Beginning "A View of Life" (1965) is the first official acquaintance for the mass audience with the work of the wonderful director George Lucas. This is his earliest work, which he created just enrolled at the University of Southern California, and which is the start of his official biography as a film director. The video, which lasts less than one minute (57 seconds), shows that Lucas has been concerned about politics, world injustice and hope since he was a student. All his ideas and reflections on this subject after 12 years will result in a real masterpiece of world cinema called "Star Wars". And this is true, because behind the humming of lightsabers and the terrible mask of Darth Vader, we have a serious message about genocide, war crimes, hypocrisy, as well as methods of combating these manifestations - kindness, sympathy, understanding and a pinch of luck. However, the first swallow of George Lucas in bringing to the masses of such serious problems is precisely “A Look at Life”. The average viewer knows Lucas as a science fiction director who created his universe and made billions of dollars from it, but his lesser-known works show that he is a much deeper man than he seems. And if another of his interesting works, “Ferheit”, touches directly on the problems of totalitarian societies and is shot in an artistic style with the participation of actors, then “A Look at Life” is a small documentary cutting of various photos, which is accompanied by sayings from the Bible, as well as a meaningful phrase Someone for survival...
The short film “A Look at Life” does not have a single thematic direction. There are photos of presidents, beautiful women, bloody African rebels, strategic missiles, and animals. All this suggests that our world is incredibly multifaceted and we should protect it with all our might. Particularly interesting is the alternation of paintings with the powerful of this world, and soon after this destruction and wounding, which directly depend on the persons shown before. Including Nikita Khrushchov and John Kennedy. This rapid excursion ends with the word End, which soon eclipses the question mark "?". This means that life does not end, but it should be adjusted to prevent all the evils that have not cooled down since the Second World War. And this applies not only to the authorities, but also to ordinary citizens who can change everything by their will. The main thing is to look for good and focus on it. And as The View of Life shows, positive things are present in all aspects of life, from art to the animal kingdom. The main thing is to find your positive reference point and develop it more and more, replacing violence and hatred at all stages of your life and society as a whole!
A Look at Life is a very simple but clever short film. He is in many ways a mirror of the soul of George Lucas, who always strives for something bigger and calls us to action. Of course, in our technological time, almost anyone can create such a cut, but remember that “A Look at Life” was created in 1965, when cinematography did not come close to modern realities. So I recommend this film / video to all fans of Lucas, as well as those who are interested in the history and views on the lives of people now older!
10 out of 10