Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (Original Version) (2 Discs)

Star wars is my all time favourite film and one which I have watched so much growing up, I can recite every line even now. The reason is it is one of the most entertaining films you will ever watch, the action never stops, the characters are engaging, the special effects still look great today and most importantly the film is believable.

But can a film made so long ago still stand the test of time today. Well it consistently appears in lists of classic/best/most entertaining films of all time. It also one of the most important Science Fiction films ever made and would easily make most people's top 5 sci-fi. It is a classic tale of the struggles between good versus evil, of love and sacrifice and ultimate triumph which has been the blue print of many stories for centuries. Where Star Wars is different is the way it retells this story in a futuristic setting. It is that simple and yet it is so much more. You actually believe in the characters and that there is a galaxy far, far away. Everything from the set design to the costumes is looks authentic and the story doesn't take the audience for granted giving reason and purpose.

For example when the bounty hunter Gredo wants to 'speak' to Han Solo, it may look like nothing but so much goes on before it that is hinted at (but not revealed until later if at all) to give you this meeting that you never question it. Also when Obi-One talks to Luke about The Clone Wars, even though you never see it you can imagine it as it is described so well and makes you understand why things are the way they are now. The script is complex in this respect but within the context of this film work perfectly.

Credit should also be given to John Williams whom, yet again, manages to create such a memorable theme tune as well as a soundtrack of rising, stirring and dramatic music which fits this film probably better then any soundtrack I've heard. You can listen to it and understand the story without ever seeing the film.

For 1977 the special effects were way ahead of their time and was a big a leap for the FX industry as Terminator 2 was in 1991 and The Matrix was in 1999. From this ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) was formed and more budget was given to special effects companies and in particular science fiction (Star Trek: The Motion Picture was going to be Star Trek Phase II series until Star Wars came out, due to it's success they decided to turn it into a film). It is also one of the most recited, satired and talked about film ever made.

Star Wars also introduced us to some of the greatest concepts in cinema namely the Jedi, the force and the best movie weapon ever, the Light Sabre. Any of these things in one film would have made it good, but to put them all together was a work of genius. The Jedi knights are based on Japanese Samurai as it was George Lucas's love of Akira Kurosawa's films and American Westerns that inspire this film (he describes it as a western in space). George also often says that his is not a new story, simply an old story retold. That may be true but it is the way the story is retold that created a landmark in movie history, a film which will never be beaten.

Is it really that good? Well it won 7 Oscars and if you are a man or a fan of any science fiction then it is like breathing (in other words essential). People have differing views on the later films (past the Sequel Empire Strikes Back), but there is no arguing over this film. If you love science fiction of any description then you are going to love this, if you don't you are among the 0.000000001% of people that don't.

Now, decades on, folks will wonder why all the fuss? A so so film with lame special effects. Maybe by modern standards, yes, but when released there had never been anything like this film. Lucas literally wrenched you out of your seat and put you in another world, the likes of which had never been seen before. This film a was a landmark in many respects, not least of which that it served as the foundation and inspiration for modern special effects. More important for Hollywood, the film singlehandedly saved a dying film industry. Having said all that, to really appreciate it, you just had to be there at the time to savour the atmosphere it generated amongst the audiences.
Well, in my old timer opinion, the greatest movie of all time.

It all started here, the event movie ! I remember being lined up for what seemed hours on a blazing summers day with my parents, outside the cresent cinema Pontefract in the summer of 1977 to see this. This film is still as good today, and the effects still are great. But it's the characters that make this work, and thats where the prequels failed (apart from Episode III).They have become pop culture icons. This is pure escapism that takes all the best bits from every folk law and fairy tale and mashes them up to get a outstanding SCI-FI Hybrid. Also for the fan boys out there. The original of Han shooting Greedo first is far better than the special addition of 20 years later. A must buy !

It all started here, the event movie ! I remember being lined up for what seemed hours on a blazing summers day with my parents, outside the cresent cinema Pontefract in the summer of 1977 to see this. This film is still as good today, and the effects still are great. But it's the characters that make this work, and thats where the prequels failed (apart from Episode III).They have become pop culture icons. This is pure escapism that takes all the best bits from every folk law and fairy tale and mashes them up to get a outstanding SCI-FI Hybrid. Also for the fan boys out there. The original of Han shooting Greedo first is far better than the special addition of 20 years later. A must buy !

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977.)

As long as there had been motion pictures, there had been science fiction films. Unfortunately, very few of them ever managed to hit the spot. That was, until 1977 rolled around. It was in this year that George Lucas would change the way we look at science fiction. How would he do this? With the film he released that year - Star Wars. Despite numerous hardships and missed deadlines during the recordings of the film, which was slated for a Christmas 1976 release, it finally did get made, and released in 1977. How does the film actually measure up? Read on for my review.

BASIC PLOT:
The basic story of the movie goes something like this. In a distant galaxy, there is a huge evil group known as the Galactic Empire, which aims to control the galaxy by any means necessary. To ensure victory, they have begun work on a massive space station known as the Death Star - so powerful, it can destroy an entire planet. Through an odd twist of coincidences, a young farm boy from a desert planet and an ex-smuggler with an ego the size of the galaxy he resides in learn of the situation. Before long, a full-blown battle between good and evil is raging. The good guys (known as the Rebel Alliance) must stop the Death Star before the Empire can conquer everything they have ever known and loved.

FILM OPINIONS:
A great film - no questions asked. This is a rare example of a film nearly thirty years old that doesn't seem dated. Even by modern standards, this is still an excellent film. I was glad to see the movie get the remastering it so desperately needed. Of the three films in the classic trilogy, this is probably the weakest one, but it's by no means bad, and is still worthy of a five-star rating in my book. Oh, and to all you folks new to the series - steer clear of the prequels.

SPECIAL EDITION COMMENTARY:
In 1997, the three classic Star Wars films got reissued and shown again in theatres - but these were special editions. The new editions of the films added in bonus material, which met with mixed reactions from fans - myself included. While some of the scenes are cool, like the scenes added to the Battle of Yavin near the end of the film, many of them are half-assed and subpar in their execution - Han Solo's meeting with Jabba comes to mind. Another change that gets a lot of backlash from fans (and it's one I hate too) is the Greedo and Han blaster scene in the Cantina. In the original film, Han Solo was a no-nonsense guy that shot Greedo dead for talking down to him. But in the special edition, Greedo shoots first and Han's first shot misses! So Han is reduced to someone who couldn't shoot someone dead at point blank range on the first shot!? Give me a break. THIS is why we need the unadulterated ORIGINAL films on DVD.

OVERALL:
The Star Wars films are science fiction masterpieces that don't fail to stand the test of time. Hell, these movies are better than most of the modern sci-fi films out there! If you're a fan of the genre, the Star Wars series is not to be missed.