Review of Star Wars (1977) by Moviemastered — 22 Mar 2016

When Star Wars was first released on the Wednesday before Memorial Day in 1977, it arrived in theaters with good reviews and excellent advance word. It didn't take long for it to become a phenomenon (although, admittedly, 1997's publicity for the Special Edition dwarfs that of the original 1977 release). It was a true family film -- perfect for kids and parents, a throwback to the space serials of the past and a look ahead to what the future might hold. Adults appreciated Lucas' masterful, magical movie-making. Children loved all the strange creatures. Suddenly, Star Wars was everywhere; there were bed sheets, lunch boxes, trading cards, action figures, comic books, picture books, posters, records, and just about anything else you could imagine.

The Star Wars fad, such as it was, lasted into the early '80s, and the original film received two additional theatrical runs. Then it was on to the small screen. But watching the movie on videotape, which has been the exclusive viewing experience of just about anyone under the age of twenty, isn't the same as seeing it in a packed theater. Now, however, with the advent of the original movie's twentieth anniversary and the promise of new films in another two years, Star Wars is as hot as it has ever been. Those predicting anything less than a financial windfall for the Special Edition don't have the world's pulse.

Star Wars borrows from numerous sources, but the most obvious inspirations are the serialized adventures of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, Arthurian legends, Greek mythology, and Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress. There are also multiple nods to Westerns and the dogfights of World War II movies. But, like all great craftsmen, Lucas has managed to fashion this material in a manner that not only honors the original sources, but makes it uniquely his own. Hacks rip off other movies; artists synthesize and pay homage to their inspirations. Compare Independence Day to Star Wars and the difference will become apparent.

During its original period of theatrical release, Star Wars' special effects were described as everything from "eye popping" to "mind blowing". And, indeed, for their time, they were. (Keep in mind that King Kong's rather cheesy visuals had won the Academy Award just two months before Star Wars was released.) In fact, they're not bad even by today's standards. But "not bad" wasn't good enough for Lucas, and his vision of what they should have been fills the screen in the Special Edition. This is most notable during three key sequences: Luke and Ben's entry into the city of Mos Eisley, Han's heretofore unseen hanger bay meeting with Jabba the Hut, and the final attack on the Death Star. However, in scenes both with and without effects improvements, Star Wars is just as compelling and invigorating a movie experience today as it was when it first came out, and the new stuff blends in seamlessly with the old.

Like all great craftsmen, Lucas has managed to fashion this material in a manner that not only honors the original sources, but makes it uniquely his own. Hacks rip off other movies; artists synthesize and pay homage to their inspirations.

Since 1977, there have been many science fiction movies, but none has managed to equal Star Wars' blend of adventure, likable characters, and epic storytelling. Like some indefatigable King of the Hill, it stands alone and triumphant, regardless of the many imitators that assail its position. As is true of Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and Gone with the Wind, Star Wars will endure long after its creators are gone. And watching this new edition today is like coming home after a long journey and finding everything just as you remember it -- if not better.