His first student film, THX-1138:4EB, was a success at USC film school. After THX-1138:4EB, came THX-1138 and American Graffiti starring a young Harrison Ford (starwars.com).
Lucas began toying with the idea of a space opera, something like the early Flash Gordon serials (Chernoff 28). He presented the idea for Star Wars to an executive at Universal Studios, but he was refused at first. A few executives from Universal thought that Star Wars would be an awesome hit like American Graffiti. But still ultimately the executives at Universal passed on the idea. He took his ideas to 20th Century Fox, where Alan Ladd Jr. saw Lucas's idea and liked it immensely. "Lucas had many permutations."" Stated Ladd (Baxter 42). Lucas took over nine months to develop the first draft of Star Wars. Lucas originally tried to fit what was to become the Star Wars Trilogy into one film. But he had such a detailed plot structure that he was able to take the screenplay and make three individual films. Lucas originally envisioned nine films, the evolution of Anakin Skywalker from boy to machine, Luke Skywalker becoming a Jedi and restoring the fallen Jedi Order and the last trilogy would tell of the restored Jedi Order. Lucas has said:.
I am approaching these films for better or for worse, like.
a symphony. I have a lot of themes that I keep repeating.
over and over again through the whole thing. (Chernoff 28).
Lucas's inspiration also came from Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress had a lasting impact on a young Lucas. The plot of Hidden Fortress deals with a powerful princess that has been captured by an evil army. A group of unknown and unlikely heroes come together to save her; two comical farmers tag along with the heroes, but do nothing but cause trouble and constantly bicker. Kurosawa's Hidden Fortress shows 16th century Japan with elaborate costumes and comprehensive sets (Pappas 1).