Star Wars - a saga, and a merchandising empire, begin...

This isn’t going to quite be a normal film review because after all what would be the point of yet another film review of a film most people have seen several times and that’s been reviewed so many times already? So I’m going to do something slightly different here…

Over the years I have often wondered exactly why it was that Star Wars became such a phenomenon. Was it really that different from other films that it should spawn one of the largest merchandising structures ever created? Having watched it many times before, and having watched it recently (in fact the whole original trilogy – what better way to waste a day?!?), here is my theory as to why the first film (and the entire empire that built up around it) was so successful. Oh, and when I say “first film”, I mean in order of being made, for of course it is actually Episode 4…


A New Beginning…

In effect Star Wars created (or, if not created, popularised) a whole new genre (well okay, sub-genre) – Space Fantasy. Here was a film that had the look and feel of a science fiction flick but with the storyline of a traditional fantasy novel. A great evil (the Empire) needs to be overcome, and an unknowing hero (with a special bloodline) is thrown together by fate with a ragamuffin band of a couple of mercenaries who aren’t afraid to stay on the wrong side of the law, a hero past his prime, and a spare member of a royal family. (Throw in a couple of droids as comic relief.) They set off to face the evil and the hero begins to learn who he really is and discovers his potential. We’ve seen it all before, thousands of times…

…

… only we hadn’t. Back in 1977 (which makes the film as old as me… which is… [cough] under 30…) the film looked spectacular and fresh, and to be honest, despite the many sequels, prequels, spoofs, and imitations, it still does (unless you’re really cynical). Special effects may have come on considerably since then but George Lucas’ company Industrial Light and Magic did a fantastic job of creating a high-tech and unique environment. The lightsaber, the weapon of a Jedi Knight (in case you didn’t know, they’re the good guys) were cooler than any sci-fi laser blaster or fantasy broadsword – all the kids in school back in [cough] my day wanted one, and I strongly suspect the same is true today. The fantastic music score by John Williams ensured that Star Wars sounded every bit as good as it looked.

With a cast including Alec Guiness, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and Mark Hamil, there was real quality in the acting and the characters were those you could empathise with. Strangely the opening line of the introductory text, ”A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away” serve not to alienate the viewer but to draw us in. It suggests that we should take nothing for granted, that this time and place is so unlike our own that anything may be possible. So the fact that so many things in the film do not have any tangible scientific plausibility – the Force, for instance, which really is magic given a sci-fi name. In real sci-fi this would naturally be seen as a serious problem, but Star Wars gets away with it.

The action comes nearly non-stop, the space battles look terrific, and there are some deeper, darker undercurrents running through the film if you care to look for them. There’s also a lot of humour thrown in as well, which helps jolly things along. In essence it’s a retelling of the classic tale of good versus evil, with a baddie (Darth Vader) that remains one of the most unforgettable in cinema history.

The reason for the marketing explosion is simply that it captured the public imagination, young and old alike, and has continued to do so as the “Star Wars Universe” has expanded with books, cartoons, more films, a hinted-at TV series, computer games, and of course more toys than you could shake a Wookie at. The most amazing thing about it is that no similar film or series has ever really come close to challenging its ascendancy in the space fantasy (or space opera, if you like).

Admittedly not everyone is a fan but one thing is for certain – the Star Wars phenomena is here to stay!!


More Star Wars Reviews

Films

Star Wars Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Star Wars Epidose VI: Return of the Jedi


Animated

The Clone Wars Volume 1
The Clone Wars Volume 2

Computer Games:

Jedi Academy, set sometime after the films but still during the lifetime of Luke Skywalker

Knights of the Old Republic, set around 4,000 years before the films


See also my Top Ten Science Fiction Films of All Time