Shady Thoughts: An Open Letter to George Lucas
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| Title: | Shady Thoughts: An Open Letter to George Lucas |
| Creator: | Paula Freda |
| Date(s): | Fall 1984 |
| Medium: | |
| Fandom: | Star Wars |
| Topic: | |
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| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Shady Thoughts: An Open Letter to George Lucas is a 1984 essay by Paula Freda.
It was printed in Shadowstar #16 and is part of the Shady Thoughts essay series.
The topic is the importance of the Star Wars universe to hearts and souls of fans, and a plea for George Lucas to continue in his mission.
The Essay
Dear Mr. Lucas,
How do I begin? How does a housewife — a writer herself, a mother of two young boys, a harborer of an aged mother and grandmother, a dreamer — begin to apologize and at the same time plead with the man who has revitalized the imaginations of millions, not to cease and desist, not to abandon the hearts he has kindled and taught to believe again?
The characters of the Star Wars saga are not merely fairy-tale protagonists. They are symbols of the hidden wishes of the heart, the soul, the mind. The fight for good, the romance of Han and Leia, the "gut" emotional appeal of Luke and Darth Vader, his father — these are more than just plot, dialogue and special effects. You must by now realize that, by reaching into your dreams and sharing them with us, you have reached into our dreams as well. You must by now be aware that, by opening your heart to us, you have opened our hearts to you.
The first time I saw Star Wars, I came out of the theater with stars in my eyes and wings on my feet. For a little while, I had left the Earth and its problems behind me. The Empire Strikes Back took my breath away. I was intrigued, mystified, and overwhelmed. When Leia fell in love with Han, so did I. When Yoda taught Luke, I learned. When Luke fought Darth Vader, I fought with him. With my two sons, ages seven and eight, I attended the Return of the Jedi, and it was all of the things that all of the movies I had ever seen or heard of were not. It was as though you had looked into the heart of human nature, had seen what it craved, and satisfied that craving, put it on the screen for everyone to see, to feel, to experience. You have brought back, Mr. Lucas, what the movie industry was slowly and casually discarding for the cheap, the vulgar, and inane. You have shown the motion picture industry what the movie screen was intended for.
So now, Mr. Lucas, I apologize for begging you not to withdraw, not to abandon the hearts you have revitalized. Don't let this be the last time Han, Leia, and Luke fight the good fight, thrill us, enrapture us, excite us. There is good in us. We need only the right influence to expose it. We need more of Star Wars and its heroes, more of the romance and adventure, more of the happy endings.
I read in the reviews and in Skywalking that you are tired, that you want time to yourself, time with those you love. I understand. Take your time, but come back to us. Share your dream with us, Mr. Lucas.