Simply The Greatest Movie Ever Made

Rating: 10/10 (1 February 2013)

It's been over 35 years since I first saw this unbelievable piece of cinema. And the weird thing is that I was a little disappointed that first time. Star Wars had been SO hyped that by the time I saw it back in 1977 I was expecting a non stop shoot 'em up from start to finish. The fact that the movie came out of the gate so quickly when Darth Vader and his storm troopers attacked and boarded Princess Leia's starship only increased those expectations. So naturally the following scenes in the desert on Tattooine right after that intense opening were a bit of a letdown. The desert sequence seemed to go on FOREVER, even though it really doesn't last that long. It wasn't until the 2nd time I saw Star Wars that it really hit me just how great this movie was. I think the trick was that I wasn't watching it with expectations or a critical eye the 2nd time..I just sat back and enjoyed it. A friend at the time criticized it for not being good science fiction, but he had it all wrong. Star Wars isn't a science fiction movie per se, though there are some terrific sci fi elements in it. At its heart, Star Wars is a fairy tale..maybe the greatest ever told.
I guess I'll give my "critics analysis," such as it is, as to why this movie is so great. It's not the effects, or the action, or the sets, even though all of the above are spectacular. It's the story, the dialog, and most of all those memorable characters who immediately draw you in. Mark Hamill is terrific as the eager young Luke Skywalker, who at this point in his life just wants to quit being a farmer and have some adventure. Carrie Fisher is equally good as the sharp-tongued Princess Leia. Fisher makes the most of some good lines ("Would somebody get this big, walking CARPET out of my way?!"). Harrison Ford is spot on as the cynical, wise-cracking, swashbuckling space pirate Han Solo (my favorite character in Star Wars). Not much to say about Obi-Wan Kenobi, other than the fact that he's played by the incomparable Alec Guinness, an actor's actor for whom a bad performance is a contradiction. Guinness could make the most basic line of dialog sound interesting. And oh, those robots. The back and forth between C3PO and R2D2 is beyond priceless. And of course, there's the bad guy to end all bad guys, Darth Vader. But as mean and heartless as Vader is, he's also, in a weird way, cool. The scene on the Death Star where Vader nearly chokes a pompous ass of a general to death (the first time we witness his telekinetic powers) is classic. You can see that Vader does not suffer fools well, even (or especially) when they're on his side. The action sequences, though very well done, are not overdone. George Lucas does a wonderful job of taking the concept of the dogfight and transposing it to outer space. Ditto the sword fighting scenes, substituting foils with light sabers..truly inspired. The same is true for the visual effects. They're wonderful, but they support the story and characters rather than upstage them, and although there are a lot of neat visuals, somehow you don't feel bombarded by them (unlike subsequent Star Wars movies, alas..). Again, having a strong story with compelling characters helps. The sets are terrific too (the Millennium Falcon is my favorite). One thing I like about Lucas' universe in Star Wars (as opposed to Gene Roddenberry's in Star Trek) is that not everything is pristine and perfect. Machines and equipment from the Falcon to the droids look well used. The scene that best personifies Lucas' universe is in the bar. It's like something right out of the old west..only with space aliens. You also get a bit of mysticism and sword and sorcery (as in the Force) to go with the sci fi..which will be expanded on in future films.
A buddy of mine once said that Star Wars was the first movie that was EVERYTHING that a sci-fi action adventure could be. George Lucas called it his gift to a generation which grew up without fairy tales. I just call it fun; the greatest tour-de-force in motion picture history. Yes, there are movies which are far more serious, which examine human imperfections, harp on social issues, etc., but when I go to the movies, I want to forget about the world's troubles for a couple of hours, not be reminded of them. And Star Wars is the definition of escapist fair. The first one in its original cut is the best. The 90s re-release with added scenes and enhanced effects, though still good, was not necessary, and Lucas flat out ruined one of the classic scenes in the original movie: the scene in the bar featuring Solo and Greedo.