Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Directed by: George Lucas
I always enjoy when I can get my hands on reviewing one of my Top 10. For me, that's the top 10 movies that are my absolute favorites to watch on any occasion. They are also the 10 films that have changed me as both a fan of movies and as a person. A film like this means that I am not the same person coming out of the movie as I was going in. This kind of description perfectly summarizes how I feel about Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. While I love the Star Wars saga (including a love/hate relationship with the prequels), this is really the one that can stand on its own as a film. No matter how good the other two films are in the original trilogy, I find that they are better if you have a solid foundation established by what Star Wars (or A New Hope) started. It's one of my all-time favorite movies and it really changed the world of film as we know it. For a long time, movies were the way they were and then Star Wars came along. There's a handful of movies that can have that big of an impact on the world, but Star Wars is THAT big of a film. One thing I must stress is that if you are getting into this series for the first time, it really helps to start with this film. It gives you the best overall cinematic experience to watch the original trilogy and then the prequel trilogy. So be ready for me to talk about this film with a pair of "first impression goggles."
The hero of the Star Wars trilogy is Luke Skywalker, played by Mark Hamill. Luke has possibly the greatest character progression I have seen in a movie franchise. Simply in how he is at the start of the series to the end, Luke has an amazing transformation. We nowadays are aware that Luke Skywalker is a great Jedi and hero of the franchise, but when this film starts, he's just an unassuming teenager looking to go into Tosche Station to pick up some power converters. He's the viewer's window through this galactic journey. He looks out at the two suns on Tatooine, dreaming of doing something greater with his life, and by the end of the film, he has lived the adventure of a lifetime. Shooting down spaceships, saving the princess, blowing up the Death Star, and training to be a Jedi? Who wouldn't want to be in Luke Skywalker's shoes? I know I would.
Our guide to the Force is through Ben Kenobi, an older version of Obi-Wan Kenobi played by Alec Guinness. He's a great mentor figure for Luke to look up to. He's wise, yet mysterious. He can also be quite humorous, and as far as an introduction to the world of Star Wars is concerned, he offers a gateway to the Jedi folklore. It is thanks to Obi-Wan that Luke receives his father's lightsaber. Obi-Wan also uses a Jedi mind trick to tell the Stormtroopers "these aren't the droids you're looking for." This and a few other things really paint Obi-Wan as this experienced and all-powerful figure that could easily captivate a generation of viewers.
One of the first characters we're introduced to is C-3PO, a protocol droid played by Anthony Daniels. It's pretty easy for 3PO to get a lot of criticism from even the most diehard of Star Wars fans. His foppish delivery makes it easy to be labelled "annoying" and even "gay" by many viewers. I just think it works for him. He's part of a comedic foil, meant to act the opposite of his counterpart, and when they're able to work off each other, it provides some of the best comedy the films have to offer.
The counterpart, of course, is astro droid R2-D2, played by Kenny Baker. Short on words and size, but big on actions, R2 actually holds the power of the film's plot within his circuits. He's the one who has to carry Princess Leia's message to Obi-Wan, the one who sneaks away from Luke to go and find Obi-Wan, the one who has to save our heroes from being destroyed in the garbage compactor, and the one that accompanies Luke to blow up the Death Star. That's a lot of stuff to happen to a little astro droid in one film. And of course, his biggest function is to annoy the crap out of C-3PO, a function that he greatly succeeds in. Still, the two are great friends and one of the most memorable pairings in the Star Wars universe.
The counterpart, of course, is astro droid R2-D2, played by Kenny Baker. Short on words and size, but big on actions, R2 actually holds the power of the film's plot within his circuits. He's the one who has to carry Princess Leia's message to Obi-Wan, the one who sneaks away from Luke to go and find Obi-Wan, the one who has to save our heroes from being destroyed in the garbage compactor, and the one that accompanies Luke to blow up the Death Star. That's a lot of stuff to happen to a little astro droid in one film. And of course, his biggest function is to annoy the crap out of C-3PO, a function that he greatly succeeds in. Still, the two are great friends and one of the most memorable pairings in the Star Wars universe.
The very tall Peter Mayhew plays beloved Wookiee Chewbacca. Despite being one of the most fun characters in the bunch, we actually know very little about Chewie. We know about his sound effects, we know he's tall, we know he's hairy, we know he's loyal to Han Solo, and we know he has the power to rip arms out of sockets. That's all we're really given, but that's all we really need. I think some of the most effective side characters are the ones that have just enough mythos about them to give a small impression of what their character is and what they've been through. You can definitely get a lot of that with Chewbacca and that's why I always get a kick out of watching him in action.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Whether you call it Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope or simply Star Wars, this is one of the most recognizable movies in history for a darn good reason. For introducing the world to a galaxy far far away with some of the most beloved characters and memorable scenes, this film is a definite must watch for all moviegoers out there.
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and movie images are copyrighted by 20th Century Fox
No comments:
Post a Comment