Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) – Encore Review 7

“I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.” – Obi-Wan Ben Kenobi

Number of Times Seen – At least 50 times, if not more (Cable, twice in Theater in 1982, TV, cable, video, DVD, Special Edition in theater in 1997, 19 Jan 2014, 5 Mar 2015, 20 Sep 2015, 18 Apr 2017, 7 Jun 2018, 20 May 2019, 7 Jan 2020 and 2 Dec 2021)

Link to original review – Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here and Here

Brief Synopsis – A young farm boy and aging warrior must find a way to deliver a secret message to the Rebel Forces who are trying to stop the Evil Galactic Empire.

My Take on it – This is a movie that I have been enthralled with ever since I first saw it on cable as a kid and never get bored of it, even when writing my 8th review of it on this site.

The story is quite griping and despite the fact that there has been so much hype about it ever since it’s debut in 1977, it truly manages to live up to all of the potential that it has amassed.

George Lucas is an expert storyteller and this film exceeded even his expectations when he made it since he didn’t think it would be well received at all by the critics or the audience.

Here we are 44 years later and it is still seen as one of the largest success stories of the modern era of film and has spawn a franchise that spans the movie industry, TV, book, and merchandise and is still stronger than ever.

The story is a simple one about a farm boy who ends up getting mixed up in a Galactic War and is so relatable to just about anyone by the way it is told.

The world that this film created seems so lived in and realistic that it helps keep things so grounded the whole way through.

The special effects enhance this movie so much and help keep it so thrilling and futuristic despite it supposedly taking place in the past.

The music by John Williams is extremely moving and iconic and is still extremely recognizable and powerful.

The characters are developed really well and despite the premise seeming to deal with all aspects of the story in black and white areas, it is actually a very complex idea that resonates so well even if one has seen the film dozens or even hundreds of times.

Highly Highly Recommended!

MovieRob’s Favorite Trivia – While George Lucas was filming on-location in Tunisia, the Libyan government became worried about a massive military vehicle parked near the Libyan border. Consequently, the Tunisian government, receiving threats of military mobilization, politely asked Lucas to move his Jawa sandcrawler farther away from the border. (From IMDB)

Rating – Oscar Worthy (10/10) (no change from original review)