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Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope 1977 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by George Lucas
PG, 129 min. (sci-fi violence, brief mild language) |
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Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness, Peter Cushing, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, James Earl Jones (voice)
Producer: Gary Kurtz
Screenplay: George Lucas
Cinematography: Gilbert Taylor
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Released: 5.25.77 (Wide) |
Rating:
 (out of ) |
When movie historians examine the most influential, popular, and important films of the 20th century, a few films will
invariably stand out. At the top of the list you'll find classics such as Citizen Kane, Gone with the Wind, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and,
undoubtedly, Star Wars. What mastermind George Lucas accomplished in Star Wars is evident in more ways
than one. He completely changed the way movies were made, how they were marketed, and most importantly how they
were told (for better or worse). His visionary team of movie-makers changed the movie industry forever by challenging
long-held traditions with groundbreaking special effects wizardry. As a result of his work, Industrial Light and Magic was
born, thereby helping to craft other big-budget films (Jurassic Park, Independence Day) to soar to new heights of monetary bliss. But at its heart, Star Wars
is a rousing adventure film, beckoning all those willing to come along for the ride - one that has thrilled millions with its
simple tale of good vs. evil. And certainly, of course, one of the greatest films ever made.
The influence of Star Wars is immeasurable. From grand marketing schemes to promotional campaigns, the film became
the model for success in Hollywood. By the end of summer 1977, Star Wars peraphernalia was everywhere - lunch
boxes, action figures, trading cards, posters, and more. Lucas' well-known fight with the studio to make films the way he
wanted to make them inspired him to cleverly obtain the rights to all merchandise that might be sold after the success of the
film. This clever move enabled him the freedom to make his subsequent films (The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi)
in any way he desired without the budget constraints or the painful cuts of an editor under studio control.
However popular Star Wars may be among the average movie-goer, many critics and filmmakers bemoan the fact that
the film ended an era of smaller, more personal filmmaking that focused on the intricate, delicate relationships between
people. It's a fair assessment, although somewhat bitter to describe, as Jonathan Rosenbaum (one of the great movie critics of
our time) writes, Star Wars as "worthless," in terms of what the film did to the Hollywood mentality. But, as Roger Ebert
writes, "It located Hollywood's center of gravity at the intellectual and emotional level of a bright teenager." The result is
an endless sea of grossly over-budgeted debacles of filmmaking such as Pearl Harbor or Armageddon. The majority
of quality endeavors have retreated to the independent arena, where their freedom is restored a lá the pre-Star Wars
era of the early 1970s. To blame Star Wars for this unfortunate situation is unreasonable due to the fact it was never meant
to start a revolution that continues to this day.
The subsequent re-releases of the Star Wars trilogy, twice in the mid-1980s and once in 1997 under the newly-improved
"Special Edition" label, have enabled Lucas to fund his long-awaited prequels (Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and the upcoming Star Wars Episode III), which began a new
trilogy in 1999. The Special Edition trilogy is more realized and polished in the special effects department, but also seemingly
loses some of its originality and impact of the original trilogy. Lucas called the new package his "definitive vision" of the Star
Wars trilogy, and the incredible popularity of the films was reinforced with record box-office receipts despite the fact the films
were re-releases.
In crafting his masterpiece, Lucas lent inspiration from many sources including previous science fiction films (Flash Gordon,
2001, Forbidden Planet), mythology, westerns (The Searchers), World War II dogfights, and a loose conglomeration of
many of the world's religions. His story is told as a simple fable - it establishes heroes and villains, sidekicks and
swashbucklers - all in the backdrop of stunning visuals that make it feel as though it were real. Clearly, an intricate
character study was sacrificed for lights, colors, and glorious battles. But Star Wars characters have
been unfairly labeled as shallow, thoughtless paperweights caught in a flurry of bombastic storytelling. In actuality, the
power of Lucas' tale comes from the ability of an audience to relate to its characters - their irresistible strengths and weaknesses that
make them unique and unforgettable. They seem like long-lost friends that are forced together by a common cause, with
a chemistry that arguably remains unmatched in cinematic history. It's their camaraderie that gives the film a solid
foundation to build upon.
Lucas' first decision was maybe his best - to throw the audience into the middle of a story and let them fill in the missing
pieces. The story begins as its title declares - Episode IV: A New Hope. Instantly the viewer realizes that this is only
one of several supposed chapters in the Star Wars saga (Sidenote: Although rumors have persisted for years that there
are a total of nine chapters, Lucas has consistently refuted this notion - there are only six). Lucas was so revolutionary that
he abandoned the Directors Guild of America because he wouldn't conform to conventional opening credits. Instead, a
scrolling text warns the viewer that they are about to enter a different world, one that is long ago in a galaxy far away.
Since most movie-goers have seen Star Wars multiple times, there is no need to rehash the plot here. Suffice to say, we
are introduced to Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), an adventure-seeking desert farmer, who is destined to become the apprentice
of a legendary Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guiness), who teaches him the ways of the "Force." They are soon joined by Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew)
in their mission to free an enslaved Princess, Leia (Carrie Fisher), and to help destroy the Empire's most feared weapon,
the Death Star. Along the way, they pick up droids C-3P0 (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker), while confronting
the evil Governor Tarkin (Peter Cushing) and maybe the screen's all-time greatest villain, Sith Lord Darth Vader (David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones).
In all reality, the story is a soap opera set in space; however, its ability to grip the audience for its entire running length
makes it seem more important than it is. It's that perception, along with its unique characters, that makes Star Wars so loved.
It has long been argued that the film's actors, outside of the impeccable Alec Guiness, are simplistic and poorly portrayed.
Obviously, Mark Hamill never won any Academy Awards, but Lucas was wise to cast relative unknowns for key parts, especially
since he knew they would be necessary for future episodes. It's also debatable that the characters are purposively
dumbed-down because their roles are superficial and only help to drive the story forward. However, one could argue that
the characters needed simplicity here because of their need to grow in chapters five and six - something that is quite
evident when reviewing them today. A fine actor such as Harrison Ford is a bit pidgeon-holed in this story, but his complex
character is slowly revealed over the next two films. It seems, at least at the time, that Lucas understood this concept
completely.
Star Wars' greatest asset is in its ability to transport the viewer to another place and time without the slightest hint of
fakery or unbelievability. It's interesting that Lucas didn't take the path that Stanley Kubrick took in 2001 - that of trying
to portray his vision of the future - instead, he used the past to incorporate into his story. From the design of the multiple
sets and ships, history's shapes are recognizable. Of course, his use of special effects not only wowed audiences, but
set the standard that all forthcoming sci-fi films would have to endeavor to equal. Lucas correctly followed his instinct that
viewers would more readily relate to a familiar sense of humanity's technological pursuits. Here, he's envisioned great
advances, but since the story is set long ago, the audience quickly sees the similarities of what might lay ahead in our own
galaxy.
However successful the Star Wars franchise has become, it would not have been as effective without John Williams' timeless
musical score. The Star Wars theme is maybe the most recognizable of all time, and is certainly Williams' signature mark
among his many masterpiece scores. It's not just the opening music we love, but also the smaller, quieter notes of
humor and anxiety that brings every scene to life. Consider the famous cantina scene. Here we have a seamless blend
of special effects, action, dialogue, and music that captures the very heart of the Star Wars universe. Williams' involvement
in the franchise only further cemented his talent, as his unforgettable music in The Empire Strikes Back proved.
Star Wars was nominated for 10 Academy Awards and won six (mostly for visual and sound effects, and decoration), but
went home empty-handed in the major categories (picture, director, screenplay), much to the dismay of its fans. In hindsight,
Lucas should have won for director at least, considering the impact that the film has had on subsequent awards. Star Wars
did take home Hollywood's most coveted prize however, that of the box office receipts variety. It still stands as one of the most
profitable films in cinema history.
I think the greatest compliment to Lucas' incredible success is apparent in the legion of fans of the Star Wars universe.
You'd have to look far and wide to find someone (at least in the U.S.) who hasn't heard of the phenomena we call Star Wars.
The power of his imagination was confirmed shortly before the first of the prequels, The Phantom Menace, when the hype
surrounding the film dwarfed that of any other film in history. His combination of simple but epic storytelling on a grand
scale won the hearts of a generation and shaped the genre of science fiction forever. Star Wars is also maybe the best
"feel good" film to ever hit the big screen - one would have to be a geniune scrooge to resist the pleasure of revisiting an old
friend. And that's what Star Wars is, a reservoir of memories (and for some a new adventure) that brightens a rainy day. Although I'm one of the many
movie critics that would call its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, a superior film (for reasons I won't mention here), Star
Wars has the distinction of introducing the world to a galaxy that still thrills millions each and every time they experience
the adventure on video. Whether or not Star Wars is the best film of all time is debatable, but one thing is for sure -
it can't be too far from the top.
© 2002 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
 | Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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