Georg Lucas
Star Wars - A New Hope
- DirectorGeorg Lucas
- CinematographerGilbert Taylor
KASPER TUXEN I can’t leave this one out. Not because I reference its cinematography, but because the original trilogy was my constant companion growing up. My childhood fascination with that universe - and later, my understanding of the ingenuity and perseverance it took to make them - still amazes me. I carry that lesson into every film I work on - that rethinking and reinventing are essential if you want to create something truly unique.
The Story Behind
George Lucas conceived Star Wars in the early 1970s, drawing inspiration from pulp sci-fi serials like Flash Gordon, Akira Kurosawa’s The Hidden Fortress, Joseph Campbell’s mythology (The Hero with a Thousand Faces), and classic Westerns and war films.
At the time, Hollywood studios were skeptical: science fiction was considered niche and risky. Lucas struggled to get the project funded but eventually secured support from 20th Century Fox after the success of his previous film, American Graffiti (1973). The production was ambitious, mixing groundbreaking visual effects from the newly formed Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) with traditional storytelling archetypes. Despite budget overruns, studio doubts, and a difficult shoot in Tunisia and England, the film was released in 1977. It became a cultural phenomenon, revolutionized special effects, launched the blockbuster era, and gave birth to one of the most influential franchises in cinema history.
The Storyline
Set “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” the story follows the young farm boy Luke Skywalker on the desert planet Tatooine. When he discovers a message hidden in the droid R2-D2, sent by Princess Leia Organa who has been captured by the tyrannical Galactic Empire, Luke is drawn into a galactic struggle. With the help of the wise hermit Obi-Wan Kenobi, who reveals the ways of the mystical Force, Luke joins smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca on a mission to rescue Leia from the Empire’s massive space station, the Death Star.
After escaping with Leia, the group delivers stolen Death Star plans to the Rebel Alliance, who prepare an assault. In the climactic battle, Luke pilots an X-wing starfighter during the attack run on the Death Star. Guided by the Force and the spirit of Obi-Wan (who sacrifices himself earlier to confront Darth Vader), Luke fires the decisive shot that destroys the superweapon, securing the Rebellion’s victory. The film ends with a triumphant medal ceremony, establishing Luke as a hero and setting the stage for the continuing saga.