George Lucas’ original 1977 Star Wars movie is one of cinema’s most timeless masterpieces. Millions of fans have connected with Luke Skywalker’s journey from bright-eyed farm boy to budding Jedi to hero of the Rebellion, and rejoice when he uses the Force to blow up the Death Star. Star Wars’ influence on filmmaking and storytelling is unfathomable.
This movie has a perfect balance of little details and moments that round out the colorful cast of characters and grand, spectacular action sequences harking back to the pulpy serials that inspired Lucas to create a galaxy far, far away in the first place.
Action Scene: The Opening Space Battle
George Lucas establishes the Rebellion’s limited resources in comparison to the might of the Empire in the iconic opening shot of Star Wars. The Rebels’ plucky little Tantive IV zips through space, followed by a gargantuan Imperial Star Destroyer.
While the Rebels’ ship fit the frame easily, the Star Destroyer keeps rolling past the camera for an absurd amount of time (though not as absurd as Spaceballs’ even longer parody of it).
Character Moment: Darth Vader Force-Chokes Admiral Motti
While Darth Vader’s intimidating presence is introduced on Tantive IV as he interrogates a Rebel trooper and slams him into a wall, the Sith Lord didn’t really terrify audiences until he Force-choked Admiral Motti.
In a meeting of Imperial brass, Motti starts mouthing off about the ineffectiveness of Vader’s mystical powers, so Vader demonstrates the ominous capabilities of those powers with a casual flick of his hand.
Action Scene: Darth Vader & Ben Kenobi’s Rematch
The upcoming Obi-Wan Kenobi series on Disney Plus promises a rematch between Kenobi and his fallen apprentice Darth Vader, played by Hayden Christensen, pitched midway between their explosive duel on Mustafar and their fateful rematch on the Death Star.
As it stands, the latter sequence is the first time the characters reunite after Mustafar, and it’s a pretty iconic one for the new spin-off to top. Having passed on the torch to Luke and helped the Rebels' fight against the Empire as much as he can, Kenobi accepts his fate and allows Vader to strike him down in their second hostile encounter.
Character Moment: Luke Watches The Binary Sunset
If the spirit of Star Wars can be summed up in one image, it’s probably Luke Skywalker watching the twin suns of Tatooine set over the horizon to the sounds of John Williams’ breathtaking “Binary Sunset,” which has since become a recurring theme for the Force.
Luke feels like he’s trapped on his aunt and uncle’s dusty moisture farm in the middle of nowhere. He dreams of going on incredible adventures throughout the galaxy – and those adventures are just around the corner.
Action Scene: The Trash Compactor
When Luke, Han, and Chewie set out to 'rescue' Princess Leia, they didn’t come with an exit plan, so she immediately has to save both them and herself by blasting open the trash chute. They all slide down the chute and end up in the trash compactor. The walls start closing in as Luke desperately tries to contact C-3PO to shut off the trash compactors.
The sequence is a masterclass in suspense filmmaking, with the camera angles getting narrower and more claustrophobic as the walls close in, and Threepio finally receives the message at the last possible second.
Character Moment: “Boring Conversation Anyway.”
When Luke is searching the Death Star’s on-board prison block for Princess Leia, Han and Chewie stand guard at the control panel. A voice comes through on the intercom promising to send backup, so Han tries to impersonate a Stormtrooper and deter them from sending more troops (and fails miserably).
After it becomes clear that the jig is up, Han shoots the intercom and quips, “Boring conversation anyway,” before alerting Luke of the impending danger. Harrison Ford improvised this line and it makes the hilariously awkward scene even more memorable.
Action Scene: The TIE Fighter Attack
When Luke, Han, Leia, Chewie, and the droids escape from the Death Star in the Millennium Falcon, they’re not out of the woods yet. Vader sends a fleet of TIE fighters after them, so Luke and Han jump on the Falcon’s cannons to get rid of them.
John Williams’ tense score for this scene (the second half of the composition “Ben’s Death and TIE Fighter Attack”) is one of the most exciting, suspenseful, and instantly recognizable pieces of music in the saga.
Character Moment: The Jedi Mind Trick
While Darth Vader’s Sith powers are introduced with magical violence, Ben Kenobi’s Jedi powers are introduced with a more peaceful technique. Some Imperial Stormtroopers approach Luke’s speeder at Mos Eisley Spaceport to ask a couple of questions about R2-D2 and C-3PO.
With a wave of his hand, Kenobi says, “These are not the droids you’re looking for.” The entranced Stormtrooper says, “These are not the droids we’re looking for.” Kenobi says, “He can go about his business.” The Stormtrooper says, “You can go about your business.”
Action Scene: Blowing Up The Death Star
The Star Wars saga set a very high benchmark for third-act battle sequences with the Death Star assault in the original 1977 movie. Luke and the other Rebel pilots take on a TIE fighter squadron – including Vader’s own personal customized TIE fighter – in an intense dogfight through the trenches of the Empire’s sinister battle station.
This sequence is filled with great moments, like Han and Chewie triumphantly returning in the Falcon to help Luke make it to the air shaft, and it culminates in a glorious shot of the Death Star exploding into a million pieces.
Character Moment: “Use The Force, Luke.”
When Luke is in the heat of the trench run and the Rebels’ first couple of shots at the air shaft have missed, Ben Kenobi’s disembodied Force ghost appears to Luke in the cockpit of his X-wing. He says, “Use the Force, Luke.”
Although Luke is initially reluctant, he boldly turns off his targeting computer and uses the will of the Force to guide his torpedo into the air shaft, destroying the battle station.