Review of Star Wars (1977) by Chuck W — 31 Jan 2016

George Lucas launches arguably the greatest cinematic franchise of all time. It also went on to become the greatest merchandising franchise of all time and has made George Lucas the richest man in cinematic history. However, the film does not stand up to the test of time. After recently re-watching this film, the reaction from my children and I are that it was one hell of a cheesy movie. Poorly acted overall, including Sir Alec Guiness, it is a surprise that this is still respected today. However, the special effects at the time must be held in the highest regard for trailblazing the "space opera" concept. Akiro Kurosawa's "Hidden Fortress" provided a basis for Lucas' plot development and its main characters clearly parallel R2D2 and C3PO.

The film is rated highly for its contribution to cinema as the launch of a great franchise rather standing alone as a great movie. The film is held closely within the hearts of most children of the 60s and 70s like myself.