Ephemeris of the Mind (Film Review) Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Time to read: 2 min read
Movie Poster
That’s good. You’ve taken your first steps into a larger world.
Past Star Wars film reviews:
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- Solo: A Star Wars Story
- Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
- Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
- Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Review
I remember first watching this movie when learning English. A family friend had kindly donated his old VHS Star Wars trilogy; I remember, even through the grainy footage and the frame skips, being blown away by how imaginative the amazing story and the marvelous settings. Rewatching this movie in 2020, I find the same feelings returning.
The story follows Luke Skywalker, a young moisture farmer from the planet Tatooine who sets off on an adventure with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee, and two droids to save the galaxy from the evil Empire's planet-destroying Death Star. The story is clichéd and the film is heavily inspired by previous works such as Kurosawa and Campbell, but the new setting in space makes it novel and unique.
Yes, the effects, such as motion control, while revolutionary at the time, are dated by 2020 standards, but perhaps due to the filters used in filming, the film has a distinct nostalgic feel and is stil enjoyable even today. There is so much chemistry between the characters, from C-3PO's friendship with R2-D2, to the Luka-Han-Leia trio, the characters are all likeable and the dialogue is cheesy but engaging.
The score by John Williams is iconic and perfectly meshes with the film's moods and themes (such as the iconic Binary Sunset scene).
Conclusion
One of the best sci-fi movies released to-date.