Logan Sork Film Reviews
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
The original Star Wars changed the cinematic landscape forever when it first premiered in May of 1977. Before then, movies were a staple of the American experience, but they were never really on the same level of something like sports. With Star Wars, the audiences who saw it became immersed by this imaginative world and absolutely stunned. As a result, the movie going experience changed forever. It was no longer a simple time-wasting experience, but an event that everyone had to go to. The film even transcended the film market, becoming a staple of our popular culture that still stays with us to this very day. However, this would not have been possible had it not been for the creativity found in this film, brought to life by brilliant characters and state of the art special effects.
Star Wars: Episode IV- A New Hope is written and directed by George Lucas and is the film that began the iconic Star Wars saga. Set a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, the story follows Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), a farmer who lives on the desert planet of Tatooine and dreams of running away to join the rebel alliance to fight the oppressive Galactic Empire. His normal world is interrupted when two Rebel droids come into his possession. One of the droids shows him a recorded message from the captured Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) who reveals that the droids carry plans of the Empire’s new superweapon and must be delivered to the alliance, so they can destroy it. Hearing the princess mention the local Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), Luke seeks him out, who informs Luke that he is the descent of a powerful Jedi Knight and asks him to come with him on the journey so that he can train him in the ways of the Jedi. With the help of smuggler Han Solo (Harrison Ford), the group sets out to rescue the princess and deliver the plans to the alliance in order to destroy the Empire’s new weapon before it’s too late.
From a narrative perspective, the film doesn’t really try anything new and sticks to the basics. A lowly person finds himself thrust into a world beyond his comprehension and goes on an adventure in which he discovers something important and changes as a result. We’ve seen this story done a thousand times and will see it a thousand more. What makes this film truly amazing is the world in which the story takes place. The Star Wars galaxy is one of the most iconic settings in all of cinema, with each and every world and location our characters visit feeling unique and original even to this very day. The sheer amount of creativity that went into this project is simply out of this world. From the alien species that inhabit the worlds to the galactic conflict to the spiritual nature of the force, each element it integrated seamlessly into the story without the need for much exposition, making the film feel fresh every time you watch it. By applying a new creative vision to a simple story skeleton, Lucas creates a film that is easy to follow yet still packed to the brim with enough organic world building that will make you want to explore every inch of this imaginative galaxy.
Of course, the world would feel empty unless you had interesting characters to inhabit it and this film has plenty to spare. While most of the characters are normal archetypes you come to expect (the naïve peasant who longs for adventure, the princess, the daring rogue etc.), the writing and performances do enough to help distinguish each character from their traditional role, making them feel more realistic as a result. Some of the performers come off a little hokey and over the top that is to be expected in a movie where people battle with laser swords and move things with their minds. There are some performances that are truly excellent, including Harrison Ford as the charming yet sly Han Solo and Alec Guinness as the wise Obi-Wan Kenobi. The villains also give fantastic performances, with James Earl Jones’ menacing line reads bringing life into the iconic villain Darth Vader while Peter Cushing brings the cold and calculated Grand Moff Tarkin to life brilliantly. With so many great characters and performances, the already lively world is made all the more exciting.
When it comes to the technical elements of the film, you can’t really get closer to perfection. Big budget special effects were expensive, risky and difficult to do convincingly at the time of the film’s release. However, the team at Industrial Light and Magic managed to create some of the greatest special effects ever put to screen. Every model, laser blast and swing of the lightsaber is simply perfect and has not aged a day since the film’s release in 1977, making the world of Star Wars feel so real and alive. The sets and sound design are also integral to making this fantastic world come to life, as each sound design and set piece is entirely unique and magnificent in it’s own way. The costumes and props also have this unique feeling to them. Being constructed from random bits and pieces found from various locations, the costumes and props in this film have somewhat grounded feeling while still retaining their fantastic elements. And of course, how could I not mention John Williams’ fantastic score, which is considered by many (with good reason) to be the most iconic soundtrack in film history. With timeless special effects, iconic sounds scenery and costumes and a truly magnificent soundtrack, this film takes technical perfection to a whole new level.
The original Star Wars is about as close to perfection as you can get when it comes to filmmaking. With an enchanting creative world, lovable characters and perfect technical elements and effects, this is a true cinematic treat and serves as a benchmark for all filmmakers to aspire to even after all of these years.
10/10