STAR WARS--The Original American Film Epic

Rating: 8/10 (9 May 1999)

A long, long time ago, I was never familiar with STAR WARS until this familiar sound of music played on the radio. Later, visions of action figures on TV commercials dominated my Saturday mornings. This sure was a completely giant success story that even I couldn't understand way back in my pre-school years, but it was just happening. It took years of waiting experience to get a new VCR, and I finally took advantage of the Force. If you were like me, your early childhood days have been rough because you never got to see the STAR WARS trilogy. Fascinated by flying spaceships, bold warriors, and especially C-3PO and R2-D2, the days were a joy to behold. George Lucas' sci-fi epic that includes this first original movie is a timeless treasure, thanks to his establishment of a fantasy adventure that goes galactic. He's not just an ordinary director, but a director of technology. The excitement of its epic combat battles are worth infinite viewings, and was destined to blow away the audience with a rapid-fire force of impact. And this revolutionary piece led to numerous imitators!
You can very well remember how George Lucas and the whole ILM gang made this trilogy through its history of complications. The original STAR WARS was a terrible undertaking for Lucas because he wanted a movie that feels true to realistic. When JAWS was playing in 1975, it showed off some new special effects technology of a great white shark, and managed to achieve in editing. That hit film was released at a time when production values remained tight, which they were often called "B" movies. STAR WARS has been the same thing, and it wasn't exactly clear that high-quality visuals would ever be possible. It would take more than the entire National Football League to create a 70s masterpiece. Lucas tried, and won by displaying a thrilling speed of action with a lightning fast pace. One example is the brief "hyperwarp" scene, where one blink of an eye ruins your day. When you have an incredible view of the fireworks, there's always a big plot to make more excitement. Like the movies themselves, one good story leads to another.
Without characters, there wouldn't be a movie at all. Make them appealing and then everyone can enjoy the fun. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) lives the adventure; Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) is always the bold type; Chewbacca The Wookiee adds to the chemistry with his furry appearance; likeable droids C-3PO and R2-D2 are loved by the kids. But there's always the villain, Darth Vader whose familiarity would still be hated through fun, but always recognizable. This first installment actually serves as an introductory platform for the characters and their potential of things to come. We know them well, but this is only the beginning (in Episode four!). Keep in mind, though, that Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) has always been the central hero of the series. Pretty fascinating!
Always take notice of the 1997 Special Edition. This is a mandatory must for STAR WARS newcomers who still haven't taken advantage of the Force in all these years. The myth is that there aren't a whole lot of changes. The truth is that they're saying quite a lot because the editing of these enhancements is phenomenal, and hasn't been done before. It's a remarkable achievement in modern film technology, and the scene with Jabba The Hut explains why. Remember that some of original pieces of footage remain the same with a certainty of noticeable glitches, which is still a minor offense. Add to this some incredible restoration and we still have a sci-fi gem that will stick around longer while the new trilogy slowly builds on. Think of this, you're watching an entirely new movie!
I hope this original movie and the whole trilogy in itself doesn't fall victim to a terrible amount of backlash when EPISODE ONE arrives. That one will do excellent business based on our cravings for special effects; they actually sell the movies! Should it happen, this would be a fatal blow to preserving a quality image to American cinema, past or present. We must take for granted that movies are essential as entertainment, and how the many possibilities can be discovered. Judging a movie's popularity against the odds is only going to hurt it. It is currently being demonstrated with E.T. (1982) and TITANIC (1997), two highly acclaimed films that are receiving tons of negative criticism and scrutiny from the public. They do this by pushing popularity off the wall. At least we know how to handle STAR WARS movies carefully, and while we enjoy science fiction as a make-believe cushion, it's important to know that it took a genius like George Lucas to create a universe where excitement exceeds the imaginable. Without him, the movie industry would be in deep space beyond the far reaches of our galaxy. The greatest movie ever made? Only on a cult level; it is the best one for the crowd, but consider this a fine American piece of movie art for all.
The Force will be with us.....always.