movie history

Lucas on the set of 'American Grafitti'Forty-seven years ago today, an 18-year-old kid from Modesto, Calif., almost killed himself. Two days before his high school graduation, young George Lucas survived a high-speed, near-fatal car crash.

At the time, Lucas dreamed of becoming a race car driver. His brush with death inspired him to choose a somewhat safer career. He eventually went to the USC film school, became a filmmaker and later created some movies you might have heard of: "American Graffiti," the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" series. In 2005, Forbes estimated his net worth at $3.5 billion.

Perhaps a car crash is God's way of telling you slow the heck down and reconsider your purpose in life. Hmmm. Or it could be His way of telling you to stop driving like a moron.

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)

'Die Hard' — proof that Bruce Willis once had hair"Die Hard" was released in U.S. theaters 20 years ago today, simultaneously reinventing the action genre and launching Bruce Willis' film career.

Yippee-ki-yay, indeed.

The basic formula of "Die Hard" became the template for countless inferior copycats, and a handful of cool knockoffs. "Speed," starring Keanu Reeves, was billed as "Die Hard" on a bus and it rocked. "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory," billed as "Die Hard" in a chocolate factory, was not so good. Kidding.