Gire: Will the right 'Force' awaken in new 'Star Wars'?
For "The Force Awakens" to recapture the magic of the original "Star Wars" trilogy, it must embrace the key ingredient that made the first three movies an international, intercultural and multigenerational entertainment juggernaut.
In 1977, "Star Wars" - George Lucas' ingenious blend of Campbellian archetypes, the American western, World War I dogfights, escapist fantasy and appealing young actors - swept across the nation and the world at the speed of the Millennium Falcon in hyper space. A daring sequel, "The Empire Strikes Back," followed three years later, with 1983's "Return of the Jedi" concluding the trilogy.
Why did those three "Star Wars" movies enthrall audiences on their original releases, then continue to captivate new fans for the next four decades? And why did the second trilogy of prequels flop as the biggest cinematic disappointment of the 21st century?
The answer is fairly simple. The original films contained a common theme, a reassuring message infinitely more powerful and appealing than mere good vs. evil.
Episodes IV, V and VI affirm the adolescent conviction that friends matter more than anything else in the universe.
More than fame.
More than power.
More than riches.
In the "Star Wars" universe, friendship - the kind of friendship that spawns loyalty, sacrifice, even love - conquers all.
The three episodes perfectly capture and render an adolescent dream world where adventure awaits around every asteroid, and romance remains vague and safely distanced from intimacy and sexual contact.
In "A New Hope," Harrison Ford's soldier of fortune Han Solo makes a clean escape, yet decides to endanger his own life and his beloved Millennium Falcon to save Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker during his nail-biting assault on the Death Star.
Why? The power of friendship compels him.
In "The Return of the Jedi," Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia and Luke risk their lives to save Solo from his carbonite prison.
Why? The power of friendship compels them.
Not until Luke confronts the Emperor aboard his ship in "Jedi" does Lawrence Kasdan's screenplay (with the late Leigh Brackett) bluntly confirm the message reinforced by the trilogy.
Luke: "Your overconfidence is your weakness."
Emperor: "Your faith in your friends is yours!"
Boom! There it is.
The original three "Star Wars" movies continue to thrill and resonate with new generations because they testify to the basic belief that faith in friends is not a weakness, but a powerful force.
Remember the ending shot of "Return of the Jedi"?
We don't see a man and woman smooching on a horse riding into the sunset.
We see a snapshot of Han, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, Obi-Wan, C3PO, R2D2 and other significant characters. It's a family portrait of sorts, a picture of buddyhood showing a group of friends who would, and did, risk their lives for one another.
Lucas' three prequels are not about friendship. Thematically, they're not about anything. Lucas himself admitted in Marcus Hearn's book "The Cinema of George Lucas" that his prequels wouldn't contain beginnings, middles and endings, but be more of a "resume" illustrating how the main characters became who they are.
Will Episode VII recapture the original the "Star Wars" magic on Thursday, Dec. 17? Will director J.J. Abrams be our last hope?
No, there is another.
Kasdan, responsible for making "The Empire Strikes Back" the richest, darkest and most engaging chapter in the saga, helped write the screenplay for Episode VII.
This gives us hope that Abrams' vision will transport us once again into that far, far away galaxy where the force that awakens ... is friendship.
Rating 'Star Wars'
The series consists of six live-action features plus an animated adventure.
“Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope” (1977) ★ ★ ★ ★
“Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) ★ ★ ★ ★
“Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi” (1983) ★ ★ ★ ½
“Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace” (1999) ★ ★
“Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones” (2002) ★ ★ ½
“Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith” (2005) ★ ★ ★
“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” (animated, 2008) ★ ★