Lucas's first feature film, the 1971 released THX 1138 served in more ways than is at first apparent as a template for Star Wars. One of the things that was carried over was THX's affinity for displays and controls, this being just a quick example (with more coming later).
The Spiritual Disenchantment of the Super Machine Age
One of Lucas's earliest influences, Arthur Lipsett was an avant-garde Canadian at the National Film Board. His style had a tremendous impact on Lucas's early films, and The Force was rooted in his films.
Lucas's breakout student effort, a dazzling display of guts and vision which took the student film festival scene by storm. A young Steven Spielberg saw this and felt horribly inadequate.
Not long out of USC, Coppola's production company American Zoetrope, started its life with Lucas's first feature film, THX 1138. The art house precursor of Star Wars.
