to constantly tinker with something.
Also: Lucas (noun) - someone who is never satisfied with something. someone who always strives for perfection, even though the final outcome is not always the best. Someone who should leave well enough alone. (see George Lucas & Star Wars)
When a director of high acclaim returns to filmmaking after a long period of absence or streak of success; and releases a disappointment. A lot of it is due to ego, or plain just getting rusty from not directing for a long time. Most notably; George Lucasreturned to the director's chair 21 years after the original Star Wars, to direct The Phantom Menace. "Phantom" was so overloaded with unnecessary CGI, and weak acting, and last but not least Jar Jar Binks. The Wachowski Brothers are another example. With such high expectations after the astounding The Matrix, they started showing breaks in their armor with The Matrix Reloaded, while mostly watchable, which then led to the letdown of all letdowns, The Matrix Revolutions.
"It's been 10 years since James Cameron had a real movie in theaters, I'm crossing my fingers he doesn't get Lucasitis when directing Avatar."
noun. A scene or brief moment in a motion picture, featuring some element of sophomoric or childish humor, that is out of place, and inapropriate to the advancement of the story. It seems to exist for no other reason than to make an idiot laugh for about 2 seconds.
Named in honor of George Lucas, for his propensity for including these inane moments in his films.
Lucasisms of note include:
An alien stepping in poop outside of Mos Eisley in Starwars I
A wookie giving a tarzan yell as he swings from a vine in StarWars III
Wow, that was stupid. I can't believe this director would put a Lucasism in his movie.