In honor of
The Last Jedi being released on December 15, I've decided to revisit the films from the original Star Wars trilogy (Episodes 4, 5, 6),
The Force Awakens (Episode 7), and
Rogue One (which takes place right before Episode 4). I'm skipping the prequels, for obvious reasons :|.
Star Wars (later subtitled
Episode 4: A New Hope when re-released in 1997) is the first theatrically released Star Wars film (in 1977) that launched an epic franchise that continues to expand 40 years later today in 2017 due to its breakthroughs in visual effects, practical sets + locations, iconic musical score, immersive storytelling, and memorable characters. This movie has inspired generations of film/sci-fi fans, revolutionized adventure storytelling, and often regarded as one of the most influential films ever made.
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| The Death Star |
Star Wars centers on the conflict between the Rebel Alliance + the evil Imperial Empire, and the characters on both sides. The Empire has finished construction of their deadly space weapon, the Death Star (shown on the right), capable of easily destroying planets using its immense firepower.
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| R2-D2 and C-3PO |
The Rebel's leader, Princess Leia (played by the late Carrie Fisher), has been taken hostage by one of the Empire's commanders, the evil Darth Vader (voiced by James Earl Jones). Leia has hidden the stolen plans to the Death Star in 2 droids C-3PO and R2-D2 (shown to the left).
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| (from left to right) Chewie, Luke, Obi-Wan, Han |
The droids are sent to the mysterious desert planet Tatooine where they run into local farmboy Luke Skywalker (played by Mark Hamill) who wishes to join the Rebels in their fight. This encounter results in Luke meeting the wise Obi-Wan Kenobi (played by the late Alec Guinness) who teaches Luke the ways of the
Force, and teaming up with smuggler Han Solo (played by Harrison Ford) + his sidekick Chewbacca (or Chewie). Together in their efforts, they resolve to rescue Leia, defeat the Empire, and restore peace to the galaxy.
Quite honestly, I don't know where to start with talking about how amazing this film is. There over a billion reviews/analyses praising this movie + the impact it's had on cinema and moviegoing audiences.
From the opening scene, we are introduced to a wide shot of a small Rebel ship escaping fire from an enormous Imperial stardestroyer, expressing in a simple but jawdropping way the magnitude of the Empire's strength (shown to the right)
In the next 10 minutes, the film introduces the droids, Princess Leia, and Darth Vader in spectacular fashion. And from then on, the film never lets up on great introductions for more characters along with immersing the viewer into the vast
Star Wars universe.
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| (from left to right) Luke, Leia, Han |
The characters of this film are all iconic not just to the
Star Wars franchise, but to film in general. This is due to the smart + witty dialogue from the hero and villain sides to craft an engaging story about who the Rebels/Empire are, what is the Force, who are the Jedi, the interactions between certain characters, and certain trials that these characters have to go through within this film (and the ones that follow). There are so many quotable lines in this film, and the trilogy for that matter, ("May the Force be with you", "This will be a day long remembered", "That's no moon", "I have a bad feeling about this", etc). And every actor/actress in
Star Wars a phenomenal job at portraying the different types of characters to connect with the audience.
Mark Hamill plays Luke excellently by introducing a young, inexperienced individual who longs to become a respected Rebel fighter. He shows Luke's innocence + vulnerability as he (along with the audience) is thrust into this new world of space and brought in to a new adventure with Obi-Wan, Han, and Chewie. This allows for for a nice set up of Luke's "hero's journey" character arc that builds throughout the trilogy as he learns about the ways of the Force from Obi-Wan and becomes a Jedi Knight (the guardians of peace + justice in the galaxy).
Alec Guinness is perfect at displaying Obi-Wan's wise "old-man" archetype as he encourages Luke learn about the Force + follow in the footsteps of his father to become a Jedi. Similar to Dumbledore or Charles Xavier, Obi-Wan serves as a clever mentor for the film's protagonist + his interactions with Luke display a growing concern for him as Obi-Wan is very old + needs help in carrying on the legacy of the Jedi.
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| Obi-Wan teaching Luke to use a lightsaber. |
He even expresses his cleverness when helping his allies get out of certain situations (using the famous Jedi mind trick, identifying a space station from a moon, etc). As the film continues and the story branches out into a trilogy, Obi-Wan proves to be a crucial character for Luke's development as he is one of the few people who Luke can look up to as a leader on a path of destiny where there is no alternative.
Carrie Fisher (rest in peace) is marvelous as Princess Leia by displaying a strong-willed, determined, and all around bad-ass female personality. She is not afraid to go up against the Empire's forces + is able to hold her ground with her male counterparts. But Leia also shows a layer of compassion towards her allies through her leadership for the Rebels and the decisions she makes in this film (and in the next episodes).
My favorite character, and I'm sure is many other people's favorite, is Han Solo played awesomely by Harrison Ford. Right when he comes on screen, Han Solo steals the show in every scene that he's in because he is so different from a lot of other characters in the franchise. He's a rogue smuggler, he's the captain of the
Millennium Falcon and has a close friendship with Chewie (both shown to the right); he doesn't want any part in the Rebellion (he even famously says "I'm in it for the money!"). Although Han is one of the film's least heroic characters, at the same time he shows a layer of humanity + heroism that manifests towards the end of this film and the subsequent episodes. Harrison Ford properly captures Han's emotions through his young charismatic nature combined with good character development (in this film and the following episodes) from a person with a tough, indifferent personality to a Rebel fighter who cares for his friends. Ford credits
Star Wars with launching his career, leading into more iconic roles in Indiana Jones, Blade Runner, The Fugitive, etc.
Of course, we have to talk about Darth Vader, one of the greatest villains of all time. From the moment Vader steps on screen, we can see that he is a menacing and frightening antagonist. His deep voice (supplied by the great James Earl Jones), his famous breathing patterns, his structured walking style, his interactions with his superior Governor Tarkin; everything about Vader shows the audience that he is a relentless and persistent individual who is loyal to the Empire.
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| Obi-Wan's lightsaber duel with Vader |
A great factor about Vader, aside from his intimidating presence, is his subtle knowledge of the Force. Obi-Wan states earlier on that Vader was his apprentice before turning to the "dark side" of the Force, which feeds into Vader's proper understanding of who precisely the Empire is dealing against. This also relates Obi-Wan's concern of a similar fate occurring to Luke. Although we can't actually see the man behind the mask or any possible backstory (unless you've seen the prequels), the audience can witness Vader's methodical mindset as he trying to recover the Death Star plans + destroy the Rebels, along with his relations with the characters as he later faces off against Luke + Obi-Wan. Vader's menacing personality in this film only expands into the subsequent episodes as new twists about his past revealed to reflect his motivations for joining the Empire + connections to the Force.
I guess you could say he's a major "force" to be reckoned with (I'm probably going to get force-choked 1000 times for that stupid pun, so I apologize).
Now, it would be a crime to not even mention the magnificent work John Williams has done with his orchestral score for this film and all of the other episodes (Williams has scored every Star Wars film except for
Rogue One, which is an Anthology film not an Episode). From the very first scene of each Episode, Williams is able to grasp the viewer's attention with his iconic Star Wars theme playing over the opening crawl text.
The theme for Luke as he looks over the 2 suns of Tatooine + Leia's theme add some nice dramatic tension as the audience can identify with these characters. The background score that goes into the grand action setpieces add a nice layer of excitement and adrenaline as we root for the film's heroes and fear the villains, manifesting into an amazing final act.
There are scenes in this film without any words or dialogue (such as the notable Throne Room sequence) because the music itself is the dialogue. Williams communicates the mythology of
Star Wars with the audience using his unique compositions of the characters combined with the exciting action, proving himself arguably the greatest + most influential composer in film history (
additional film scores include his work on Jaws, Indiana Jones,
E.T.,
Jurassic Park, the first 3 Harry Potter films, and more).
Along with its great characters, clever writing, continuous pace, and the awesome music, Star Wars (in general) is known for its exciting space battles and special effects. The Original Episodes utilize real sets + freshly designed spacecraft prototypes to properly display the sheer creativity + passion from George Lucas (the director of Episode 4 and the prequels) in bringing a nice sense of realism + unique style of space opera.
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| On set of the Millennium Falcon |
Famous ships such as Han Solo's
Millennium Falcon, the Rebel X-Wing starfighters, or the Imperial Stardestroyers/TIE fighters are so recognizable with the film's characters based on their design + power capabilities in the space battles. The designs of many alien creatures are done using various puppets + traditional face masks, along with the droids having real actors inside the costumes making different sounds; all of this connects even more to the futuristic and fantastical style of Star Wars.
By the way, the space battles are very adrenaline-fueled due to the pristine sound design from the ships' blasters + crisp cinematography. The scenes with the famous lightsabers (a Jedi's weapon) are also compelling not just because of the unique visuals, but because of what it represents for both our heroes and villain, along with how it displays the strengths + weaknesses of Luke, Obi-Wan, and Vader in regards to the Force.
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| Rebel X-Wings preparing to take on the Death Star |
The build-up to each action scene, especially in the final battle sequence, is done so well with the desperate Rebels + our main leads trying to accomplish their goals while clashing with the Empire's dangerous fighters + ruthless commanders (clearly based off historical Nazi figures)
Lastly, I must re-iterate the large effect
Star Wars (1977) has had on the film industry and pop culture. Its popularity spawned an original trilogy of 3 great films, (sigh) a prequel trilogy, a sequel trilogy (with
The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and the soon-to-be-determined Episode 9), Anthology films (such as
Rogue One and
Solo), along with various TV shows, books, and video games.
Many science-fiction films today would not have gotten far ahead without
Star Wars's pure inventiveness in revolutionary special effects, themes of adventure + the "hero's journey" development, sound design, and expansive storytelling.
It's amazing to see how after 40 years,
Star Wars plays a relevant part of modern day pop culture from its underlying themes, its uniqueness, the way how many new actors have furthered their careers within the new films.
Not to mention the never-ending barrage of toys/merchandise that you can find in a local Target/Wal-Mart.
In conclusion,
Star Wars (1977) is an ambitious, great start to an epic trilogy displaying the adventures of Luke, Han, Leia, and more with an excellent establishment of wonderful characters that continue to develop in future films + beyond. It sets up an immersive universe for audiences to be engaged with from the film's clever writing, exciting action setpieces, and beautiful music. It's one of the most significant/groundbreaking films in the film industry, it's commonly regarded as one of the best and most original films ever made, and it's one of my personal favorites.
If you are looking forward to catching up to
The Last Jedi this December but have never seen a Star Wars film before, I highly recommend starting with this one and continuing with Episodes 5, 6, and 7 (or you could also start directly from
Rogue One to Episode 7, as
Rogue One takes place right before Episode 4 and explains how a group of Rebels were able to get the plans to the Death Star).
Phew! This may be the longest film review I've written so far.
My Rating; 5/5 stars
Stay tuned for more
Star Wars reviews coming soon! :)
Star Wars (later subtitled Episode 4: A New Hope when re-released in 1997) is the first theatrically released Star Wars film (in 1977) that launched an epic franchise that continues to expand 40 years later today in 2017 due to its breakthroughs in visual effects, practical sets + locations, iconic musical score, immersive storytelling, and memorable characters. This movie has inspired generations of film/sci-fi fans, revolutionized adventure storytelling, and often regarded as one of the most influential films ever made.
From the opening scene, we are introduced to a wide shot of a small Rebel ship escaping fire from an enormous Imperial stardestroyer, expressing in a simple but jawdropping way the magnitude of the Empire's strength (shown to the right)
Mark Hamill plays Luke excellently by introducing a young, inexperienced individual who longs to become a respected Rebel fighter. He shows Luke's innocence + vulnerability as he (along with the audience) is thrust into this new world of space and brought in to a new adventure with Obi-Wan, Han, and Chewie. This allows for for a nice set up of Luke's "hero's journey" character arc that builds throughout the trilogy as he learns about the ways of the Force from Obi-Wan and becomes a Jedi Knight (the guardians of peace + justice in the galaxy).
Alec Guinness is perfect at displaying Obi-Wan's wise "old-man" archetype as he encourages Luke learn about the Force + follow in the footsteps of his father to become a Jedi. Similar to Dumbledore or Charles Xavier, Obi-Wan serves as a clever mentor for the film's protagonist + his interactions with Luke display a growing concern for him as Obi-Wan is very old + needs help in carrying on the legacy of the Jedi.
Carrie Fisher (rest in peace) is marvelous as Princess Leia by displaying a strong-willed, determined, and all around bad-ass female personality. She is not afraid to go up against the Empire's forces + is able to hold her ground with her male counterparts. But Leia also shows a layer of compassion towards her allies through her leadership for the Rebels and the decisions she makes in this film (and in the next episodes).
The theme for Luke as he looks over the 2 suns of Tatooine + Leia's theme add some nice dramatic tension as the audience can identify with these characters. The background score that goes into the grand action setpieces add a nice layer of excitement and adrenaline as we root for the film's heroes and fear the villains, manifesting into an amazing final act.
There are scenes in this film without any words or dialogue (such as the notable Throne Room sequence) because the music itself is the dialogue. Williams communicates the mythology of Star Wars with the audience using his unique compositions of the characters combined with the exciting action, proving himself arguably the greatest + most influential composer in film history (additional film scores include his work on Jaws, Indiana Jones, E.T., Jurassic Park, the first 3 Harry Potter films, and more).
Lastly, I must re-iterate the large effect Star Wars (1977) has had on the film industry and pop culture. Its popularity spawned an original trilogy of 3 great films, (sigh) a prequel trilogy, a sequel trilogy (with The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and the soon-to-be-determined Episode 9), Anthology films (such as Rogue One and Solo), along with various TV shows, books, and video games.
It's amazing to see how after 40 years, Star Wars plays a relevant part of modern day pop culture from its underlying themes, its uniqueness, the way how many new actors have furthered their careers within the new films.
In conclusion, Star Wars (1977) is an ambitious, great start to an epic trilogy displaying the adventures of Luke, Han, Leia, and more with an excellent establishment of wonderful characters that continue to develop in future films + beyond. It sets up an immersive universe for audiences to be engaged with from the film's clever writing, exciting action setpieces, and beautiful music. It's one of the most significant/groundbreaking films in the film industry, it's commonly regarded as one of the best and most original films ever made, and it's one of my personal favorites.
Not to mention the never-ending barrage of toys/merchandise that you can find in a local Target/Wal-Mart.
If you are looking forward to catching up to The Last Jedi this December but have never seen a Star Wars film before, I highly recommend starting with this one and continuing with Episodes 5, 6, and 7 (or you could also start directly from Rogue One to Episode 7, as Rogue One takes place right before Episode 4 and explains how a group of Rebels were able to get the plans to the Death Star).
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