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"At Least We Don't
Have Hayden Christensen
In Our Cast" |
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Directed by George Lucas
- Written by George
Lucas
Starring Harrison Ford,
Mark Hamill, Carrie
Fisher
Distributed by 20th
Century Fox - 1977 -
125mins - Rated PG |
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May the force be with you! |
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When a
modern viewer watches "Star Wars," the first thing that enters their
mind, is what a monumental achievement it is for film. So they watch,
engrossed by the way ahead of their time visual effects, the
groundbreaking sound work, and the truly badass cool of Darth Vader
(one of my all-time favorite villains.)
What a modern viewer notices, though, a few hours after watching it,
is that it has some faults. Actually, quite a few, and they all lead
to one man: creator, director, and writer George Lucas. While he was
viewed as a genius at the time of "Star Wars" release, we can now tell
that he has quite the imagination, but no way to put ideas on paper,
so to speak. His dialogue is usually dreadful, and most of the acting
will make you gag.
Despite this, the film is a classic and a thrill ride. The action is
top-notch, and Harrison Ford and Alec Guinness actually turn in
standout performances that make up for the lackluster performances of
Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill.
And if anything else is in doubt, look at Darth Vader again. He is a
truly great villain. Some would say that he has lost his impact over
the years because his heavy breathing, deep voice (courtesy of James
Earl Jones) and dark suit have been the butt of every joke. Actually,
the fact that he's been parodied so many times just proves how scary
and original he is.
So sit back, relax, and enjoy. Keep in mind, things got better before
they got worse. |
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© Written by Jacob Hall -
Email
Me! |
TC Candler's Comment
Anything
higher than a B-range grade is based on sheer
nostalgia. This is relatively entertaining
fluff, but it is not a mythic cinematic
masterpiece like some fanboys claim. It is
merely a cute 1970's sci-fi flick with corny
dialogue and stiff acting.
Richard Propes' Comment
Was this
film really that brilliant? No, not really. Has
it even aged that well? Definitely not. Yet,
there I am...sitting on my sofa every time I
turn a channel and see that it's on. I find
myself chuckling with C3PO and R2D2 every single
time. I find myself loving Chewbacca and just
enthralled at the chemistry between Ford, Hamill
and Fisher. There's an innocence and a spirit in
the original film that Lucas would never find
again, though I'd still consider the first three
films highly watchable. This was the first, and
this remains my favorite.
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