This is The Way!
Unbelievably I started drafting this article several months ago and have kept adding bits to it. All designed to be released on May 4th for your pleasure and it is my hope that non-die-hard fans will enjoy it as much as the rest. As I put the final changes, I am listening to the Imperial March. So, let us begin with the legendary John Williams conducting the Imperial March. Just think in 200 years people will still be saying how fantastic this is and how they wish they could have been around when he was alive. Like we do with Beethoven, Mozart, and Strauss.
MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU
Perplexed why Star Wars Day (a.k.a. May 4th) receives so much attention? Cannot wrap your head around Star Wars as a franchise? So, I will attempt to explain why the original films about a dead-beat dad, a weird brother-sister relationship and one colossal laser are worth so much to so many.
The original Star Wars trilogy unfolded as a classic morality play of good versus evil, with a redemption story at its heart: in a crucial moment, Darth Vader turns from the Dark Side of the Force to save his son, Luke Skywalker. It is a story about a rebellion and the power of revolutionaries to change the world, or galaxy. It is also a story about how rebellions and evil transform people. It is something we witness through the movies and in the different ways people can relate with the rebel movements.
The stories of a galaxy far, far away are filled with nuggets of Jedi-worthy wisdom.
- Embrace the traits that make you stand apart. …
- Be loyal to your friends. …
- Realize others see the world differently than you do. …
- Never say “I have a bad feeling about this.” …
- Always repay your debts.
The revival of the Star Wars brand franchise
At this point let us take a short interlude and listen to the immensely talented Ludwig Göransson, Academy Award-winning composer, walking us through his creative process for creating the Mandalorian score.
In recent years we have been overcome by Marvel-mania. So, consider what it has taken to revive the Star Wars brand franchise after so many disappointing spin-offs. Well that came down to ‘The Mandalorian’ show from Disney and its showrunner Jon Favreau.
The Mandalorian gives off a western vibe with the many standout scenes, songs, and camera work invoking an old western film. The main character of the show Din Djarin, played by Pedro Pascal, almost reminds me of a sci-fi Clint Eastwood. Both are skilled gunslingers that do more shooting than talking, while also wearing a flashy and iconic outfit made from Beskar alloy and will set you back a mere 6,000 credits.
As successful a live-action Star Wars TV series this is, the way this show was made represents a far greater change, perhaps the most important since the green screen. This is a filmmaking technique called virtual production. The innovative tech (literally) behind “The Mandalorian” creates a new standard and paradigm for media — and the audience will be none the wiser.
This combination of an old western film and sci-fi refreshes the Star Wars saga. Instead of having the same old Jedi protagonist saving the galaxy b destroying a planet-killing weapon, we follow a regular person that does not have any fancy powers or a lightsaber but still manages to be as popular and memorable as Luke Skywalker or Rey.
The new trilogy movies brought back old characters such as Luke and Lando, but they lacked satisfying character arcs. On the other hand, “The Mandalorian” has brought in fan-favourite characters with fully fleshed out development. The transition of characters like Bo Katan and Ahsoka Tano to live-action has gotten fans hyped up. Both characters were originally from the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” animated television series and was a childhood staple for many. Seeing them in live action brings back a lot of nostalgia and creates hope for Star Wars in general.
I would have to recommend this show to any fan of the franchise while also people who have never experienced any piece of Star Wars media. The addition of old characters and themes will appease fans of the franchise who grew up with them while the western feel to the show makes it more accessible to people who are not familiar with the sci-fi genre. The showrunners are hardcore Star Wars fans, which is clear in their attention to detail when making this show. Overall, “The Mandalorian” has truly revitalized my interest in Star Wars.
The Star Wars legacy
When you think back to the release of Star Wars: A New Hope (Episode IV) on 25 May 1977 George Lucas was only 33. At that time, he had limited experience directing features and struggled initially to pitch the script to the major studios. Ironically, Walt Disney Studios were among the powerhouses that turned it down. Thank goodness 20th Century Fox had the vision. Now Disney bought Lucasfilm Ltd for approximately $4 billion in 2012. Lucas was apprehensive about the sale as he feared Disney would turn it into just another franchise. One cannot argue with his fears.
Now let us travel back in time and listen to the great Barry Norman film review of Star Wars and the numbers mentioned back then compared to nowadays. Just staggering with $6 million budget and $200 million USA revenues.
Drawing on the Japan influence
Many pundits assert, though Lucas himself has never officially acknowledged this, that the original Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is, to all intents and purposes, a sci-fi remake of Kurosawa’s 1958 samurai epic The Hidden Fortress. However, we can say without doubt that famous Japanese cinematographer Akira Kurosawa inspired George Lucas.
One of the main pieces of evidence is the narrative device of telling the story from the perspective of minor characters.
In The Hidden Fortress, the story was told from the perspective of two lowly peasants who find themselves in service to a princess and her general. In Star Wars, it could be argued that the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO are utilized in the same way.
The basic story outline of storming a large enemy fortress, or “death star,” and coming to the aid of a princess against impossible odds are another similarity. I would not go as far as to call A New Hope a remake, but there are undoubtedly influences from Kurosawa throughout the saga’s original trilogy. The famous speeder bike chase near the end of Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, shares several similarities with a similar horseback chase in The Hidden Fortress when General Makabe attempts to outrun his pursuers.
Epilogue
Technically Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope was released on May 25, 1977.
Now we understand why The Walt Disney Company is releasing their new show Obi-Wan Kenobi on May 27, 2022. What makes this especially appealing is the spine-tingling reunion of Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen with John Williams composing the new theme as the icing on the cake.
