Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Reviewed by Uncle Cliff (2006)

Star Wars is a film about a boy called Luke Skywalker who is sick of his boring planet and life as a moisture farmer living with his stern uncle and aunt. Fate twists his way when his family is massacred by the evil Empire that rules the galaxy, setting in motion a new path which will take him from humble farm-boy, to the ace space pilot, to hero.

Along the way he saves a Princess - also a feisty secret leader of the rebellion against the Empire - is assisted by a loveable rogue pilot named Han Solo and his best mate Chewbacca (kind of like a big dog), while being guided in the ways of ‘the force' (a semi-religious mystical power few can wield – those who use it for the good of the universe being known as ‘Jedi Warriors') by his weary and laconic mentor Obi Wan-Kenobi, a former Jedi himself, for whom the mission to stop the Empire using it's powerful new weapon to destroy the planet on which rebellion resides gets very personal when he comes face-to-face with the nefarious Darth Vader, a former student of his turned evil –who we also find out killed Luke's Jedi father – and who has a heart as black as his menacing suit and helmet.

If this all sounds strange to you, have faith. Writer/Director/Producer George Lucas ( American Graffiti ) has managed to seamlessly weave countless genres together with a delightfully classic story structure in a film that has to be one of the most exciting and technically astounding adventures imaginable. The magnificently innovative special effects will amaze and excite, and the actors seem to have totally invested themselves in such whimsical material (Alec Guinness certainly brings some genuine class to proceedings, and Harrison Ford as Solo is a particular delight and shows himself to be a star in the making) and give this fantasy such a grounded feel that you may actually believe that all of this adventure took place a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…

How strange is it to real a ‘straight' review of Star Wars ? It's just impossible to write such a thing these days on such an iconic film. After all, the three ‘original trilogy' films have been released a handful of times over the years on a variety of formats, watched to death by rabid fans for decades, pretty much created film merchandising and the very concept of the ‘blockbuster film' while re-defining special effects and sound quality, been molested by it's aging creator years after-the-fact, had it's name tainted by three generally shithouse prequels that are more CGI cartons than film (twisted and evil), and inspired so many other films and film-makers it pretty much serves as something of the industry bible. It's virtually review proof. You've either seen Star Wars once, a hundred times, or you live in the Third World where I suppose people are more concerned about eating and stuff than debating the contentious inclusion of Ewoks into the Star Wars universe in Jedi .

Well after years of the Internet geeks kicking up a stink, Mr. Lucas has relented and finally released the original films on DVD in their untouched form. I'm sure this all confuses Lucas, who thinks the Special Editions should be the Only Editions, as he seems to find the original ones so embarrassing he presumedly wants them burned and forgotten, while he pisses on their ashes. But the geeks would not let it be, and since they have paid for each and every one of the trilogy's 20 releases on video, laser disc and DVD, I guess Lucas figured he may as throw another few million on the pile and release them (but for a limited time only, and the original editions are only included pointedly as a special feature. What a petty little man he is).

Watching Star Wars again, before I knew it as Chapter IV , or A New Hope , before Greedo shot first, before a ridiculously skinny and crap looking Jabba appeared, before every shot became crammed with needless CG creatures and vehicles, was a pure pleasure. Knowing these editions were to be released I was almost more excited than when I was lining up for the first prequel, before I knew what banal entities they all would be. There's not much point running through all the great moments (and even the not so great ones that you love anyway) because you all know what they are. What's important is that these moments all look a little bit crusty and old, and the special effects all look a little dodgy compared to today's too-perfect effects, and yet the film has never looked better to me.

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope Reviewed by Uncle Cliff (2006)

Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Reviewed by Uncle Cliff (2006)