Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope starring Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) Harrison Ford (Han Solo) Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) dir. George Lucas – 121 mins
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…..an almost fairytale opener, but Star Wars is no fairytale; it is a Sci-Fi epic that if never created the world would be a far different place. So many times moments and characters have been parodied, honoured and even been the theme for weddings!
Events begin right in the middle of the story, but this is suggested by the fact that it is deemed Episode IV. We learn that the galaxy is in the midst of a civil war between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance. One of the greatest villains in cinematic history in Darth Vader (David Prowse, but voiced by James Earl Jones) is looking to retrieve plans for the Empire’s Death Star – an armoured and armed space station with capabilities of destroying entire planets – from Princess Leia (Fisher – Heartbreakers, Fanboys, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) who using the aid of the droids C3PO (Anthony Daniels ) and R2D2 (Kenny Baker) is able to send a distress signal to Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness – Scrooge, Lawrence of Arabia, The Bridge on the River Kwai) a former Jedi Knight, asking for his aid. But inadvertently it is Luke Skywalker (Hamill – Batman: Arkham City (voice), Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) who discovers the droids and in doing so finds himself on a fantastic adventure. Along with Han Solo (Ford – Indiana Jones Series, What Lies Beneath, Cowboys and Aliens) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) Skywalker links up with the rebel alliance and helps to fight the cause.
Inside the Millenium Falcon
One of the reasons that Star Wars as a franchise has become so popular is down to the incredible characters that are presented to us. They are so iconic that a simple line or impression is instantly recognisable by most of the population. There can be very few people in the world that hasn’t at least seen something to do with Star Wars at some point their life. This is because George Lucas puts so much detail into every single character that appears on screen; whether it is a service droid or a creature found in Mos Eisley cantina you feel that Lucas knows what their back story is.
Not something out of the X-Files, but the Mos Eisley Cantina Band
Speaking of service droids there can be no better than R2D2 and C3P0. The banter between the two of them is absolutely fantastic and considering that R2D2 only communicates through beeps and whistles this reflects the life and character given to the individuals. They are two of the earliest odd couple type comic duos – epitomised by the dialogue where C3P0 informs R2D2 “No, I don’t think he does like you, I don’t like you either” and then R2D2 whines. This is typical of C3P0’s nature – a very pessimistic character that always fears and assumes the worse. When Luke, Leia and co. are trapped within a trash compactor C3P0 has already given up hope on the survival of our heroes, but thanks to R2D2 all is not lost. It is the difference between the two droids – who almost take on a Laurel and Hardy type appearance with C3P0 being tall and thin and R2D2 short and round – that makes them a welcome addition to the Star Wars franchise.
R2D2 (Baker) and C3PO (Daniels)
But to find light relief within the droids you require a threat and danger that feels real and potentially strong enough to be victorious. Does Star Wars have this? Darth Vader….No more words are really required; from the moment that the striking black cloaked villain with rasping speech walks through the smoky remains of the recently obliterated door on board Princess Leia’s ship there must have been many children (and a few adults) who would have leaped behind their cinema seats. It’s simply the awe that Darth Vader provokes and with the ability to use the force to choke people at will it makes him an imposing threat. The fact that his face is fully covered with an almost robotic mask makes people instantly wonder what his history (and what a history it is!) consists of and also what creature he really is. This is a technique used in many horrors such as the Scream franchise’s Ghost Face Killer and even seen recently in The Dark Knight Rises’ Bane – Tom Hardy also using the mask to create an imposing and threatening voice. Being one of those original cinema goers back in 1977 who didn’t expect to see such a presence on screen must have been a real cinematic gem of a moment.
Darth Vader (Prowse)
Luke Skywalker is the typical ‘principal male’ type role: in actuality Star Wars: A New Hope almost plays out as an origin story for our young hero – his discovery of the force, his learning to try and master it, his encounter with the empire, his attempts to deal with personal tragedy. This is something that also Princess Leia – the ‘principal female’ – has to deal with and it is the tragic event that forces and motivates both of them to begin their adventure. At times they become somewhat bland in comparison with all the other characters, really due to the fact that their plights have been seen on the big screen so many times before and since.
Some people feel that the real ‘hero’ of the piece is Han Solo. Played with great charm and charisma by Ford it would be hard to argue that the former carpenter’s career was not propelled by playing this role. Hamill was always supposed to be the actor who succeeded most from the franchise, but there was something about Ford that aided him and where Hamill found himself working behind a microphone doing voiceovers it was Ford who took many leading man roles. But Han Solo is not a typical hero by any means – he is much more of an antihero. The Mos Eisley Cantina is a fantastic scene – perhaps one of the best of the film, but at the same time it serves as a fantastic introduction to Solo and his wookie sidekick Chewbacca. It is here that Kenobi and Skywalker are searching for Solo to use his ship – a task he is willing to do for money, which certainly appears to be his key motivation. We also learn in this scene of how he has borrowed money from Jabba the Hutt (NB. an additional scene was put in to the digitally mastered version of the film whereby we see a meeting between Jabba and Solo. When Ford originally filmed the scene back in ’77 there was no Jabba and therefore Ford was not aware of his movement restrictions. Therefore upon watching the new editions when Solo walks around the back of Jabba you will notice the gangster react as Solo steps on his tail!) and is having a discussion with Greedo a bounty hunter (who himself has a massive cult following particularly caused by the massive debate that rages between Star Wars fans regarding who shot first – Han Solo or Greedo – debated so hotly because it gives a different impression of Solo depending on how you believe the incident played out) who has been sent out after Han Solo due to failing to pay Jabba back. Certainly not up for debate is the moment when Han Solo kills a member of the Empire who is simply doing his job – an unnecessary murder committed by our hero?
Aside from the characters there are many moments that work towards the success of Star Wars. The John Williams’ score is fantastic throughout; from the title music to the Imperial March used often when Darth Vader is present the music really captures and adds to the mood of the film. Also certain moments that hint to the bigger picture work well – there appears to be a familiarity between R2D2 and Ben Kenobi – something we as an audience are enlightened with following the release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. But at the same time this doesn’t necessarily always work – the fight scene’s outcome between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi is somewhat confusing and must have left many people baffled back in 1977. The visuals and graphics used are incredible for a film made in 1977, but at the same time some of the additions in the digitally mastered version therefore feel clunky and unnecessary.
Despite having an odd starting place for a film (at the time) trilogy – the bad guys are winning! – this is definitely a better place to start than with the newer trilogy. It is not that the later trilogy are bad films, it is just that the original trilogy are so fantastic that it would be a shame to have Phantom Menace and co be the first experience that you have of Star Wars.
9 / 10
Dan
Read my review for The Empire Strikes Back
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