But the guys at Fox hope the extra couple days will help word of mouth spread before the long Memorial Day weekend. La forza sarà con te, sempre. Yeah, that's great. George is slouched down in a chair behind his sound mixer.

Fox had asked him to do an Italian-language dub of the film. So he's painfully revisiting the scenes he couldn't wait to forget. He looks exhausted, dark circles under his eyes. His hair was longer, scraggly, and a streak of gray peaked through his beard, just to either side of his chin. George leaned his chair against the back wall, where the light wasn't so bright. Trying to disguise his anxiety in the shadows. That's great too. Okay, and just the last bit right here.

There's an overwhelming feeling of insecurity revisiting his film now, and lots of second guessing himself. Is this really all I have to show for$11 million? Maybe Brian De Palma was right, eh? Should have just done another little comedy. Ugh, never work in movies again. Bob, can you can you bump that line back a second so it doesn't step on the music? Sure, George. And then it's all music from here. Not that it matters at this point anyway.

George can barely look at the picture. It's the last scene of the movie, The Throne Room. Luke has saved the galaxy. Oh no. Another panic set in. Wisely a smiling. The whole planet was just destroyed. Oh my god, how am I only catching this now? The critics are gonna destroy me. And the rest is all music, right? Yeah, yeah, just uh just John's music. How's it going? It was Marcia. She was editing another film in the same building. Martin Scorsese's New York, New York.

Hey Marsha, just about wrapped here. Don't let me rush you. No no no this is this is the uh the last scene so I think we're all set. Marsha and George are booked on the Red Eye to Hawaii, but they're both craving a burger from Hamburger Hamlet. It was just a couple blocks away. We can take it from here, George. You sure? Yeah, yeah, I'm just gonna QC the scenes where we punched in the changes, and Italy will be excellente. You guys get out of here.

Yeah, I just want to say thank you for doing an incredible job on the sound mix. Thank you everyone for a terrific job. Listen, George, no matter what the box office says, you How many people get to make movies like this? I just uh I just wish more people were gonna go see it. Well, listen, you get outta here and enjoy the beach a little, okay? Everyone that's a wrap.

Hollywood Boulevard, 6 o'clock. George and Marsha were heading to Hawaii, but first their final meal in Los Angeles. I'll have the Hamlet burger with cheese and extra pickles. Extra pickles. The delicious, greasy aroma of fresh grilled burgers filled the seating area of Hamburger Hamlet. And for you, sir? I'll do the same, I guess, and uh and a nice tea, please. It was a diner famous for celebrity sightings, mostly because it was across the street from the Chinese theater.

In front of the theater, cars were backed up on Hollywood Boulevard. It's more traffic than usual. I'm sure there's some premiere or something that's nice. Long yellow banners were draped down the side of the theater's historic entrance. They read 50th anniversary. They'd held a big celebration just last week.

After half a century, it's still a landmark to tourists along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. So the sidewalk was always a crowded, jumbled mess of tourists, people selling souvenirs, and the theaters regular moviegoers. Oh, I forgot to tell you, uh Cindy next door agreed to watch Indiana while we're gone. Good. I gave her a key. Hey, but thank you for that. I feel like I've been putting out fires for so long. For for once it feels great to be unemployed. This has been a long year.

Your iced tea, sir, and water for you. Thank you. But I'm proud of you, Jordan. And the scariest thing is after two years of of killing yourself, you could still end up with a B movie, a kid's movie. Even after walking out of that Star Wars sound mixing room for the last time, George feels like he needs to retreat, to get away, to sort himself out. I'm glad you made it. You followed your passion. So it might not be a huge hit. That's okay. This is a really fun kids movie.

I can't get John's music out of my head. Yeah, Steve Steven was right, you know. Johnny's music is the best part of the whole thing. A lot of commotion out there. Marcia squints through the diner window to the other side of the boulevard. There's a long single file line of people. They wrapped around the block. Then she saw the Marquis. Star Wars. George Movie. That's your movie! George doesn't want to draw any attention, but a few people are now looking over at his table.

God completely forgot they were releasing it today. Shoot, we we need to get out of town. They released on a Wednesday? Well only thirty two theaters but I I guess that's one of them. George, that's a great thing. Fine. I'm just glad we won't be here when they all march out to get their money back. I'm heading out, Mr. Spielberg. Is there anything else you need before I leave? No no, uh, yeah. Hope you have a great time in Hawaii. See you in a week. Thank you.

After lukewarm test screenings and lots of expensive reshoots, the negative attention is starting to weigh on him. Everyone is expecting the next Jaws. The only one left in the office was Steven's newest intern and assistant, a recent film school graduate, 24-year-old Robert Zemekis, who would later write and direct a film called Back to the Future for Stephen's production company. Steven? Mr. Spielberg? I thought you left.

Yeah, the phone rang. Columbia just called to say they changed the release date again from Christmas to November sixteenth. Oh you gotta be kidding me. They've gotta stop changing the date these people Me up. Do you want me to get them on the phone No no, I I'm sorry. We'll uh we'll figure it out when I get back. Then I'm gonna go. Hope you have a great trip.

John Williams is at his home at the piano, thinking about his next film, a big budget adaptation of a comic book character called Superman. He was just getting started on the music. Hello? George, what a pleasure to hear from you on the big day. How are you feeling? Well uh I'm actually at the uh airport. Oh. That should help a bit with the box office. But I really Music was just magic.

George knew the death of John's wife had devastated John. He'd turned to the music to cope. John would later say it was the tremendous loss in his life that changed his musical sensibilities. George, listen, even if this is just a spaceship adventure for young people to have a bit of fun, it's been a remarkable and immensely meaningful experience for me to be involved in your picture. I don't want to speak out of turn, but the past few years have been very tumultuous.

And you and Steven have given me the greatest gift to express those overwhelming emotions through your movie. I cannot tell you how meaningful that is to me. Johnny I Yeah. Oh, you're kidding. He was on the phone for half an hour. That's very kind, George. I'm humbled to be a part of something so special. Oh I think that's a good thing. Safe travels, my friend.

Memorial Day weekend, 1977. George Lucas and Steven Spielberg play in the sand along a sparkling blue lagoon next to the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. Stephen's Close Encounters is still months from release, but some are already writing it off as a disaster. And as far as George is concerned, somewhere in a galaxy far, far away, Star Wars is a box office flop. But not here, on this white sandy stretch of the big island. Think these castle walls will hold off the water? I'll make a moat.

George and Stephen are building a sandcastle. Oh, look at that. Looks a little like the most icely spaceport, George. Yeah, yeah, I guess it does. Uh what is it about the beach? It's so relaxing. Shores as the man who made That's the thing, the danger is right in front of you. Maybe maybe it's the adventure. You know, the beach is like the edge of the world. Where land meets the unknown. Ah, beauty and simplicity. Maybe we oughta do something less complicated for the next project, you know?

Yeah, I've always wanted to do a James Bond picture, if they'd let me. Oh you don't think they'd let you? We'll see after close encounters. Harrison would make a good bond, don't you think? I mean, if he was British. He'd insist on keeping the sports car. And maybe the girl. George and Stephen scooped, packed, and sculpted. They feel like kids again. World builders. Even hundreds of miles away from home. But the midday tide is starting to threaten their castle walls. Good call on that moat.

Hey, you know, I think I have a story better than James Both. Really? Yeah, he's uh he's an archaeologist adventurer. James Bond of the P. Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah, trying to find the the lost ark of the covenant. I'd love to do that. Well if you want it, it's yours. I'm not directing any more. Oh, come on. No, I'm serious. I'm gonna give it a few years at least. We'll do it together. I call it Indiana Smith. The name could use some work. Of course John has to write the music.

Great, that's the important part. Let's get lunch. We'll write the story. Story later. While in Hawaii, George Lucas saw a news report on what was being described as the Star Wars phenomenon. Allen? Yeah, I just saw it. Walter cross Each night at the hotel, Alan Ladd Jr. would call from Fox to share the latest news. We got 50 more theaters today, George.

I I've never seen numbers like this before. Fox is expanding to a wider Bona five blockbuster on our Marsha and Steven held a celebration on the Big Island. Congratulations to the most visionary movie maker and world builder I've ever met. This guy, George Lucas. Star Wars expanded from 32 screens to more than 1700. It would play in theaters continuously for more than a year. John Williams LP became the first original score to make the Billboard Top 20 charts. Star Wars clothing.

Masks and action figures sold off shelves. Star Wars toppled jaws at the box office to become the biggest film of all time. Twentieth century foxes stocked with the Would double. It was now clear to every studio this Model for big budget high concept escapism. They called it the Blockbuster. George became a star. Fox would give the green light on not one but two Star Wars sequels. Stephen congratulated his friend, taking out a full page ad and variety saying, Near George.

Congratulations to the Cantina crowd and all the forces of your imagination. Your pal. Stephen's two and a half percent of Star Wars, traded with George that day in Alabama, would earn him over$40 million, money Stephen poured into future films. George and Stephen held true to their word, collaborating on Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Their friendship memorialized, with them both leaving their handprints on the same concrete slab in front of the Chinese theater, alongside the greatest actors and actresses of history, and now R2D2, C3PO, and Darth Vader. Stephen's close encounters was a bona fide hit as well. But it was his next alien adventure, E.T. the Extraterrestrial, that would surpass Star Wars and Jaws both to become the new number one film of all time. And John Williams' music won the Academy Award for all three.

For the next four decades, Williams would score nearly all of George and Stevens' films and earn more Oscar nominations than anyone in modern film history. Fifty-one of them. Star Wars remains the most successful blockbuster franchise of all time. cinematic story ever told.

This season of Blockbuster took months to research, write, cast, record, sound design, and compose the original score, and we're constantly sharing our work, research, and pictures on social media. Plus the latest news about Blockbuster, including this series winning Ad Week's Podcast of the Year Award for Best Creative Podcast. Blockbuster will always remain free to listen, but your generous contributions can help my team, the creators of this series, keep making it.

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Blockbuster is written and narrated by Matt Schrader. Sound designed by Peter Bawiec. Original score by Ryan Tauberd and Benjamin Botkin. Produced by Elena Bawviet. An original podcast series from Epic Left Media. Hey, this is Ray Chase, voice of George Lucas in Blockbuster. We hope you've enjoyed this immersive audio series, and please stick around for a short conversation with the creators of Blockbuster.

But first, if you like the show, please take a quick moment to give us a five-star review and share this experience with a friend. And for more Blockbuster, including extras and exclusives, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit getblockbuster.com. And thank you for listening to Blockbuster. This is composer Ryan Talbert. And I'm Peter Baviec, the sound designer and editor. And this is Ray Chase, voice of George Lucas in Blockbuster.

And I'm Matt Schrader, creator and narrator of Blockbuster, and this is our finale episode conversation. And we hope you've enjoyed this immersive audio series. I'm So glad and honored to have uh several people from our team here for this final episode chat and uh

This is sort of the reunion at the end of a heist movie. We all get to together and kind of reminis on different things, and I have a few questions for each of you. Ray, and taking the character of George Lucas, what do you think is his and Steven Spielberg's lasting legacy? Well I could give you the uh the US C Film School answer that Star Wars was the beginning of the postmodern movement in uh American film and television.

Which uh which actually is a real thing. I mean, the uh Star Wars really changed the way that uh the business of uh film financing worked and you can see the um the effects of it today in our own Um in our own movie uh uh theaters where we see Star more and more Star Wars films, more and more Marvel films, and the idea that uh there's action figure tie-ins, there's uh uh cartoons, there's video games that all go through it. And Star Wars was really the first one to encapsulate that phenomenon.

Peter, this is a series that used a hundred eighty tracks of audio in some places and over twenty thousand clips in in some capacity or another. The sound design uh in in London where we hear the London London Symphony Orchestra playing Star Wars and then that sound effect of

the music kind of shifting. There's that weird kind of phase shift thing going on. And then we end up somehow on the other side of a phone line, hearing it through the phone. Steven's there talking on that end. There's this whole kind of We're crossing the ocean, right? crossing the ocean. How where did that idea come from and what was the um W did you did you know the way you wanted this to sound? Because I actually Right.

Had him on the phone only. Right. But we never it was never indicated in the script, let's cross to the other line. Right. But I remember I think halfway through the entire process. We kind of threw this idea. I think you threw that idea at me. You were like, hey, maybe on some of these phone calls we can do it.

And and then I was like, not some. Th that one. That one is gonna be amazing if we can try to do it there because it's going to really help the story. Yeah. And that's the most critical thing. It was like always going back. When we do these things, it's like really understanding are we helping the audience follow this or is it just for entertainment? Because it's like we don't want gimmicks, we want it to really help you understand and be amazed because to us

To me, for example, I'm gonna speak for myself, but it was kind of amazing that they were recording the score in London and the other guy was in the US. Right. Where was he? Steven was in uh Boston. Angeles. Uh Los Angeles and he's listening to it on the phone. Think about that for a second. Listening to John Williams score on the phone for half an hour. Wait. Alabama Right. It was in Alabama. Yep. So yeah, think about it. Listening to an entire score of John Williams for half an hour

on a phone, sitting in Alabama in a hotel room, right? Right. And it's like that's such an amazing moment. It's like you wanna see it in a movie. Well We can't show it in a movie, but we can try to make you hear it. how incredible that moment is. And that's kind of what we were going for. So we hope it worked out somehow. Ryan, I want to ask you about what did you think was unique about working with audio only? You usually work on film.

Yeah, I would say the biggest difference is I could create cues Uh without worrying about too many hit points. Uh. And a hit point for those who don't know is that that moment when a character looks up and the music does something. It's something that echoes the picture, right? Right, right. It it it it it's where the music lands on certain scenes.

Um and sometimes you have to there's changes and you have to force a cue uh to certain to hit certain points, uh which can sometimes end up sounding unnatural. But yeah, working with just audio then I can kinda let the music sing out a bit more. Uh-huh. I really like that this shows a lot of the more intimate moments with these people who kind of emerged fully formed onto the national scene uh in the seventies and eighties. Um, that we we see that their struggles as as young people.

um are really relatable to a lot of people who are looking to be artists and writers and film producers and video game makers today. that uh for all these people it wasn't a done deal. There was a lot of setbacks that came into it every single episode of this series. It seems like the whole thing is gonna fall apart. And uh I feel like a lot of our lives are like Oh, it was really it was really really It was fun to make. I'm proud to have worked on this with you.

It was an incredible journey and it and it was from the beginning I remember when we talked about it. If we're doing this, then we gotta do it the right way, right? There's like no shortcuts and we need time and that's the most important thing. We let's discover it. Let's take our time and we would meet every weekend. And nine months later here we are. Here's our baby.

Here's our baby. Yeah, actually that's true. Here's our baby. Even more credit goes to the writer. I don't know who the writer was. Some hack. Somehow. Yeah. Matt Schrader, the hack. Thank you all for being a part of this. It really is an honor to work with you. Thank you so much. And for all of us involved in creating this uh six part series, we hope you've enjoyed it. Thanks for listening to