Guerre stellari

I was actually born about a year after this film first premiered, but being a member of a family that was the first on the block to get such things as the VCR and the proper Hi-Fi system allowed me to catch this film in a number of different formats in the years ranging from 1982 to 1997. I think it is safe to say that without this film, I would have had no idea how truly evil a thing Pan And Scan is, or why multi-channel audio is such a damned important thing to have in the home theatre environment.

Of course, I also knew that the film wasn't perfect. I could see a number of small problems where Lucas' budget just didn't quite go far enough, or where there just wasn't enough time to accomplish what was wanted. So when the announcement was made that in 1997, each film would be presented with improved special effects and footage that could not be integrated in the original cut for reasons of budget or practicality, I was excited.

For the most part, I was overjoyed to see the new footage or effects. Mos Eisley now looks like a real city or port of commerce, without the viewer's sense of disbelief at the seemingly deserted streets needing to be suspended. The flight of the X-Wings towards the Death Star in its original form was very good, a marvel of its time, but when George finally got to show it the way he wanted to, it was almost the equivalent of watching the helicopters of Apocalypse Now decimating the village to the tune of Ride Of The Valkyries. The wonderfully composed tracking shots especially made the battle look almost as if it really happened and Lucas was just there to take pictures. And Jabba? Well, he doesn't look all that real, granted, but it was just nice to have that one piece of footage in order to make the appearance of Boba Fett in Episode V and the entire prologue of Episode VI make a bit more sense, especially to dullards.

Unfortunately, there are a number of times when Lucas just goes too far in his quest to improve his work. Sometimes you can only do so much to anything before it starts to look overdone. Of course, I am talking about the scene between Han and Greedo in the cantina. In the original version, we are led to believe Han is a scoundrel who only cares about himself, giving us one of the best character arcs in the whole trilogy. It is also a great tribute to Sergio Leone, a nice reference to when Tuco shoots a potential assassin from his bathtub and tells the corpse "When you have to shoot, shoot, don't talk!". Modifying this scene so it looks like Greedo shot first is an insult on a few levels. It insults Greedo as a character, making him look like one of the most incompetent bounty hunters in the galaxy. It insults the audience, who even at the age of six should no that you'd have to be blind, drunk, brain-damaged, or all three, to miss from that distance. Lastly, it insults the character of Han Solo by destroying a vital piece of said character arc. Watching Han go from scum to a leader of men, a space-age version of King Aragorn even, was one of the best things about the original Star Wars trilogy.

The story itself is the stuff of classics in that it shows the most unlikely of heroes doing things that everyone else claims to be impossible. What Lucas got right in terms of pacing and plot here is exactly where he went wrong in the prequels, in that he makes the jump from location to location seem important to the plot and totally natural, rather than forced and choppy. The story and sense of adventure makes one forget that there are really only three major locations other than the inside of a space ship.

Overall, the original Star Wars rates an eight out of ten. If Lucas had applied some common sense in conjunction with his rampant desire for revisionism, I would give it a ten, but as one critic who is famous for his negativity once said about Episode II, when was the last time anyone told George Lucas no? Still, this is a classic that should be shown to future generations as an example of how an imagination and enough literacy to realise it will open doors for you when nothing else will.

Star Wars is simply a fantastic film, on every level this film is amazing.

Each of the characters in this film are so well developed and so interesting that you just cannot wait for the next scene with them in it, the interactions between the characters us at times tense and at times downright hilarious, leaving no room for boring or lacking dialogue. The particular stand outs in this respect I feel are: Han Solo, the wise cracking bounty hunter with a tendency for arrogance that makes every scene as entertaining as possible. Secondly there is Darth Vader, who is the optometry of cool, scathing evil who poses as the ultimate villain.

Surprising to me, the cinematography and special effects have held up all this time. Although there are some minor issues, one particularly notable one is during the scene where Luke is training with the training droid aboard the Millennium Falcon there are a few frame skips where Luke extends and contracts his lightsaber. Other than this though, the cinematography and special effects are amazing to have held up, particularly the shots of the Empire's space fleet moving through space which are absolutely stunning.

One of the things that absolutely makes this film for me is the magnificent score, composed by John Williams. This score, while being one of the most iconic scores of all time, manages to make every single scene, fitting the mood of the scene perfectly.

The story as well is fantastic, there is never a dull moment; every second of it an absolute thrill ride. Whether its the attack on the Death Star or the Cantina of Mos Eisley the story takes you through the twists and turns of this classic space opera.

If I could recommend one sci-fi adventure film to someone, it would be this, it's an absolute must see.

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The beginning of one of the most legendary franchises with one of the most elaborate worlds in the history of cinema.

There is no denying, even if you are not a fan of this franchise, the contribution to cinema that this film has made.

A charming and memorable soundtrack combined with strong and soulful scenes gives a wow effect.

It is this movie that includes a huge number of events that capture you and immerse you in history. The powerful and dramatic first half, contrasting with the cheerful and humorous second, gives a very complete and versatile film.

Characters - there's nothing to say here. Darth Vader - who can compete with him in popularity among villains except the Joker? The "kind" characters of the film - Luke Skywalker, Obi Wan Kenobi, Han Solo and others - are known to almost everyone. And for good reason!

Yes, the graphics here are still a bit weak, but after such thoughts, look at the release date - 1977, and then remember the atmosphere and elaboration of this picture and think about whether you gave the right claims to this story?

And the same "old" special effects are still very cool for those years and the eyes are not too sore.

The only thing is that because of the possibilities of that time, Darth Vader does not look as cool as in new films and animations, and fights on light swords not best. But, unfortunately, these were the conditions before.

George Lucas came up with an interesting idea - to start the franchise with the 4th film. But there were conditions for that - filming the first three episodes was impossible at that time.

In general, this is the beginning of a great saga that is worth watching, it is not for nothing that it is considered a classic and revered by more than one generation.

My rating is 9/10. Great!

Star wars made epic fantasy real. For a generation of people it has defined what the cinema experience is meant to be. Today it is probable that pc games will offer a deeper and more satisfying entertainment solution, but for pure visual and aural pleasure, mixed with basic emotional manipulation, there has never and will never be a better example of cinema than when star wars appeared over 25 years ago. When you think of star wars, you must remember what else was happening at the time. In America, the war in Vietnam had been lost. In the U.K economic disaster was occurring(a 3 day working week, and the army collecting rubbish). It was almost like the two most technically advanced countries in the world were going backwards. Star wars let everybody escape from that reality and reach for a future that was uncertain but ultimately good.

In respect to the many kids of the seventies. I rated this movie as one of the greatest movies ever made. I was thirteen and enjoyed this fantasy getaway more than I could count. Like many other kids of the seventies you left reality before walking into the theatre and escaped into the adventure once the reels begin rolling. It provided the special effects and excitement a kid was looking for. Even today when I watch this movie on VHS I recall those times. Whenever I get the chance to watch it I feel like that eager thirteen year old over and over again. I hope the new movies will meet the same expectations of kids of this decade and the next.