Looking back on Star Wars, part 1: Star Wars – A New Hope (1977)

The special effects obviously first come to mind. Industrial Light and Magic was specifically created for Star Wars, inventing many of the techniques still used by filmmakers today. More than forty years later, the original models of the Millennium Falcon, TIE fighters, Star Destroyers, X-Wings, and the Death Star look just as impressive as they did in 1977. Ironically, it’s the “Special Edition” version of the movie, with its plethora of CGI inserts, which date the movie more than the theatrical cut with its “dated” practical effects.

Moreover, thanks to editors Paul Hirsch, Richard Chew, and Lucas’ then-wife, Marica, almost every single shot and sequence in Star Wars is perfectly framed, paced, and composed. From the moment we see the Imperial Star Destroyer move–and keeps moving–into the frame, our attention never wavers. After that, it’s one great set-piece after another. The Stormtroopers breaching the Rebel ship and the arrival of Darth Vader; the Jawas and their transport filled with broken droids; R2’s hologram of Princess Leia; Luke Skywalker looking out over the twin sunsets of Tatooine; The Mos Eisley cantina; the Falcon jumping into hyperspace; the Death Star’s trash compactor; the first lightsaber duel; the X-Wing fighter trench run… and more.

…with all its visual splendor and technical marvels, Star Wars wouldn’t have worked nearly as well if not for the characters and the actors who portrayed them.

The sound is also just as important as the visuals, if not more so. Thanks to Ben Burtt’s sound library, R2-D2’s beeps and whistles, Chewbacca’s growls, and especially Vader’s mechanical breathing are just as character-defining as their appearances. The laser blasts, starship engine roars, and lightsaber crackles have remained unchanged. And of course, there’s John Williams’ musical score. Like his main themes for Jaws (1975), Superman the Movie (1978), E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982), and the Indiana Jones movies, the moment you hear the “Main Title Theme” for Star Wars, your mind instantly flashes back to that movie.

Yet with all its visual splendor and technical marvels, Star Wars wouldn’t have worked nearly as well if not for the characters and the actors who portrayed them. Since Lucas crafted these characters as deliberate archetypes found in fairy tales and folklore, they are identifiable and relatable regardless of time and culture. What’s more, each character is visually distinctive. One look at C-3P0, R2, Chewie, Vader, the Stormtroopers, even Kenobi are instantly recognizable.

The cast also helped define the heroes and villains of Star Wars as much as Lucas did. For instance, Harrison Ford wasn’t considered for the part of Han Solo. Instead, Lucas brought him in to read Solo’s lines during auditions for the other actors. He did so well that Lucas decided to cast him anyway. Likewise, while Anthony Daniels performed as C-3PO, Lucas didn’t want to use his voice until one of the voice actors auditioning convinced him otherwise. Even the voice of Vader almost went to Orson Wells instead of James Earl Jones.

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And whether it’s because of good casting, the actors throwing themselves into their roles, or because of repeated viewings, it’s almost impossible separating the performer from the performance. Thus, Mark Hamill is Luke Skywalker. Carrie Fisher is Princess Leia. Harrison Ford is Han Solo. Peter Cushing is Governor Tarkin. And of course, Sir Alec Guinness is Obi-Wan “Ben” Kenobi. Although he lost the award for Best Supporting Actor to Jason Robards during the 50th Academy Awards, there’s no question of how great Guinness is playing the old Jedi Master who teaches Luke the ways of the Force.

Yes, Star Wars isn’t devoid of problems and gaffs. There’s some obvious dubbing, like the alien who harasses Luke. Or when Vader gestures to Tarkin as if he’s still talking, even though he isn’t speaking. Jabba the Hutt’s scene in the “Special Edition” is completely unnecessary. And don’t get me started on the “who shot first” debate. At least the Stormtrooper who accidentally bonks his head on the door frame has a sound effect to go with it.

Yet we don’t mind these mistakes. For there’s one other reason behind Star Wars’ success, the most important one of all. It’s fun. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy a rousing fairy tale about a young farm boy, a wizard, a dashing rogue, his furry sidekick, and two droids off to rescue a not-so helpless damsel in distress from an evil empire? Who wouldn’t want to see sword fights and magic alongside spaceships, lasers, and aliens? All great fantasy should delight and offer brief escapism. Star Wars provides more than enough of both.

Even so, despite all the praise and accolades it received, despite catapulting Hamill, Fisher, and Ford into superstar status, and despite defying all expectations, everyone still regarded Star Wars as just a movie. It wasn’t until three years later that Star Wars would become so much more… for better and for worse.