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| {{Twootheruses | the series| the 1977 movie| Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope}} | |||
| ] | |||
| {{Portal|Star Wars}} | |||
| '''''Star Wars''''' is a ] ] and ] created by ] / ] / ] ] during the 1970s. The saga began with the film '']'' (later retitled ''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''), which was released on ], ], by ]. The film became a worldwide ] phenomenon - spawning five more feature films, three ], five ] and an extensive collection of licensed ], ], ], ], ], card games, and other products - all of which are set within a fictional "]." | |||
| An example of the ] genre, the ''Star Wars'' story employs ] motifs common to both ] and ], as well as the ] motifs now often associated with those genres. | |||
| == Feature films == | |||
| ] | |||
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| | width="50%"|I. '']'' | |||
| | width="50%"|], ] | |||
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| |], ] | |||
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| |III. '']'' | |||
| |], ] | |||
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| |IV. '']'' | |||
| |], ] | |||
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| |V. '']'' | |||
| |], ] | |||
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| |VI. '']'' | |||
| |], ] | |||
| |} | |||
| Although The Ewok Adventure, later renamed '']'', played in theaters in ] and ] and is technically a ''Star Wars'' feature film, it is generally associated with television, therefore it is covered in the ] below. | |||
| === Setting === | |||
| {{Seealso|Star Wars opening crawl}} | |||
| Unlike the traditional science fiction films preceding it, the ''Star Wars'' world was initially portrayed as dirty and grimy, rather than sleek and futuristic. In interviews, Lucas tells of rubbing the new props with dirt to make them look weather-worn, a concept he has referred to as "a used or ancient future", a concept further popularized in the film ] of the same era. He may have been inspired by ], whose 1960s films performed a similar function for the ] genre. It is also possible that he may have received the idea from ], who believed that it gave his actors a more authentic look. | |||
| Each ''Star Wars'' film opens with the text, "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...." Lucas intended this as an allusion to the classic ] opening of, "Once upon a time, in a faraway land..." This is the only way the ] has been defined in relation to the real world. To some, Lucas's allusion suggests that the films are to be interpreted as allegorical and metaphorical narratives of the future, rather than literal events of the past. Lucas intentionally left the details open to interpretation.<ref>http://www.starwars.com/community/askjc/steve/askjc20000515.html</ref> Events occur in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy; although the film series itself spans the events of only two generations, other stories set in the ''Star Wars'' universe (those from the so-called "]") cover events that ]. | |||
| The ''Star Wars'' films use an opening text to provide the audience with the background to the story. Lucas emulated the '']'' serials by having his opening text "crawl" up the screen from bottom to top at a high pitched angle, as if the text were disappearing into the distant starscape. Also in all ''Star Wars'' films, a ] of some kind whooshes by after the crawl disappears completely. In a ], ], interview with the '']'', Lucas described the creation of the distinctive crawl: "The crawl is such a hard thing because you have to be careful that you're not using too many words that people don't understand. It's like a poem. I showed the very first crawl to a bunch of friends of mine in the '70s. It went on for six paragraphs with four sentences each. ] was there, and he threw his hands up in the air and said, 'George, you're out of your mind! Let me sit down and write this for you.' He helped me chop it down into the form that exists today." | |||
| The saga shows us a very "ancient" galactic civilization thousands of years old. The setting is totally unrelated to ] or our galaxy, which gives it more liberty, in a sense. The Star Wars Galaxy prominently features aliens who are essentially identical to humans. Their civilization was able to develop space travel, terraform, build ]es and build space colonies 200,000 years "ago."{{citation needed}} | |||
| Star Wars melds science with supernatural elements that strongly relate to epic stories and fairy tales (for example, ], ], ], ]es and 'whimsical' alien races such as ]s and ]s). The scope of ] spans over 5,100 years among all the Star Wars fiction produced so far (from '']'' to '']''), even though the films span only two generations. Later novels from a series dubbed ] opened up the ''Star Wars'' setting with alien beings named ] that came from a different galaxy. Most aliens prior to this series came from the one galaxy in which the films are set. | |||
| === Plot === | |||
| ]. This scene from ''A New Hope'' has become a recognized cultural symbol of the ''Star Wars'' saga.]] | |||
| {{Spoiler}} | |||
| '''''Episodes I, II, and III'' (the Clone Wars)''' chronicle the downfall of the ] and the rise of the ]. It is also the story of ]'s rise as a gifted young ] (the chosen one) and his eventual transformation to Darth Vader, and the Dark Side of the ]. In the first film, ] manipulates the ] into invading and occupying the planet ]. Sidious concurrently maintains his public identity as Palpatine, a senator in the Galactic Republic, and uses the crisis to convince the Senate to elect him as Chancellor of the Galactic Republic. In the second film, he further manipulates the Senate into granting him emergency powers and orchestrates the ], a conflict between the Republic (which he controls as Chancellor Palpatine) and a ] movement (which he controls as Darth Sidious). | |||
| A young boy named Anakin Skywalker, incredibly strong with the Force, is discovered by Jedi Master ], and his padawan Obi Wan Kenobi. Qui-Gon believes Anakin is the Chosen One, prophesied to bring balance to the Force. When Qui-Gon is killed by Darth Maul, Obi Wan avenges his fallen master and then, over the strong objections of ], decides to obey his master's final wish to train the boy. Anakin grows powerful with the Force, and his skill causes him to become arrogant and chafe against Obi-Wan's training, which he feels is restrictive. Against the strictest rules of the Jedi Order, Anakin falls in love with ], queen, and later senator, of Naboo. The two wed in secret, forbidden for a Jedi as it can create a fear of loss that can lead to the Dark Side of the Force. The Clone Wars begin to rage through every part of the known galaxy, and the Jedi fight tirelessly to bring peace back to the Republic. Anakin and Padmé continue to keep their marriage a secret, but soon Padmé becomes pregnant. Although thrilled by the news, Anakin begins to have visions of Padmé's death. The secretive nature of their relationship forces him to seek help outside of the Jedi order, and he desperately asks Senator ] (secretly ]) for help. Sidious seizes this opportunity to tempt Anakin to the Dark Side, promising that Padmé can be saved if he joins the Sith. Tragically, Anakin is still unable to save Padmé, and becomes indirectly responsible for causing her death. By this point it is too late and Anakin has now become the Sith Lord '']'' who goes on to hunt down and destroy all the remaining Jedi in the galaxy (see ] for more on the demise of the Jedi order). Padmé dies giving birth to twins, whom she names ] and ]. The twins are given to two separate willing parties for safety: Luke to Anakin's stepbrother Owen Lars and his wife Beru on ]; Leia to Senator Bail Organa and his wife on the planet ]. Obi Wan-Kenobi and Yoda, the last remaining Jedi, exile themselves, Obi-Wan on ] (presumably to watch over Luke), Yoda on the bog-like world of ]. Sidious (as Palpatine) declares himself emperor and turns the Galactic Republic into the First Galactic Empire. | |||
| '''''Episodes IV, V, and VI'' (the Galactic Civil War)''' pick up approximately nineteen years after the events of Episode III, during the ], a lengthy conflict which leads to the downfall of the Galactic Empire at the hands of the ]. These films follow the story of Luke Skywalker, the son of Anakin Skywalker, and his rise in the rebellion against the Empire. Leia, now a princess and a member of the ], sends a message for help to Obi-Wan Kenobi by means of ]. She is intercepted by Darth Vader, and is brought to the sinister ]. Luke inadvertently intercepts the message and meets Kenobi. Leia is forced to witness the destruction of her home-world, Alderaan, by the dreaded ]. After the murder of his aunt and uncle by ]s, Luke joins the ragtag Rebel Alliance — traveling with Kenobi, his sister Leia Organa (who he does not realize is his sister until later, in Episode VI), smuggler ] and his friend ], Solo's ] companion ], and the droids ] and ]. The Rebel Alliance eventually destroys the Death Star and Tarkin. | |||
| He trains with Kenobi and subsequently Yoda to become a Jedi like his father, who he believes was betrayed and murdered by Darth Vader. When Luke learns the truth — that his father is Darth Vader — he is profoundly shaken. Despite this, Luke successfully resists the efforts of Vader and Palpatine to turn him to the Dark Side, and instead succeeds in turning his father back to the Light Side of the Force. Vader, having turned from the Dark Side, then kills Emperor Palpatine in order to save his son, but is mortally wounded in the process. Meanwhile, the Rebel fleet scores a decisive victory against the Empire by destroying the second ]. The Rebel Alliance's victory eventually leads to the end of the Galactic Civil War and the downfall of the Empire. | |||
| === Themes === | |||
| {{Main|Philosophy and religion in Star Wars|Force (Star Wars)}} | |||
| George Lucas embraces a style of epic storytelling that uses motifs, common themes and concepts which he alters slightly each time they occur. The concept is lifted from Romantic (early 19th century) music, but Lucas applies it both visually and as an integral part of his storytelling. | |||
| On a larger scale, there are many parallels between the original trilogy and the prequel trilogy; the stories of Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker echo and reflect each other in myriad ways. | |||
| The Force is one of the most recognizable elements of the ''Star Wars'' series. It is described by Obi-Wan Kenobi in the original ''Star Wars'' film as, "An energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together." | |||
| Those who can use the Force, such as the Jedi, can perform feats of ], ], ], ], and mental control. Two aspects of the Force are emphasized: the ''light'' side and the ''dark'' side. The light side of the Force is the facet aligned with good, benevolence, and healing. The dark side of the Force is aligned with fear, hatred, aggression, and malevolence. The dark side seems more powerful, especially to those who use it, because it is driven by rage and hatred — its effects are more direct and easier and faster to achieve. In reality, neither the light nor the dark side of the Force is stronger than the other, each possessing its own advantages and disadvantages. For example, the dark side conveys an inherent disadvantage to its users, which is arrogance and overconfidence in their own abilities. However, this aggression allows its acolytes to become more formidable warriors — illustrated when Luke is able to finally overcome his father in battle because of his anger at the thought of his sister turning to the dark side. On the other hand, Jedi can occasionally become crippled by their compassion and act "soft." This is balanced by an ability to remain calm even in extreme circumstances. | |||
| === Influences === | |||
| {{Seealso|Star Wars sources and analogues}} | |||
| Many different influences have been suggested for the ''Star Wars'' films by fans and critics. George Lucas himself has cited some quite surprising inspirations for his films, for example the novel ]. Lucas acknowledges that the plot and characters in the 1958 Japanese film ''],'' directed by ], were a major inspiration. Lucas has said in an interview, which is included on the DVD edition of ''The Hidden Fortress'', that the movie influenced him to tell the story of ''Star Wars'' from the viewpoint of the humble ]s, rather than a major player. It also played a role in the conception of Darth Vader, whose trademark black helmet intentionally resembles the black ] of the arch-villain in Kurosawa's '']''. The Jedi, nearly extinct futuristic ]s of the former Republic, also have a high influence from the ] as spiritual warriors and duelists with a strong sense of honor and devotion to their duty. Their traditional clothing even resembles ]s. | |||
| Prior to writing the script for ''Star Wars'', George Lucas originally wanted to make a film of ]. The rights for ''Flash Gordon'', however, were held by ], and Lucas decided to work on his own science fiction project instead. | |||
| ] | |||
| ]'s '']'']] | |||
| Another influence in Lucas's creation of ''Star Wars'' was the writings of ]. Campbell's work explored the supposed common meanings, structures, and purposes of the world's mythologies. Lucas has stated that his intention was to create in ''Star Wars'' a "modern mythology" based on Campbell's work. The original ''Star Wars'' film, episode IV, for example, closely followed the archetypal "hero's journey", as described in Campbell's '']''. This influence was discussed by ] and Campbell in the ] mini-series, '']'' and by Lucas and Moyers in the 1999 program, '']''.<ref>http://www.films.com/id/11017/The_Mythology_of_Star_Wars_with_George_Lucas_and_Bill_Moyers.htm</ref> In addition, the ''] of the ]'' sponsored an exhibit during the late 1990s called ''Star Wars: The Magic of Myth'' which discussed the ways in which Campbell's work shaped the ''Star Wars'' films.<ref>http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/StarWars/sw-unit1.htm</ref> A companion guide of the same name was published in 1997. | |||
| It is thought that the setting for the ''Star Wars'' universe came from ]'s '']'', published in the early 1950s. This saga also involves a galaxy teeming with inhabited worlds held together by a collapsing ] using ]s (for long-distance transportation). It also features the planet ], which is entirely covered by the galaxy's capital, similar to ], and the protagonist of '']'' is Lathan Devers, a character resembling Han Solo. Even lightsabers have precursors in the ''The Foundation Trilogy'' as force field penknives. The planet Korrell is thought to be the basis of the planet ].{{citation needed}} | |||
| It is often argued that ''Star Wars'' was influenced by ]'s classic science fiction book '']''. Many elements of ''Star Wars'' are also evident in ''Dune''.<ref>; A comparison of the most often cited similarities between ''Star Wars'' and ''Dune''</ref> There are so many similarities, in fact, some ''Dune'' devotees consider ''Star Wars'' little more than a campy film adaptation of Herbert's work. While this is certainly an exaggeration, many of the similarities are striking. For example, both ''Dune'' and ''Star Wars'' are set on desert planets. Both stories feature a mystical knighthood of sorts — the Jedi in ''Star Wars'' and the ] of ''Dune''. In both stories the hero is a ]-like character, uses mystical powers, exhibits mind control (Jedi mind trick/the Voice), and duels opponents with sword-like weapons. Finally, both stories describe a corrupt empire and the hero's efforts to overcome it. | |||
| Some comic book fans have drawn parallels between ''Star Wars'' and ]’s epic Fourth World series, published by ]. The cosmos-spanning series of titles was never completed because DC canceled it, citing low sales. At the heart of the series was the battle between Orion of the New Gods and his villainous father, ] (pronounced “dark side.”) ] called upon the mystical force known as "the source" to aid him in this struggle. The Death Star is somewhat reminiscent of Apokolips, Darkseid’s home planet. Likewise, Darkseid's headpiece is similar in structure to Vader's. | |||
| Furthermore, Orion, like Luke Skywalker, was separated from his evil father at birth, growing up ignorant of his true parentage. Also like Skywalker, Orion was mentored by an old man who carried a staff and was far more powerful than his appearance suggested; the Highfather. Finally, both Orion and Skywalker are forced to struggle not only against their biological father's dreams of universal conquest but also against their own inner darkeness. | |||
| Also, Darth Vader shares some visual similarities with Kirby’s armored über-villain ], co-created with editor/scripter ] at ]. | |||
| The ''Star Wars'' saga has also been influenced by historical events; Lucas claims to have drawn on ], ] and the ] for inspiration. The reference to the historical past can be seen with Lucas's use of 'stormtroopers', commonly associated with the ]s of ] Germany and ] ], and also associated with the SS under Hitler in World War II. These troopers acted as the Nazi party’s military force, under Hitler’s direct control. Similarly, the stormtroopers of Star Wars acted as the Empire’s military force, under Palpatine’s direct control. Lucas also based the space battles in ''A New Hope'' on World War II-era aerial ]s. The rise of Palpatine mirrors ] in that a democracy becomes an empire. | |||
| Even ] is said to have had a limited influence on Star Wars. ]'s intergallactic vision among humans has long been a staple for these concepts. A reference to ST is used in Episode V when an Empire commander mentions a cloaking device, a device used by ], to describe the disappearance of the ]. It's been mentioned that Lucas wanted to label the Falcon's light speed capabilities as "warp drive" but was advised against it because at the time Roddenberry was looking into doing the ] TV show and didn't want to start a conflict. | |||
| Star Wars was also influenced by ] by ']'.<ref>{{cite web | work=Star Wars Origins | title=Star Wars Origins - The Lord of the Rings|url=http://www.spookybug.com/origins/lotr.html| accessdate=2006-09-19}}</ref> | |||
| === Scripts === | |||
| ] | |||
| The ''Star Wars'' saga began with a 14-page treatment for a space adventure movie that Lucas drafted in 1973, inspired by multiple myths and classical narratives. According to one source, Lucas initially wrote summaries for fifteen stories that would make up the ''Star Wars'' saga. Out of these fifteen stories, Lucas originally planned to film only one of them as a feature film. Then, in 1978, following the success of the first released ''Star Wars'' film, he publicly announced that he would create a total of twelve films to chronicle the adventures of Luke Skywalker (in the original scripts, the character’s name was Luke Starkiller). In 1979, Lucas retracted his former statement, saying that he would instead make nine films.<ref>http://scifi.about.com/library/starwars/bl-sixornine.htm</ref> Four years later, having completed ''Return of the Jedi'', Lucas announced that he was putting ''Star Wars'' on indefinite hold until special-effects technology had improved to his satisfaction. Finally, in 1995, (after seeing the effects results of ] work on ]) Lucas decided that he would produce the trilogy of ]s (Episodes I, II, and III), for a total of six films. He also claimed at the time that he had always envisioned "the whole thing as a series of six films". | |||
| Other sources, including publicly available draft scripts of ''Star Wars'', show that Lucas had an incomplete and quickly-changing conception of the ''Star Wars'' story up until the release of the first film in 1977. Story elements such as the ] present in early scripts are missing entirely in the films, while names were freely exchanged between different planets and characters — "Organa Major" being the original name for ], for instance (Organa later became Princess Leia's surname). Even as late as the production of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'', there were significant differences from the films which emerged — for example, ] being a clone from the Clone Wars and the climactic battle of ''Return of the Jedi'' taking place against two Death Stars orbiting the Imperial capital planet, then known as Had Abbadon.<ref>http://www.starwarz.com/starkiller/scripts.htm</ref> Another version of the ''Return of the Jedi'' script had Luke turning to the dark side after killing Darth Vader. Leia would then become the next Jedi to fight the dark side. This did not happen, however, because Lucas felt that the ending would be too dark, especially for children, who were a major target audience. Also, George Lucas had the script of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' saying that "Obi-Wan killed your father," all the while having the "I am your father" line in mind. Since Darth Vader's voice was overdubbed by ], the true line was revealed in post-production.<ref>Empire of Dreams documentary (extended), 2004 Star Wars DVD Box Set Bonus disk</ref> In addition, the story released as the novel '']'' was intended as a possible direction for a low-budget ''Star Wars'' sequel — however, the success of ''A New Hope'' allowed Lucas to pursue the more ambitious ''The Empire Strikes Back'' instead. | |||
| Lucas has been criticized for allegedly deviating from his original conception of the universe that was introduced in the original 1977 film. It has been theorized by some that developments in the later films, including (but not limited to) the revelation of Darth Vader as the father of Luke Skywalker, the revelation of Princess Leia as Luke's sister, and the progression of Darth Vader from a powerful lackey serving under ] to a much-feared military leader answerable only to the Emperor (as well as the overall Star Wars Saga's shift in focus from Luke to Vader as the main character) go completely against the history/characters/relationships that were established in the original 1977 film. The Star Wars prequel trilogy has also been accused of similar retroactive changes that were allegedly not part of Lucas' original concept for Star Wars. | |||
| For his part, Lucas claimed in a segment filmed for the ]-] ] release of the original trilogy that the original ''Star Wars'' story was intended as a single film but was later split into three because the story was too long to be told in a single film. In the ] commentaries for the original trilogy, Lucas claims that many story elements were changed within the production of the films — for instance, the attack on the Death Star in ''A New Hope'' was moved from the end of the trilogy in order to strengthen ''A New Hope'' on its own merits, while the character of Chewbacca established the Wookiees as a technologically advanced race, necessitating their replacement with Ewoks in ''Return of the Jedi''. Other changes, including the death of Obi-Wan in ''A New Hope'', were made during the filming. Lucas also stated in the commentaries that the prequel stories existed only as "notes" explaining the backstories of characters such as Obi-Wan. In an interview with ] prior to the release of ''The Phantom Menace'', Lucas remarked that he had allowed the publication of novels written as sequels to the films (see ]) because he would never make the sequels himself. | |||
| Lucas's history of different statements regarding his future and past plans for the ''Star Wars'' saga have caused a great deal of popular confusion, while drawing criticism from some. For example, some still believe that Lucas's original plan was for a "trilogy of trilogies," based on early statements made by Lucasfilm regarding sequels. For more information on the supposed sequel trilogy, see ]. | |||
| It has been reported that Lucas's original script was almost 500 pages long. The title, originally ''The Adventures of Luke Starkiller'', was changed several times before becoming ''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope''.{{citation needed}} | |||
| === Production and release === | |||
| ] | |||
| The ''Star Wars'' film series was shot in an original ] of 2.35:1. The "original trilogy" was shot with ] lenses (Episodes IV and V were shot in Panavision, while Episode VI was shot in J.D.C. scope), while Episode I was shot in Arriscope film format, and Episodes II and III were shot with Sony's ] high-definition digital camera. | |||
| There were countless problems during the production of ''Episode IV'', and few critics expected the film to achieve the measure of success it did. Many problems with effects, editing, funding, and shooting caused the film to be pushed back from its expected release date of December 1976. The production company, not to mention many involved in the actual production, had little faith in the movie. According to reports, it was a daily struggle merely to complete the film on time. Despite these difficulties, the first film was released on ], ], and became a surprise hit. Though its ] had hit the shelves six months earlier, the book had not seen nearly the amount of interest that the film would draw. | |||
| Many consider the phenomenal popularity of its first release due to the need for escapism after the experiences of Vietnam and Watergate. Throughout the first half of the 70's, baby-boomers (like Lucas himself) were getting more involved in filmaking along with Coppola, Scorcese, Freidken and others only to express dark and gritty realism in their films. Star Wars offered an escape from these confining realities. | |||
| ===Filming locations=== | |||
| Episodes IV, V, and VI were shot at, among other locations, ], in ], ]. The outdoor scenes from the ice planet ] in ''Episode V'' were shot at ], ]. Also, one shot of the Rebel Base on ] in Episode IV was of ] temples in ], ]. ''The Phantom Menace'' was filmed at ] and the subsequent prequels were filmed in ], ]. ], and the sand dunes of Yuma, Arizona, have served as the location for filming scenes set on the desert planet ] in ''A New Hope'', ''Return of the Jedi'', ''The Phantom Menace'', ''Attack of the Clones'', and ''Revenge of the Sith''. Italy's ] was used to create the ] palace on Queen Amidala's home planet, Naboo, and some scenes were also shot at ]'s ]. Also some scenes in ''A New Hope'' were shot in ], ], ] and ], ].<ref>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0076759/locations</ref> | |||
| Both the "original trilogy" and the "prequel trilogy" were released over a period of six years (1977–1983 and 1999–2005, respectively), each movie taking two years to produce. | |||
| === Musical score === | |||
| {{Main|Star Wars music}} | |||
| ] ] the ] during the recording of the score for '']'']] | |||
| The scores for all six ''Star Wars'' films were composed by ]. Lucas's intentions for ''Star Wars'' involved a grand musical sound, with ]s for different characters and important objects; an approach used to great effect, for instance, in the operas of ]. Toward this end, Lucas put together a collection of classical and romantic pieces for composer Williams to review, as an idea of what effects Lucas desired for the films. The music Williams composed was often distinctly reminiscent of the original pieces. Williams' score for ''Star Wars'' in 1977 set a new standard for science fiction films by drawing its inspiration primarily from a palette of Romantic symphonies, rather than creating completely new music (in choosing this classical approach, Williams was following the lead of '']'' and a mix-tape of ] opera and other selections compiled by George Lucas.) Although Williams had already established himself as a film composer with scores for blockbusters such as '']'' and '']'', the ''Star Wars'' score gave him international recognition. | |||
| Williams' scores for the original trilogy were primarily motif-based: individual characters and settings were each given their own, unique musical theme which would identify their presence in the film, whether physically or figuratively. By combining and varying these motifs, Williams could create a score possessed of a rich, interwoven fabric. | |||
| By the time of the prequel trilogy, however, Williams had grown and changed as a composer. His new scores de-emphasized motifs, tending to weave them subtly into a broader and more dynamic musical composition. He had also expanded his use of thematic motifs, using the technique to highlight the emotional or archetypal structure of the film, rather than the more literal associations to character and setting used in the earlier scores. | |||
| === Re-releases === | |||
| {{Main|List of changes in Star Wars re-releases}} | |||
| <!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: ]'']] --> | |||
| In 1997, ''A New Hope'', ''The Empire Strikes Back'', and ''Return of the Jedi'' were re-mastered and theatrically re-released as the "Special Editions." It was one of the first films series to be re-mastered in this way, and the trend of re-mastering and re-releasing films has proven to be extremely successful and many other movies and series have followed suit. For the re-release, in addition to extensive clean-up and restoration work, Lucas also made several ] to the films in order to "finish the film the way it was meant to be" (as Lucas said in a September 2004 interview with the ]). Many of Lucas' changes for the Special Editions were cosmetic, generally adding special effects which were not originally possible. Other changes, however, are considered to have affected plot or character development. These changes, such as the change often referred to by fans as "]," have proven to be controversial, inciting considerable ], and was one of the first causes of what came to be known as "Lucas bashing". | |||
| In 2004, in addition to an extensive and comprehensive hi-definition digital cleanup and restoration job by Lowry Digital, the original films were changed once again for their release on DVD. In these new versions of the films, in addition to new scenes and major image adjustments designed to make the films visually resemble the prequels, a few changes which had been made for the 1997 Special Editions were removed. With this release, Lucasfilm created a new high-definition master of the films, which will be used in future releases as well. | |||
| Although the original films have undergone significant alterations over the years, the prequel films have received only minor changes from their theatrical versions. The DVD releases of ''The Phantom Menace'', ''Attack of the Clones'', and ''Revenge of the Sith'' have had such elements altered as small additions of scenes, touch-ups in effects, and small sound changes. | |||
| For many years, Lucas has stated that the original, unaltered versions of the trilogy would never be released again, having been released for the last time on VHS and ] in 1995. However, on ], ], Lucasfilm announced on the official ''Star Wars'' site that due to "overwhelming demand", the original versions would be released on DVD on ], ]. Each film was released as a two-disc set with the 2004 versions of the films on one disc, and the original, unaltered film on the second disc, as a bonus feature. The set is only available until ], ], then will be withdrawn from the market. | |||
| There has been controversy surrounding this release, since it was revealed that the DVDs featured non-anamorphic versions of the original, unaltered films based on laserdisc releases from 1993 (as opposed to newly-remastered, film-based transfers). Since non-anamorphic transfers fail to make full use of the resolution available on widescreen sets, many fans were upset over this choice. | |||
| === Future releases === | |||
| At a ShoWest convention in 2005, George Lucas demonstrated new technology and stated that he planned to release all six films in a new ] format, beginning with ''A New Hope'' in 2007.<ref>http://film.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/Guardian/0,4029,1440820,00.html</ref> | |||
| Additionally, Lucas has hinted in the past that he will release his definitive (often called "archival") editions of all six of his ''Star Wars'' films on a next-generation home-video format in 2007. This release would coincide with the 30th anniversary of the ''Star Wars'' saga. It has been speculated that he will take this opportunity to make any final adjustments, changes, additions, and/or subtractions to his films for this final release. An altered clip from ''The Phantom Menace'' included in a featurette on the DVD release of ''Revenge of the Sith'' (in which a computer generated Yoda replaces the original puppet) appears to be a sign that the "archival" editions are indeed in the works. | |||
| It is said that this edition will be released in a "Grand Saga" box set. Lucasfilm Vice President of Marketing Jim Ward confirmed that in this final release, Lucasfilm is likely to return to John Lowry to do even more work on the films (possibly digital contemporization of the original trilogy). He says, "As the technology evolves and we get into a high-definition platform that is easily consumable by our customers, the situation is much better, but there will always be work to be done."<ref>http://www.apple.com/pro/film/lowry/starwars/index2.html</ref> | |||
| Producer Rick McCallum has also explained that Lucasfilm has been holding back a large amount of bonus material for this release, including deleted scenes, as well as numerous previous ''Star Wars'' "making-ofs," spin-offs, television specials, documentaries, and other special material. | |||
| There has been much hope for another Star Wars trilogy but George Lucas has said that there are no plans for episodes 7, 8, and 9. | |||
| ===Television rights=== | |||
| Aside from pay-per-view cable showings, the original ''Star Wars'' movie (Episode IV) first saw TV release in 1983 on all the major pay-cable networks (], ], etc.). ] had exclusive network rights when it aired on commercial television one year later, and continued on CBS for several years. The remaining films in the original trilogy also made their cable rounds (pay-per-view, premium cable) before airing on network television (] acquired the original network rights to ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi''). In 1992, the ] became the first U.S. network to air the three then-existing episodes in the saga. Sci-Fi retained TV rights until 1996, in preparation for the theatrical release of the "Special Editions" of the original trilogy. In 1998, a year after the SE releases, ] acquired limited one-month premium cable rights to the "Special Edition" of ''Star Wars'' for airing in January. It continued on broadcast stations, including superstations ] and ], for several years after). | |||
| In 1999, to promote '']'', the remaining "Special Edition" films (V and VI) aired on U.S. broadcast network ] (they bypassed pay-per-view and premium cable for direct broadcast airing). That same year, Fox acquired all television rights to Episode I after the premium cable networks declined due to cost. A similar situation nearly happened with '']'', until ] struck a last-minute deal with Fox and Lucasfilm for the exclusive pay-cable rights. Episode II, like its predecessor, never saw prior pay-per-view cable release, but it did run on HBO and sister network ] during its 18-month term of license. The Fox network acquired the U.S. network television rights. In April/May 2005, to promote the then-upcoming '']'', Episodes I, IV, V, and VI were placed in limited ] distribution, while the Fox network was able to air Episode II in mid-May, prior to Episode III's initial theatrical release. | |||
| During negotiations for the cable rights to Episode II, HBO/Cinemax also struck a first-look deal for Episode III, which they accepted and is currently on its initial 18-month term of license (it was also the only ''Star Wars'' prequel film to see any pay-per-view cable issue). In addition, the ]-owned networks were able to win the right to become the first U.S. television network system (cable or broadcast) to air all six films in the saga, and Cinemax will air them beginning November 2006 in High Definition. The six films will also be repeated on HBO in High Defenition. The versions of Episodes IV, V, and VI that will be aired will be the 2004 DVD Special Editions, as they are the current canonical versions. In the UK, Sky purchased the rights to air all six movies in August 2006, becoming the first English-language television network to air all six films, which will be aired in order of release, beginning with the original Episode IV. Afterwards, the episodes will continue to be shown during the "100 films a month" cycles on Sky Movies. Meanwhile ], in a separate deal, acquired the commercial broadcast rights to Episode III, including the right to become the first broadcast network to air all six films (the deal takes effect in April 2008). | |||
| == Expanded Universe == | |||
| {{Main|Expanded Universe (Star Wars)}} | |||
| The term "Expanded Universe" has come into existence as an umbrella term for all of the officially licensed ''Star Wars'' material outside of the six feature films. This includes television productions, books, comics, games, and other forms of media. The material expands and continues the stories told in the films, taking place anywhere from 25,000 years before ''The Phantom Menace'' to 140 years after ''Return of the Jedi''. The first Expanded Universe story appeared in ]' ''Star Wars'' #7 in January 1978 (the first six issues of the series having been an adaptation of the movie), followed quickly by ]'s novel '']'' the following month. | |||
| George Lucas retains ultimate creative control over the ''Star Wars'' universe. For example, the death of central characters and similar changes in the status quo must first pass his screening before authors are given the go-ahead. In addition, Lucasfilm Licensing devotes considerable effort to ensure continuity between the works of various authors across multiple companies. | |||
| Some purists reject the Expanded Universe as "]", believing that only the events in the film series are part of the "real" ''Star Wars'' universe. However, elements of the Expanded Universe have been adopted by Lucas for use in the films. These included the name of the Republic/Empire capital planet, ], which first appeared in ]'s novel '']'' before being used in ''The Phantom Menace'', while a character introduced in ]' ''Star Wars'' series, a blue Jedi Knight named Aayla Secura, was liked enough by Lucas to be included as a character in ''Attack of the Clones'' (and is seen meeting her demise in ''Revenge of the Sith'' in an ambush on the jungle planet Felucia). | |||
| === Television === | |||
| ] and ] in animated form as seen in the original '']'' television series]] | |||
| To date, three films and three animated series have been produced for television, with a live-action series in pre-production. For the most part, Lucas has played a large role in the production of the television projects — usually serving as storywriter and/or executive producer. | |||
| {| class="wikitable" width="500px" | |||
| |- | |||
| !<center>Production</center> | |||
| !<center>Release date</center> | |||
| |- | |||
| | width="50%"|<center>'']''</center> | |||
| | width="50%"|<center>], ]</center> | |||
| |- | |||
| |<center>'']''</center> | |||
| |<center>], ]</center> | |||
| |- | |||
| |<center>'']''</center> | |||
| |<center>], ]</center> | |||
| |- | |||
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| |<center>], ]</center> | |||
| |- | |||
| |<center>'']''</center> | |||
| |<center>], ]</center> | |||
| |- | |||
| |<center>]</center> | |||
| |<center>], ]</center> | |||
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| |<center>]</center> | |||
| |<center>]</center> | |||
| |} | |||
| === Audio dramas === | |||
| {{Seealso|Star Wars (radio)}} | |||
| A radio adaptation of ''A New Hope'' was first broadcast on ] in 1981. The adaptation was written by science fiction author ] and directed by ]. It was followed by adaptations of ''The Empire Strikes Back'' in 1983 and ''Return of the Jedi'' in 1996. The adaptations included background material created by Lucas but not used in the films. ], ], and ] reprised their roles as Luke Skywalker, ], and ], respectively. The series also used John Williams' original score from the films and ]'s original sound designs. | |||
| === Books === | |||
| {{Seealso|List of Star Wars books}} | |||
| ''Star Wars''-based fiction predates the release of the first movie, with the 1976 novelization of "A New Hope" (ghost-written by ] and credited to George Lucas). Foster's 1978 novel, '']'', was very nearly the first Expanded Universe work to be released. In addition to filling in the time between the movies, this additional content greatly expanded the Star Wars timeline before and after the film series. | |||
| ''Star Wars'' fiction flourished during the time of the original series (1977-1983) but slowed to a trickle afterwards. In 1991, however, ]'s celebrated ] debuted, sparking a new interest in the ''Star Wars'' universe. Since then, several hundred tie-in novels have been published by ] and ]. | |||
| LucasBooks radically changed the face of the ''Star Wars'' universe with the introduction of the '']'' series, which takes place some 20 years after ''Return of the Jedi'' and stars a host of new characters alongside series originals. However, several significant events which occur during the course of this series (such as the death of a major film character) have sparked much fan criticism. | |||
| === Comics === | |||
| {{Seealso|List of Star Wars comic books}} | |||
| ] published ''Star Wars'' comic book series and adaptations from 1977 to 1986. A wide variety of creators worked on this series, including ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], and ]. In the late 1980s, Marvel announced it would publish a new ''Star Wars'' comic by ] and ]. However, in December 1991, ] acquired the ''Star Wars'' license and used it to launch a number of ambitious sequels to the original trilogy instead, including the very popular ] stories. They have since gone on to publish a large number of original adventures set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. | |||
| === Games === | |||
| {{See also|Star Wars computer and video games|List of LucasArts Star Wars games}} | |||
| Since 1983, over 120 ] have been published bearing the ''Star Wars'' name, beginning with ''Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back'' published for the ] by ]. Since then, ''Star Wars'' has opened the way to a myriad of space-flight simulation games, first-person shooter games, roleplaying games, RTS games, and others. | |||
| Two different official tabletop ]s have been developed for the ''Star Wars'' universe– ] in the 1980s and 1990s, and ] in the 2000s. | |||
| In the ''Lego Star Wars Series'' the movies are played in a different way. And in Empire at war, players can take control of either the empire or the rebellion and fight for control of the galaxy. | |||
| === Trading Cards === | |||
| ]<ref>http://starwarscards.net</ref> have been published since the first 'blue' series, by ], in 1977. Dozens of series have been produced, with ] being the licensed creator in the United States. Some of the card series are of movie stills, while others are original art. Many of the cards have become highly collectible with some very rare 'promos', such as the 1993 Galaxy Series II 'floating Yoda' P3 card often commanding US$1000 or more. While most 'base' or 'common card' sets are plentiful, many 'insert' or 'chase cards' are very rare. Star Wars card game cards are different from the ]. A thriving market for both types exists on ]. | |||
| <!-- | |||
| Star Wars Trading Cards are nonsport, collectible trading cards, stickers, wrappers, and caps (pogs) based on the Star Wars movies and television shows. Both screen stills and original art are featured in the cards. Star Wars trading cards are different from the various Star Wars collectible card game cards. | |||
| History | |||
| The first set of Star Wars trading cards was produced and released by Topps in 1977 to coincide with first Star Wars movie, now renamed Star Wars: A New Hope. Many trading card series have been produced since, with more released every year by various manufacturers around the world. Topps is the official producer of Star Wars trading cards in the United States. | |||
| --> | |||
| === Fan works === | |||
| :''See also: ]'' | |||
| The ''Star Wars'' saga has inspired many fans, called ], to create their own stories set in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy. In recent years, this has ranged from writing fan-fiction to creating ]s. | |||
| In 2002, Lucasfilm sponsored the first annual ], officially recognizing filmmakers and the genre. Because of concerns over potential copyright and trademark issues, however, the contest remains open only to parodies, mockumentaries, and documentaries. Fan-fiction films set in the ''Star Wars'' universe are ineligible. Initially this limitation caused an outcry for those interested in creating serious fan-fiction for a competition. | |||
| While many of the serious fan films have used elements from the licensed Expanded Universe to tell their story, they are obviously not considered an official part of the ''Star Wars'' canon. Lucasfilm, for the most part, has allowed but not endorsed the creation of these derivative fan-fiction works, so long as no such work attempts to make a profit from or tarnish the ''Star Wars'' franchise in any way. | |||
| Lucasfilm's open support and sanction of fan creations is a marked contrast to the attitudes of many other copyright holders. Some owners, such as ] with the ] properties, have been known to actively discourage the creation of such works by fans. | |||
| == Cultural impact == | |||
| {{Main|Cultural impact of Star Wars|List of cultural references to Star Wars}} | |||
| The ''Star Wars'' saga has had a significant impact on modern global ]. Science fiction since ''Star Wars'', particularly in film, has often been influenced by and compared to ''Star Wars''. References to the main characters and themes of ''Star Wars'' are casually made in Western society with the well-qualified assumption that others will understand the reference. George Lucas is also famous for using the best possible cameras and technology (see also ]) in his movies. Many say that the visual and virtual effects that take over today's movies would have never been created if not for Lucas's revolutionizing of the movie industry with ''Star Wars''. | |||
| === Parodies === | |||
| Both the movie and characters have been parodied or spoofed in popular movies and television. Notable movie parodies of ''Star Wars'' include: '']'', a 13 minute spoof which George Lucas has called his favorite Star Wars parody{{fact}}; '']'', a feature film by ], and '']'', a ]-style documentary. There have been numerous parodic references to ''Star Wars'' in films such as '']'', '']'', '']'', and most of the films of ]. In 1997, the first film's twentieth anniversary, '']'' parodied the film's screen tests, which included ] imitating ] auditioning for ]. Walken was originally considered for the role before ] was chosen. | |||
| === Songs === | |||
| There have been many songs based around the Star Wars universe, the most notable of which are ]'s ''Yoda,'' (a parody of ]' "]"), which describes Luke's training with the "wrinkled and green" Jedi master, and ''],'' (a parody of ]'s "]"), which chronicles the events of Episode I. The latter of these is particularly reveled, as it was released one week ''before'' the film. | |||
| In late ], at the height of the original Star Wars craze, comedian ] portrayed Lounge Lizard Nick Winters on ] and sang a swanky version of the Star Wars theme, complete with inane improvised lyrics.<ref>http://www.boston.com/ae/celebrity/articles/2005/08/11/changing_his_stripes/</ref> | |||
| Other songs based on the Star Wars saga include ''The Star Wars Gangsta Rap'' and ''Star Wars Cantina''. | |||
| == References == | |||
| <div class="references-small"> | |||
| <references /> | |||
| </div> | |||
| *On philosophy and religion influences: | |||
| *On Technology influences: explains the many influences in its analysis of the writing of ''Star Wars''. | |||
| *Books about religion/philosophy and Star Wars: | |||
| **"Peace Knights of the Soul: Wisdom in 'Star Wars'," by Jon Snodgrass, Ph.D., Foreword by Jonathan Young, Ph.D.ISBN 0-9755214-7-0 | |||
| **''The Tao of Star Wars'' by John M. Porter ISBN 0-89334-385-4 | |||
| **''The Dharma of Star Wars'' by Matthew Bortolin ISBN 0-86171-497-0 | |||
| **''Star Wars And Philosophy'' by Kevin S. Decker, Jason T. Eberl, William Irwin ISBN 0-8126-9583-6 | |||
| *"Conception" section based on: The Star Wars Timeline Gold-Appendice L-Understanding the Lost Episodes (p. 141–142). | |||
| **''The Tao of Star Wars'' by John M. Porter ISBN 0-89334-385-4 | |||
| *On the influence of ] on the ''Star Wars'' films: | |||
| **"Peace Knights of the Soul: Wisdom in 'Star Wars'," by Jon Snodgrass, Ph.D., Foreword by Jonathan Young, Ph.D.ISBN 0-9755214-7-0 | |||
| **Henderson, Mary. ''Star Wars: The Magic of Myth.'' Companion volume to the exhibition at the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution. New York: Bantam, 1997. | |||
| **Larsen, Stephen and Robin Larsen. ''Joseph Campbell: A Fire in the Mind.'' Rochester, Vermont: Inner Traditions, 2002. | |||
| **Moyers, Bill and Joseph Campbell. '']''. Anchor; Reissue edition (1991) ISBN 0-385-41886-8 | |||
| == See also == | |||
| Here are some of the general articles featured in the ]. For a detailed outline of the ''Star Wars'' Misplaced Pages articles, please see ]. | |||
| === General information === | |||
| {| width="100%" | |||
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| === ''Star Wars'' universe === | |||
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| == External links == | |||
| {{Wikiquote}} | |||
| {{Wikinews}} | |||
| {{Commons}} | |||
| * | |||
| * - One of the oldest Star Wars fan sites. | |||
| * - A wiki devoted to ''Star Wars'' | |||
| *National Geographic News: | |||
| * | |||
| * - All six Star Wars films have been extensively discussed and analyzed on the Cinemaslave podcast. (Shows #10, #18, #42, and #60) | |||
| * -- Star Wars trading card checklists and forums. | |||
| {{Star Wars}} | |||
| {{George Lucas}} | |||
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Revision as of 17:47, 1 December 2006
star wars