Movies - TV
How Star Wars' Podracing Scene Perfectly Explains George Lucas
By RAFAEL MOTAMAYOR
While "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" has its flaws, its ambitions are clear. The podracing scene is perhaps one of the franchise's best sequences.
The podracing scene offers what few live-action racing movies can: incredible destruction and mayhem. It also reveals much about creator George Lucas.
Growing up in Modesto, California, Lucas was a racing fan and hoped to become a professional racecar driver until he got involved in a near-fatal accident on the road.
While he switched to filmmaking, Lucas' love for racing wasn't lost. This enthusiasm was explicit in his film about cruising culture and drag racing, "American Graffiti."
Lucas is careful about portraying the thrill of racing by highlighting the dangers of the hobby. The film's climax sees a drag race end in disaster that almost kills someone.
Sadly, Lucas would never film anything but "Star Wars" until his retirement. The podracing sequence could even be seen as a callback to Lucas' life before the iconic franchise.