Star Wars

Story

As her spaceship is captured by Darth Vader and his Imperial storm-troopers, rebel leader Princess Leia dispatches two droids to get help from Obi-Wan Kenobi, a retired Jedi Knight. The droids fall into the hands of farm boy Luke Skywalker who is soon caught up in a daring mission to rescue Leia and destroy the evil Empire’s lethal Death Star.

Why we chose it

Star Wars is an exciting science fiction adventure about a quest to save the galaxy from evil. Described as ‘a medieval legend in deep space’ its Jedi Knights carry light sabers instead of swords, are aided by droids, and learn a code of chivalry based on the mystical ‘Force’, an energy field that connects living things.

The films’ uplifting story and vivid characters – Obi Wan, Luke, Leia, droids R2-D2 and C-3PO, Han Solo and the Wookie – are much-loved themes within popular culture and continue to inspire many devoted fans.

Where it came from

Star Wars was created by American George Lucas, a film maker and former racing driver. After reading Joseph Campbell’s study of myths and folk tales, A Hero with a Thousand Faces, Lucas set out in 1973 to write a modern myth ‘in a galaxy far, far away’. His plots and names draw on ancient mythology, Roman history, the Second World War and Vietnam War, sci fi comics like Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon, John Ford’s westerns, Fritz Lang’s droid, and the films of Akira Kurosawa.

Despite the success of Lucas’s American Graffiti, Star Wars was initially rejected as ‘too strange’, but was eventually filmed in the UK and went on to make cinema history.

Where it went next

Star Wars redefined the blockbuster movie, winning 6 Academy Awards and becoming the highest grossing film of the time.

Later renamed Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, this became the first of an epic film series, with Lucas writing two sequels and three prequels between 1980 and 2005. His influential storytelling has inspired an ever-expanding ‘Extended Universe’ of books, films, radio and TV series, board and computer games and theme park rides. Lucas is also well known for his four Indiana Jones films and is building a Museum of Narrative Art in California.

Associated stories

The other two films within Lucas’s initial Star Wars trilogy are The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983).