Better with perspective

Rating: 10/10 (21 December 2003)

I believe films that are really worthwhile are proved out by the test of time. One can really enjoy a movie upon it's first viewing, but over the years it may feel dated, or not as moving or exciting, when put up against both older and newer films in the same genre. Episode V is 23 years old as of this writing, and it's holding up pretty well in my mind. So as we're closing the LOTR trilogy this season, I was reminded of another trilogy - one that sparked the imaginations of many filmmakers to come, and really made films like RETURN OF THE KING possible. After all, if the second Star Wars movie had bombed, trilogies in big budget filmmaking would probably not have been a popular consideration afterward. And so would we have seen movies like BACK TO THE FUTURE with arcing storylines through three films? Perhaps not.
The strengths of the film are the strengths of the filmmakers, and where they were in their lives and careers at the time. A young Harrison Ford, a George Lucas who was willing to truly collaborate, a Lawrence Kasdan at his writing prime - I could go on about the cast and crew, but you get my point. I am not sure if the same people, would it be possible, assembled in 2003, could make as good of a movie as they did then. Timing, as they say, is everything.
What we got out of that timing, was the strongest Star Was story told to date, with the best special effects of their time, deeper insight into memorable characters, the darkest, most brooding (and involving) atmosphere in the trilogy, and a couple of serial-type classic plot twists. In the saga it remains unequaled; in the fantasy / science fiction genre it's a groundbreaker; and for a 23 year old space epic, it's about as timeless as they come.