Lucas And The Lads’ Private Screening

Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and Steven Spielberg were among a handful of directors invited to a private screening of Star Wars - Episode I: The Phantom Menace, by its director George Lucas last week. Ron Howard and Brian De Palma were also among the elite group of people for whom Lucas screened the film. In a newspaper interview, Lucas indicated that, based on their comments, he is making several changes in the film. "They're friends whom I trust and quite frankly they were blown away, but you never know," Lucas was quoted as saying. Not one to ruffle anyone's feathers, Ron Howard is denying that he said the film has "a problem." He later stated, "It's so far from having a problem, I'm green with envy." Lucas indicated that he probably will continue to make minor alterations to the film right up to its release date on May 19.