OK, I have a confession: I love Star Wars. No, I'm not a die-hard fanatic whose shelves are lined with Star Wars novels, toys, posters and other memorabilia, but I am an ardent fan of the movies.
On the eve of Chinese New Year, my uncle from Singapore drove up with this delivery, which I'd 'ordered' from him a few days ago. It's S$90 there, which is cheaper after conversion, compared to the Malaysian retail price of RM300.
The new DVD version is simply excellent; you'd never believe it was produced in the late 70s, save maybe the rather spastic lightsaber effects and spacecraft designs. But hey, that's what made it legendary then, and still does now.
The Bonus Disc is full of stunning goodies, including the history of the lightsaber, the original movie trailers, a 2-and-a-half-hour documentary and a preview of Star Wars Episode 3 which focuses on the return of Darth Vader.
What made it a hit then and now, is the same reason behind my great admiration for it: the battle between good and evil.
Yes, it's a theme that has been exhausted by virtually every film genre, and probably every action flick in history, but Star Wars took such a fresh approach to the idea, and infused it with unforgettable philosophy (think Yoda).
Darth Vader still strikes me as the most complex villain in film history, and his journey into and redemption from the Dark Side of the Force reminds me of my own walk with God; it remains a very strong point in the movies.
In one of the featurettes on the Bonus Disc, someone attributed the uniqueness of Star Wars to the worn and torn appearance of the vehicles and machines, as opposed to spanking clean and shiny in most sci-fi flicks. Elsewhere, another commented that the 'background' aliens of Star Wars would've taken the limelight in a lesser movie.
In short, George Lucas brought the whole premise so close to reality that millions could identify with it then, as millions undoubtedly still do now. I am one of them.
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