STAR WARS (1977)
An Appreciation by Jerry Saravia
Originally viewed in 1978
George Lucas' "Star Wars" is one of the great outer space fantasy movies of all time - it was, and still is, a gleefully exciting popcorn movie full of special-effects galore and chivalrous heroes, stubborn princesses, evil dark empires, and two adorably argumentative robots. The characters were Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda and Darth Vader, to name a few. It is no surprise to state that "Star Wars" became a pop phenomenon on a scale like no movie before it or since - it redefined what audiences ultimately wanted from the movies - pure escapism into a world that did not exist. There has never been another phenomenon like it and, despite all the special revised editions and the two sequels that followed forming the Holy Trilogy, it is technically the first film (aside from Spielberg's "Jaws" released 2 years earlier) that initiated the term, blockbuster.
The original "Star Wars" was a major box-office success signaling the rise of merchandising and the wave of Hollywood blockbusters and endless imitators to come. The main difference between "Star Wars" and the so-called action entertainment of today is that "Star Wars" had wit, style and imagination to spare, not gratuitous action scenes and bloody violence at the expense of a story or characters worth caring about. It was even more of a sheer joy to watch this film restored to its original glory with the first Special Edition revisions in 1997 with its blazing colors, beautiful cinematography and the uplifting Dolby Digital musical score by John Williams. The special-effects are as awesome as they ever were, including the classic battle on the Death Star, the plentiful laser gun fights, and the lightsaber duel between Vader and Kenobi.
The actors are also rather pleasing to watch after all these years. Harrison Ford has as much fun here as when he played Indiana Jones and his constant snickering and witty asides are as marvelous as ever. Ditto the youthful Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia (who for some reason speaks with a British accent when confronting Vader); James Earl Jones' eerie voice for the mysterious Darth Vader; the comical interaction between the lovable robots C3PO and R2D2; Mark Hamill's naive farm boy Luke Skywalker who eventually becomes a fighter pilot for the Rebellion (Hamill's career never took off the way his co-stars did); the masterful restraint of Sir Alec Guinness as the sage Obi-Wan (no doubt inspired by Gandalf back when "The Lord of the Rings": was still only a book); Peter Mayhew as the hairy seven-foot growling Chewbacca; and notably Peter Cushing as the commander of the Death Star station - he's almost as scary as Vader when he blows up Leia's home planet Alderaan!
There is not much more to be said other than the fact that I was 7 or 8 when I first saw it, in Toronto, Canada in 1978 (I was going to see it even earlier when we lived in Sao Paulo, Brazil but my father told me kids could not see it then, 1977 to be precise, though I am sure that was a falsity). Just the opening title crawl alone followed by the Imperial Cruiser that seems to come from over our heads and the thunderous John Williams score were enough to entice me, to transport me to a galaxy light years away. When we first catch glimpse of Princess Leia, we don't know who she is or if she is even one of the good guys. The introduction of the ominous Darth Vader, as seen behind the mist of an explosion aboard a ship, who is carrying a loud breathing apparatus and a helmet that looked like it could give Dracula the heebie jeebies was enough to suggest villainy of the darkest sort.
"Star Wars" is just grand escapist entertainment - a more mature update of Buck Rogers with its serialized quotient of action scenes and last minute escapes. In many ways, it anticipated the Indiana Jones movies (though they are more intense) and it also anticipated a seismic change in moviegoing habits. It also brought a new term in the lexicon - the Force ("an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.”) If it wasn't for "Star Wars," there might not be superhero movies or "Avatar" or any number of so-called "franchises" of the fantasy or sci-fi sort. Studios went crazy with the escapist variety and tried to replicate it, foregoing personal statements by other directors contemplating on issues such as "real life." Adult cinema, that is to say, films for adults about adults became more and more rare to the point that today, a film about adults might be something you can only stream. Movies did change but it wasn't "Star Wars"' fault - the audience changed too after suffering through scandals such as Watergate, the Vietnam War and so on. There was a need for escape and that is understandable and "Star Wars" screams escape. 45 years later, we have had 10 or more "Star Wars" movies (My preference is still for "The Empire Strikes Back"; as for the sequel trilogy, "The Last Jedi") and yet for many, this 1977 pop entertainment and its two respective sequels remain the favorites for many (not sure how the tots of 2022 feel). The Force will be with us for some time.
