‘Star Wars’: George Harrison’s Son Said the Movies Made Life Easier for the Former Beatle
George Harrison‘s son, Dhani Harrison, has a lot to say about Star Wars. During an interview, he compared his father to multiple Star Wars characters. In addition, he revealed what the quiet Beatle thought of George Lucas’ saga about a galaxy far, far, away.
George Harrison’s son compared the former Beatle to some ‘Star Wars’ characters
During an interview with StarWars.com, Dhani said he was a huge fan of Star Wars. He variously cited A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back as his favorite movie of all time. He even compared his father to some Star Wars characters.
“My friends would kind of end up back at my house in the garden, and it would be like around twilight on a Saturday night, and we’d find my dad somewhere in the garden,” he said. “Sooner or later it would turn into like, five teenagers sitting there, listening to him lay things down in a very Obi-Wan kind of way.”
In addition, Dhani said there was a similarity between the sentiment of his father’s song “My Sweet Lord” and Yoda’s statement: “Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter.”
Dhani Harrison said his father had an easier time discussing spirituality because of ‘Star Wars’
Elsewhere in the interview, Dhani said his father was a huge Star Wars fan as well. “We were always very into [The Empire Strikes Back], obviously,” he recalled. “My dad had a way of explaining things. He used to say things like, ‘If you talk about God, you can watch people’s toes curl.'”
Dhani said Star Wars worked in spite of this widespread unwillingness to talk about God. “But if you use the term ‘the Force,’ essentially to mean exactly the same thing, or the universe, it’s a way more palatable thing that people with no spiritual or religious affiliations can get behind,” he said. “So I think he always enjoyed that — the way that George Lucas explained that spirituality. Because it made his job easier. [Laughs] It made the explanations of things easier.”
The way the world reacted to ‘The Empire Strikes Back’
George and Dhani weren’t the only ones who enjoyed The Empire Strikes Back. According to Box Office Mojo, the film had a budget of $18 million. The Empire Strikes Back earned over $4.9 million during its opening weekend. The film ultimately earned over $209 million worldwide.
In addition, The Empire Strikes Back earned Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction, Best Original Score, and Best Sound. It won the latter. In addition, the film won a Special Achievement Award for its special effects. George, Dhani, the public, and Academy Award voters all liked The Empire Strikes Back — and it remains one of the most acclaimed science-fiction films of all time.
