Movie Mythology

Rating: Null/10 (27 October 2000)

Star Wars(1977) has been adored by audiences from its opening night in 1977 to its special edition release in 1997. Star Wars is the film that changed the cinema and ushered in a new era of mega blockbuster features. The only negative aspect is that Star Wars(1977) as with Jaws(1975) brought about the end of creative and risk taking filmmaking that was essential to films of the early 1970's(thus ending the last golden period in film history to date{1967-1977}). This unfortunately brought upon an era of greed in which studios are more interested in piling in loads of cash then in creating bold and great works of film.

Star Wars(1977) is superior to Episode one because in a way the characters are more fully realized. Another reason the film is better then Episode one is there is a fresh appoarch to the material with a sense of wonder that's missing from the latest film. Also, The Phantom Menance does not have a character like Han Solo to contrast some of the main characters. Finally, The Phantom Menance seems like a soulless machine while Star Wars(1977) is filled with energy and wisdom.

Like other filmmakers, George Lucus was influenced by John Ford's The Searchers(1956). Another film that influenced the director is Akira Kurosawa's Kakushi Toride no Sanakunin/The Hidden Fortress(1958). This is the director's masterpiece of his short director filmography. The battle scenes leading up to the descruction of the Death Star are breath taking.

Harrison Ford is both cocky and dashing as the smuggler, Han Solo. Star Wars(1977) is an entertaining movie to view. Its amazing that George Lucus had trouble getting funding to make the first Star Wars film. Alex Guiness and Peter Cushing act professionally in their prospective roles.