Fastest film ever

Rating: 9/10 (15 May 2000)

What made (and makes) Star Wars such a unique and powerful film? There has been a lot made of the 'Mythology,' but many other films have a background myth, yet remain unexceptional. Star Wars is perhaps the first and certainly the most successful film to exploit its "Filmness." It tells a story that could not be told as powerfully or convincingly in any other medium. From the brilliantly mixed sound, to the monumental style of shot composition, to Williams' Royal score, Lucas pushes each element of film as far as he can. The editing alone is an unprecedented tour-de-force as this story flies by so fast, you're afraid to blink. Yet the story is simple enough that even at this pace, a six-year-old child can keep up with every element of the story. Star Wars so overwhelms the senses (it's impressive now on TV, so multiply that effect for the mid-70s theatre-goer), one is hardly able to notice the craft that holds it together. Maybe that's why all we've talked about for 22 years is the story. During the theatrical re-release a couple years ago, I noticed what a uniquely constructed film it is, and how each element contributes to the experience. Anyone interested in discussing the series intelligently needs to look closely at the glue of this film, otherwise we're just comparing plot and character, which are in actuality, probably two of the weaker points of these films.