First of all, it wasn’t called Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

It was called Star Wars. Just Star Wars.
George Lucas’ space-western didn’t do anything for the first time; you can find almost everything in these films in an earlier iteration, from pulp novels and comic books to the epics of Akira Kurosawa. Still, Lucas brought space wars, coming of age drama, and sci-fi silliness together at just the right moment.

In 1977, Star Wars changed everything about how movies were made, marketed, merchandised and consumed. Star Wars changed the way fans interacted with stories, the way toy companies influenced movie studios, the list goes on.

That’s what happened, in 1977, with Star Wars. But if you’re of a certain age, it’s likely that you have never seen Star Wars. What you’ve probably seen is Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. You’ve seen the film as it is now known the world, with its clean-ups, edits, additions, and CGI annoyances.

Which means you have never seen the film that changed the history of cinema. George Lucas, for some reason, is obsessed with audiences not having access to the original prints of the Star Wars Trilogy. I wasn’t alive in 1977 (missed it by just a couple of years), but I grew up on the original films in the years before George Lucas started tinkering. I owned them on VHS and watched them on repeat, for years.

Today, I have them on DVD. The theatrical releases of the films were included on a Limited Edition DVD release of the trilogy (separately only, not sold in a collection). If you want to see the theatrical releases, free of any later-Lucas tampering, they are available! They look like this:With Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens on the way, it seemed like a good time to spend some time watching the actual movie that started it all. Yes, I watched, very closely, Star Wars. This is not a side-by-side comparison of the original theatrical releases and George Lucas’s remastered editions.

Instead, I am watching the original print of the original Star Wars, for the first time in a decade, and seeing what magic it holds that can be rekindled apart from everything else that has become associated with the words Star Wars.

So here is the Star Wars Re-Return to one that started it all, 1977s Star Wars.

Let the stream-of-consciousness, close-watch exploration begin:Look at all that delicious grime. C3PO is a dirty droid, and this ship, made of plastic and cardboard, is a grimy space. Lucas didn’t take that grime out of his re-releases, not really, but the texture of it is lost in the later versions. Film has textures, grooves and grit that can be filled with dirt on metal in a way that digital or CGI touch-ups cannot carry.

Darth Vader, in his introductory moments, is badass and terrifying. As far as villain entrances are concerned, you cannot beat Vader’s.

Jawa culture is terrific. Nomadic, desert-dwelling scavengers who rebuild and sell used robots to the few souls inhabiting the outlying regions of Tatooine. These are entrepreneurial and fascinating peoples.

Luke is actually a relatable character. Farm life isn’t for everyone, and a reluctant farm-boy eager to find his way in the world rings real. I used to think, as a young man, that Luke’s dialogue was terrible. But in these early scenes, it is not; it’s just sounds like an annoyed kid.

C3PO is a comic bully. I don’t think that ever occurred to me. “You overweight glob of grease,” he says, in one of the many early insults he flings at R2D2. It might be a sign of his subjugation, but he can be a real prick.

The sci-fi tech, even the low-fi tools on Tatooine, is awesome. Luke’s binoculars as he searches out R2 on the desert plane…I don’t know exactly what they’re doing, but I love them.

Shelagh Fraser, who plays Aunt Beru, must have just wore her street clothes to the shoot. Her hair and denim jacket are straight late 70s.

Sandpeople. Problematic, Lucas. There’s a lot of weird creatures in this film, but the Sandpeople aren’t really humanoid aliens, are they? In this, their introduction, they’re more like cultural opprobrium.

Obi-Wan can barely walk on the rocks in the desert. He is, truly, an old man.

Mark Hamill is working hard to sell his interactions with Alec Guinness. Rightly so. But Guinness obviously doesn’t give two-shits about this role.

I always heard that Alec Guinness didn’t want to do Star Wars. At least in these desert scenes, that shows.

Pause.

Let’s take a second on the next scene: Luke and Obi-Wan sit together at Obi-Wan’s (very spacious) hut. Luke is repairing C3PO, who had his arm torn off by the Sandpeople. Meanwhile, Obi-Wan is talking about the Jedi, and Luke’s father. “The best starpilot in the galaxy, and a cunning warrior,” Obi-Wan says about Luke’s pops.Then Obi-Wan gives Luke the lightsaber of his father, which Luke’s uncle apparently told Obi-Wan not to give Luke. Which means that Luke takes a highly lethal weapon from a stranger.

This is an insane scene. Even in the Joseph Campbell Archetype overlay that undergirds everything in Star Wars, with a Wise Old Sage mentoring the Hero on his Journey, it is absolutely ridiculous that the Hero would get the weapon handed over without earning it or at least wanting it! Arthur doesn’t pull Excalibur out of the rock in the first scene. Take away those archetypes, and your left with a weird old hermit handing over deadly weapons to mostly strange young men.

Obi-Wan calls the blade “an elegant weapon, for a more civilized age.” A description which can only come from a psychotic killer, knowing to what end that exact lightsaber has used.

OK. Un-pause.

Obi -Wan tells Luke about Darth Vader. “He betrayed and murdered your father…Vader was seduced by the dark side of the force.” It is here, with the introduction of Darth Vader, the dark side, and the murder of Luke’s father, that Star Wars finally hits the mark. What genius!

Leia’s message: Luke is HOT for her. Even holographic Carrie Fisher clearly turns Luke on.

And FINALLY, we get to the Death Star. 36 minutes, but we made it. And it’s all basically so NAZI. Really, Lucas. Really, really Nazi.

“Don’t try to frighten us with your sorcerer’s ways Lord Vader.”

These Nazi guys are not afraid of Vader; they talk shit.

Each of the Death Star’s conference table attendees has a very nice travel coffee mug.

The burned bodies of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are gruesome, and the long shot of Luke’s back as he looks at his burning home and dead family is, so far, the most striking image conjured by the film.

Vader’s torture device is both scary and kid-friendly. Good job effects team.

Pause.

After Luke sees his family has been murdered by the Empire, he returns to find C3PO carrying the dead bodies of the Jawas to a burning pile. This begs the question of what exactly the role of C3PO is on this little team of adventurers. The hardness of this task, emotionally, would not be lost on the droid, who we’ve already seen has no desire for danger. He is a tool, clearly, but he is also emotional and capable of feeling fear, terror, making jokes. And now he must work as the collector of corpses. That seems like a shitty job for C3PO.

Un-pause.

The flop of the Jawa body that C3PO drops on the fire is horrible and chaotic, but the scene itself, a droid dropping a tiny, child-size carcass into flames, even worse.

Pause.

Obi-Wan doesn’t say that he is sorry for Luke.Luke just saw his family’s murdered bodies. Kenobi just manipulates Luke to do what Obi-Wan wanted Luke to do all along. Nice old man.

Compassion Obi-Wan. Weren’t you a Jedi? Look it up.

Un-pause.

At this point in the film (“Mos Eisley. You will never find a blah blah…”) it’s clear that the camera will be used to almost no effect in Star Wars. The cinematographer, Gilbert Taylor, was a gifted photographer, but Star Wars is as plain-spoken as it gets when it comes to craft with the camera. Maybe this is due to the practical effects and the locations; maybe it was just an oversight. But this movie relies entirely on what happens in a static, un-invigorated camera.

The effects game is upped on Tatooine substantially in Mos Eisley. Creatures, droids, machines, a lot more eye-candy.

Mos Eisley is the first time the audience meets the range of humanoid alien creatures that populate the universe of Star Wars. Luke must have known about this world, but Mark Hamill does an admirable bit of playing with the new kid in town role.

Pause.

Why droids are not welcome in the Mos Eisley Cantina is a mystery, but the fact continues to build the case that droids in general, and C3PO in particular, are oppressed figures in the Star Wars universe. What can C3PO do but go along with every suggestion that is made to him, by any human or humanoid creature? He’s already has his arms ripped off. No one would think twice about just killing C3PO.

This is a world where droids are given intelligence and emotional complexity, but no agency.

Un-pause.

Obi-Wan cuts off the man’s arm at the bar. We don’t see it of course. But it gives Obi-Wan some physicality for the first time, ant it is welcome.

47 minutes: Han Solo.

Pause.

Han Solo: first impressions. Handsome, fluffed hair, vest over a long-sleeve shirt. His traveling companion is a giant bear-dog who wears ammo around his shoulder. Solo is bragging about his ship’s speed and fame (“you’ve never heard of the Millenium Falcon…”). A cocky bragging a-hole, or close too. A man compensating, perhaps? Or desperate.

This is a pretty remarkable introduction for a heroic character, and one of the great character intros in genre movies. It starts with a smile, goes through negotiations, and ends with the hero shooting a man under the table. The level of character revelation packed into this scene reminds you why this screenplay was nominated for an Academy Award.

Un-pause.

Great shot number 2: Han’s boot on the table in the foreground, and his back against the wall, as he prepares to shoot, and then shoots, Greedo.Back on the Death Star, planning continues to do something to get Leia to talk. Not much intrigue.

Luke complaining about how much money he gets for the sale of his speeder. Human moments are surprisingly frequent in this movie.

There is no exterior shot of the Millenium Falcon in the hangar at Mos Eisley. Another great reveal or a practical reality?

Everyone is now in space. Tatooine is left behind.

Han is jackass towards Luke (“ain’t like dusting crops boy…”).

Pause.

Carrie Fisher finally gets her moment, and she is excellent in her diplomatic way. She recognizes the foul stench of her opponent, but remains calm and in power until the drastic reality of the situation reveals itself to her. “The more you tighten your grip…”

Like C3PO burning dead bodies in the desert, the destruction of Alderaan at the hands of the Death Star is another chaotic moment of violence that slips into the family film of Star Wars. But Moff Tarkin’s decision to kill millions of people in an instant is scaled so high, and so far removed, that it leaves very little impression on the audience. It is casual annihilation at the hands of a man who can hardly be taken as anything other than a Nazi General.

Un-pause.

Carrie Fisher is much shorter than these men.

Obi-Wan, again, has a pretty muted reaction to death. A momentary blip in his wellbeing is all he suffers at the emotional realization of a planet’s destruction? Is this Jedi training or lack of humanity?

Pause.

The religion of The Force is a bit hokey. It obeys your commands and controls your actions? Really? Sounds like hokum. Han’s skepticism is warranted.

Un-pause.

The Falcon comes out of hyper drive into an asteroid field that is the exploded Alderaan planet.

That’s no moon.

the four-shot of Luke and Obi-Wan, Chewbacca and Han looking out the front window of the Millenium Falcon has a simple 1950s charm. You can imagine George Lucas saying, okay guys wobble in your chairs now.

Another great shot: the Millenium Falcon boards the Death Star, pulled in by the tractor beam, framed in the doorway, the stars of infinite space behind, and the light of the docking area in front. It’s our first direct look at the Falcon, and it looks beautiful. An immensely detailed bit of effects work.

“I sense something. A presence I haven’t felt since.” Darth Vader’s in touch with the Force. He’s the only one on the Empire’s side?

Pause.

There’s some banter between Obi-Wan and Han, about fools and following. That exchange ends with Han Solo petting Chewbacca’s head like a dog. Which begs the question: What is Chewie, to Han? Are they friends? Colleagues? Or is Chewie his pet?Chewie and Han are smart enough to converse with one another in two different languages. It can only be patronizing to have your interlocutor end a conversation by rubbing you on the head. There are real questions to be asked about the subordinate roles of the non-white, non-human characters in the Star Wars universe.

Un-pause.

“I prefer a straight fight to all this sneaking around.” Han remains a hot head, which is his charm.

“I don’t think you boys can help,” Obi-Wan remains a condescending religious figurehead.

The plan to execute Princess Leia brings out the real destitution of Han’s character. “Better her than me” is only the kind of utterance a real bad man might claim.

That he comes back to the plan in exchange for money only hammers home the point: Han is a shit.

Side by side, Han and Luke are mismatched stormtroopers. Skinny and short, broad and tall. This is I assume a great laugh for the producers? They even have a two-by-two marching column of stormtroopers pass through so we can see they are all exactly the same size and height. Lucked out I guess when they knocked out those two on the Falcon.

There are a lot of cameras in this detention center.

Han: “We’re all fine here. How are you?” Once again, Han’s character is shown: he’s not good at this stuff.

Pause.

Why is Leia sleeping like a super-model on that hard bench in the Death Star holding cell? Her silky floor-length dress is as much a nightgown in that pose as it is the attire of a diplomat or political prisoner. Luke has been taken with Leia since the moment R2 showed him the holographic message.Now, Luke finds her posed like a cover-model. His stunned silence, even through his stormtrooper mask, speaks volumes about what he finds in that cell.

Un-pause.

Obi-Wan’s presence is felt by Vader. Tarkin isn’t buying it: “You myself are all that is left of their religion.” As far as religions go, especially religions that portend to be the most powerful and effective energy/influence in the universe, this one is clearly uninspiring to the general population.

Han meets Leia. They bicker. As a rescue, Luke and Han are not off to a great start, it’s true.

Pause.

Leia to the rescue. “In to the garbage chute flyboy,” is a terrific, cutting line. Already its clear that Luke’s attraction to Leia is that of a kid admiring a woman. Han and Leia, from the start, are equals. Equally cantankerous, perhaps, but adults, too.

What Leia does not need is a rescuer to hold her hand. What she needs is action and if Han can’t provide it, she’ll do it herself. This means that Leia is a member of a royal family (princess?), a diplomat, a political prisoner, and a straight up BAMF.

She owns Star Wars.

Un-pause.

Han is a whiner. “A garbage chute, what a really wonderful idea!”

It’s amazing to see just how much an outisder Han Solo is, making almost no attempt to befriend Luke, Obi-Wan, or Leia.

The set designs are simple and effective. The garbage dump is just four walls, trash and water. Lucas, to his credit, doesn’t overthink the sets. The blinking lights on red dash in the Death Star control room. Four walls and some trash in a trash compactor.

The trash compactor is the first real scene of suspense. The claustrophobic shot of Luke in the foreground and the others stretched out in the back, propped against the walls, very effective.

How did Obi-Wan possibly find his way to the tractor beam control tower based on that flashing momentary map glimpse provided by R2? The is a big ship?

“If we can avoid any more female advice, we should be able to get out of here.” Han, Captain of the shits.

“Will someone get this walking carpet out of my way.” Leia, it seems, is not above abusing the non-human members of the company.

So quickly, out of danger, Han and Leia’s barbing becomes bickering, Shakespeare style quipping of future romantic interests.

Luke’s utility belt has a grappling hook. Why?

Seriously WHY?

Pause.

Vader standing in the hallway, lightsaber in hand, waiting for Obi-Wan. Like a samurai ready for battle. This is what Star Wars makes you wait for (this is 1:27 into the film, after all), but it’s payoff is rewarding. At least in spirit, if not in actual combat, since Alec Guinness is, shall we say, limited in his physical capacity to conduct swordplay.

Which is fine because the intrigue in this scene is in the dialogue. “Your powers are weak old man,” “Only a master of evil, Darth.” Barbs traded with surprising intimacy, from two former colleagues.

Un-pause.

Why does Obi-Wan get himself disappeared? He sees Luke and decides: he’s ready to go it alone because I gave him a 15 minute training session on that ship? Irresponsible, Obi-Wan.

The Falcon escapes the Death Star. Luke is sad. Leia comforts him. Weird. They’ve only known each other, what, 2 days?

Some pretty fancy editing during accompanies Han and Luke in the gunner seats, bopping around, as they try to shoot down the fighters attacking their ship. Given the simplicity of Star Wars cinematic construction, it stands out.

Han and Leia go back to their banter. “You call that easy?”

Han’s mercenary nature remains in tact. “I’m in it for the money.” He’s quite committed to himself.

The Rebel Base: all those orange jump suits and white kids listening to that silly trench plan.

Pause.

The Death Star is orbiting the moon that holds the rebel base. Darth Vader is eager: “This will be a day long remembered,” he says. I killed my old boss, and now we’ll blow up all those rebels.

Cut To: Han, leaving. He’s got his money, as Luke says, and how he’s taking off. Still, even at this point, a mercenary in it for the money, looking to pay his debts. Han’s commitment to his own needs is impressive, even asking Luke to come with him. “You’re pretty good in a fight,” he says, even as Luke is on his way to attack the Death Star. Chutzpah!

I love these characters. They are purely conceived, and executed. For all the silliness of Star Wars, Han, Darth, C3PO and Leia are inspired creations from George Lucas.

Un-pause.

Then comes the money shot: “Take care of yourself, Han. I guess that’s what you’re best at.” Is this the shot that makes Han change his mind? Or would he have done so, regardless?

Luke and Leia exchange niceties about Han, and Ben. She kisses him on the cheek. They look remarkably young, these actors. The soft focus on that shot, too, feels intimate and different from so many of the film’s close-ups.

Old Time Religion: Dead Ben Kenobi is talking to Luke in his helmet. “Luke, the force will be with you.”

These X-Wing pilots casting call: white, male. Middle-aged, mustachioed and non-mustachioed. Sweaty.

These laser blasts seem to do a great deal of interior damage to the Death Star. You gotta wonder about how close the interior employees are to the exterior of the ship.

Darth Vader gets out into the fight himself. Is this courage and leadership or stupidity?

I’m going with the latter.

Biggs really lays an egg.

The rebel base from which Leia watches this battle is a beautiful piece of set design.

Moff Tarkin is over-confident. “Evacuate? In our moment of triumph?” Nazi dickhead.

The exterior flight shots of the X-Wings against the backdrop of the Death Star impress even today. Those practical effects just don’t age.

This is a really long dogfight.

Han Comes Back. One in a Million. He’s not just about the money. But he doesn’t reveal anything. He’s just back to help his friend.

Pause.

C3PO offers to donate his circuits to save the life of his friend, R2D2. The most put-upon character in Star Wars, also the most compassionate.

C3PO, you are a hero.

Un-Pause.

Medal ceremony. Really, really formal. Look at all those extras. Luke could have put a collared shirt on, no?

Leia looks stunning. Nice jewelry, new gown. New hair style, which does her justice. The buns are great, but, you know.

Closing Credits final thought:

“I used to Bullseye womprats.” “Just like beggars Canyon back home.”

Is it the force that saves the Rebellion? Luke turns off his targeting system, and takes the shot that destroy the Death Star. But Luke never had a targeting system back home on Tatooine. He was a farm kid, hunting, mucking with his pals, living a simple, rural life.

Sorry Obi-Wan. Luke’s farm boy experience is what saves the day, destroys the Death Star, and allows the rebels to continue the fight against the Empire. This is no small admission, given that Luke’s greatest desire was to break free from the boredom of his daily life as a farmhand to his Aunt and Uncle.

But here, with the stakes at their highest, it’s the untrained young man from the middle of nowhere who knows, with or without an old man whispering about religion in his ear, how to save the day.

Just like back home, eh, Luke?

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