Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) Dir: George Lucas
Instagram post:
The first. The original. The iconic. The start of an epic, intergalactic saga that has spanned 50 years, with no sign of slowing down. This 1977 instant hit is based on the 1958 film by Akira Kurosawa; The Hidden Fortress.
Much of its now famed narrative comes from that piece of Japanese cinema, and envelopes it in a science fiction world that masterfully builds itself and makes the film feel unique.
The film plays off the classic themes of good versus evil, light versus dark and heroes and villains. There is so much to be said about how much this film changed the game for sci-fi films.
Heading up this film is Mark Hamill, who used this endearing performance to build what has become an acclaimed career.
Alongside him is the immensely talented Harrison Ford, who gives the best performance of anyone here, and creates an iconic character in Han Solo in the process.
Sir Alec Guinness brings an elegance and wisdom to Kenobi that made the original incarnation of his character so popular.
Another beloved character performance comes from Carrie Fisher, who provides some hilariously witty one liners and facial expressions.
The powerful voice of James Earl Jones, coupled with the imposing frame of David Prowse join together to produce arguably the single most iconic villain in cinema history in Darth Vader. None have come close to smashing through into the mainstream like this character, and for very good reason.
I'll also give mentions to some noteworthy supporting cast members in Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, Kenny Baker as R2-D2, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO and Peter Cushing as Tarkin.
Overall, this is rightly considered an iconic science fiction all-timer which tells a classic story of heroes, villains and courage. There is no better place to start with not only the Star Wars saga, but the science fiction genre as a whole in my opinion.
Comments