In response to George Lucas' question, the other older man also removed his mask and smiled.
"Old man, how long has it been since you left the farm? This movie is the latest work of our little American genius, and its box office potential might even surpass my Saving Private Ryan."
The other man was none other than George Lucas's long-time friend, Steven Spielberg.
"American genius? Oh, is that... Martin?" Lucas asked, slightly puzzled.
"No, no, my name is Martin. Old man, you're really out of touch with the world," Spielberg teased.
"Doesn't matter," Lucas shrugged. "I'm set for life with the money I've earned. If it weren't for the relentless demands of fans, I wouldn't even think about making more Star Wars films."
With that, Lucas's curiosity piqued. What kind of young man could make his old friend take him so seriously that he'd go so far as to disguise himself and sneak into a theater to watch his film?
"I need to see how talented this kid really is," Lucas muttered.
110 minutes later, George Lucas, sweat dripping from his brow and tears in his eyes, took a deep breath. He turned to Spielberg, who was just as stunned, and said:
"I've never been so shocked in my life. To be honest, if it weren't for the warmth and twist at the end of the film, I might not have recovered. I need to go home and sleep this off—I hope I don't have nightmares!"
Spielberg laughed. "Come on, old man, let's head to my place. Have a drink and let's analyze how this film managed to pull us in like that."
"No way! I'm 54, you can't treat an old man ."
"Farke, I'm 52! So what? Come on, let's go. I've got some good wine for you."
Lucas's eyes lit up. "Let's go! Let's drink it all!"
At Spielberg's estate, the two old men sat in the garden, enjoying the wine.
Spielberg took a sip of the rich red wine, set down his glass, and said, "On the way back, I thought about it and made some discoveries."
George Lucas downed his wine in one go, set the glass down, and asked, "What did you find?"
Spielberg rolled his eyes. "Waste!" he muttered, then continued, "The soundtrack, George. The soundtrack is the soul of this film. Did you notice that when the music played, it was so easy to get lost in it?"
Lucas paused and nodded. "Indeed. Who composed the score?"
"Martin!" Spielberg answered, as if it were obvious.
Lucas, in his surprise, nearly spilled his wine. Spielberg raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of concern and exasperation.
"Yes, that kid. His musical talent is as impressive as his writing and directing skills. You should buy his album next time you're home. It's called Martin 1."
Lucas, still reeling, managed to compose himself. "I'll make sure to get it."
He then added, "The soundtrack is amazing, but we can't ignore the kid's acting, especially his eyes. Tsk, tsk. I've never seen a child actor convey emotions like that with their eyes—no, not even adult actors. The moment he looked behind Bruce... that was cool. It was the best shot in the movie."
Spielberg disagreed slightly. "The scene where Martin runs back to his red tent is even better. He conveyed Cole's helplessness and despair with such depth—everyone in the theater was moved. Even for someone like me, it was hard to hold back tears. That's real emotional power."
Lucas, rarely one to argue, nodded in agreement. "That scene stuck with me too. It was tough to choose."
He sighed again. "This kid is only eleven. Is there an old soul in his body?"
Spielberg shook his head. "No need to go there. If people catch wind of that, it'll cause trouble. It's just talent. Plus, he's the screenwriter. He understands the character at a deeper level."
Lucas chuckled. "I'm just kidding, don't worry. I'll be careful."
Spielberg nodded. "Good. Let's talk about the film's ending."
"Yes, let's," Lucas agreed. "The ending was really something. It first uses warmth to ease the audience's discomfort, and then pulls off a massive twist that leaves the audience in shock. I've heard people watch it over and over again, and that ending is key."
Spielberg nodded. "Absolutely. Did you notice the dialogue between Cole and his mother at the end?"
"Of course!" Spielberg's eyes lit up. "That part is a masterclass in writing. It sounds simple, but it's packed with emotion."
"Exactly," Lucas said, his voice serious. "It's not just emotion. With just a few lines, that scene allows the audience to release all the emotions they've been holding in for the past ninety minutes."
Spielberg's face lit up with realization. "Ah! The pacing—that's what I missed!"
"Bingo!" Lucas snapped his fingers.
𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧
✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.