"May The Force Be With You" - And Also With You

Rating: 10/10 (23 November 2006)

Originally, this was my favorite film. It has since been overtaken, but it remains at the number two spot. Originally, this had the greatest special effects money could buy. Of course, we now see what it has spawned and we wonder if it was such a good thing. Originally, this was just a story of good and evil, of youth learning, and of science fiction's maturity. Now, we see that the story of a boy following in the footsteps of his father had five other films to go with it.
I stress the word "originally" because of the fact that this film has been tweaked countless times in the past thirty years and it doesn't seem like the original film exists. It's really the only one that should because that's the version that became the phenomenon. That's the version that won all of those Oscars and that's the version that I, like so many others, first saw.
Why is it so important for this film to be seen the way it was first shown, you ask? Just look at what it has done to society and what this small film has accomplished in its short life. You won't have to look far to see that Star Wars has influenced almost, if not everything, to come after it. The "Citizen Kane" of the 1970s was one of the original blockbusters and the first science fiction film in over twenty years to be taken seriously.
You know what it has become, so what was it originally? Star Wars was the story of a boy who longs for adventure. He wants a life away from the farm. He yearns to discover new worlds, new cultures, and experience what it's like to grow up. At its heart, this the all-American story of chance and opportunity. On the outside, however, it doesn't look so simple. We see battles being fought, royalty being rescued, wizards performing their magic, and good triumphing over evil.
Yes, Star Wars has it all. Science Fiction may be its classification, but don't judge too soon. For those wondering whether to go ahead and finally watch the film for the first time, I urge you to follow through. You're journey will truly be one to remember as you see what everyone else has been talking about. I do impress upon you the fact that seeing the original is of the utmost importance. If you've seen and used the technology today, it may seem like you're playing Atari, but when you look back after thinking about what it had to offer and the feelings it gave you, you'll realize how awesome this movie is.