George Lucas and Apocalypse Now

[Battlehymn Republic]

Well, PointlessWasteofTime's David Wong just released another films-related article (it's on Cracked.com), which I didn't feel like creating a new thread for, because Spanky the Dolphin will just shit all over it again.

But it has some neat stuff about almost-made films. Just what is Coppola's Megalopolis about, anyways? And Unbreakable was supposed to be a trilogy? Most intriguingly, there's this:

George Lucas, not Coppola, was originally hired to direct Apocalypse Now. Considering what a drawn-out torture the Apocalypse production turned out to be, there's a good chance that in that alternate universe, Star Wars never happened. Dude.

I googled a bit, but I couldn't find any credible links (the section on the Wikipedia article that covers it is questionable), except for this Google Book Search Skywalking: the Life and Films of George Lucas excerpt. So has anyone heard about this bit of historical trivia? Lucas making a such a huge film before he had his magnum opus in the middle of a fucking war zone? Now that's an alternate history.

Also, some insight from an interview with the man in Rolling Stone in 1977.

[Ghost Rider]

This has as much to do with Star Wars as "What if Harrison Ford wasn't Han Solo!!!"

This has a lot more to do with films of the time and with a tangent relating with Star Wars because of George Lucas.

Moving.

[Lord Poe]

Yes, its well known that Lucas even conceived of the idea of Apocalypse Now. In fact, Harrison Ford makes a cameo, and on his shirt, the name says Lucas.

[Mange]

So has anyone heard about this bit of historical trivia?

Yes, and I believe that is fairly well known. Ebert mentions it here in connection with a documentary about the movie which Lucas participated in.

[DPDarkPrimus]

Unbreakable being planned as a trilogy is pretty well-known, I thought.

[TithonusSyndrome]

I liked Aguirre, the Wrath of God better anyways.

[2000AD]

In fact, Harrison Ford makes a cameo, and on his shirt, the name says Lucas.

Well the character he plays is called Col. Lucas (or whatever his rank was).

[Elfdart]

Col. Willard is named after Ford's son.

[Kihmbar]

Yes, its well known that Lucas even conceived of the idea of Apocalypse Now.

To back up Lord Poe's assertion, IMDB's triva page for Apocalypse Now mentions that Lucas was originally set to direct the movie (bullet 3).