Chewie, We’re Old.
Star Wars: A New Hope debuted in theaters 40 years ago today and the world was better for it. The mark that Star Wars has left upon pop culture in the time since it’s release is second to none. The first film was viewed as a likely bomb preceding its initial release. With many of the cast and crew questioning what the hell they were doing making this movie. In fact, George Lucas didn’t even attend the premiere of the first film. Seeing as he was on vacation with Steven Speilberg in Hawaii. All of which makes the legacy of this film even more special. Many can argue that the franchise didn’t reach its full potential until The Empire Strikes Back, but the importance of A New Hope cannot be overstated.
Expanding outside of the franchise, A New Hope was responsible for inspiring multiple generations of new filmmakers. Directors like, JJ Abrams and Christopher Nolan have both repeatedly expressed how the films shaped them as filmmakers. Even some of Lucas’s contemporaries like Ridley Scott have expressed just how important the film was for them. Scott even went as far as saying that “Without Star Wars there would be no Alien“.
The franchise is currently in it’s best place since the original trilogy was released recovering from what many consider the dark times of the prequel era. The prequels were heralded for their advancements in visual effects but, were often criticized for poor character development and story arcs. With the prequels firmly in the rear view, the franchise is gearing up for the long haul with films scheduled out until at a minimum 2020.
The Star Wars franchise returns on December 15th with The Last Jedi.
