If the Big Boys won't let You play, just take Your Ball and Start Your Own Game! George Lucas did and Look What Happened!

Rating: 10/10 (14 May 2008)

As Hollywood Legend goes, young Producer-Director George Lucas had sought to obtain the Screen Rights from the Hearst Corporation's King Features Syndicate to do a new Film version of their FLASH GORDON Comic Strip. The Classic Space Adventure Strip had been created by Comic Art Master, Alex Raymond (1909-56) and debuted January 7, 1934.
The Comic Strip was a magnificent combination of Science Fiction and Sword, Sandal and Sorcery. In spite of having misgivings about Universal Pictures turning FLASH into a Movie Serial in 1936, Buster Crabbe, the Olympic Swimming Champion, found himself loaned out from his own Studio, Paramount Pictures Corporation, and cast in the lead. It was an overwhelming success and FLASH GORDON (Universal Pictures, 1936) merited 2 subsequent sequels: FLASH GORDON'S TRIP TO MARS (Universal, 1938) and FLASH GORDON CONQUERS THE UNIVERSE (Universal, 1940); both Sequels had Mr. Crabbe in the Starring/Title Roles.
BUT, back to the 1970's where we find our little chum, George Lucas age 30ish, waiting patiently for an answer from King Features; hopefully a Positive answer, but any would do, just to get an answer one way or another. Finally an answer did come. "No" was its short and sweet message.
KNOWING that rejection is a large part of this, this Show Biz and one could not hope for success by sitting around, pouting, lolly-gagging and otherwise wasting precious time; Mr. Lucas took his Ball Home (it was after all, his BALL) and found himself another game.
SO before long, an entire new Universe of New Characters and History emerged as we learned all bout Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, Han Solo, Obi-Won Kenobi, Darth Vader, Chewbacca and the struggles between the Old Republic and the Totalitarian Oriented Empire Lucas' own "Flash Gordon" was born, fully fledged and in the middle of on of those famed Stellar Conflicts.
STAR WARS (Lucas Films, Ltd./20th Century-Fox, 1977) was of course the answer and final by-product. And although there is obviously influence from previously mounted Space Operas, this Film and the ultimate 5 prequels/sequels really stood up as an original saga, unique unto itself with no other saga.
To begin with, the entire concept and story belonged to George Lucas. It was a true Lucas Film in every sense. He built favourite baby using the finest of ingredients available. The cast, for example is a sterling example of what we're speaking of.
We have Luke Skywalker (Mark Hammill) as the mystified young orphaned kid, raised by Aunt Beru (Shalagh Fraser) and Uncle Owen (Phil Brown). Their whole lives are radically altered when they receive a message via the Robot R2D2 (Kenny Baker) from Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher).
THROWN into the thrall are Ben (Obi Won) Kenobi (Alec Guiness, a Stout, virtuoso Actor) Robot C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), a Free Lancing Space Soldier of Fortune & Sort of Swashbuckler, Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his Alien 'Wooki' sidekick, Chewbacca (Peter Mahew).
PROVIDING the disloyal and murderous opposition we have Darth Vader (Davis Prowse = physical part, James Earl Jones = vocals), the former Jedi Knight turned Evil and the Grand Moff Tarkin (Peter Cushing) who represent every smile to your face-back-stabbing wuss of a Boss that we've all met at on tine or another. At their beck and call are minions of the Empire's Storm Troopers, Bomber and Fighter Pilots and all who work on the infamous Death Star, the super combination space vessel and self contained planetoid of destruction; almost being to the average space ship as a Carrier is to a Destroyer or P.T. Boat.
WITH the counter balance between the white clad Obi Won Kenobi and the all Dark Armor and Black Cape, Lucas has given us a clear contrast.. With the many references to "the Force" and "May the Force be with you!", Mr. Lucas is clearly placing morality squarely in the middle of this otherwise seemingly "bubble gum" Space Opera.
IN Ben Kenobi (Obi Won), we are clearly presented with Good. In Darth Vader the opposite is represented, Evil.
WITH the term "The Force" Mr. Lucas is doing just one thing. He is giving standing and recognition to someone who probably is known to all; yet perhaps most of us probably don't give him his due. George Lucas obviously recognized this and decided to do something about it; even though in doing so definitely would fly in the face of that Politically Correct Crowd.
IN the prominent placement of "The Force" as a central theme and motivator of this and all the other entries, he in a sense reintroduced us all to GOD.
Thank you, George and May the Force be with You!
POODLE SCHNITZ!!