George Lucas’s seventh installment of the Star Wars series, ‘The Force Awakens’ has been marked as one of the top three highest grossing films of all time (Wikipedia) and personally one of my favorite movies of all time. In addition to being one of the top three highest grossing films of all time, it has received numerous nominations for awards. Most notably five nominations for Academy Awards in the categories of Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Mixing, Best Film Editing, and Best Visual Effects. A nostalgia factor does come into play when talking about Star Wars as a series, and will make even mediocre movie receive well with an audience, however; J.J. Abrams and his co-producers have done an excellent job with this piece. Overall, …show more content…
I believe that Episode VII is one of the greatest examples of science-fiction to date, incorporating advances parts of science with a heavy drizzle of drama, and a sprinkle of human emotion can make any movie go a long way. Genre Specific Information In the genre of science fiction, or ‘sci-fi’ for short, there are many key aspects you look for.
One key aspect you look for in a science fiction work you look for, is obviously some science, or technology advanced beyond your time. In ‘The Force Awakens’ almost everything you see is well advanced beyond our time, from the basics of the light saber, to flying ships that shoot lasers. Some more technology that is advanced well beyond our time would be shields for ships, and even healing technology that can diagnose on the instant what is wrong with a person and fix the injury. Now what could be argued as technology, or just a mere myth would be what the rebellion call ‘The Force’, which was once described by Obi-Wan Kenobi as “The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, and penetrates us. It binds the galaxy together.” Also what I look for in this genre is some drama, mixed with human emotion. You can see in the rival Star Trek many of these values reflected as well. In both film series a group of people discover a problem, have some form of drama with a form of human emotion affect them. In ‘The Force Awakens’, the human emotion aspect being two very key and important scenes. *Spoiler Alert* Han Solo in an effort to turn Kylo Ren, who appears to be Darth Vader 2.0, away from the ‘dark side’ dies from Kylo’s advanced light saber. It is also found out sometime before that seen that Kylo is Han and Princess …show more content…
Leia’s son. Another piece of drama and is very emotional for people who follow the series, is when Rey, who is somewhat depicted as the new hope for the force. She finally gets the end of the map to find Luke Skywalker, she travels to the island where he is staying and presents him with his lightsaber, a very chilling cliffhanger. Criticism While there was a significant amount of high praise for the movie, there was some criticism. Even the original founder of the series George Lucas had some criticism for the current film directed by J.J. Abrams, saying that it was “too retro” for his taste (NY Times). While I respect his criticism, I do think that there is a necessary ‘retro-ness’, if you will, for the movie itself. I believe the current company that holds the rights to the film series (Disney) wanted to get back to the roots of the series change it up somewhat. There are also some other criticisms similar to that of Lucas’s saying that this was simply a reboot of prior episodes. I totally disagree with that sentiment, because this movie and the movies to come have provided and are going to provide more detail, different characters, much diverse situations and changes on to characters of the past. I will acknowledge that if you didn’t like the 1977 (or later) versions of Star Wars, you will most likely not like this one either, as yes a significant amount of characters, themes, and ideas have changed but the basic premise of the ‘light’ vs. the ‘dark’ side are still very apparent. Conclusion In conclusion, Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens incorporates many aspects of what I personally consider to be a great, if not the best science fiction film of all time.
From the human personalities, to the drama, to the examples of possible future technological advances we will see, to the fictional technological advances we will probably NEVER see, it is an all-around amazing feature film that has received many accolades, and some that have not been awarded yet. A storyline of episodes that was thought of back in the 70’s, and the current series enhanced by Disney, there is not much more that you can ask for. Episode VII will always be remembered, placing third on the highest grossing movies of all time. Nostalgia has also played a key role in the success of this film, so I don’t think there is anything more appropriate than to end my piece with, “May the force be with
you.”
In sum, the film represented the true meaning of this nation’s independence in an eloquent, musical, and memorable
Motion Pictures have always had a strong influence in today’s culture, but maybe none as prevalent as Star Wars. Originating with Episode 4 A New Hope, the series boomed from 1977 to 2005 with yet another addition coming in 2015. The strongest of the series was the original trilogy episodes 4, 5, and 6, all generally released in the 1980s. As one of the strongest film francaises still today, it’s impact within the 1980s was only the tip of the iceberg. Children and adults alike still anticipate the new edition of this seemingly endless journey. If any singular film series still holds prevalence in its future decades it is Star Wars: Original Trilogy.
It was Lucas's third film, 1977's Star Wars that changed everything. A deceptively simple morality tale of good versus evil told across a fantastic landscape of exotic planets and bizarre creatures, Star Wars became an international phenomenon, despite the fact that few saw its potential during production. Refusing to accept the limitations of filmmaking at the time, Lucas created his own visual effects company, Industrial Light & Magic, to deliver the more than 300 shots required to make his vision a reality. Star Wars broke all box office records, set new standards for sophistication in film visuals and sound, garnered eight Academy Awards, and inspired a generation of young people to follow their imagination and dreams. The success of Star Wars allowed Lucas to remain independent and continue operating in Marin County, California.
Quite possibly one of the most iconic openings in cinematic history is “A Long time ago in a galaxy far far away.” Of course, I am referring to Star Wars. It is such a fascinating and great movie going experience. There have been a total of seven Star Wars films, but in this essay I am going to be focusing on Star Wars: Episode 3- Revenge of the Sith. This film was written and directed by George Lucas and of the science fiction genre. Revenge of the Sith was released in theaters on May 19, 2005.
Imagine flying through a ice covered planet or zooming through the sand plains of tattoine or battling against the dark side next to Luke Skywalker well sounds amazing right? These are the things that make the Star Wars universe so fascinating in the upcoming paragraphs about how Star Wars has elements of story, that make Star Wars so popular. Star Wars is a cultural institution of immense proportions. Its impact on Hollywood alone has been incalculable. It’s impossible to imagine Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., The Matrix, or The Lord of the Rings without Star Wars. Yes because all these movies have been impacted from Star Wars they all transfer you to a different era from you fighting off Nazis to walking into mordor.
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, by J.R.R. Tolkien, is the first book in the fantasy-based trilogy of the Lord of the Rings. The book begins with Bilbo Baggins celebrating his one hundred and eleventh birthday. After his party, he then decides to leave everything behind and join a Fellowship, which has a task of destroying the ruling ring, which will give supreme power to whoever has possession of it.
The Hunger Games is set in world called Panem that was once America, before the Capitol was overcome in some unexplained, apocalyptic war. As punishment for that aggression, the remains were divided into 12 districts. Every year each district has to send one boy and one girl between 12 and 18 years old, chosen by lottery, to compete in a nationally televised event called “the Hunger Games.” The purpose of this is to create a mass killing spree with only one survivor. What really twists this storyline is when two tributes from the same district fall in love and fight to protect each other until they are the last ones left in the games. The two go to extreme measures to keep one another out of danger. “You're still trying to protect me. Real or not real," he whispers. "Real," I answer. "Because that's what you and I do, protect each other” (Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games). Because the hunger games is such a gruesome event, the things Katniss and Peeta did for each other aren't typical things couples would give up for eachother. These two would share supplies and weapons along with going as far as killing off an attacking enemy. Seeing how far Katniss and Peeta were willing to go to be with each other gave me a better understanding of why Romeo and Juliet fought to never let anything get in between them. Even though Romeo is a Montague and Juliet is a Capulet and the two families have an ancient rivalry they did not let that stand in the way of being with each other. “O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name! Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, ...
From a young age, Steven Spielberg knew he wanted to be a director, but had no idea he would have so much influence in filmmaking. Even though he has only received two Academy Awards, he doesn’t need awards to show how successful he is with his films. Media today would not be the same without Spielberg’s influence because he has helped media develop into something extraordinary. With his contributions to the film industry, all of his dedication put into his films, and all of the glory he has received, shows why Steven Spielberg is one of the most influential Americans of all time.
THX 1138, American Graffiti, Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back…the list goes on and on. Although many have not heard of each of these films, everyone certainly has to know the man behind them. George Lucas has, in many cases, written, produced, and directed, not to mention edit, his own films. His vision was the driving force that imagined and created these movies. All have made back the cost of the film and most have received millions of dollars in profit.
Star Wars (1977) is one of the world’s most successful films of all time. It has made a terrific impact on popular culture since its release. Furthermore, Star Wars changed the narrative and aesthetic style of future Hollywood films. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, illustrates how cinema has evolved since Fred Ott’s Sneeze (1894). Ultimately, this essay will explain the set up of Star Wars and how it connects to cinema history, in the point of views of the: narrative and cinematic style, genre, auteur theory and the global film industry.
It is likely for one to assume that a classic piece of literature set in a fantasy oriented stage will have no merits to the youths of today. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien, however, with its crafty of usage symbolism, displays its relevance to issues that often trouble teens. As the story progresses from a children’s tale to an epic, the main character Bilbo undergoes a series of development, his experiences often overlapping with ordinary people. Reading the Hobbit will provide teens with opportunities of exploring the importance of several common but serious topics. People may encounter many of the themes presented in the book elsewhere repeatedly, but it’s possible that they never appreciated the applications it might have on themselves. When teens read the Hobbit, they perceive it as a simple fiction of adventure. Under proper guiding, they will be able to recognize and utilize the lessons of the Hobbit, and improve their attitudes and ideas about life.
He is a very happy man that has a true love for music. He has left us music to some of our all time favorite movies, and has inspired us to continue on making great film music. I chose to write about John Williams because the Star Wars sequel is one of my most favored sequels; and it is mainly because of it’s music. I have learned most about his achievements, and what movies that I did not know he had produced music for. John Williams is a very happy person, he is also very wise. But, he does like to keep to himself, whereas he is more of an introvert person. Also, most of the music he writes is inspired by classical music from the 1940s. For example, the Star Wars theme song, is almost identical to the 1942 theme song of the movie King’s Row. People have also compared some music of other movies such as: Superman, Home Alone, and Jaw’s to some classics. I have been deeply impressed by this composer, and I plan to listen to any music that he will come out with again; and if not I will enjoy the musical legacy that he has left behind in his
J.R.R. Tolkien's concept of too much power is summed up by Lord Acton when he once said, "Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely." In Tolkien's first book of his fantasy based trilogy, Lord of the Rings, the Fellowship of the Rings tells a story of a quest to destroy a powerful ring throughout Tolkien's created "Middle Earth". This quest was headed by a "Hobbit" named Frodo Baggins who, in the end, becomes corrupted by power himself. This corruption begins when Frodo uses his ring to become invisible over and over again to escape certain situations. The quest to destroy the powerful "Ruling Ring" forms the basis for this story.
Kapell, A.M.and Lawrence, J.S (2006). Finding the force of the Star wars franchise: fans, merchandise, & critics. New York: Lang.
This quote essentially sums up the film that contains minimal special effects and an incredible plot that intrigues an audience to stay in their seats and watch a masterpiece.