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It’s hard to know what all of George Lucas’s specific contributions to the Star Wars prequels or Indy 4 were, but the general assumption is that anything that feels like a dumb catch phrase or toy aimed at 10-year-olds (Jar Jar Binks, the dancing gophers in Indy) was George’s fault. Lucas gets story credit on Strange Magic, a new animated film from Disney/Lucasfilm, so the speculation will be much the same, but it certainly feels like it’s made up mostly of soon-to-be toys spouting dumb catch phrases aimed at 10-year-olds.
“Strange Magic,” a new animated film from Lucasfilm Ltd., is a madcap fairy tale musical inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Popular songs from the past six decades help tell the tale of a colorful cast of goblins, elves, fairies and imps, and their hilarious misadventures sparked by the battle over a powerful potion. Lucasfilm Animation Singapore and Industrial Light & Magic bring to life the fanciful forest turned upside down with world-class animation and visual effects. Directed by Gary Rydstrom (“Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation,” “Lifted”) from a story by George Lucas, “Strange Magic” will be released by Touchstone Pictures on Jan. 23, 2015.
So, in summation, it’s a jukebox musical adaptation of a public domain story kitted out with future toys designed by outsourced animators in Indonesia. That must be why George Lucas sold his company to Disney, so he could pursue vanity projects like these.
INTERVIEWER: So George, tell us about Strange Magic, was this a passion project for you?
*George Lucas stuffs cat into neck pouch, holds hand out for money*