Star Wars loses one of its architects: Marcia Lucas dies at 80

First wife of George Lucas, she won an Oscar for her editing work on Star Wars in 1978.

Oscar-winning editor of the very first Star Warsformer wife of George Lucas and essential figure of the New Hollywood of the 1970s, Marcia Lucas died Wednesday in Rancho Mirage, California. She was 80 years old and suffering from cancer.

His name is less known to the general public than that of George Lucas, but his influence on the saga Star Wars and on several classics of American cinema is immense.

Editor of American Graffiti (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Alice is no longer here (1974) or even New York, New York (1977), she won the Academy Award for Best Editing in 1978 for Star Warsshared with Richard Chew and Paul Hirsch. In a statement, his family paid tribute to him:

“Marcia will be remembered as a brilliant storyteller, a pioneer for women in cinema, a loving mother and grandmother, a generous hostess and a loyal friend whose humor and energy lit up every room she entered. Her influence on cinema is indelible, but those who knew her best will especially remember her ability to make life more intense, more beautiful, more fun and more filled with love. His work was recognized for its emotional intelligence, sense of rhythm and humanity: a rare ability to find the truth of a scene and bring heart, momentum and clarity to the screen.“

Often described as George Lucas’ “secret weapon,” Marcia Lucas was instrumental in building the universe of the galaxy far, far away. In his work The Secret History of Star Warshistorian Michael Kaminski explained:

“Marcia, like many of George’s friends, gave her opinion on the characters who worked or not, on the successful or unsuccessful scenes, and Lucas constructed his script taking these remarks into account. Marcia was always critical of Star Wars, but she was one of the few people Lucas listened to attentively, knowing that she had a real talent for crafting strong characters.”

The Lucasfilm studio did not fail to salute his memory in a press release retracing his career. After joining his mentor Verna Fields on the editing ofAmerican Graffiti in 1973 – a work which earned her an Oscar nomination – Marcia Lucas collaborated with Martin Scorsese on Alice is no longer here Then Taxi Driver while Lucasfilm prepares Star Wars. The studio recalls that during post-production of the film, George Lucas deemed it necessary to redo the editing almost entirely. Richard Chew and Paul Hirsch then joined the team, alongside Marcia Lucas, who ultimately shared with them the Oscar for best editing. In the following years, she continued to collaborate with Lucasfilm on several major productions, including More American Graffiti, The Empire Strikes Back And Return of the Jedi. Lucasfilm also released an old statement from the editor which perfectly sums up its philosophy:

“I love editing. I have a natural ability to take good material and make it better, and to take bad material and make it right…”

The studio concludes its press release:

“Lucasfilm joins the entire film community around the world in mourning the loss of Marcia Lucas.“

Long remaining in the shadow of the directors with whom she worked, Marcia Lucas nevertheless leaves behind a considerable imprint. Without his perspective, his sense of rhythm and his understanding of the characters, the story of Star Wars might never have been quite the same.