Throughout the history of film, many film franchises have been established. While some have made a great impact, there are few that have had the global impact that Star Wars has made. As A New Hope celebrates its 40th anniversary and the franchise prepares itself to release the next installment in the Skywalker saga, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, Star Wars remains one of the most recognizable film franchises of all time.
When first released in 1977, there was no New Hope, just Star Wars. The film tells the story of a rebel alliance led by Princess Leia attempting to take down the evil Empire, lead by one of the greatest on-screen villains of all time, Darth Vader. Early on in the film, it is revealed that the rebel alliance has gotten a hold of the plans of the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the Death Star. A moment in film that was captured by 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story which tells the story of the rebels who lost their lives capturing the plan and connects to A New Hope like a glove. In 2017, no other film connects to A New Hope the way Rogue One does. As the film progresses, Princess Leia is captured by the Empire and eventually leads to Luke Skywalker, Obi-Won Kenobi, Han Solo, and Chewbacca on a mission to save her.
As simplistic as a premise for a film gets, however, it is hard to deny that Star Wars changed the landscape of filmmaking. What makes Star Wars work so well is that nothing had been done like this before. I have often said on the Reel Chronicles podcast that I feel that the 1970’s are the greatest decade in film history. Despite all the great films released during the decade, Star Wars was different. It was not just well made, but fun, entertaining, and a film that was meant for the whole family, which could explain the massive box office it achieved. While Jaws created the “Summer Blockbuster”, Star Wars revolutionized it.
Star Wars’ characters are some of the most endearing you’ll ever meet. From Luke Skywalker to Han Solo (My personal favorite hero of the bunch), Chewey (the silent type), Obi-Won, and last, but certainly not least, Princess Lea, there is at least one character in the film you can see yourself as. The chemistry between Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and the late Carrie Fisher is evident through every moment on screen. Ford and Fisher are easily best in show as there chemistry off-screen may have lead to such great back and forth on-screen. Fisher’s portrayal as Princess Leia was a staple for the strong, confident, powerful female hero on screen.
Darth Vader is without a doubt, one of the best villains in film history. Not only is he recognizable, but in New Hope, he is merciless and driven to protect his Death Star from destruction, no matter the cost. A villain that is driven and by motive? What a concept.
No Star Wars review is complete without mentioning the work of the greatest composer of this generation, John Williams. The score to Star Wars is the greatest film score of all time. From its iconic opening crawl theme, to themes splattered throughout the film, it is hard to think of a film that has a more memorable score than Star Wars.
While the franchise is the most recognizable, it’s also the most misunderstood. I have spent countless moments throughout my time as a fan of the franchise defending it from ignorant folks who quite don’t understand why its beloved by many. My message to anyone that has seen Star Wars defends it till the end, and remember what Obi-Won once said, “Whose more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him.”
Always be yourself and continue to love Star Wars instead of following, because, without the success of Star Wars, many other beloved franchises would never have seen the light of day.
Reel Talk gives Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope 4 Reels
