The sad thing is people will never be able to experience it for the first time with the tech jump. I remember seeing it multiple times when it first came out. The movie was a MASSIVE jump in film making. 2001 A Space Odyssey was the closest to it. It would be like you drove a model T and then someone drove up with a Tesla. That is how dramatic the difference was when it first came out.
@@odiumgeneris729 Probably. To clarify, the answer to "how the heck did they do all these SFX in the 70s?" is "they didn't, Lucas went back and added a fair amount of it a couple decades later, and then shut down publication of older recordings".
@@emurphy42 to be fair, there was quite a bit of new technology created for this movie. What was added later was some of the CGI in scenes they couldn't do in the original (however I think the explosion of the Death Star looks just better in the original than the re-mastered version. And the whole scene with Greedo shooting first was totally unnecessary.
It is noticeable that every time she's impressed with how they did this in the 70s, she is in fact watching a scene that was heavily redone in the 90s. Originally, there was of course no CGI. I do remember that originally, matte lines were sometimes visible, so that was also something that was cleaned up later. In some respects, I'd say that 2001 was *superior* in its effects, even a decade earlier. I never noticed matte lines in that, and one thing it had that Star Wars didn't, was open windows. I was astounded at how they managed to show spaceships and the gigantic moon base with clearly living actors visible inside them. Of course, Kubrick had a budget that Lucas could only dream about at that stage. A difference in approach was that Lucas relied upon the high speed to hide the imperfections, while Kubrick, ever the perfectionist, had all of those extremely slow scenes where we saw every detail clearly.
Just for the record, on at least two of the occasions that she remarked about how good the graphics were for 1978, the graphics on screen were not from the original 1978 release and were added later.
Only a few enhancements were added in 1997. Most of the special effects were just revolutionary in 1977. I was 10 when I saw it & a complete sci-fi nerd. I’d seen Logan’s Run the previous summer & thought that was impressive. I was totally blown away by this movie. The Dewbacks ridden by the stormtroopers were added As was the expansion of Mos Eisley. It was a much smaller town originally. Just the ones that come to mind. I really think that once a film is released, leave it alone. It is an artifact of it’s time. In the 80s there was a trend to colourise b&w films. Lucas & others spearheaded the opposition to this. What happened? One of the problems is that kids don’t really get to see old cinema. B&w films used to be mainstays of weekend & school holiday programming. Now you don’t even have cable channels for this stuff. I’m rambling.
The animals in on Tatooine are 1998. Jabba the Hut scene was added in 1998 despite being shot in 1976/7. Was originally played by a human Jabba, and Han Solo’s weird walking on top of Jabba was forced by the introduction of the re-imagined version of Jabba. Also some of the scenes with ships are re-rendered when George decided they were too clunky, to the consternation of all those baby boomers and Gen X’rs who saw it in the original version.
I loved how as the movie went on she got comfortable sharing her thoughts. It’s interesting to hear the thoughts of people who never seen it. Also my thoughts when Han tells Luke “May the force be with you” I believe he was being completely genuine. He was still all about himself but he has grown to actually like and care about Luke. Maybe for one of the first times he has real feelings for someone other than his love for Chewy. Luke has quickly become a little brother figure but he’s fighting with himself to admit it. He’s a bit reserved in saying it because of guilt he has for just leaving him.
Good call on the comparison to Top Gun Maverick's trench scene. The attack on the Death Star by the Rebels was inspired, in part, by the 1955 film The Dambusters. The Dambusters was based on an actual raid on German dams during WW2. Some of the details of the raid were still classified at the time of filming.
The Star Wars trench run also inspired an episode of the tv show Stargate SG-1. The producers of the show are big sci-fi nerds. So as the main character flies off to attack the big enemy spaceship, he quips “I thought my call sign was gonna be Red Leader”
Astromech droids (like R2-D2) are a series of versatile utility robots generally used for the maintenance and repair of starships and related technology. These small droids are often equipped with a variety of tool-tipped appendages that are stowed in recessed compartments.
When I saw this in the theater in 1977, as an 8 year old (and already an avid Sci-Fi fan) it COMPLETELY blew my mind! I saw it more than 20 times that summer... my friends and I would collect spare change until we had enough, and ride our bikes to the theater. It was the 70's, we could do that. I'm looking forward to watching you introduce her to The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. 🙂
This was the first movie I took my wife to when we were dating during our Navy/Marine schools back in 1978. We were living in Yuma Az when episode V came out and while episode VI was being filmed in the sand dunes West of Yuma. The sand dune scene in episode IV was filmed in the same sand dunes. One of the things I learned from our son, who has read and watched everything Star Wars about Episode IV, was Ben telling Vader "If you strike me down, I will come back more powerful than you can imagine". Vader was so use to a body always being there after he killed someone, it really shooked Vader up when Ben disappeared. Vader retreated to his planet to hide and ponder what happen to Ben and what Ben had told him.
As someone who grew up with these movies played on repeat in the 80's, i can't remember a time before i saw them. It's really interesting to hear the thoughts about the film's strengths and weaknesses from someone who only saw it as an adult. Your comments about how Leia should have been devastated when her planet go boom...it was something i never thought about, because that's just the way it was when i was a kid. Keep going, guys!
35:02 "Is there more to this?" Uh... yeah... only a guhbillion dollar industry, lol. 😂😂😂 But seriously, I really enjoyed this viewing with the two of ya, kinda like seeing it with fresh eyes again. I hope you both continue with this :) Lots have been said, lots will probably be commented on here by others... but let me just say this: Coupla things that we take for granted now a days, one being sequels. There was a time for decades in cinema where things were just a one-off, stuff like The Godfather and The French Connection and Bad News Bears were rarities when you got another 'instalment'. You never came out of a movie anticipating more. That was it. So this was just a massive treat to experience over and over in cinemas, 'knowing' there would never be anything coming after it. The other, is that before this flick, anything 'futuristic' or sci-fi oriented, was shown as bright and shiny and clean and gleaming. Then this comes out of nowhere and half the time you're just glaring at the walls and the props and the clothing, much less all the other things like the characters and story and 'the hero's journey' to 'process' as you put it. The floors were scuffed up, the clothing was frayed, the ships and props were all used and beaten... and that alone was honestly mind boggling to look at. Just look at the interior of the Falcon, all of the walls are dirty(!). It was just a treat, you didn't know where to look.
For the Princess, there was no time to grieve or react to her losses. She was the head of the resistance; she had to move forward, appear strong, and grieve in private.
I was five when I seen this in '77. I remember the gasps when it opened with the never ending Star Destroyer shot! And the cheers when it ended, it WAS magic!!!
The myth behind stormtroopers bad aim is based on that the troops on the Death Star had orders to let them slip so they could be tracked to the rebel base. And when Disney got their hands on the franchise it became a thing.
The stormtroopers being inaccurate thing is a huge case of plot armor. They can destroy non-plot important characters but can't hit any of the main characters. Call it The Force or bad directing, I suppose :D
you hit the nail on the head with Liea as a Soldier. She's a royal who was raised in the middle of a war. She and her family are a major part of the rebel alliance. She knows loss and continuing the mission.
I joined the army in 1977 this was officially the very first movie ever saw in a theater when I got to my first Duty station in Colorado Springs. Good memories Good Times.
What's better than a Mom watching Star Wars..Two Mom's!! ❤ Yes the graphics in 1977 were never seen before!! I truly hope the 2 mom's continue with Empire Strikes back...pleeeze!! Lol. I'll donate for the babysitter! ..lol great reaction ladies!
Someone once said that Star Wars is like a western set-in outer space. You have the father figure, the boy hero, the lady in distress, the rogue and his sidekick, comedy relief (droids), the bad guy in black, and some goofy and curious characters. This is why the story is so great. It has all the ingredients of old drama mixed in with special effects.
I'd attribute it more to old style fantasy set in space, with some western elements. The wizend Wizard, knights, swords, magic (renamed as the Force) Pirate. Princess. Evil emperor. Though the titled emperor is someone different, I think Vader would fall under that theme, if not warlord. Boy farmer turned hero (warrior or wizard) is a fantasy trope.
It's based around the Hero's journey and the general myths of the world. Lucas often went to Joseph Campbell to ask 'is this right?' when making the characters and their stories.
This is the digitally remastered version that was was released just prior to Phantom Menace. In my version (ten year old in the theater in 1977) Greedo never got a shot off! Biggest WTH moment in this; why didn't Chewie get a medal at the end!?! WHY!?! Loved the video ladies, welcome to the Star Wars universe!✌❤
@@RastaBot Perhaps they should have left it out, too. It did show how the life of a pirate and smuggler was closing in on Solo, and making it harder and harder to just stay alive, But it didn't move the story along.
It should be noted this is not the 1977 movie. This is a version that's been reworked several times to clean up and add VFX. The original was not Episode 4, or A New Hope. It was Star Wars. The episode numbers and added title were the result of more reworks for a limited studio re-release ahead of the prequel trilogy. Lucas wanted to ensure people knew the order, and this one is set after the new ones that were coming out.
I am so glad your friend enjoyed it. She is going to be a complete convert after Empire and Return if she's already planing comic con after the first. 😁
Leia being stoic about her planet blowing up, etc: So much effort was spent creating this strong leader persona for the character, that it would have been a distraction to make her fall apart, as one would _expect_ her to, as a female in a 1977 film. Instead, she takes a second to acknowledge the loss, and delay the effects of it until their lives are no longer under imminent threat. That was actually brilliantly done, for the time! If it were done today, as an original work (i.e.: not a remake), the expectation would be different, and there might be a scene during travel, where she lets herself grieve in private. But for 1977, I think the way they went was best for the character.
I must say I find it a little odd that people avoid old movies (including me at first) because of weaker special effects even though SFX are more important in sci-fi. But some of my favorite movies were made well before my time, many in black and white (I am a retired senior), but with brilliant cinemetography, great stories and acting that holds up today. Please find those hidden gems!
Odd? I agree. But, I'm annoyed at the constant... these special effects aren't so bad or are so bad comments. FFS. It's a 40 year old movie. Just stop. I'm not sure if that was said in this reaction because I couldn't get throught the 1st 10 mins of who's that, what's that questions. So, I'm not saying that happened here.
I saw this when I was 16 in 1977 and I felt it changed my life it affected me so much. I went back and watched it 12 more times that summer. It opened a whole new world of thought and imagination and was the main thing my friends I I talked about for months.
1. IRL Sir Alec Guinness didn't want to play Obi Wan, He thought the entire premise was silly, but his wife talked him into taking it The rest is history. 2. This episode of the saga was released first because Lucas felt it was the easiest one to make and provide an outstanding product with the technology they had at the time. 3. This movie came out way before CGI was available. The scene with Jabba the Hutt, the large critters outside the cantina and the ones being ridden by the stormtroopers are CGI and was put in later with the 25 years anniversary edition. 4. The BEST way to watch these are in the order they were released. Keep in mind that we had to wait years between episodes. there wasn't any internet or memes like. "I am your father" as spoilers. 5. The scene in the detention center where Han Solo ends up saying "how are you" is a goof on Harrison Ford's part. He forgot his lines. 🤣 6. In an appearance on Johnny Carson when this came Carrie Fisher said the Chewy is a 300-year-old Wookie. 7. Obi Wan didn't die. He went into the force. 8. The smirk and shrug Chewy gives Luke after he scares the little black droid is 🤣 9. Welcome aboard. You're in for a hell of a ride.
My favourite addition to the newer version is the sound added when the stormtrooper hits its head while they are in the trash compactor. They didn't notice the flaw until it was too late, so they went with it.
@William Jones hardly "Guinness had negotiated two per cent of the final grosses, to which Lucas added another quarter per cent. This made a stunned Guinness over $7 million immediately ($36 million today) and more than $100 million by the time of his death in 2000 at 86."
A lot of the really impressive scenes with alien animals weren't done in the 70s -- this is a Special Edition of the film that had additional CG scenes that were added in the 90's.
You didn't see the 1977 Star Wars, you saw the altered version which started in 1997 and apparently still continues til this day ("Makonkey!"). If you seek out the Despecialized Editions (or original print transfers), you can see the truly groundbreaking effects that ILM created without Awkward Jabba. I see they've cleaned up Han Solo breaking his neck to avoid Greedo's shot now.
I know it's hard to find the original movies. Sadly, I didn't keep my original VHS's. They only really matter with the first movie except with the Sarlacc in Jedi. I have my memory though.
I was gonna say. When she was commenting on 1970s graphics, she was looking right at 1990s CGI (that clashes with the original special effects, I might add). The original was all practical effects. The Special Editions are a pox, as they prevent people from getting the authentic Star Wars experience. Mind you, most of the effects are still from the original movie, but it's still unfortunate.
I'd add that the original practical effects have, on the whole, aged a lot better than the CGI that was added two decades later, which looks increasingly dated.
You might be able to track down a Limited Edition which is _almost_ the same as the original. It was a bonus for one of the Special Editions that came out around the time the prequels were released.
Great reaction! Welcome to the Star Wars universe. There is something for everyone here. I'm glad that C-3PO is her favorite character because that's not usually the case. Anthony Daniels I salute you.
R2-D2 is a maintenance droid. His main function is to fix things. He is on the X-Wing to help repair damage in battle. C3PO is a protocol droid. He is programmed to translate languages and interact with humans, even if he isn't very good with human interaction.
She is absolutely correct. The mission in Top Gun Maverick IS the trench run from this film. I thought it would have been better if one of the TG pilots had said "This is just like Star Wars!"
Sharing the experiences of the movies with friends and family is so awesome! The Disney + series “Empire of Dreams” and “Light and Magic” are awesome resources on the making of this trilogy.
I rarely make it through most reaction channels intros to even give them a chance, but once you said y'all were Jiu-jitsu moms I had to give you a watch.
One thing about this version is isn’t wasn’t all done in 1977. Some of it Lucas “fixed” in 1997 and then around 2006 he did some more “fixing”. Basically the technology got to the point where Lucas was able to make his vision in 77 come true. The scene where Han Solo walks on Jabba’s tail was done when originally Jabba was a two-legged person and Han just walked around him. Lucas wanted to put this scene back in so they had to modify Han’s walk around Jabba.
Jabba was always intended to be an alien, the actor on the set was just there to give Harrison Ford something to react to. The plan was to superimpose a puppet creature over the actor, but the filmmakers simply ran out of time & money. In the 1977 Marvel Comics adaptation, the Jabba scene was included, and he doesn't look human. If you watch the Star Wars Rebels cartoon series you can see what Jabba was originally supposed to look like, the character Azmorigan is based on his earliest design. Lucas decided he should look like a slug by the time they filmed Return of the Jedi, so they had to make Han walk over his tail when that scene was restored.
"I don't think I've ever heard of Bob Villa." "He's like the _Home Improvement_ guy." "Oooooh!" _This Old House_ is absolutely NOTHING like _Home Improvement._
2:55 "you know they ARE always missing" she said when there's a pile of dead rebels on the floor. Were you expecting them to hit all the heroes and end the movie in 10 minutes?
There's alot of fake people doing pretend first time reactions, but I can tell you really hadn't seen it. So refreshing, I loved you reactions. Episode 5 us my personal favorite, can't wait for your reaction.
Most of the living space at the Lars' homestead is below ground to keep it cool. The open courtyard (also below grade) encourages cool breezes. It is based on principles used in traditional housing in deserts around the world.
I was 13 Years old in 1977 when I saw Star wars in the Movie Theatre! It was originally just called Star Wars and did not get re number Episode IV until Episode V came out in 1980. The special Effects were way ahead of it's time!
3:43 Is a good point. I would start by explaining to her the difference between droids, soldiers wearing full body armor, and people who are dependent on prosthetic suits built in the style of armor.
I'm glad you noticed Guardians for the feel of it. I grew up watching Star Wars, so when I watched Guardians, that's exactly what came to mind, with the funny action adventure.
The Death Star attack plan was as follows: The Death Star is powered by a massive reactor core at it's center. Numerous exhaust ports lead from the core to the surface. The idea was to bull's eye a pair of proton torpedoes down the two-meter wide exhaust port and detonate them in the core, causing a chain reaction. The problem was that X-wings fly at hundreds of miles per hour, and the on-board targeting computers can't lock on to such a small target area while still at a safe distance. The only way you'd get a lock is a split second before you crash into the exhaust port tower. So basically, the pilots had to line up as best they could and take pot shots. A rough analogy would be firing a bullet up the exhaust pipe of a car and it finding it's way down the fuel lines into the fuel tank, then detonating.
this was such a pleasure to watch… congratulations ladeez, you’ve won the internet!!! I got my mum Disney plus & watched Rise Of Skywalker with her (I’d already seen it countless times by this stage in cinema, youtube purchase) & she loved it… i’m totally checking your Ep 5 reaction right now. Brisbane, Australia
10:00 - "I don't understand the design of this house" - It's actually very practical and ingenious. Tatooine as a planet with two suns has a very harsh desert climate with vast majority of water having evaporated into atmosphere. That is what "moisture farmers" like Owen Lars do for living; instead of farming crops, they have fields of devices that condensate moisture from atmosphere into liquid water, and then sell it. Design of the underground house is ingenious because the layer of sand and soil keeps the rooms cool even without air conditioning. The large open area in the center serves as a chimney; a big part of the concrete receives direct sunlight which warms it up and creates an updraft that takes away stale air, allowing fresh, cooler air to replace it.
You’re watching the “Special Edition “ of Star Wars. George Lucas restored the original film, and added things with cgi after Jurassic Park demonstrated that technology had caught up to his original vision. But in my opinion his additions didn’t really improve the story… the first was perfectly fine despite its perceived imperfections by its director. His limitations are what made it good. They made him concentrate on the important elements.
This film came out one month after I was born so I didn't get to see it in the theater, but I was old enough to see the third one (Ep. VI) in the theater. Then I saw every one after that in the theater.
the week this came to my small town theater when i was a kid (1977), it was the summer i seen every day . i even did extra chores to get the money to see it .
June 1977 . I was 17 this movie called Star Wars came to our small town (Not New Hope no number in the title) My Cousin and I went to see it in the local theater. 28 Times later I was addicted . Love watching new people join the group especially when the love it !!!! You do need the Mandalorian in your life !!!!!
Lucas added a lot of unnecessarily CGI FX in the nineties, but Star Wars was truly a major step up for FX, and seeing it at the age of five when it first came out was unreal, it was like the greatest magic trick anyone could show you.
One of the themes I noticed this time, is the way the movie is contrasting Darth Vader and Obi Wan Kenobi - as two alternative versions of the "ideal" masculinity - and Luke ultimately having to choose his role model.
What about the contrast between Vader and Tarken, as symbols of the Secular, mechanical, technical world vs. the Sacred, Spiritual world. Vader survived the destruction of the Death Star because he was a patron of that higher realm, beyond the physical, material world. Look at Tarken, he didn't even know he'd lost. He thought he was winning, and then BOOM, before he even realized it was happening, he was dead and thrown down.
9 years old. 1978. Waited in queue that seemed a mile long to get into Liverpool Odeon and was that excited I thought I was going to explode. I even spilled my entire bag of popcorn all over my friends Dad's new car on the way home.
I always thought Han saying "May the Force Be With You" to Luke after refusing to join the attack on the Death Star and leaving with his money was honest. It was his way of saying, "Hey, I don't belive in the Force but I know you do, so good luck out there."
R2-D2 is an astromech droid. The primary purpose of an astromech droid is mid-flight spacecraft repair. As such, R2 (sometimes written and spoken as Artoo) has many tools and equipment to effect electronic repair, including computer interface and navigation. C-3PO (sometimes affectionately Threepio) is a protocol droid designed for protocol and etiquette. Basically a translation droid. You may notice that, although there seems to be quite advanced Artificial Intelligence in droid OS (to the point where there might have been artificial life emerging), there’s prejudice about droids in the galaxy.
33:27 Yes, there is! Even without that tractor beam, there is no reason that station couldn't shoot them down, and will retrieve the Falcon at their convenience. I wonder why they didn't do that?
For the 1997, 20th Anniversary rerelease of Star Wars, the film got a CGI enhancement, which is why the movie looks so more impressive. Even without the CGI, the movie was revolutionary with the special effects and sound teams put together by George Lucas. It was like nothing we ever seen before Star Wars until the movie was first released back in 1977.
Hey Mom! Shout out from the US Marine Corps! Well you nailed the Luke and Leia thing! Guess your just really good at predictions! But I will say there's a few more good twists I hope you don't see coming! Can't wait for your reaction to Empire Strikes Back! Keep up the great reactions!
In re: Stormtroopers missing a lot.... In current warfare it's estimated that hit rates are about 1 hit for every 10,000 bullets fired. Others have done the legwork of going through all the movies and shows that use stormtroopers and counting up how often they actually hit and all that and their hit rate is something like 1 in 73, IIRC, which is *inhumanly accurate* and the 1st scene with them shows them easily taking over Leia's ship while wiping out the rebel troops *who were in partial cover* which is very hard to do, especially with as few casualties to the Empire side as we're shown. They "always miss" when shooting at main characters who possess plot armor, however. And since we are focused on main characters who are thus shielded, the stromtroopers simply have to miss them else the story will end.... and thus the running (and incorrect) joke that stormtroopers always miss is born, despite them being portrayed as hyper-comptenent in all other aspects.
R2-D2 is one specific robot. He is part of the R2 series but the D2 part is a designation specific to him. Other R2 units we see trough out the series include R2-Q5 and R2-A3 for example.
The graphics were added in 1997 for the special edition versions of the films. The original cinema versions are now extremely rare and very hard to find.
Some of the effects (CGI) was edited into the film in this reissue form. Some of the muppets that were done with Henson creations were replaced with computer generated creatures 20 years later when the 2nd trilogy started.
Funny that you mention Guardians of the Galaxy. Because when I saw Guardians of the Galaxy I felt like I was watching Star Wars for the first time. I felt like a little kid again watching Star Wars in the late 70s. No other movie has done that for me since then, so Guardians will always be my favorite MCU movie just because of that.
2:52 “you know, they are always missing”. Well… there are more than a few rebel soldiers laying dead in that hallway. They just weren’t shooting at the droids. (Plus, obviously, plot armor)
The underground house Luke lives in at start are actual living places of old tribes in Tunisia. some of the scenes in the version of the movie were created with CGI, this is the Special Edition and not the version released in the theaters as of '77. But, mostly it is all practical. some of the added scenes were the streets of Mos Eisley and the bay full of troopers Han runs into.
After you two talking about Owen's and Beru's home, I just thought it was pretty practical because of where they live, they want to be somewhat cool. So if you dig into the the ground, it's definitely cooler there. Also might be easier to get moisture in harvester when there's some shade. I'm just thinking out loud at this point.
Many cultures build houses with the primary living area below ground, it is hardly strange. I would have expected they would run their condenser machines at night, especially around dusk, when the air is cooling off. They themselves might even have been nocturnal. But if you want something to churn over in the old noggin, think about this. In "Attack of The Clones", Uncle Owen called Aunt Beru his _girlfriend._ He could just as easily and effortlessly called her his _sister._ That would have surprised everyone, and it would have fed the impression that on their farmstead, they lived a kind of inward, "homebody" lifestyle, frowning on looking outward to the rest of the galaxy.
I’m sure others have pointed this out already, but the vast majority of the CGI was added for the 1997 re-release. CGI was not really used in films in the 70s except for some very limited applications, such as the diagram of the Death Star in the original 1977 release of Star Wars.
The droid that administered the truth serum/mind probe to Princess Leia was not just dosing her with truth serum and probing her mind. It was torturing her.
That serum could well have been for doing _both_ to her. ☹️ Being brave must have been even harder for her while wearing a dress made from a paper thin bed sheet. And she still had the spunk to mouth off to Tarken, afterward. 🏋️♀️💪
