George Lucas changed Hollywood forever with the release of 1977’s Star Wars. A pulpy space opera that was expected to bomb at the box office instead became the highest-grossing movie of all time and altered the course of film history. For nearly half a century, studio executives have been scratching their heads, trying to come up with the next Star Wars.

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Although the only version of the movie that’s currently available to audiences (outside of dodgy VHS copies floating around eBay) is the notorious “Special Edition,” Star Wars remains a timeless gem that’ll stand countless rewatches and never get old.

The Thrill Of The Opening Shot

The opening shot of Star Wars

George Lucas hooks viewers straight away with the iconic opening shot of Star Wars. After the crawling text has disappeared, the little Rebel ship Tantive IV races into the frame – followed by a much, much larger Imperial Star Destroyer, which rolls and rolls and rolls past the camera with seemingly no end in sight.

Audiences are immediately drawn to the edge of their seat by this ludicrously unbalanced intergalactic conflict. This size comparison instantly establishes the plucky Rebellion’s struggling efforts versus the might of the Empire.

Luke Skywalker’s Hero’s Journey

Luke holding his father's lightsaber in A New Hope

Lucas’ Star Wars script was famously influenced by Joseph Campbell’s work in comparative mythology and specifically his study of the “monomyth,” or “hero’s journey.”

From his humble introduction on a moisture farm to his wise old mentor’s demise to his final confrontation with the bad guys, Luke Skywalker’s hero’s journey is tightly structured and hits all the necessary beats. It’s been used as the template for just about every subsequent blockbuster and still has yet to be topped.

Darth Vader’s Intimidating Presence (& Limited Screen Time)

Darth Vader Force-chokes Admiral Motti in Star Wars

While the rest of the trilogy would go on to humanize Darth Vader and ultimately redeem him, the original Star Wars movie introduced him as a straightforward villain – and he remains one of the most iconic in film history, rubbing shoulders with Norman Bates and the Wicked Witch of the West.

The combination of James Earl Jones’ booming voice and David Prowse’s imposing presence made Vader instantly intimidating, while his limited screen time kept an air of sinister mystery around the character.

Carrie Fisher’s Empowered Turn As Leia

Princess Leia holding a blaster

Leia Organa is often described as a “damsel in distress,” because she’s a princess who gets captured by the bad guys and has to be saved by a band of male heroes, but that label ignores George Lucas’ subversions of the trope. Although Leia needs to be saved from her cell on the Death Star by Han and Luke, they don’t have an escape plan, so she immediately needs to save them.

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With scenes like this and her hilariously dry one-liner deliveries and complete lack of fear in the presence of Darth Vader, Carrie Fisher gives Leia a real sense of agency and empowerment.

The Suspense Of The Trash Compactor Scene

Luke, Han, and Leia try to stop the trash compactor in Star Wars

To escape from the Stormtroopers’ fire, Leia leads Han, Luke, and Chewie down the garbage chute into the trash compactor, where the walls start closing in. As Han and Leia desperately try to prop up a pole between the walls and Luke frantically contacts C-3PO to shut it down, Lucas creates a palpable sense of tension in this scene.

With tight framing, clearly established stakes, and a foreboding score by John Williams, the trash compactor scene is one of the most impeccably crafted suspense sequences in blockbuster cinema.

The “Used Future” Production Design

Some Stormtroopers inspect Luke's landspeeder at Mos Eisley Spaceport

Prior to Star Wars, most science fiction movies had depicted futuristic settings with state-of-the-art tech and clean, pristine, monochromatic environments. George Lucas’ space opera revolutionized cinematic depictions of the future (although the movie technically takes place “a long time ago”) with the “used future” aesthetic of Star Wars.

The grimy, lived-in worlds of Star Wars – from the dusty saloon town of Mos Eisley to the rough, outdated gadgets of the Rebellion – went on to influence the production design of such legendary sci-fi movies as Blade Runner, Terminator, and The Matrix.

Mark Hamill’s Bright-Eyed Performance As Luke

Luke Skywalker watches the binary sunset

One of the few people who had faith in George Lucas’ vision for Star Wars was Mark Hamill, who dedicated himself wholeheartedly to Luke’s characterization as a bright-eyed farm boy who desperately wants to get out in the world and fight for a good cause.

Thanks to Hamill’s commitment to playing Luke as an unwaveringly good-hearted kid who always wants to do the right thing, the character remains a timeless portrait of a hero that audiences everywhere can look up to.

Ben Kenobi’s Heartbreaking Death Scene

Obi-Wan fights Darth Vader on the Death Star in Star Wars

When Ben Kenobi confronts his old padawan Darth Vader on the Death Star, he’s not lucky enough to survive their rematch. Kenobi gladly accepts death at the hand of his fallen apprentice, but what really makes his death heartbreaking is that a devastated Luke watches the whole thing.

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Aside from Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru (and everyone on Alderaan), this was the first major character death in a Star Wars story, and it’s still one of the most emotionally engaging to this day.

Harrison Ford’s Cynical Yet Charming Portrayal Of Han Solo

Han Solo shooting at Stormtroopers in Star Wars

Harrison Ford couldn’t have been more perfectly cast in the role of Han Solo. His deliveries of Han’s sarcastic insults are hilariously deadpan, while his gruff, old-school, Eastwood-esque acting style made him the ideal choice for the galaxy’s coolest gunslinger.

No Star Wars actor is more indifferent to the phenomenon surrounding the saga than Ford, but that indifference paired wonderfully with Han’s own cynicism. And, thanks to Ford’s movie star charisma, Han is still likable despite his cynical edge.

The Triumph Of The Death Star Explosion

The Death Star explodes at the end of Star Wars

Rebel forces blowing up the Death Star makes for one of the most glorious climactic set pieces in movie history. After the first few attempts fail, Obi-Wan’s disembodied ghost inspires Luke to turn off his targeting computer and use the Force to land a proton torpedo in the station’s thermal exhaust port.

Han’s triumphant return in the Falcon gives Luke his chance and he channels all the lessons Obi-Wan taught him into sinking the torpedo. This is the perfect culmination of Luke’s journey throughout the movie, achieving both of his goals (becoming a Jedi and becoming a Rebel hero) with a single act, while the explosion of the Death Star is still a spectacle to behold.

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