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Channel • 4 Shows

Film History

Film History

Series
Film History

Film History

Series
Film History

Film History

Series

EPISODE 8 BONUS • WONDERY+ ONLY

Talking Star Wars with George Lucas Biographer Brian Jay Jones

In this special BONUS episode, INSIDE STAR WARS creator and host Mark Ramsey interviews Brian Jay Jones, the author of the recent best-selling biography “George Lucas: A Life.” We talk about our shared love of the original film and how the franchise shaped our youths. We discuss what it’s like to chase down the details of a living legend who has contributed so much to modern pop culture. And Brian reveals the one question he would most like to ask Lucas today: “Are you happy?” It’s a fascinating conversation about the man at the center of Star Wars. Brian Jay Jones also wrote a wonderful biography of Muppet creator Jim Henson, and his current best-seller is this great book: “Becoming Dr. Seuss - Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination.” Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 8 Bonus

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43 min
EPISODE 8 • WONDERY+ ONLY

Interview with JAWS Co-Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb

Carl Gottlieb is the co-screenwriter of JAWS, a featured player in this podcast, and the author of The Jaws Log, about the making of the classic film. With Inside JAWS creator Mark Ramsey, Carl discusses his background in Improv, how he met Steven Spielberg, how JAWS came to be a classic, and what lessons the movie has for filmmakers and audiences alike. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E8

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56 min
EPISODE 3 • WONDERY+ ONLY

Bleeding on the Page

Francis Coppola urges a struggling and dirt poor George Lucas to write something human and stop being “so weird.” The result is American Graffiti, the classic coming of age movie. United Artists agrees to pick up the project along with one other idea, something vague about wars in space. But the deal falls apart in part because “nobody knows what American Graffiti means.” Universal comes to the rescue but retains final cut. The screenings are great, but Universal is convinced it will be a disaster, so they cut the film - because they can. A resentful and hungry Lucas scribbles a two-page treatment for something called “The Star Wars.” Everyone in town rejects the project, except for Fox exec Alan Ladd Jr, who buys the idea for a paltry sum and offers a thin vote of confidence for George Lucas. Then, American Graffiti is released and becomes a hit. Lucas renegotiates not for more money but for sequel and merchandising rights, both worthless at the time. Now he spends every day for the next three years writing the script. Grueling days. Bleeding on the page. Pulling teeth would be easier and more pleasant. We meet Lucas’s dog, an Alaskan malamute named “Indiana” who inspires a certain Wookiee named “Chewbacca.” We discover the inspiration for “R2D2.” Meanwhile, it’s clear that Fox is dragging their feet - that many at the studio wish Star Wars would simply…go away. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E3

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25 min
EPISODE 4 • WONDERY+ ONLY

I am Princess Leia!

Casting begins for Star Wars. Carrie Fisher wins a role, runs into the rain, and shouts to the heavens: “I am Princess Leia!” George Lucas doesn’t want Harrison Ford in the cast, but it just so happens Harrison's building a door all week and is in the right place at the right time. Mark Hamill awakens on Robert Englund’s couch just in time to find out about “the perfect role” for him - with dialogue that is absolutely befuddling. The men inside R2D2 and C3PO come to terms with the extraordinary discomfort of their costumes - and their dislike for each other. Alec Guinness hates science fiction “fairy-tale rubbish” and considers Lucas to be “a touch boring.” Meanwhile Lucas is plowing his own money into Star Wars and still has no green light from Fox. That’s when he faces a choice: Either make the movie for half of what he needs or Star Wars will be shut down. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E4

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28 min
EPISODE 5 • WONDERY+ ONLY

The Power of Christ Compels You

Friedkin wants to shoot the opening sequence of The Exorcist in Iraq, but first he has to teach the Iraqis how to make fake blood. And where’s the demon statue? Not in Iraq - on a tarmac in Australia, unfortunately. Legendary makeup artist Dick Smith spends two hours a day with Linda Blair, most of it watching The Flying Nun on TV. The exorcism scene takes place in a refrigerated room, making everyone sick. Max Von Sydow faces a crisis of faith and can’t bear to hear young Linda Blair curse. Pea Soup is vomited and heads spin 360 degrees. Famed composer Bernard Hermann calls Friedkin’s movie “dreck.” The voice of the demon, who spent years battling her own demons, will drink and smoke and eat raw eggs while bound to a chair. But when this movie comes out, will anybody see it? Subscribe today so you never miss an episode: https://smarturl.it/itex Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E5

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24 min
EPISODE 4 • WONDERY+ ONLY

The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damn Thing

1916: A bounty is offered to whoever can kill the “Man-eater of Matawan.” Cut to: 1973. Peter Benchley sells the rights to JAWS to a pair of legendary Hollywood producers, Richard Zanuck and David Brown. Sensing a winner, Spielberg steals the galleys off Zanuck’s desk before insisting that this be his next project. Meanwhile, Zanuck and Brown toss away a would-be director who can’t distinguish between a whale and a shark, legendary director Henry Hathaway offers Spielberg some advice, and casting begins. Two very important executives want their wives to play the Chief’s wife. In Spielberg’s words, “Oy vey.” Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E4

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23 min
EPISODE 1

Two Suns Setting

A torturous first day of shooting Star Wars in the Tunisian desert. Including a one-time “carpenter to the stars,” an actor named Harrison Ford. Cut to: A young George Lucas captivated and thrilled by a new gadget called “television” and the thrilling, swashbuckling serials of Flash Gordon. Later, Lucas falls for fast cars. More speeding tickets than baseball cards. Fights at home with his father over work and school and career. “I’m gonna be a millionaire before I’m 30,” he shouts at his dad. But he’s failing classes and his best hopes are for a life as an auto mechanic. Then, one fateful day he’s in his tiny Fiat turning left across traffic. That’s when a car smashes into him - an accident that nearly kills him. And an experience that will change his life forever. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E1

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24 min
EPISODE 1

Becoming Spielberg

In 1916 a killer shark terrorized the New Jersey shore in one of the inspirations for the movie JAWS. Cut to: Phoenix, AZ in the 1960’s, where a young Steven Spielberg is an outsider struggling to fit in. He’s ashamed of his heritage, bad at school, bad at sports, bad at everything. And then he discovers the magic of moving images on an oversized screen. It turns out he’s good at something after all. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E1

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20 min
EPISODE 5 • WONDERY+ ONLY

Days and Nights of the Force

Carrie Fisher auditions hairstyles and the “Buns of Navarone” are born. Star Wars begins shooting. Carrie is smitten by her handsome co-star, Harrison Ford. Greedo nearly suffocates during the Cantina sequence. George Lucas breaks the news to Alec Guinness that his character will be killed off - without a satisfying death scene, and Guinness is furious. Luke and Leia swing across a dangerous chasm, but first someone has to tape down Carrie Fisher’s breasts. Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin is a horror legend - where does he go on his bicycle every day during the shooting of Star Wars? Shooting nears its end and George Lucas falls into depression and despair. Strife with the studio continues, and now Lucas is suffering chest pains. Star Wars is literally going to kill him. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E5

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23 min
EPISODE 2 • WONDERY+ ONLY

Breaking In

1916: Another vicious shark attack at the Jersey Shore. Cut to: Hollywood, 1965: Steven Spielberg hides out at Universal Studios in a toilet stall. He watches his idol, Alfred Hitchcock, at work. He fast-talks the guard at the studio gate day after day. He has an unpleasant encounter with a naked Marlon Brando – and all this while he’s still in high school. He lays it all on the line and heads west to Cal State Long Beach, where he makes a dirt-cheap, but impressive student film called Amblin that leads to a studio deal and an encounter with Joan Crawford. Support us by supporting our sponsors! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E2

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22 min

From the creators of Inside Psycho, Inside the Exorcist, and Inside Jaws, comes a new immersive audio biopic about the making of the original 1977 Star Wars. It was a movie made on a shoestring and dumped into a handful of movie theaters. And then it changed the world. This is the story of George Lucas and his dream. We take you inside the stories of the people who struggled to make the original classic and the people who did their very best to stop it dead. Now playing in all galaxies. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Inside Star Wars ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.

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FILM HISTORY

Wondery creates high-quality, binge-worthy podcasts that redefine unforgettable storytelling. With over 55 shows that have topped the Apple Podcasts charts, there’s truly something for everyone—from edge-of-your-seat true crime and eye-opening history to laugh-out-loud comedy. Home to hits like Dr. Death, American Scandal, New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, MrBallen’s Medical Mysteries, Business Wars, Against the Odds, Scamfluencers and more, Wondery is sure to deliver your next favorite listen. But that’s not all—Wondery+ delivers the ultimate listening experience. Enjoy every episode completely ad-free, unlock exclusive content you won’t find anywhere else, and get early access to our most addictive series. Designed to deepen your connection to the stories you love and introduce you to even more content that captivates, Wondery+ takes your podcast experience to the next level. Please note, Wondery+ on Apple Podcasts does not include access to Wondery+ through the Wondery app or Wondery.com. Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook @WonderyMedia. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter For more information, visit wondery.com For customer support, visit support.wondery.com

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Listen early and ad-free on Wondery+.

Top Shows

Talking Star Wars with George Lucas Biographer Brian Jay Jones

Interview with JAWS Co-Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb

Bleeding on the Page

I am Princess Leia!

The Power of Christ Compels You

The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damn Thing

Two Suns Setting

Becoming Spielberg

Days and Nights of the Force

Breaking In

Listen early and ad-free on Wondery+.

Talking Star Wars with George Lucas Biographer Brian Jay Jones

Interview with JAWS Co-Screenwriter Carl Gottlieb

Bleeding on the Page

I am Princess Leia!

The Power of Christ Compels You

The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damn Thing

Days and Nights of the Force

Breaking In

Dreams of Star Wars

Star Wars Will Be a Bomb

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