"SKYWALKER RANCH, MARIN COUNTY -- There may be nothing that George Lucas enjoys more than watching someone's jaw drop in an expression of marvel. That explains the existence of this leafy 5,200-acre retreat, which has a hilltop observatory, a vineyard (the grapes are trucked over to Francis Ford Coppola's winery) and its own fire department, which presumably blares heroic scores by John Williams on its way to brush fires.
And then there's his stunning collection of pop-culture artifacts. The man who once aspired to be an anthropologist now has a personal Smithsonian of sorts here in Marin County. In the Victorian-style main house, for instance, you can find Charlie Chaplin's cane and slightly dimpled bowler sharing a bookcase with the badges worn by the Keystone Kops. Norman Rockwell paintings hang on the walls and Rudolph Valentino's whip is perched on a shelf near the parlor. Remember how hard it was for Indiana Jones to track down the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Grail? Now they're safe and sound here in an immaculate warehouse along with R2-D2 and C-3PO, all museum pieces in a museum that never opens to the public.
But the loneliest artifact of Skywalker Ranch -- or, to be more precise, the most underappreciated treasure that belongs to Lucas -- is the one that could be seen a few weeks ago flickering on the screen of the plush theater inside the main house. When Lucas spoke of it, he even sounded a bit like an archaeologist cradling a long-lost relic.
"We have another chance to let the world see it," he said, "and that's exciting for me."
The artifact in need of rescue is an early 1990s television series, "The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles," which is, by the stellar standards of the 63-year-old filmmaker's career, a beautiful loser. It was also, he says, "the single most fun I ever had with any project." For both of those reasons, he is back for more."
Rebelscum Breast Cancer Awareness Charity Patch Posted By Philip on November 25, 2014: Thanks to everybody that ordered patches. I sent a check for $1,600.00 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation on Monday. While it's not as much as I hoped for, it's still very much appreciated. They will remain for sale in the store for anybody that still wishes to purchase them. Details after the jump.
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