Star Wars (film): Difference between revisions
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'''''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''''', originally titled '''''Star Wars''''', is a [[1977]] [[science fantasy]] [[film]] written and directed by [[George Lucas]]. It was the first film to be released in the ''[[Star Wars]]'' saga, but it is the fourth film by chronology of events. Among fans |
'''''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''''', originally titled '''''Star Wars''''', is a [[1977]] [[science fantasy]] [[film]] written and directed by [[George Lucas]]. It was the first film to be released in the ''[[Star Wars]]'' saga, but it is the fourth film by chronology of events. Among fans it is sometimes referred to as '''''ANH'''''. |
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Nineteen years after the formation of the [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]], [[Luke Skywalker]] is thrust into the struggles of the [[Rebel Alliance]] when he meets [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]], who has lived in seclusion for years on the desert planet of [[Tatooine]]. Obi-Wan begins Luke’s [[Jedi]] training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the Rebel leader [[Princess Leia]] from the clutches of the evil Empire. Unlike the later prequel films, this film, along with the two films that follow, mostly focuses on the events of one particular sector of the [[Star Wars galaxy|galaxy]], rather than the interstellar perspective that the first three films take. |
Nineteen years after the formation of the [[Galactic Empire (Star Wars)|Galactic Empire]], [[Luke Skywalker]] is thrust into the struggles of the [[Rebel Alliance]] when he meets [[Obi-Wan Kenobi]], who has lived in seclusion for years on the desert planet of [[Tatooine]]. Obi-Wan begins Luke’s [[Jedi]] training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the Rebel leader [[Princess Leia]] from the clutches of the evil Empire. Unlike the later prequel films, this film, along with the two films that follow, mostly focuses on the events of one particular sector of the [[Star Wars galaxy|galaxy]], rather than the interstellar perspective that the first three films take. |
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Revision as of 14:52, 11 May 2006
| Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope | |
|---|---|
 IMDB File:4hv out of 5.png 8.8/10 (163,116 votes) | |
| Directed by | George Lucas |
| Written by | George Lucas |
| Produced by | Gary Kurtz George Lucas Rick McCallum (Special Edition) |
| Starring | Mark Hamill Harrison Ford Carrie Fisher Peter Cushing |
| Music by | John Williams |
| Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Release dates | May 25, 1977 (USA) |
Running time | 121 min. (original) 125 min. (Special Edition) |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $11,000,000 |
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally titled Star Wars, is a 1977 science fantasy film written and directed by George Lucas. It was the first film to be released in the Star Wars saga, but it is the fourth film by chronology of events. Among fans it is sometimes referred to as ANH.
Nineteen years after the formation of the Galactic Empire, Luke Skywalker is thrust into the struggles of the Rebel Alliance when he meets Obi-Wan Kenobi, who has lived in seclusion for years on the desert planet of Tatooine. Obi-Wan begins Luke’s Jedi training as Luke joins him on a daring mission to rescue the Rebel leader Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Empire. Unlike the later prequel films, this film, along with the two films that follow, mostly focuses on the events of one particular sector of the galaxy, rather than the interstellar perspective that the first three films take.
The film was released on May 25, 1977, and was re-released several times, sometimes with significant changes in its later releases. Most notable were the 1997 Special Edition theatrical re-release and the 2004 DVD version, which were modified with CGI effects and re-done scenes. The original, unaltered version of the film will be released, along with the digitally enhanced version of 2004, in a new DVD set scheduled for September 2006. A 3-D release is planned for 2007.
Plot summary
The opening crawl reveals that the galaxy is in a state of civil war. The Rebel Alliance has stolen secret plans to the Galactic Empire's secret weapon, the Death Star, an extremely powerful space station capable of annihilating entire planets. In a series of transmissions, the plans were beamed to the rebel blockade runner Tantive IV, a Corellian corvette in the service of Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan.
Imperial forces under the command of Darth Vader have captured the rebel ship in a space battle above Tatooine (Attack on Tantive IV), where Leia had been trying to enlist the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a fugitive Jedi in exile on the planet.
Stormtroopers take control of the ship, and Darth Vader arrives to assess the damage. Vader is outraged by the resistance and questions Captain Antilles in a fatal interrogation. Hiding on the ship, Leia is spotted by a squad of troops and is shot with a stun blast. Before taking her prisoner, Vader questions her as well. However, before being transferred to Vader's Star Destroyer, Princess Leia is able to record a holographic message and give it to R2-D2 to take to Kenobi. Vader orders a command be sent to the Imperial Senate that the ship was destroyed, with everyone on board killed. The droids R2-D2 and C-3PO use an escape pod which brings them to the planet Tatooine.
On Tatooine, the droids are captured by Jawas while wandering the desert. They come into the possession of Owen Lars and his nephew, Luke Skywalker. Luke accidentally triggers part of the holographic message, causing him to suspect that the R2-D2 may have been stolen, and that it really belongs to an "Obi-Wan Kenobi." Returning to his garage before nightfall, Luke discovers that R2-D2 has escaped.
The next day, Luke and C-3PO set out to find R2-D2. After finding him, they are attacked by Sandpeople, but rescued by the arrival of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Luke and the droids are brought to Obi-Wan's hut, where Obi-Wan tells of his days as a Jedi Knight and reveals to Luke that his father was a Jedi as well. When Luke asks how his father died, Obi-Wan says he was "betrayed and murdered" by Darth Vader. He then talks about the mysterious energy field called the Force. Finally, Obi-Wan and Luke see the holographic message from Princess Leia, who asks for Obi-Wan's assistance to take the droid and the plans to the planet Alderaan. Obi-Wan invites Luke to come with him to Alderaan, but Luke refuses, citing his responsibilities at home.
On Tatooine, Obi-Wan, Luke and the droids discover dead Jawas and scattered Bantha tracks. Obi-Wan suspects that Imperial Stormtroopers ambushed the Jawas in an attempt to find the droids. Realizing that the troopers likely learned who the droids were sold to, Luke races back to the Lars homestead, only to find his family murdered and his home destroyed. He returns to Obi-Wan and decides to come to Alderaan and become a Jedi.
The group goes to Mos Eisley Spaceport, where they encounter a smuggler named Han Solo who agrees to transport them on his ship, the Millennium Falcon. (Shortly before, Luke witnesses Obi-Wan's skill with a lightsaber as the old man subdues two fugitives that harass Luke in the cantina where they find Solo.) As the old Jedi and his companions make their way to the ship, they are attacked by Stormtroopers. They hastily board the Millennium Falcon and make a speedy launch. After leaving the planet's surface and dodging attacks, the ship and its crew escape.
On the Death Star, Leia remains imprisoned and has resisted interrogation. However, when threatened with the destruction of her home planet of Alderaan, she discloses that the Rebel Base is on Dantooine. Grand Moff Tarkin destroys Alderaan anyway, as a display of the Death Star's power. Later, when it is discovered that the Rebel Base on Dantooine is deserted, Tarkin orders the Princess executed.
En route to Alderaan, Obi-Wan instructs Luke in the ways of the Force. When they arrive at where Alderaan should be, the crew discovers only a hail of debris and a moon-sized space station - the Death Star. A tractor beam takes hold of the Falcon and pulls it into the Death Star. Inside the Death Star, Obi-Wan attempts to disable the tractor beam holding them there. The rest of the group learns that Leia is being held in a nearby cell awaiting execution. They make their way through the station and rescue the Princess.
After switching off the tractor beam, Kenobi encounters Vader, and a lightsaber duel ensues. The duel distracts the guards long enough to allow Luke and his companions to board the Falcon. Once he sees that they are safely near the ship, Obi-Wan allows himself to be struck down by Vader, which causes Kenobi's body to vanish, and allows him to become one with the Force. Luke screams in horror, gaining the attention of the Stormtroopers, who attack Luke and company. Obi-Wan advises Luke through the Force to run into the Falcon.
The Millennium Falcon escapes, fighting off Imperial starfighters along the way. Unknown to them, the Empire allowed the escape in order to track their ship to the Rebel Base. They finally reach the Rebel hideout, where they pass the plans on to the Rebel leadership. The Rebels retrieve the Death Star plans and make preparations to assault it. The tactic involves flying along a canyon-sized groove in the station's surface, then firing a torpedo down a narrow ventilation shaft. The torpedo will travel to the main reactor and start a chain reaction that will destroy the entire station.
Luke and a group of Rebel fighters begin their assault on the approaching Death Star. They make it down to the canyon, with Vader in pursuit. As Luke makes his run down the canyon, he hears the voice of Kenobi, instructing him to use the Force. Vader closes in on Luke. Just as he is about to deliver a fatal blow on Luke's X-Wing, Han Solo and Chewbacca fly in, shooting and destroying one of Vader's wingmen. Panicked, the second wingman attempts to take evasive action, but his fighter hits Vader's and sends it flying out of control into deep space, while the wingmen's own fighter crashes into the Death Star. Luke, hearing Obi-Wan's voice, turns off his targeting computer of the Rebel fighter, and successfully launches torpedoes down the shaft, destroying the Death Star and scoring a huge victory for the Rebellion against the Empire.
In a civil ceremony at the Massassi Temple rebel base on Yavin IV, Luke and Han are awarded medals by Leia for their valor in the battle.
Cast
Overview
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope remains one of the most financially successful films of all time. Adjusted for inflation, the US grosses are second only to Gone with the Wind, and in terms of cumulative gross is second only to the movie Titanic. Considering the distributor, and to some degree the producers, had little confidence in the potential of the film, it was a word-of-mouth sleeper hit, having opened only on 37 movie screens in theaters that were persuaded to show it. However, there was immediate impressive business upon release that wildly surpassed the highest hopes of the producers. Furthermore, the revenue increased dramatically as 20th Century Fox acted to capitalize on the spectacular popularity and moved to make the film a profitable success. Some theaters showed the film continuously for over a year.
The American Film Institute listed it 15th on a list of the top 100 films of the 20th century; in the UK, a poll created by Channel Four named A New Hope (together with its successor, The Empire Strikes Back) the greatest film of all time. However, the film is not universally admired. Some blame it for accelerating a trend towards special-effects-driven movies targeting teenagers. Others claim that the trend is a natural consequence of economic and technological forces in the film industry.
When originally released in 1977, the film was released simply as Star Wars, both on promotional material and during the opening crawl of the film itself. For this reason, this film, more often than its sequels, is often referred to as Star Wars, instead of by the "Episode IV" number or the subtitle A New Hope. In 1980, the sequel, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, was released with the episode number and subtitle in the opening crawl. In a re-released version a year later, Episode IV: A New Hope was added above the original opening crawl.
The film became the fourth chronologically and first released in the series of six to date. While Lucas claims that only six films were ever planned, representatives of Lucasfilm mentioned in early interviews plans for nine or twelve possible films.
The music
Sound
A New Hope was originally presented in monaural sound in many theatres, though the first-run 70mm prints were some of the earliest wide-release examples of surround sound — something not seen in the commercial cinema since the Cinerama and Cinemascope experiments of the early 50's.
Score
Lucas wanted a grand musical sound for Star Wars, with leitmotifs where distinction was necessary. This approach was effective in, among others, the operas of Richard Wagner. Lucas therefore compiled a set of classical pieces for composer John Williams' review to convey the styles he desired. Their influence over the final score is particularly evident in the following cases:
- The music associated to the opening capture of the blockade runner is very similar to "Mars", from Holst's The Planets. In the liner notes to the original sound track recording, Williams implicitly acknowledged the connection by explaining why he didn't simply use Holst's The Planets. He said that he felt he could give the music a more unified feel if he wrote it all himself.
- The "Force Theme" (or "Ben's Theme") has been compared to parts of the ballet Swan Lake.
- The music for the awards ceremony at the end of the movie begins with the Force/Ben's Theme, and then transitions into a theme that, in the liner notes, Williams says is reminiscent of "The Coronation", which probably refers to Edward Elgar's, or, more likely, William Walton's Coronation March.
- The opening title (the "theme from Star Wars", or "Luke's Theme") has been said to resemble the theme from Born Free, but has a similar facade to the opening strains of the 1942 film, King's Row, scored by Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Later John Williams themes, such as that from Superman: The Movie and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial have been said to bear a resemblance to it. Listening to them together, one observes that none is identical to any of the others, but they use many of the same musical intervals to achieve similar, or at least related, emotional effects.
- The music for C-3PO's and R2-D2's arrival on Tatooine is very similar to the beginning of the second part titled The Sacrifice of Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring.
Re-releases
Theatrical
Theatrical re-releases of the film include the 1978, 1979, 1981, and 1982 releases. For all releases 1981 and later, the episode number and subtitle were added, but for the most part, the re-releases included only small differences compared to the 1977 release. The film was also re-released theatrically for a 1997 Special Edition (see below).
Home Video
The home video releases often had small changes from the theatrical versions as well. There were numerous VHS, Laserdisc, and Betamax releases of the 1977 version. However, none were released with the original opening crawl, which originally did not include the episode distinction or the episode subtitle. Several versions improved the quality of the film, such as the 1993 "Definitive Collection" Laserdisc release, or the 1995 "Faces" VHS/Laserdisc release. The Special Edition version of the film was released on VHS and Laserdisc in 1997 and VHS in 2000, and on DVD in 2004 and 2005.
Releases of the original 1977 version
- 1982 original video release from 20th Century Fox Video. The 1970s Fox logo is replaced by the '80s Fox logo.
- 1984 video release from CBS/Fox Video. The '70s Fox logo returns for this release.
- 1990 video release from CBS/Fox Video.
- 1992 video release from Fox Video.
- 1995 video release from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. Includes an interview with George Lucas. First Star Wars video release to use THX.
- 2006 DVD release from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment. DVD release of unaltered original version - September 12, 2006.
Special Editions
In 1997, the movie was digitally remastered as the so-called Special Edition, or SE, for a 20th anniversary re-release. The controversial (amongst fans) Special Edition contains scenes not in the original release, most notably a conversation between Han Solo and Jabba the Hutt, as well as numerous other small changes and visual additions. Some of the added scenes were intended for the original version of the movie, but were not feasible without newer advances in special effects technology, particularly in the area of computer generated imagery.
The Special Edition also had several scenes in which the events depicted were changed from those depicted in the original version; these changes were controversial as well, with many dedicated fans feeling the changes weakened the movie. One of the more notorious changes involved the scene in which Han Solo defeats the bounty hunter Greedo, who was holding Solo at gunpoint in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Their conversation reveals that Greedo is after the bounty Jabba the Hutt put on Solo. During the conversation, Solo discreetly removes his blaster from its holster under the table. Toward the end of the conversation, Greedo suggests that Jabba might be content to take only Solo's ship (the Millennium Falcon) to cover Solo's debt. Han says "Over my dead body," to which Greedo replies, "That's the idea. I've been looking forward to this for a long time." In the original version, Solo says "Yes, I bet you have," and then shoots and kills Greedo, who never takes a shot. In the Special Edition, the scene is altered so that Greedo shoots first, somehow missing Solo at point-blank range as Solo fires. This change has been criticized/ridiculed in popular culture, most notably in the films of Kevin Smith. An episode of South Park entitled "Free Hat" is also a notable criticism of the changes made, in general.
There is a scene change that most fans approve of: When Solo was chasing a few Stormtroopers down a corridor in the Death Star, only to be forced to flee when they make their stand and fight. In the Special Edition, Solo suddenly also faces dozens of reinforcements and realizes how much danger he is in.
2004 DVD Special Edition
Lucas was apparently concerned that having Solo shoot first portrayed him as an aggressor who takes life in cold blood, which is inconsistent with the heroic persona that Solo is supposed to exemplify. For the 2004 DVD release the scene was reworked once again, so that Han and Greedo shoot almost simultaneously (although Greedo still shoots a fraction of a second ahead of Solo). Further changes were made in 2004 for the film's debut on the DVD format. With a few exceptions, most of these were minor or cosmetic in nature.
Selected sources and inspirations
The film drew inspiration from a number of sources. This was conscious and has been acknowledged by George Lucas in interviews. It is characteristic of much myth-building.
The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Lucas has stated that Akira Kurosawa's 1958 film The Hidden Fortress (USA release 1962) was a strong influence. The resemblance between the two buffoon farmers in The Hidden Fortress and the two talkative droids in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is apparent. Indeed, when the droids find themselves alone on Tatooine, even the music and the style of "wipe" cuts are a clear homage to Hidden Fortress.
The Dam Busters (1954)
The climactic scene in which the Death Star is assaulted was modeled after the 1950s movie The Dam Busters, in which RAF Lancaster bombers fly along heavily defended reservoirs and aim "bouncing bombs" at their manmade dams in a bid to cripple the heavy industry of the Ruhr. Some of the dialogue in The Dam Busters is repeated in the Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope climax and in fact Gilbert Taylor also filmed the Special Effects sequences in The Dam Busters.
Battle of Britain (1969)
Scenes from the Death Star assault are also reminiscent of the film Battle of Britain, particularly in showing the face of the pilot in the cockpit, and the radio dialogue between teams named after colours. Another inspiration comes from Battle of Britain's long combat scene near the end of the movie which is presented without dialogue or sound effects, but with a classical movie background. The parallel between the use of classical-style music, rather than popular orchestral or even more recent rock, blues, swing, or jazz soundtracks, is notable.
The real-life battle provided inspiration also, with World War II providing a heavy influence on the look and feel of the films. While the dogfighting between the "Allied" X-wings and "Axis" TIE Fighters, the ships were based more on the Pacific Theatre, with the larger sturdier Rebel fighters based on the United States Navy carrier-borne aircraft, and the smaller but faster and more manoeuvrable enemy TIEs based on the famous Japanese Zero.
The costumes of the pilots reflect this, with the characteristic orange flight suits of the rebels, which are very similar to the flight suits worn by American fighter pilots in the Pacific War. The cockpit design of the Millennium Falcon and the TIE fighters are also heavily based on the design used in the famous B-29 Superfortress, such as the Enola Gay.
The helmets worn by the TIE Fighter pilots are reminiscent to those of the Japanese during the Pacific campaign, though this is not as blatant as the "Samurai style" helmet of Darth Vader. Lastly, the uniforms of the Imperial officers are quite similar to those worn by the Germans in World War II.
Inspired by the World War II battles, many of the space battles depicted in A New Hope were edited together based on spliced together film of World War II dog fights. This spliced film was used as an early form of pre-visualization. In the finished film, the British and German aircraft were substituted with Star Wars spacecraft.
633 Squadron (1964)
Lucas has made mention of the film "633 Squadron" directed by Walter Grauman when citing movies that inspired themes or elements in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The "trench run" in A New Hope wherein Luke flies his X-wing through a "trench" on the Death Star and destroys the ship was inspired, at least in small part, by the finale of 633 Squadron, which involves several Royal Air Force planes flying at low level up a fjord against heavy, ground-based anti-aircraft fire, to attack a factory located at the base of a cliff at the canyon's end.
Dune
The planet Tatooine is similar to Arrakis from Frank Herbert's book Dune, although desert worlds were not original to Herbert. The planet Mongo from the Flash Gordon comics was also a desert world. In general, the Star Wars movies have followed the convention, common in space opera, in which planets stand in for regions of the Earth, so that there would be a desert planet, a jungle planet, and so on.
In addition, the planet Arrakis is the only known source of a hallucinatory drug called the Spice Melange. In A New Hope, Han Solo is a spice smuggler. The original treatment for the film submitted by Lucas dealt heavily with the transport of spice, though the nature of the material remained unexplored. Furthermore, in the conversation at Obi-Wan Kenobi's home between Obi-Wan and Luke, Luke expresses a belief that his father was a navigator on a spice freighter. In the Dune world, Navigators are mutated beings with the special ability of being able to "fold space" in order for interstellar travel.
Triumph of the Will (1935)
The scene where Princess Leia gives Han and Luke medals is very reminiscent of a long scene in Leni Riefenstahl's 1934 film Triumph of the Will. Both scenes have large and enthusiastic crowds seated in a shallow amphitheatre bounded by columns, with a low dais where the leader stands. (Of course, in Triumph Of The Will, Adolf Hitler was the leader in question.)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The opening shot of A New Hope, which shows an intricately detailed spaceship filling the screen overhead, is a nod to the scene introducing the interplanetary spacecraft Discovery One in Stanley Kubrick's seminal 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The earlier big-budget science fiction film inspired the look of A New Hope in many other ways, including the use of EVA pods, hexagonal corridors and primitive computer graphics; although 2001 generally presented a more "antiseptic" look. Also, the orbiting space station in 2001 has a docking bay eerily reminiscent of the one on the Death Star.
Errors
- One of the most famous in-jokes is the supposed "posters" inside the cockpit of the Tantive IV. According to some sources, there is a Star Wars poster and a 1976 Playboy pin-up on the walls.
- When Darth Vader makes his entrance, a stormtrooper on the left assists a fallen comrade. If you watch, the "dead" trooper eases his head to ground instead of going limp.
- If you look closely into R2-D2's "eye" inside the sandcrawler, you can make out actor Kenny Baker inside.
- Even though R5-D4 blows his motivator, he is shown back in the droid line-up a few seconds later.
- While Uncle Owen says "He died about the same time as your father," Luke takes a sip of blue milk and lowers his cup. In the very next shot, he is still taking a sip when he says "He knew my father?".
- When Luke and C-3PO run outside to look for R2 with the macrobinoculars, a droid crawls across the screen when Threepio says, "Pardon me sir but, wouldn't we go after him?" A rope or cord is visible pulling the droid.
- When Princess Leia is shown the interrogation droid, the needle used to inject drugs bears the words "Made in England".
- In the Cantina scene, a creature nicknamed "Mousey" whimpers to the bartender for his drink. If you look in his eye, you can see right through to the other side of the mask.
- In another Mousey error, the actor portraying Mousey can be seen without his mask in the bottom of the frame when the bartender shouts, "We don't serve your kind here!"
- Yet another Mousey mistake is when Han says, "Looks like someone just took an interest in our handywork." When the bartender points the sandtrooper towards the heroes, Mousey is at the bottom of the screen remasked, but his cup does not make contact with his mouth, despite him appearing to drink out of it.
- When the heroes enter Docking Bay 94, the Millenium Falcon's dish is not present on the full-size set.
- In the first cockpit view of the Millennium Falcon, a pair of gold dice can be seen hanging from the ceiling. After the jump to hyperspace, the dice are missing. They are never seen again in the rest of the trilogy.
- In the escape scene from Tatooine, Han is seen alternately wearing and not wearing a pilot's glove.
- On the DVD release, Luke's lightsaber changes color, appearing green and then white in the training scene with Obi-Wan on the Millennium Falcon.
- When the Falcon is caught in the tractor beam, you can see and noticeably hear the control panel thumping around while the set is being shaken.
- When stormtroopers invade the command room where Threepio and Artoo have hidden themselves, the door doesn't open all the way, and the stormtrooper on the right hits his head on the door. A few scenes later, the trooper shrinks and his head is no longer in the way of the door.
- In the original and special edition of the film, just before the blast door closes on Vader as the Falcon escapes the Death Star near the end of the film, he is seen holding a white stick which is his un-rotoscoped lightsaber. This error was corrected for the 2004 DVD release.
- When leaving Yavin base, many of the Rebel pilots are wearing brand-new helmets. In later scenes, the helmets are old and battered.
- Red Leader's helmet microphone switches sides several times before he is shot down.
- Red 6 (Porkins) is the first Rebel pilot killed in the Battle of Yavin. Yet when Red Leader asks, "Red 6, can you see Red 5?" a voice answers, "There's a heavy fire (static)..Red 5, where are you?"
- In the end credits, Denis Lawson's first name is misspelled "Dennis." The same mistake is made in the credits of The Empire Strikes Back.
Expanded Universe
Backstory
The Expanded Universe reveals the events described in the film's opening crawl. The opening crawl reveals that the galaxy is in a state of civil war. The Rebel Alliance has stolen secret plans to the Galactic Empire's secret weapon, the Death Star. (The Rebel Alliance operated an efficient and widespread intelligence network of Bothan spies.) Through this network, the Alliance learned of the construction of the Death Star, an extremely powerful space station capable of annihilating entire planets with its superlaser.
Rebel prisoners aboard the Death Star managed to riot (Death Star Uprising) and got control of a technical readout while Imperial-turned-Rebel Kyle Katarn retrieved further plans (Battle of Danuta). From there they beamed it to Leia's ship, the Tantive IV, while the 501st Legion, under Darth Vader, tracked Rebels to Polis Massa (Battle of Polis Massa), however this was only a set-up for the Empire. Even so, the Rebels, who fought with the defensive upper hand, were crushed. Imperial forces soon discovered the true plot and the Star Destroyer Devastator, under the command of Darth Vader himself, captured the Tantive IV in a space battle above Tatooine (Attack on Tantive IV), where Leia had been trying to reach. She hoped to enlist the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was a fugitive Jedi in hiding on the planet and was watching over the young Luke Skywalker.
Following these events from the EU, the film picks up with Stormtroopers of the 501st take control of the ship, and Darth Vader arrives to assess the damage. Vader is outraged and questions Captain Antilles, whom he eventually strangles and kills. Hiding on the ship, Leia is spotted by part of the 501st, and is shot with a stun blast. Before taking her prisoner, Vader questions her as well. However, before being detained, Princess Leia is able to record a holographic message and give it to R2-D2 to take to Kenobi. Vader orders a command be sent to the Imperial Senate on Coruscant that the ship was destroyed, with everyone on board killed. The droids R2-D2 and C-3PO use an escape pod which brings them to the planet Tatooine.
Aftermath
The Expanded Universe also reveals some events that happened immediately after events of the film. As a result of Millennium Falcon crippling his TIE Fighter, Darth Vader crashed into the planet Vaal. His journey to V-798 was interrupted by an attack from vicious creatures, but he reached a shuttle that escorted him to Coruscant, where he was formally reprimanded by Emperor Palpatine for failure to stop the Rebels. He then continued his mission to find the Rebel base. His search led him to such planets as Ultaar and Centares.
As depicted in some Star Wars video games, the Rebel Alliance evacuated Yavin IV to escape Imperial retaliation, and fled to Hoth.
Trivia
- Shooting began on March 22, 1976 and ended on July 16, 1976.
- James Earl Jones's name did not originally appear in the end credits. At the time, Jones felt he hadn't done enough for the film to deserve credit, and also indicated in interviews that he did not want to be typecast as a voiceover artist. His name was added to the film in its 1997 re-release.
- Darth Vader's breathing is a recording of sound designer Ben Burtt breathing from a scuba respirator.
- According to an Empire magazine interview with Alan Dean Foster, the novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye was written to be filmed as a low budget sequel had Star Wars not been a box office success. Additionally, Harrison Ford was not signed for the sequel as of the writing of the book, which is why Han Solo does not appear in it.
- The Tusken Raider (played by stuntman Peter Diamond) who attacks Luke was filmed raising his weapon over his head only once. Editors Paul Hirsch and Richard Chew moved the reel back and forth in editing so the Raider raised his weapon several times.
- There were many problems during the film's production. For instance, one day into filming in Tunisia, the country had its first major rainstorm in fifty years. The storm ruined the salt flats where the Lars farm scenes were filmed. ILM was in chaos from trying to achieve new special effects and 20th Century Fox kept pressuring Lucas. The project became so stressful that Lucas nearly suffered a heart attack from trying to deliver the film on time.
- The two gunners in the Death Star superlaser shaft are ILM modelmakers Grant McCune and Joe Johnston.
- To gain access to Princess Leia's holding cell, Luke and Han pretend to be stormtroopers and hold Chewbacca "prisoner." They tell the cell block commander they are transferring him from detention block 1138. This is a reference to George Lucas' first film, THX 1138.
- Some early promotional material for the film emphasized a romance between Luke and Leia, highlighted by their brief good luck kiss before jumping the chasm on the Death Star. This theme continued in the Marvel comic series as well as Foster's Splinter of the Mind's Eye sequel. Save for a faux-passionate kiss between Luke and Leia early in The Empire Strikes Back, the romantic angle was downplayed when Lucas began developing the relationship between Leia and Han Solo, and was dropped entirely after it was revealed in Return of the Jedi that Luke and Leia were siblings.
- Peter Sumner, who played an uncredited role as Lieutenant Pol Treidum (the character who said "TK421, why aren't you at your post?") in A New Hope, reprised his role as the same character for the 1999 Star Wars fan film The Dark Redemption.
- This is the only Star Wars film to not feature Yoda or Palpatine. Yoda was not mentioned in the film as the character had not yet been created, and Palpatine was only referred to as "the Emperor."
- When the film was released in 1977, a very young Ewan McGregor went to see the film with his siblings to see their uncle, Denis Lawson, who played Wedge Antilles.
- George Lucas never intended to use the voice of David Prowse, who portrayed Darth Vader in costume, because of Prowse's west country British accent. He originally wanted Orson Welles to provide Darth Vader's voice. However, he felt that Welles' voice would be too recognizable, so he cast James Earl Jones, who was not as well known. Prowse was not pleased.
- Darth Vader's real name Anakin Skywalker is not mentioned in this film. It was first mentioned in Return of the Jedi, and edited in for the 2004 DVD version of The Empire Strikes Back.
- Before signing on as the film's sound designer, Ben Burtt auditioned for the role of Luke Skywalker.
- Initially, Lucas did not allow Harrison Ford to audition for the part of Han Solo because he wanted to use unknown actors for the roles of Solo, Luke and Leia, and Ford had already worked with Lucas in American Graffiti. Other actors who auditioned for Solo's part included Kurt Russell and Perry King, who was eventually cast in the role for the National Public Radio adaptations (see below). For the role of Leia, Lucas seriously considered Cindy Williams (who also starred in Graffiti), as well as Terri Nunn, the lead singer of the dance-pop group Berlin. However, Ford was brought into the casting auditions to help by reading Solo's lines opposite other actors, and eventually Lucas decided that it was Ford's performance who best fit his idea for the character (Ford's reaction to Nunn's interpretation of Leia elicited a roll of his eyes). Lucas' decision to use unknown actors also went against the advice of his friend, director Francis Ford Coppola.
- A New Hope is the only Star Wars film where "The Imperial March" is not played in some form or another, as it had not been written at the time.
- In some scenes, such as aboard the Princess' ship or in his TIE fighter, Vader's eyes appear to be quite red. This is not the case in any other film of the series.
- The film's screen tests were spoofed in a 1997 episode of Saturday Night Live. The episode's host, Kevin Spacey, played numerous actors auditioning for roles including Christopher Walken auditioning for Han Solo (Walken really was considered for that role before Harrison Ford was chosen), Walter Matthau auditioning for Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jack Lemmon auditioning for Chewbacca. Other SNL cast members appeared, such as Ana Gasteyer as Barbra Streisand auditioning for Princess Leia, Norm MacDonald as Burt Reynolds auditioning for Darth Vader, and Darrell Hammond as Richard Dreyfuss auditioning for C-3PO.
- Just prior to the film's completion, Mark Hamill was cast as David Bradford on the TV series Eight is Enough. Hamill believed the film was going to be a hit, and wanted to focus on his film career. He only played David in the series' pilot, and Grant Goodeve took over the character for the rest of the show's run.
- The subtitle of the first film in each Star Wars trilogy (which includes this film and Episode I) consists of three words, while the subtitle of every other film in each Star Wars trilogy is made up of four words.
- The first time Chewbacca climbs into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, he bumps his head on a small pair of dice hanging from the ceiling. These dice are never seen again in the film, nor do they appear in the rest of the trilogy.
- Many of the exterior landscape shots of Yavin IV were filmed at the Maya ruins at Tikal.
Academy Awards
Other Awards
The film was nominated for four Golden Globe awards: Best Film, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor (Alec Guiness), and Best Score. It only won the award for Best Score.
It received six BAFTA nominations: Best Film, Best Editing, Best Costume, Best Production/Art Design, Best Sound, and Best Score. The film won in the last two categories.
John Williams' soundtrack album won the Grammy award for Best Album of an original score for a motion picture or television program.
The film won the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
In 1989, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress selected this film for inclusion as a culturally and aesthetically important film.
In 2006, George Lucas' original screenplay was selected by the Writers Guild of America as the 68th greatest screenplay of all time.
The American Film Institute has named Star Wars or various elements of the film to several of its "top 100 lists" of American cinema, compiled as a part of the Institute's 100th anniversary celebration. These include:
- the fifteenth greatest American film of all time.
- the twenty-seventh most thrilling American film of all-time.
- Darth Vader as the third greatest film villain of all time.
- Han Solo as the fourteenth greatest American film hero of all time. Obi-Wan Kenobi was ranked thirty-seventh on this same list.
- The oft repeated line May the force be with you. was ranked as the 8th greatest quote in American film history.
- John Williams' score was ranked as the greatest American film score of all time.
Novelization
The novelization of the film was published in December 1976, six months before the film was released. The credited author was George Lucas himself, but the book was later revealed to have been ghostwritten by Alan Dean Foster, who went on to write the first Expanded Universe novel, Splinter of the Mind's Eye. Certain scenes deleted from the film (and later restored or archived in DVD bonus features) were present in the novel, such as Luke at Tosche Station with Biggs and the encounter between Han and Jabba in Docking Bay 94. Also, some scenes from the movie were included in a photo insert added to later printings which never made the original film (such as a close-up of a stormtrooper riding on a Dewback). Some of the material was omitted from the film by Lucas to maintain a linear narrative.
Radio drama
A radio drama adaptation of the film was written by Brian Daley and was produced for and broadcast on the National Public Radio in 1981. With the longer format no longer imposing an economy of storytelling, a great deal more backstory was presented.
DVD release
A New Hope was released on DVD in September 2004 in a box set with The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi along with a bonus disc of supplemental material. It was digitally restored and remastered, with more changes made by George Lucas, detailed in List of changes in Star Wars re-releases. The bonus disc included, according to the official site, "all-new bonus features, including the most comprehensive feature-length documentary ever produced on the Star Wars saga, and never-before-seen footage from the making of all three films."
DVD features:
- Available Subtitles (USA): English
- Available Audio Tracks (USA): English (Dolby Digital 5.1 EX), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), Spanish (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
- Commentary by George Lucas, Ben Burtt, Dennis Muren, and Carrie Fisher
Bonus disc features:
- Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
- Featurettes: The Legendary Creatures of Star Wars, The Birth of the Lightsaber, The Legacy of Star Wars
- Teasers, trailers, TV spots, still galleries
- Playable Xbox demo of the new Lucasarts game Star Wars Battlefront
- The making of the Episode III videogame
- Exclusive preview of Episode III
The set was reissued in December 2005 as part of a three-disc "limited edition" boxed set that did not feature the bonus disc.
Lucasfilm has confirmed that the original, untouched versions of Episodes IV, V, and VI, will be released on DVD on September 2006.
External links
