Peter Shr - Week 14 - The Reduction of Character in Public Memory
On May 21, 1927, Charles Lindbergh completed the first continuous flight from NYC to Paris. This singular feat propelled Lindbergh to global stardom. History books note his prevalence, indicating the remarkability of his fame alone. What happened to Lindbergh after? His twenty-month-old son was kidnapped and killed. Anything else? One would probably need to Google that.
https://disciplesofflight.com/flying-phantoms-story-charles-lindbergh/
In researching Star Wars director George Lucas, one of the most fascinating attributes about his character is the difference between his reputation and actual impact on the United States. In addition, Lucasfilm, his film managing company, has played a uniquely active role in controlling the public memory of Lucas’ legacy. I seek to delve into the discrepancies between the contributions and renown of such public figures.
Ask the average American who George Lucas is and they will either ask “Who?” or refer to him as the creator of Star Wars. Public perception of Lucas suddenly transformed from speculation around a stumbling beginner to a brilliant storyteller. His name became synonymous with reliable, family-friendly entertainment, and although there were some criticisms before the twenty-first century on Lucas’ woody dialogue or lack of experience in working with actors, Lucas was generally well-liked. The media perceived him as some sort of elusive legend when he was too timid and uncomfortable with interviews. Then, the critics began to doubt his storytelling abilities with the disappointing release of the Star Wars prequel trilogy. After the franchise was sold to Disney, Lucas’ prevalence faded, with critics cementing the original trilogy as his defining work. The director’s personal story is not well known, however.
Lucas would likely mention the life-threatening car crash at the age of 17, his divorce from Marcia, and his second marriage to Mellody Hobson as his defining moments. Interviews indicate how little space the films take up in Lucas’ mind, as he speaks on fatherhood as if his life has finally shifted in the right direction. The story of Lucas’ reconciliation with self, along with his tremendous efforts as a businessman, are overshadowed by his singular, iconic franchise: Star Wars. Yet, it can be argued that his greatest impacts on the entertainment industry include overcoming the rigid system of film unions, the acceleration of film technology, the independence from Hollywood Lucas gained from painstakingly building Lucasfilm, and the global shift from realism to escapism. The lack of media coverage of these contributions due to the assumption that the public would not be captivated has skewed the cultural perception of Lucas.
On the other hand, Lucasfilm also purposefully managed the cultural memory of the director before his retirement. In the '90s, when the momentum of the original trilogy weakened, Lucasfilm began disseminating documentaries of Lucas’ film process, pushing his greater films while downplaying the less popular works. With the expansion to television, theater, the toy industry, and music, Lucasfilm further portrayed the director as a single-dimensional entity to fuel anticipation of the subsequent trilogy. It is quite the business move to capitalize off of public forgetfulness.
Contextualizing popular culture with the formation of public opinion: openstax.org/books/american-government-3e/pages/6-1-the-nature-of-public-opinion
Hello Peter! I enjoyed reading your blog, as it referenced several people and events that I was familiar with, as well as others that I had not heard of before. While reading, I realized you raised a great point: after most people undergo their cycle of a few years of fame, their impact and achievements are respected much less than before. I appreciate how you made this very clear by including an engaging hook relating to Charles Lindbergh. You did a great job anticipating how the audience would react to your text-- I did exactly what you thought readers would. I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on why this forgetting happens.
ReplyDeleteOne reason why I feel that this forgetting happens is because we, as humans, are ultra-fixated on the present and the future. We look forward to the movie coming on on the weekend. Or the iPhone that will be revealed in the next few weeks. This focus on the future takes up most of our energies, and prevents us from taking the time that is necessary to be truly present in our current and even past situations. If we take more time to remember the past, we would be able to achieve more in our society. Being aware of the past is a a powerful tool for informing the future. By understanding more of what notable people did, people can feel more empowered to be like them, or avoid making the mistakes they made. Once again, thank you for sharing this blog. Your effective examples helped me truly consider all aspects of this situation.
Hi Peter! The topic of your blog is very interesting; I never really thought of how some people are only well-known for their biggest achievements and how everything in their every day lives may be as easily forgotten as the lives of any ordinary person. I like you explored the perceptions of the audience compared to what Lucas was actually like with the view of him as an “elusive legend” when in reality he was “too timid and uncomfortable with interviews.” This reminds me of a term I’m learning in psychology, the fundamental attribution theory. They’re attributing his lack of interviews to his “mysterious” personality rather than him simply being shy. It’s also so interesting how Lucasfilm downplayed less popular works and worked with what already sold to the audience rather than putting energy into what had “failed.” I have many stories of my own and I wonder what it would feel like if I were only recognized for one of my works even though I love all of them. It also begs the question of how George Lucas felt with Star Wars being his big claim to fame. Did he love it because of the popularity or did he dislike how it overshadowed his other works?
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