George Lucas gets captured or killed by VC

[Gnomepilled]

Apocalypse Now was originally going to be directed George Lucas, Director of THX 1138. He would go on to use ideas from Apocalypse Now for Star Wars.
He planned to film in South Vietnam in an active war zone.
This is obviously a terrible idea and he could get killed.
in this TL the Vietcong decide to kidnap the young director. What happens now? This will obviously cause an international incident.

 

[Seandineen]

Sir Robert Thompson, the Yoda Of Psychological warfare, was an advisor to three American Presidents, and five UK Prime Ministers. He was a friend of Peter Cushing.
What if this real-Life Jedi Master, came to the rescue of young George?

 

[Sekhmet_D]

He perishes in captivity and Star Wars is butterflied, obviously.

 

[Seandineen]

Assuming you are correct, what if his pal Coppola, takes on the Galaxy Far Far Away? I know ITTL they have established a connection.

 

[athgtq16129]

This is very similar to the plot of Tropic Thunder!

 

[CaptainCalvert]

No Star Wars would be a blow, but then again no Jar Jar Binks means it's not 100% bad.

 

[Monk78]

Battlestar galactica franchise takes off

Rick Springfield gets the fame he deserves

 

[Gnomepilled]

He perishes in captivity and Star Wars is butterflied, obviously.

Or he could get released in the 80s

Assuming you are correct, what if his pal Coppola, takes on the Galaxy Far Far Away? I know ITTL they have established a connection.

That sounds like a cool timeline

This is very similar to the plot of Tropic Thunder!

yes that's what inspired me to make this thread

No Star Wars would be a blow, but then again no Jar Jar Binks means it's not 100% bad.

The Phantom Menace was a great movie

Battlestar galactica franchise takes off

Rick Springfield gets the fame he deserves

BattleStar Galactica was made by people who worked on Star Wars and was a very obvious Star Wars ripoff.

 

[Sekhmet_D]

Assuming you are correct, what if his pal Coppola, takes on the Galaxy Far Far Away? I know ITTL they have established a connection.

If Coppola somehow picked up the reins, I can see him adopting an entirely different approach, making it like a mob/Western flick except set in space. Solo and Lando as protagonists with the likes of Jabba, Fett, Prince Xizor and Finhead Stonebone as villains. No Jedi, Sith or anything mystical of that sort.

 

[Sam R.]

this TL the Vietcong decide to kidnap the young director. What happens now?

Yub nub.

 

[Gnomepilled]

If Coppola somehow picked up the reins, I can see him adopting an entirely different approach, making it like a mob/Western flick except set in space. Solo and Lando as protagonists with the likes of Jabba, Fett, Prince Xizor and Finhead Stonebone as villains. No Jedi, Sith or anything mystical of that sort.

Star Wars at the time was just Flash Gordon with the names changed. The plot was closer to the Phantom Menace. Instead if Gungans you had "wookiees".
Dark Horse actually turned it into a comic.

Yub nub.

Best music

 

[Sekhmet_D]

Yub nub.

Utini.

 

[Gnomepilled]

Utini.

Achuta

 

[Court Jester]

in this TL the Vietcong decide to kidnap the young director. What happens now? This will obviously cause an international incident.

International incident? There was war going on and he was a citizen of a hostile country. It's 71/72 timeframe, if he survives initial captivity he gets released with other captured Americans in 1973. If he is captured after American retreat, he gets released fairly soon, communists were vary of provoking Americans into getting involved again.
Obviously, all his future work will be coloured by his experience in captivity. If his movies have darker tone tone than OTL, then he most likely won't be as much of moneymaker as he was and Star Wars probably never comes to be.

 

[Gnomepilled]

International incident? There was war going on and he was a citizen of a hostile country. It's 71/72 timeframe, if he survives initial captivity he gets released with other captured Americans in 1973. If he is captured after American retreat, he gets released fairly soon, communists were vary of provoking Americans into getting involved again.
Obviously, all his future work will be coloured by his experience in captivity. If his movies have darker tone tone than OTL, then he most likely won't be as much of moneymaker as he was and Star Wars probably never comes to be.

I mean an American filmmaker getting kidnapped is a major thing. But yeah I agree with you fully.
If Star Wars does happen, what about the Empire? Darth Vader was inspired by the idea of an American Soldier going rogue (he was supposed to join the rebellion originally). Would he still exist if Star Wars was made?

 

[GuildedAgeNostalgia]

North Vietnam pulls a Kim Jung Il and forces the foreign director to make films showing the greatness of North Vietnam?

 

[Hammerbolt]

Star Wars 1979, filmed in Hanoy

It tells the story of a group of freedom fighters of the Galactic People's Liberation Army, fighting the evil capitalist empire of President Palpatine, aided by General Vader. The group, led by commissar Organaskova, young farmer Junglewalker and former trader Solofksy, follow the teachings of the old philosopher Karl Kenobi.

 

[Gnomepilled]

North Vietnam pulls a Kim Jung Il and forces the foreign director to make films showing the greatness of North Vietnam?

Star Wars 1979, filmed in Hanoy

It tells the story of a group of freedom fighters of the Galactic People's Liberation Army, fighting the evil capitalist empire of President Palpatine, aided by General Vader. The group, led by commissar Organaskova, young farmer Junglewalker and former trader Solofksy, follow the teachings of the old philosopher Karl Kenobi.

this the funniest thing I read today
Will he also insert anti-communist themes like Pulgasari? What about the Prequels?
What happens when Lucas escapes?

 

[Hammerbolt]

this the funniest thing I read today
Will he also insert anti-communist themes like Pulgasari? What about the Prequels?
What happens when Lucas escapes?

Actually found a rare poster, showing the preparation for the attack on the Death Pentagon

comrade Junglewalker explaining what he did:

Comrade Lucas does not escape. After proper indoctrination, psycological guidance and education, Comrade Lucas is now a valuable member of the People's Movie Studio, where he also helped to create the Industrial Lights and Work Committee.

 

[Gnomepilled]

Actually found a rare poster, showing the preparation for the attack on the Death Pentagon

comrade Junglewalker explaining what he did:

Comrade Lucas does not escape. After proper indoctrination, psycological guidance and education, Comrade Lucas is now a valuable member of the People's Movie Studio, where he also helped to create the Industrial Lights and Work Committee.

You should actually make this into a proper timeline. This is great stuff.
What is the equivalent of Pixar in this timeline?