Movie Minx

Starring: R2D2
Directed by: George Lucas

Plot: Luke Skywalker leaves his home planet, teams up with other rebels, and tries to save Princess Leia from the evil clutches of Darth Vader.

But is it any good?

Aww. How could anyone have anything bad to say about this movie? I wasn’t born when it came out but it still shaped my childhood (my brother would chase me around the house when I nicked his R2D2 figurine). I even studied it at uni in a Film Studies course: it follows the traditional myth structure (evil vs good, mentor, princess, reluctant hero etc), C3PO and R2 are based on fat-and-thin comedians Laurel and Hardy, and the film’s release came at a time when Americans needed a patriotic lift from the shambles of the Vietnam War. Apparently.

A New Hope must be contextualised with the other five films now (it’s part 4 although it was the first one released), but as it was released first it comes close to being a package within itself. At the time of filming there was no certainty things would work out. The characters were new, filming in the sand-whipped desert was tough, and the actors weren’t convinced it would hold together (”You can write this shit George,” said Harrison Ford, “but you sure as hell can’t say it”). The dialogue is indeed silly, the acting’s weak in parts and the effects have dated now. But it’s still an entertaining, kind-of-original and uplifting film that has humour, aliens, lightsabers and R2D2. And that stormtrooper who bumps his head.

Tattoo parlours, costume parties and the ‘religion’ box in census forms would never be the same again.

IMDb’s rating: 8.7/10
My rating: 10/10

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