Star Wars IV: A New Hope

Star Wars IV: A New Hope

1977

Director: George Lucas

Writer: George Lucas

121 Minutes

There is too much to write about. And like the story, this film is epic. It’s an adventure. It’s a space opera. It’s part of almost everyone’s childhood. Broomsticks used as lightsabors, action figures, and Halloween costumes made up the Star Wars infatuation, which continues even today.

But in the beginning, there was a boy with a dream to leave home.

Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) lives a rural life on his home planet of Tatooine. He is a farmer, but wishes to join the Imperial Academy to become a pilot. In short, he wants to leave his home – a theme most teenagers and young adults desire.

Luke is a part of another world, different than ours, in a galaxy far, far away. He knows there is more to this universe than crops, bandits, and the Toshi station, though he has responsibility to his Aunt and Uncle. Once they are killed by the evil Empire, Luke follows Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness) to Mos Eisley, eventually teaming with Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew) to start his adventure.

But again, it all started with a boy dreaming about leaving home.

In the scene above, Luke has an argument with his Uncle about joining the Imperial Academy a season early, skipping the harvest, and eventually “getting off this rock.” When his Uncle declines, Luke irritably rushes outside and looks towards the horizon at two setting suns.

This duel sunset creates a curiosity in Luke (and in the audience) that there is more to this universe – more we want to explore, investigate, and discover. There is an adventure beyond the sand – a rebellion against the Empire – and excitement past moisturizer evaporators, blue milk, and his chores.

Luke wants the adventure. We all do.

George Lucas created a world for his hero’s journey, which is the genius behind Star Wars. The STAR WARS UNIVERSE was the ultimate release, escaping audiences into a world of hot-rod spaceships, the force, jawas, a Western-style cantina, planetary space stations, golden droids, and the villainous Darth Vader. And after creating this universe, he placed our hero, an All-American boy, against a Galactic Empire - a classic hero's tale.

Simple, creative, and brilliant.

Once upon time, in a galaxy far, far away…there was a film that started a revolution. Star Wars went onto be the highest grossing film, keeping the title until E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial's release in 1983. It spawned two sequels, three prequels, an animated series, numerous video games, and list goes on.

But, it all started with Luke.

Like I said, there is too much to write about. This film is perfect, wonderful, and entertaining, even 34 years after it’s initial release. But in the end, Han Solo shot first. If you know what that means, you’re a true fan.

If not, watch it again.