Star Wars (film)

Identification Science-fiction film

Date Released in 1977

Director George Lucas

Star Wars started as a science-fiction summer film and turned into a worldwide phenomenon that had a profound effect on the entire film industry.

Key Figures

• George Lucas (1944–), film director

Made in the era of the Vietnam War and Watergate, Star Wars began as a run-of-the-mill science-fiction story to entertain audiences, but by the end of the 1970’s, it had broken box-office records and spawned an entire industry. Star Wars (later given the title Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope) became a watershed film because it blended high action with unprecedented special effects in order to create a unique film-going experience. The film was science fiction, but the way it was done recalled old-time cliffhanger films such as the serial Buck Rogers (1939). Star Wars also helped to usher in an era of what later came to be called “blockbuster” films—motion pictures that feature a plot that at times is secondary to action and special effects.

After his success with American Graffiti (1973), George Lucas began work on what was called in an early draft of the script “The Star Wars.” Casting relatively unknown actors (with the exception of Sir Alec Guinness and Peter Cushing), Lucas harked back to the days of weekly film serials. He also drew from mythology and Westerns and created an experience that had not been seen before. People associated with the film wondered if it was doomed to failure, but cheering audiences quickly quenched these doubts. Star Wars, filmed with a budget of only eight million dollars, was a huge success.

Innovations

Even though Star Wars was supposed to be an ordinary film, the way Lucas went about making it was unique. He founded Lucasfilm LTD, his own production company, in 1971 and Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) in 1975. ILM was one of the first companies that did visual effects outside the studio itself. Lucas wanted to make films children could see, but he did not want to lose creative control over the entire franchise. Like his mentor Francis Ford Coppola, who founded his own production company, American Zoetrope, Lucas established Lucasfilm LTD as a way to break ties with Hollywood. Twentieth Century-Fox still had ties with Star Wars financially, but when the film broke box-office records, Lucas used the money to break away completely from Hollywood’s major studios.

Lucas also hired composer John Williams to write a symphonic soundtrack that was a throwback to cliffhanger serials: It was exciting and adventurous without being melodramatic or frightening. The theme music would soon become so recognizable that with only a few notes people all over the world would instantly think of the film.

The sound effects, under the supervision of Ben Burtt, were of mainly organic and natural sounds with some electronic noises; for example, R2-D2’s “voice” is Burtt’s synthesized voice doing baby talk along with sounds from an analog synthesizer. Even the opening credit was unique: All credits were placed at the end, and the camera panned across the star field instead of using a fixed, motionless camera. This approach was in direct violation of what the Directors Guild expected; Lucas paid a fine and gave up his membership in the Directors Guild rather than be told how his film was supposed to look.

Licensing

Lucas made deals with Marvel Comics and a few others months before the film opened. He realized that traditional advertisements were not going to work because Star Wars might be viewed primarily as children’s science-fiction material. He encouraged word-of-mouth marketing at the World Science Fiction Convention, where he was sure there would be people interested in the film he was making. Toy tie-ins were unusual in the 1970’s, and only after the film’s success did Kenner Toys began making the action figures. There were few ready by Christmas of 1977, so Kenner sold an “Early Bird Certificate Package” with a slip to order the actual figures, which arrived two months later.

Licensed materials for films had existed before, but the amount that was generated with Star Wars was unprecedented. Everything from music and food to clothing and household accessories was marketed along with the related toys. Because Lucas owned the rights to the film, all profits from merchandising went to him rather than to the film’s distributing company, Twentieth Century-Fox. That meant that the more products released with the Star Wars name on them, the more return Lucas could make. It was a gamble, but Lucas used the proceeds to finance his other films himself—he truly had become an independent filmmaker.

Impact

Star Wars became one of the highest-grossing films of all time, earning more than $460 million at the box office in North America. Until 1982 it held the rank of the highest-grossing film in the world, and when adjusted for inflation it remains one of the most successful films of all time both domestically and internationally. Moreover, Lucasfilm LTD became its own independent Hollywood, further expanding to include Skywalker Sound and LucasArts games, while ILM became the world’s leading visual effects company. Lucas is recognized as one of film’s true pioneers, creating new techniques and technology for the next generation of filmmakers.

The film also proved to be just the beginning of what would become one of the most successful franchises of all time, spanning a wide range of media and becoming ingrained in popular culture. The sequels The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983) were also critical and commercial hits, while the prequel trilogy of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002), and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2008) introduced a new generation of fans to the larger Star Wars universe. Comic books, novels, video games, animated television series, and other tie-ins all also contributed to the unprecedented reach of Lucas's original idea. After Disney bought Lucasfilm and gained the rights to the Star Wars franchise, a third trilogy of films comprising episodes VII, VIII, and IX was announced, with the first of those released in December 2015.

Bibliography

Brooker, Will. Using the Force: Creativity, Community, and “Star Wars” Fans. New York: Continuum, 2002. Print.

Clark, Mark. Star Wars FAQ: Everything Left to Know about the Trilogy that Changed the Movies. Milwaukee: Applause, 2015. Print.

Elovaara, Mika. Fan Phenomena: Star Wars. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 2013. Print.

Henderson, Mary. “Star Wars”: The Magic of Myth. New York: Bantam, 1997. Print.

Salewicz, Chris. George Lucas Close Up: The Making of His Movies. New York: Thunder’s Mouth, 1998. Print.

Sansweet, Stephen J. Star Wars: From Concept to Screen to Collectible. New York: Chronicle, 1992. Print.

"Star Wars." Box Office Mojo. IMDB.com, 2015. Web. 3 Nov. 2015.