Exit Rick McCallum

[Joe1138]

The Playlist blog posted an item about McCallum leaving Lucasfilm a short while ago, nothing official though. They also embedded a vintage Today Show clip from '83 featuring interviews with Larry Kasdan, Ford and Howard Kazanjian:

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/ ... m-20121126

I kinda feel like we're all those kids at the end of that segment right now.

[DoubleSith]

Funny how every big site is reporting the McCallum news today when its been known for like a month.

From Oct 31st:

A detail I didn't know before today: Rick McCallum is no longer at Lucasfilm, and will have nothing to do with the new movies!

Bam!

[ETandElliott]

Is anyone really lamenting the loss of Rick McCallum?

[Topeka]

No. Not a fucking bit.

[Joe1138]

Is anyone really lamenting the loss of Rick McCallum?

I think I just want some sort of official response from Lucasfilm on the subject.

[thecolorsblend]

I can't imagine mourning it... but I don't relate to the end zone dance some people are doing either. What exactly is it that offends people so much? Was it him keeping the prequels on time and on budget? Did he piss everyone off when he met with Neeson, Portman and McGregor and got them involved in the movies? Was it when he and Lucas butted heads about Lucas making parts of the ROTS production more difficult than they really needed to be? Was it the time(s) he told Lucas that he should release the unaltered trilogy on Blu-Ray?

Yeah, McCallum, what an asshole...

[Joe1138]

Was it when he and Lucas butted heads about Lucas making parts of the ROTS production more difficult than they really needed to be? Was it the time(s) he told Lucas that he should release the unaltered trilogy on Blu-Ray?

Never heard those stories. If you've got any sources online for these I'd love to give 'em a read.

I think the biggest problem people have with McCallum was the he wasn't Gary Kurtz and in age when anything Star Wars post-Empire is seen by the most vocal critics as an ultra commercial cash-grab, that's a liability.

I honestly don't get the hate either. He was an integral part of Lucasfilm for the better part of two decades and his leaving is bound to affect the product as we've known it since 1997 (special editions) in one way, shape or form.

[Alexrd]

I can't imagine mourning it... but I don't relate to the end zone dance some people are doing either. What exactly is it that offends people so much?

I don't get it either. Children' stuff...

[DoubleSith]

I think the biggest problem people have with McCallum was the he wasn't Gary Kurtz and in age when anything Star Wars post-Empire is seen by the most vocal critics as an ultra commercial cash-grab, that's a liability.

I honestly don't get the hate either. He was an integral part of Lucasfilm for the better part of two decades and his leaving is bound to affect the product as we've known it since 1997 (special editions) in one way, shape or form.

Yup. Funny that Kurtz got fired precisely for not doing his job, i.e. getting Empire in on time and on budget, and not for being a bastion of integrity like the Internet seems to think.

Anyways, McCallum helped bring the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles to life and for that alone he'll always be OK in my book.

[CoGro]

I think it's because he's generally regarded as a yes-man. Whenever you saw him on camera and in interviews it's always "great, awesome, fantastic" when things are clearly the opposite. Older fans believe Lucas needed a producer to check him when he had terrible ideas (particularly in the story department) and Rick never did. Gary likes to take a lot of credit for Star Wars and Empire coming out the way they did and while he comes off as more of a pragmatist, he's also a bit of an ego-maniac. He's particularly nasty towards anything Star Wars he wasn't involved in.

Generally, I think Gary comes off like a bigger asshole than Rick, even though Rick flat out lies about things he is asked about on camera. I can't think of any examples off hand, but that's because it happened a lot - even about stupid shit.

[Alexrd]

I think it's because he's generally regarded as a yes-man. Whenever you saw him on camera and in interviews it's always "great, awesome, fantastic" when things are clearly the opposite.

When were things "clearly the opposite"?

[cantina_patron]

It's hard to say no if a director is also your employer
As for Kurtz, I read The Making of Star Wars (still need to read the TESB book) and I didn't get the feeling that Kurtz was all that important in terms of creative decisions.

[Inv8r]

I think it's because he's generally regarded as a yes-man. Whenever you saw him on camera and in interviews it's always "great, awesome, fantastic" when things are clearly the opposite.

When were things "clearly the opposite"?

Mmmm...how about all of TPM just for starters? You've got Lucas and ben Burt sitting in the screening room going "holy shit, what have we fucking done here?" and McCallum saying "It's TEH AWSUM GUYZ!!!!!!!!!!! Yoo is a jenius, Jorge! It all purfuct!". He was a colassal, obvious yes man, a lying sack of crap, and failed to challenge Lucas on anything. The hate is because he's a smarmy sleeze-ball who makes you want to hit him with a brick. He was more publicist than producer, twisted and evil.

[Alexrd]

Mmmm...how about all of TPM just for starters?

What's wrong with TPM? Isn't it the definition of "great, fantastic"?

You've got Lucas and ben Burt sitting in the screening room going "holy shit, what have we fucking done here?" and McCallum saying "It's TEH AWSUM GUYZ!!!!!!!!!!! Yoo is a jenius, Jorge! It all purfuct!".

Something must be wrong with my DVD, because that's not what it shows there...

He was a colassal, obvious yes man, a lying sack of crap, and failed to challenge Lucas on anything. The hate is because he's a smarmy sleeze-ball who makes you want to hit him with a brick. He was more publicist than producer, twisted and evil.

Ah, ad hominem is such great argumentation... /sarcasm

[ETandElliott]

I think it's because he's generally regarded as a yes-man. Whenever you saw him on camera and in interviews it's always "great, awesome, fantastic" when things are clearly the opposite. Older fans believe Lucas needed a producer to check him when he had terrible ideas (particularly in the story department) and Rick never did.

Have you forgotten this reaction to the Episode I screening? Classic.

[cantina_patron]

I think it's because he's generally regarded as a yes-man. Whenever you saw him on camera and in interviews it's always "great, awesome, fantastic" when things are clearly the opposite.

When were things "clearly the opposite"?

Mmmm...how about all of TPM just for starters?

You've got Lucas and ben Burt sitting in the screening room going "holy shit, what have we fucking done here?" and McCallum saying "It's TEH AWSUM GUYZ!!!!!!!!!!! Yoo is a jenius, Jorge! It all purfuct!". He was a colassal, obvious yes man, a lying sack of crap, and failed to challenge Lucas on anything.

The hate is because he's a smarmy sleeze-ball who makes you want to hit him with a brick. He was more publicist than producer, twisted and evil.

It's not like much could have been changed by that point.

It was GL's idea to go with Jar-Jar, little Anakin and Qui-Gon instead of Obi-Wan. I love the man, but if he's stuck on some idea, no one can move him an inch. That was true even before McCallum, remember the ewoks?

[CoGro]

It's not like much could have been changed by that point.
It was GL's idea to go with Jar-Jar, little Anakin and Qui-Gon instead of Obi-Wan. I love the man, but if he's stuck on some idea, no one can move him an inch. That was true even before McCallum, remember the ewoks?

That's right, which is why Howard Kazanjian doesn't speak of his experience producing Jedi with fond memories. He appears visibly frustrated by it. He couldn't shake George off what he was doing but he took the paycheck. I'm not blaming him, or Rick, for what happened. Rick just happened to act like a tool whenever he spoke to fans and the media.

[thecolorsblend]

Never heard those stories. If you've got any sources online for these I'd love to give 'em a read.

I think the biggest problem people have with McCallum was the he wasn't Gary Kurtz and in age when anything Star Wars post-Empire is seen by the most vocal critics as an ultra commercial cash-grab, that's a liability.

I honestly don't get the hate either. He was an integral part of Lucasfilm for the better part of two decades and his leaving is bound to affect the product as we've known it since 1997 (special editions) in one way, shape or form.

Do you think we’ll ever get the original trilogy and the prequels without any changes on Blu-ray, or is it never gonna happen?

McCallum: I would have to answer that officially it’s never gonna happen, but you never know with George. It’s one of the constant things that—let’s put it this way, it changes always. You never know.

Yeah I mean personally, as I’ve said many times on the site I have no problems with George changing the films, I just think it would be great if he would release the originals and that way everyone could have it, but that’s just me.

McCallum: I know, but I understand that completely. It’s just a question I can’t answer. Obviously I have my own personally feelings, I hope that he does it, but I don’t have major arguments with him about it. I think that’s a decision he has to come to on his own as time comes by.

http://collider.com/rick-mccallum-red-t ... ore-138426

McCallum is a company man. I really can't blame him for that. He wasn't going to sit there and smack-talk the boss and he had a product to promote. Was he supposed to go out there and tell everybody TPM is the biggest piece of shit since Breakin' 2 and that people should avoid it? There's no chance in hell any of us would sabotage on our own careers like that so why should he? He's a production manager. I don't love him and I don't hate him; I think he's just a guy who did his job to the best of his abilities.

As to the Kurtz stuff, I obviously have no gripe with the man but an entire segment of the fanbase is way too far up that guy's ass. You'd think the only worthwhile Star Wars ideas up through 1980 came from him. And that may even be true but that's just not the way I understand how things went.

And going back to the Collider interview...

McCallum: There are two things that I’ve been able to do, thank God, because of the gift that George has given me the last twenty years is I don’t do meetings. We have discussions usually while we’re walking. I don’t have to do emails, I don’t have to protect myself about anything, I don’t have any chain of command. My job is just to try and give everybody the tools that they need to express themselves. The average film has eight or ten producers on it. That is just in a world that would be unthinkable to me, because to me, to really be a producer of a film, you have to be a line producer. That’s the person who’s on the job every single minute, on the floor every minute giving the director and the crew all the tools that they need but doing it in a fiscally responsible way and being part of the actual day to day making of the film.

[thecolorsblend]

I enjoyed both Kick Ass and First Class. If Matthew Vaughn is directing this thing, we at least know they didn't go out and find some hack to do the job. In fact, given the Xavier/Lensherr arc in First Class, I have to wonder how the prequels might've played out vis a vis the Anakin/Obi-Wan friendship under Vaughn's direction.

[stan Marsh]

Rick McCallum raped my childhood, no wait that was Lucas................ Never mind that was my uncle

[DoubleSith]

LFL officially announces Rick McCallum's departure:

"

Rick is a close friend as well as an extremely talented producer. No matter how impossible I made the task, Rick was able to overcome the challenges," says George Lucas. "In addition to putting together great crews and working miracles with the budget, he was instrumental in helping push filmmaking into the 21st century. He has a larger-than-life personality and made this amazing 20-year journey with him a fun one."

Since completing Red Tails, McCallum has relocated to Prague, his wife's native country, and he is now in development of a slate of smaller, independent films that more closely resemble the projects he was involved with prior to his association with Lucasfilm. "I have a Russian film about the Babi Yar Massacre in development that is being directed by Sergei Loznitsa. I am also working with Tomás Masín on a Czech story about two brothers who escaped Czechoslovakia during the Cold War while being chased by 28,000 Soviet soldiers in what is still the largest manhunt in history. I'm also working on a film with David Oyelowo and developing a film with Laurence Bowen about the Boy Soldiers of Sierra Leone."

McCallum looks forward to the new Star Wars films under the stewardship of Kathleen Kennedy. "There's only person in the world who could do this, and that's Kathleen Kennedy," he says. "There's no one more suited who is able to bridge the worlds of elite filmmaking within a studio context. The Star Wars saga will always be taken care of under her leadership. She is truly one of the greatest producers in America as well as being a great friend."

"Thank you for being so welcoming, supportive, and so good to me," says McCallum to Star Wars fans everywhere. "You all made it the most worthwhile and amazing experience. I have nothing but the biggest faith and trust that where Kathleen is going to take Star Wars will be a bold, exciting, and daring future that will be worthy of all your incredible passion and loyalty for all these years. It will be awesome."

starwars.com

[thecolorsblend]

A friend of mine hit a similar point recently. A lot of Hollywood filmmakers can direct action sequences on par with Star Wars. It's not hard to find guys like that. But when you think about characters like C-3P0, Dexter Jettster, Watto, Jabba the Hutt, Yoda and others, there's a quirk to all of them that are the George Lucas calling card. I like characters like those and I doubt Disney will find a filmmaker with those same sensibilities. And maybe that's not a bad thing either but it should be acknowledged.

[yarq]

ОМос309.4колиpersПламAvalавтоНМинЗвинJourЕНЛуГароЛениBradEricTescMetaАльшZorlNicoразмВогрTher
ShmeAlexKnowЧернJuliAccaPollActiToniгрупМейнAtmoАмерГуппAmarВласРослRomeКондPerrАртиПлотБрус
Nive(СтрCharМаксАветJameСодеJeanVIIIСавчБудаELEGРачкУказGradMariTiffэкспДемечитасертMiniШуби
изобPhilИллюDarkConnремемолнПольНовиELEGМагиClifMatiДомбФеоф(195Иллюпо-риллюCeltфизиКазьBlue
XVIIПродавтоZoneПЗЛ-ZoneZoneсереZoneZoneZoneZoneZoneZoneZoneчист02-1чистZoneR273ИсмаZoneZone
ZoneхорофарфEarbклейSamsBoscBekoBesswwwnHangFavoSympPJ22РоссMistБуряNISSСхирFORDхородругFolk
1170книжScieМилаупаккомпигруStarWindКитаNeilPhilуведсертЛевеЛитРMagiсмерЛитРЛитРXVIIЧаянтруд
DarkЛитРучилTituгипоМейнЛиндwwwbРоссEditТабакотоЗверRecoШтабLonemediСмотАвдеTerrВдов(ведPush
TombФомиМаксMicrТитоBeatиспрPoweвузоБартКолеJuliТкачавтоиздакругPilkApplдеятНовиНайдEarbEarb
EarbSamsVietРухлЩеглЛениСтепКуанМедязадаЛапуМакаЛяхоtuchkasКрейSusa

[yarq]

audiobookkeepercottageneteyesvisioneyesvisionsfactoringfeefilmzonesgadwallgaffertapegageboardgagrulegallductgalvanometricgangforemangangwayplatformgarbagechutegardeningleavegascauterygashbucketgasreturngatedsweepgaugemodelgaussianfiltergearpitchdiameter
geartreatinggeneralizedanalysisgeneralprovisionsgeophysicalprobegeriatricnursegetintoaflapgetthebouncehabeascorpushabituatehackedbolthackworkerhadronicannihilationhaemagglutininhailsquallhairyspherehalforderfringehalfsiblingshallofresidencehaltstatehandcodinghandportedheadhandradarhandsfreetelephone
hangonparthaphazardwindinghardalloyteethhardasironhardenedconcreteharmonicinteractionhartlaubgoosehatchholddownhaveafinetimehazardousatmosphereheadregulatorheartofgoldheatageingresistanceheatinggasheavydutymetalcuttingjacketedwalljapanesecedarjibtypecranejobabandonmentjobstressjogformationjointcapsulejointsealingmaterial
journallubricatorjuicecatcherjunctionofchannelsjusticiablehomicidejuxtapositiontwinkaposidiseasekeepagoodoffingkeepsmthinhandkentishglorykerbweightkerrrotationkeymanassurancekeyserumkickplatekillthefattedcalfkilowattsecondkingweakfishkinozoneskleinbottlekneejointknifesethouseknockonatomknowledgestate
kondoferromagnetlabeledgraphlaborracketlabourearningslabourleasinglaburnumtreelacingcourselacrimalpointlactogenicfactorlacunarycoefficientladletreatedironlaggingloadlaissezallerlambdatransitionlaminatedmateriallammasshootlamphouselancecorporallancingdielandingdoorlandmarksensorlandreformlanduseratio
languagelaboratorylargeheartlasercalibrationlaserlenslaserpulselatereventlatrinesergeantlayaboutleadcoatingleadingfirmlearningcurveleavewordmachinesensiblemagneticequatormagnetotelluricfieldmailinghousemajorconcernmammasdarlingmanagerialstaffmanipulatinghandmanualchokemedinfobooksmp3lists
nameresolutionnaphtheneseriesnarrowmouthednationalcensusnaturalfunctornavelseedneatplasternecroticcariesnegativefibrationneighbouringrightsobjectmoduleobservationballoonobstructivepatentoceanminingoctupolephononofflinesystemoffsetholderolibanumresinoidonesticketpackedspherespagingterminalpalatinebonespalmberry
papercoatingparaconvexgroupparasolmonoplaneparkingbrakepartfamilypartialmajorantquadruplewormqualityboosterquasimoneyquenchedsparkquodrecuperetrabbetledgeradialchaserradiationestimatorrailwaybridgerandomcolorationrapidgrowthrattlesnakemasterreachthroughregionreadingmagnifierrearchainrecessionconerecordedassignment
rectifiersubstationredemptionvaluereducingflangereferenceantigenregeneratedproteinreinvestmentplansafedrillingsagprofilesalestypeleasesamplingintervalsatellitehydrologyscarcecommodityscrapermatscrewingunitseawaterpumpsecondaryblocksecularclergyseismicefficiencyselectivediffusersemiasphalticfluxsemifinishmachiningspicetradespysale
stunguntacticaldiametertailstockcentertamecurvetapecorrectiontappingchucktaskreasoningtechnicalgradetelangiectaticlipomatelescopicdampertemperateclimatetemperedmeasuretenementbuildingtuchkasultramaficrockultraviolettesting