In light of recent events, I feel compelled to express my thoughts on something that I personally feel is a complete shock to me. I’m one of the few people who is having a difficult time accepting this whole thing, and probably won’t come to terms with it for a long time. Here are my thoughts on the matter:
In 1977, the great George Lucas released his space epic, Star Wars . Once this cinematic experience was shared with the masses, it was an instant, unforgettable love that became a part of everyone who saw it. George Lucas did something in the film world that, until that time, hadn’t been done. He was an independent filmmaker that broke the rules and didn’t care about The Academy. The two sequels that followed, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi , were just as incredible, if not better than the original landmark film. After May of 1983, Star Wars fans thought we’d never see anything like it again. In the twenty-year span between the two trilogies the fanbase grew. It was a craze, a hobby, a gathering of a new generation of sci-fi aficionados. In 1997 the experience of the Original Trilogy could be shared again when it was released in theaters for the 20th anniversary. This was my initiation into the universe of Star Wars , and I’ve been a fanboy ever since. In most of my adolescent and teen years it consumed me. But for all those years in between, the only Lucas experience the film world had was Indiana Jones .
Then, in 1999, the Star Wars phenomenon was rejuvenated when The Phantom Menace was released in theaters. Once again Lucas had amazed us with his unique talents; again he was created a story that took us away. This time he directed all three films. Yes, they had a different feel to them; yes, they made Darth Vader’s backstory less than expected; but it was still Star Wars . Why? Because it was Lucas. There was something about what that man did with his films that just stood out and set his films apart from the rest. In the other two prequels Lucas revolutionized the art of CGI by being the first to use green screen cinematography, changing the way films were made. ILM, the go-to company for special effects, is yet another example of Lucas’ innovative genius. The story of the Skywalkers was certainly a story to be told and enjoyed by millions, and I am proud to have lived to see the end of it all in the culmination that was Episode III: Revenge of the Sith .
