This Wednesday marks the 34th anniversary of the U.S. Release of Star Wars, a film that helped define the modern blockbuster. Yet, as beloved as it is many, it's just as commonly despised. It's not a film franchise for everyone. Neither is this top ten list. Whenever Star Wars detractors contradict my often enthusiastic advocacy for the films, I usually whip out one of the following chestnuts in their defense. If you're a Star Wars fan, enjoy the list! If you're Star-Wars-averse, feel free to retaliate with your own rejoinders.
10. “You are talking about Episodes I, II, and III, right?” is the first question I'll ask of anyone who tries to tell me Star Wars sucks. This isn't really a defense of my position, but just a point of clarification. Some youngsters, believe it or not, are only familiar with the weak trio of prequels George Lucas churned out in 1999, 2002, and 2005, and not with his original trilogy.
9. And what if they actually are unimpressed by Lucas' three impressive classics? Petty though it may be, it's tempting for me to simply tell them “I'd like to see you do better”. It takes a rare breed of filmmaker to mount a production as staggering and risky as Star Wars and come out of it in the black, let alone make it one of the most successful box office record smashers of all time.
8. “Ten Academy Award nominations don't lie.” I only ever use this argument with a big dose of irony, because of course, it's very easy for the Academy to bestow ten or more nominations on films that don't deserve them, but in the case of Star Wars, the Academy was right on the money by acknowledging the film in ten categories, six of which it won, plus a special achievement award for...
7. “Ben Burtt!” I've long been of the opinion that Star Wars boasts the most creative and interesting sound effects of any film I've ever seen. It's not often I can tell someone that a movie's sound effects are an actual reason to love it, but Burtt's work on those films give them so much character it's hard for me not to bring it up in every Star Wars debate I uptake.
6. I've always considered a mark of a good film to be its ability to maintain appeal for decades after its release, and maybe break some common ground for parents and their children. The well timed re-release of Star Wars in 1997 afforded many parents the chance to share its enchantment with their kids. “Generation gap; Bridged.”
5. Sometimes I think I can circumvent a long-winded argument by waving my hand and calmly declaring, “you don't mean to say Star Wars sucks. These aren't the words you're looking for.” Mind you, this ancient bit of Jedi trickery will only work on weak-minded Star Wars cynics, but it's worth a try, right?
4. “John Williams!” It's one thing to compose a full-bodied musical score that appropriately captures the tone of a film and musically defines characters or themes, which John Williams did indeed do for Star Wars. It's another thing altogether to create music that becomes as iconic and widely recognized. So much of the magic is in the music.
3. One thing that still distinguishes the Star Wars films of yesterday from many of the mass-produced studio blockbusters of today is that “they're so imaginative”, which I don't hesitate to tell the naysayers. Seriously, would you have ever imagined a universe as varied and yet fully realized as the Star Wars universe? I know I couldn't have.
2. To be honest, the immediate response that pops into my head when somebody tells me Star Wars sucks is to pull my hand into my sleeve and cry, “that's not true! That's impossible!” The brilliance of this response is that if they get it, that gives you fodder for discussing the long lasting permeation of Star Wars in popular culture, and if they don't get it, you have reason to suspect they haven't even seen The Empire Strikes Back, which would void any of their arguments.
1. The most complete answer to why Star Wars is a great film can be summed up in four words: “Good story, well told.” Lucas often receives flak as a screenwriter, and while one can certainly argue that the dialogue of Star Wars is hokey to an extent, structurally speaking, it's a perfect script. Balanced in its exposition, action, and character development, flowing smoothly and compellingly from scene to scene until its stirring climax and conclusion. Snobs can disparage its Screenwriting 101 formula all they want, but love it or hate it, it's an approach that works.
