OK besides this below and DEVO coming out of the Kent State massacre, what are other facts you have about the evolution of art / music /etc that wouldn't be obvious if you didn't know but, retroactively, explain and/or illuminate a LOT ?
Reminds me of how almost all the French dadaists and surrealists were WWI veterans of the trenches seriously exploring alternatives to conventional thought and language.
George Lucas REALLY wanted to impress Spielberg, Coppola, et al, but the first time he showed them Star Wars they laughed him out of their little boys’ club. He then gave it to his ex-wife to edit, and she is the only reason it became a hit.
She did not work on the prequels. Take it as you will.
Also George Lucas wrote Star Wars because he desperately wanted to make a Flash Gordon movie and he couldn’t get the rights. If you watch the Flash Gordon movie that was eventually made, you can definitely see the influences.
That's also how DARKMAN got made; Sam Raimi wanted to make a Shadow movie but couldn't get the rights, so created his own vengeful lunatic in a long black coat.
George Lucas created Indiana Jones.
Obviously Spielberg & Harrison Ford made serious contributions to the legendary character, but the idea began with Lucas.
