Title: "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope"
Director: George LucasProducers: Gary Kurtz
Editing: R. Chew, P. Hirsch, and M. Lucas
Composer: John Williams
Starring:
- Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker
- Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi
- Harrison Ford as Han Solo
- Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia Organa
- David Prowse as Darth Vader
- James Earl Jones as 'The Voice Of' Darth Vader
- Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin
- Anthony Daniels as C-3PO
- Kenny Baker as R2-D2.
- Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca
Plot and Critical Review: The galaxy is in a state of civil war. Spies for the Rebel Alliance have stolen plans to the Galactic Empire's Death Star: a space station capable of annihilating an entire planet. Rebel leader Princess Leia is in possession of the plans, but her ship is captured by Imperial forces under the command of Darth Vader. Before she is captured, Leia hides the plans in the memory of a droid called R2-D2, along with a holographic recording. The small droid escapes to the surface of the desert planet Tatooine with fellow droid C-3PO.
The two droids are quickly captured by Jawa traders who sell the pair to moisture farmer Owen Lars and his nephew, Luke Skywalker. While Luke is cleaning R2-D2 he accidentally triggers part of Leia's holographic message in which she requests help from Obi-Wan Kenobi. The only "Kenobi" Luke knows of is an old hermit named Ben Kenobi who lives in the nearby hills; Owen, however, dismisses any connection, telling Luke that Obi-Wan is dead. That night R2-D2 escapes to seek Obi-Wan.
The next morning Luke and C-3PO go out after him and are met by Ben Kenobi who reveals himself to be the Obi-Wan they are looking for. He takes Luke and the droids back to his hut where he tells Luke of his days as a Jedi Knight. He also tells Luke about his association with Luke's father, also a Jedi, who he claims was betrayed and murdered by Darth Vader, Obi-Wan's former pupil who turned to the "dark side of the Force". Obi-Wan then views Leia's message in which she begs him to take R2-D2 and the Death Star plans to her home planet of Alderaan where her father will be able to retrieve and analyze them. Obi-Wan asks Luke to learn the ways of the Force. After initially refusing, Luke discovers that his home has been destroyed and his aunt and uncle were killed by Imperial stormtroopers in search of the droids. Luke agrees to go with Obi-Wan to Alderaan, and the two hire smuggler Han Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca to transport them on their ship, the Millennium Falcon.
Meanwhile, Leia has been imprisoned on the Death Star and has resisted giving the location of the secret Rebel base. Grand Moff Tarkin, the Death Star's commanding officer and Vader's superior, tries to coax information out of her by threatening to destroy Alderaan. Leia pretends to cooperate, but Tarkin destroys the planet anyway to demonstrate the power of the Death Star. When the Millennium Falcon arrives at Alderaan's coordinates, it encounters cloud of rubble. The Millennium Falcon follows a TIE fighter toward the Death Star and is captured by the station's tractor beam. Once in the hangar bay the group evades search parties and escapes from the Millennium Falcon. Some of the group take refuge in a command room while Obi-Wan goes off to disable the tractor beam. Luke discovers that Princess Leia is on the station and is scheduled to be executed. Han, Luke, and Chewbacca stage a rescue and free the princess. Making their way back to the Millennium Falcon they witness a lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader. As the others race onto the ship to escape, Obi-Wan allows himself to be struck down by Darth Vader's lightsaber; Kenobi disappears while his empty cloak and deactivated lightsaber fall to the ground.
The Millennium Falcon journeys to the Rebel base at Yavin IV where the Death Star plans are analyzed by the Rebels and a potential weakness is found. The weakness will require the use of one-man fighters to slip past the Death Star's formidable defenses and attack a vulnerable exhaust port. Luke joins the assault team while Han collects his reward for the rescue and leaves, despite Luke's request for him to stay and fight. The attack proceeds when the Death Star arrives in the system. (Vader had a homing beacon placed on the Millennium Falcon so they'd know the location of the Rebel base.) The Rebel fighters suffer heavy losses and, after several failed attack runs there are few surviving pilots. Vader appears in a TIE Fighter with his own group of fighters and begins attacking the Rebel ships. Luke, realizing he is one of the few Rebel pilots left, begins a bombing run. Vader prepares to shoot Luke down; all while the Death Star closes on firing range of Yavin IV. As Vader is about to fire at Luke's ship Han arrives in the Millennium Falcon and attacks Vader, sending his ship careening off into space. Guided by Obi-Wan's voice telling him to use the Force, Luke switches off his targeting computer and fires a successful shot which destroys the Death Star seconds before it could fire on the Rebel base. Later, at a grand ceremony, Princess Leia awards medals to Luke and Han for their heroism in the battle.
There's no shortage of critics who have written at length (to the point of books and beyond) about the impact of "A New Hope". Because you're probably aware of the many technological breakthroughs Lucas made to make this movie, i'll spare you the babble for a change. Instead, permit me to present a few facts you might not have be aware of:
My Rating: 8.5/10
Content to Caution:
V-2 - A fistfight here, a lightsaber duel there. A well-rounded sci-fi film is sure to follow.
L-1 - No comment.
DU-1 - Luke and Obi-Wan walk through a bar where many creatures are seen to be seen drinking. In the same scene some characters smoke what appears to be a hookah.
RT-0 - "We don't serve their kind here!" - How disrespectful...
H/S-1.5 - No comment.
CH-1 - No comment.
S/N-0 - Awfully clean this film is.
The "Reel Revelation": "A Galaxy (Not So) Far, Far Away - Pt. 4"
See you tomorrow- E.T.
Meanwhile, Leia has been imprisoned on the Death Star and has resisted giving the location of the secret Rebel base. Grand Moff Tarkin, the Death Star's commanding officer and Vader's superior, tries to coax information out of her by threatening to destroy Alderaan. Leia pretends to cooperate, but Tarkin destroys the planet anyway to demonstrate the power of the Death Star. When the Millennium Falcon arrives at Alderaan's coordinates, it encounters cloud of rubble. The Millennium Falcon follows a TIE fighter toward the Death Star and is captured by the station's tractor beam. Once in the hangar bay the group evades search parties and escapes from the Millennium Falcon. Some of the group take refuge in a command room while Obi-Wan goes off to disable the tractor beam. Luke discovers that Princess Leia is on the station and is scheduled to be executed. Han, Luke, and Chewbacca stage a rescue and free the princess. Making their way back to the Millennium Falcon they witness a lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader. As the others race onto the ship to escape, Obi-Wan allows himself to be struck down by Darth Vader's lightsaber; Kenobi disappears while his empty cloak and deactivated lightsaber fall to the ground.
The Millennium Falcon journeys to the Rebel base at Yavin IV where the Death Star plans are analyzed by the Rebels and a potential weakness is found. The weakness will require the use of one-man fighters to slip past the Death Star's formidable defenses and attack a vulnerable exhaust port. Luke joins the assault team while Han collects his reward for the rescue and leaves, despite Luke's request for him to stay and fight. The attack proceeds when the Death Star arrives in the system. (Vader had a homing beacon placed on the Millennium Falcon so they'd know the location of the Rebel base.) The Rebel fighters suffer heavy losses and, after several failed attack runs there are few surviving pilots. Vader appears in a TIE Fighter with his own group of fighters and begins attacking the Rebel ships. Luke, realizing he is one of the few Rebel pilots left, begins a bombing run. Vader prepares to shoot Luke down; all while the Death Star closes on firing range of Yavin IV. As Vader is about to fire at Luke's ship Han arrives in the Millennium Falcon and attacks Vader, sending his ship careening off into space. Guided by Obi-Wan's voice telling him to use the Force, Luke switches off his targeting computer and fires a successful shot which destroys the Death Star seconds before it could fire on the Rebel base. Later, at a grand ceremony, Princess Leia awards medals to Luke and Han for their heroism in the battle.
There's no shortage of critics who have written at length (to the point of books and beyond) about the impact of "A New Hope". Because you're probably aware of the many technological breakthroughs Lucas made to make this movie, i'll spare you the babble for a change. Instead, permit me to present a few facts you might not have be aware of:
- Approximate Budget: $11 Million
- Approximate Income from Initial Theatrical Release: $775 Million
- "A New Hope" opened in 32 theatres worldwide. It broke attendance and revenue records in almost every theatre where it was shown.
- "A New Hope" was hailed as a "blockbuster", the first film to be called one. It is widely believed, however, that Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" was the film which marked the beginning of the "blockbuster" era.
- Chewbacca's growl consists of a combination of growls from bears, tigers, lions, dogs, and walruses.
- It took 12 days for John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra to record the entire soundtrack for "A New Hope".
- That soundtrack won John Williams his third Oscar.
- There is a common misconception that Harrison Ford's first acting role was in "A New Hope". This is untrue.
- It is true, however, that Ford landed in George Lucas' good graces because he had been employed to build cabinets at the film director's home in the early 70s. That's also how he got his first starring role in "American Graffiti".
- George Lucas suffered from tremendous stress and strain during the production of the film. Cast and crew members tried to get him to smile, for he often seemed depressed. He was eventually diagnosed with hypertension and ordered by doctors to lower his stress level.
Now you'll be prepared to impress people the next time "Star Wars" comes up in water cooler conversation.
My Rating: 8.5/10
Content to Caution:
V-2 - A fistfight here, a lightsaber duel there. A well-rounded sci-fi film is sure to follow.
L-1 - No comment.
DU-1 - Luke and Obi-Wan walk through a bar where many creatures are seen to be seen drinking. In the same scene some characters smoke what appears to be a hookah.
RT-0 - "We don't serve their kind here!" - How disrespectful...
H/S-1.5 - No comment.
CH-1 - No comment.
S/N-0 - Awfully clean this film is.
The "Reel Revelation": "A Galaxy (Not So) Far, Far Away - Pt. 4"
During the season of Lent I read from a very simple prayer book called "Lift Up Your Heart - A Prayer Primer for the Quiet Hour". Tonight's meditation includes a very special poem that i'd like to share. As you read it, especially the third stanza, consider how fortunate we are that God should choose us to be His instruments of peace in the world. We come to Him broken, hurting, bleeding, weighed down from the sins of the past, and weak. He sees us precisely as we are and, knowing all our faults and failures more throughly than even we do says, "Come and follow me."
Jesus, my Lord, my God, my All!
Hear me, blest Saviour, when I call!
Hear me, and from Thy dwelling-place
Pour down the riches of Thy grace.
Jesus, My Lord, I Thee adore!
O make me love Thee more and more.
Jesus, too late I Thee have sought;
How can I love Thee as I ought?
And how extol Thy matchless fame.
And glorious beauty of Thy name?
Jesus, My Lord, I Thee adore!
O make me love Thee more and more.
Jesus, what didst Thou find in me,
That Thou has dealt so lovingly?
How great the joy that Thou hast brought,
So far exceeding hope or thought!
Jesus, My Lord, I Thee adore!
O make me love Thee more and more.
Jesus, of Thee shall be my song,
To Thee my heart and soul belong;
All that I have or am is Thine,
And Thou, blest Saviour, Thou art mine.
Jesus, My Lord, I Thee adore!
O make me love Thee more and more. (Henry Collins)
Amen.
See you tomorrow- E.T.
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