A True Science Fiction Masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (27 October 2015)

In 1977 Star Wars changed the film world forever, one could even argue that no film has had the same effect that Star Wars has. Star Wars represents many aspects of an Epic, but is at it's core a classic example of Science Fiction at it's peak potential. Star Wars stands as one of the best Science Fiction films because it in many ways exemplifies the Science Fiction genre, terrifically uses visual storytelling, despite not being the most original work ever made. Star Wars in many ways defines Science Fiction, because it has since the late 70's been copied endlessly.
While Star wars encompasses many elements of an Epic, such as the iconic score, grand scope, lavish costumes, and use of a large panoramic backdrop, but it is more Science Fiction. When defining Science Fiction there are some major elements that are all present in Star Wars. Star Wars contains the most famous unknown force in film in the force. It deals with lots of futuristic technology such as Space Ships, and Light Sabers, and it contains the ultimate Science Fiction villain of all time, Darth Vader.
The villains while a great example of the Science Fiction elements are an even better example of the visual storytelling. Film, being a visual medium, is always more impressive when the story is told visually. The villains in Star Wars will be seen as bland characters, that are very uniform, and wear either white, black, or gray. Watching Star Wars you can clearly see a parallel between the Evil Empire and the Nazi Party, which makes them seem even more sinister. The use of color and parallels makes villains identifiable, on the opposite end the heroes dress diversely and colorfully, representing the difference.
The film also used great visual acting to tell its story, in that the actors mannerisms are more powerful than their words. The film is also a visual effects masterpiece, partly because of an emphasis on practical effects, and location shooting. The story has one other major reason that it's easily told visually, and that's the familiarity with other films.
Star Wars is far from original, it took many elements from Akira Kurosawa's "The Hidden Fortress", Fritz Lang's "Metropolis, and Frankenstein. An example of this is that Darth Vader is essentially a robotic version of Frankenstein's monster. However, Star Wars proves that a change in genre, location, and overall look can make an unoriginal film seem original, for instance the light saber seems very original but is essentially a variation on the samurai sword. On top of that the characters in Star Wars are variations of the archetypes, like the old mentor, hero, and rough escort.
Despite that Star Wars wasn't the most original film, it has been copied numerous times, making it one of the most influential films ever made. Containing some of the best visual effects, of its time, and one of the best scores of all time the film boasts plenty of reasons it remains timeless. In the end Star Wars will probably remain timeless because of it's visual storytelling and variations of age old themes, characters, and plot points, while making them seem original.