The film that changed Hollywood (for better or worse); still amazing

Rating: 8/10 (25 May 2006)

Yes, the original can still stand head and shoulders above the competition. One of the all-time biggest box office titans, the first film in the original STAR WARS trilogy is a 24-karat film classic in the same vein of such cinematic masterpieces as The WIZARD OF OZ (1939) and CASABLANCE (1942). Even the decades of sequels, lame knock-offs, and crass commercial tie-ins cannot dim the sheer brilliance of the ultimate space opera. When re-watching the film all these years later, it remains impossible not to get caught up once again in the film's irresistible sense of adventure and excitement.
Much of what makes the film special (and what director/writer seems to have forgotten when creating his uneven prequel trilogy in the late-nineties/early-2000's) is the relative simplicity of the entire project. This is not to deny the various technical merits of the film, as Lucas is a true pioneer in large-scale effects-heavy film-making. The still-impressive special effects designed by Jonh Dysktra and John Stears set a new standard for film visual effects, and the production design and Rick Baker's make-up effects are top-notch without being overdone. Impressive as the film's technical merits remain, however, the film's true heart lies in good old fashioned story-telling.
In the end, STAR WARS excels as entertainment simply because it is a great story told in an fresh and inventive manner. The characters have all justifiably become pop culture icons, especially Mark Hamill's quintessential put-on hero Luke Skywalker, Harrison Ford's quick-witted pilot Han Solo, and everyone's favorite bickering robots, C-P3O and R2-D2. The perfect amount of sophistication is brought to the proceedings by screen legend Alec Guinness, who delivers a performance of great nuance and indisputable class. Best of all is the infamous Darth Vader (sinisterly voiced by James Earl Jones), who remains one of the silver screen's greatest villains.