Ode to the Jedi

There are some movies that become instant classics and transcend generations. Whether it be from a cult following, classic lines and scenes that overshadow entire production, or just plain great cinema. Now you might be thinking the lines of “The Godfather” or “Rocky” but while these titans have there share of the classic film prestige I’m thinking of series broke so many barriers and created an entire new way of producing films.

Star Wars, while you may not like some of the newer releases, has been a game changing flick. From the way the first film was produced to the staying power of its fan base (possibly still expanding), this series has been the pioneer for the modern way we see cinema.

You might be thinking I’m nuts considering the screenwriting of George Lucas; I will concede it is far from what we would consider Pulitzer material. However these films despite that shortfall have built an empire through ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) and many of the other Skywalker brands that have really taken CGI (computer generated graphics) to a world that really is reaching to infinity and beyond.

The story of Star Wars in the classic “Good VS Evil” ploy and we all know that has worked for a long, long time. This was constant in the first installment “A New Hope” where everything is all hunkey dorey at the end. But then Lucas gave us that things don’t always turn out the way we plan, and in many ways. The second flick is a constant wave of failure and betrayal that leads to the ultimate discovery of “who’s your daddy”. And while this may not be top notch screen writing or maybe even original ideas, (go back to some Greek mythology I’m sure there is a story) it still comes across as one of the best turnabouts in a modern cinema.

The Star Wars machine has garnered a lot of criticism for its seemingly endless supply of fanboy material, which some have just come to regard the entire series with an ire that one would think reserved for convicted rapists. And while the brand has been sold in so many forms that it does border on ridiculousness, just stop to think where we would be without this cinematic icon? All the Pixar films and DreamWorks animations might have been years behind or never even come into being if it wasn’t for these films that pioneered the special effects genre. It was a game changer for the industry that continues to pay dividends, all our sounds, visuals and set views are due largely in credit to the work that started back with the original star wars and is now continued through its ILM division into some of the biggest hits of today.

So even if you can’t stand the rabid commercialism of the brand, maybe its time to just put that aside and watch one of the originals. And I’m not talking the re-mastered work once Lucas actually had a budget, go out and see those light sabers and blasters with what was then incredible effects and for the most part still stand up today. (beating most any sci-fi channel original) So seriously, grab a bag of popcorn and sit down and see where it all began, and if you feel so inclined see the latest installments to where it has come. I can only imagine what the future holds for modern cinema if this pace continues. I myself will wait with eager anticipation.