Customer Reviews

The Story of Star Wars

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Okay, I was a child in the 80's and my whole family loved Star Wars, but I don't remember watching it before I was 7 or 8 years old. My husband is a big Star Wars fan (not fanatic), and was quick to introduce our little boy to everything Star Wars. Our son, who's 3 1/2 years old now, loves watching the movies, but he's just not mature enough to fully understand some of the more scary/violent parts and I don't like him sitting in front of the TV for a couple hours at a time.

This dvd is PERFECT for children. It is hosted by C-3PO and R2-D2 who narrate and explain each of the movies in 10 minute segments, showing highlights from each movie (except Episode 3 which hadn't been released yet). My boy loves it and asks to watch it almost every day, and it's nice to have a Star Wars 'movie' that's so suitable for children, PLUS we don't have to be in the same room to fast forward through any scary parts. I love it.

I was a freshman in college when I took my new girlfriend, (now married for over 30 yrs.) to see George Lucas' 1977 film "Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope." This movie literally blew our minds!!! Audiences were not used to the great special effects this film introduced to the world! Even more compelling for me was the story. The movie had a visceral magnetism that took hold of me. It was only years later when I found out why that was, and the answer that I found is going to be the basis for my review. Let me first say that I love finding out about the "back story" of the great works of artists, the answer I found to this work of art filled me with joy and a sense of satisfaction beyond my dreams!!!

I saw a several part series on PBS moderated by Bill Moyers talking to George Lucas about the inspiration for his "Star Wars" story. Lucas gave most of the inspirational credit to a book he read by one of the world's preeminent scholars on religion and myth, Joseph Campbell; his book is "A Hero With A Thousand Faces." I gained a whole new perspective on religion after reading this book and understood why it was so compelling to Lucas. What Campbell was able to ascertain by studying religion and myth is that in every culture there is a foundational "monomyth" describing a "hero's" journey that is at the center of every culture's belief system. I am going to describe the "monomyth" cycle within the "Star Wars" movie to make the point.

Campbell discovered through extensive research that humankind shares a universal monomyth in its various religions and legends especially pertaining to the creation of the world and humankind. Campbell borrowed the term monomyth from James Joyce's book Finnegan's Wake. Campbell's intuitive insight in human myth proves that for thousands of years these myths display a certain standard structure, which he summarizes beautifully in his book.

A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back
from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man (Campbell 30).

There are at least four major stages that a monomyth has however, in his book, Campbell goes on to describe seventeen stages that some monomyth's posses. The four stages making up the cycle of a monomyth are "passage: separation-initiation-return:" In the first stage, known as the passage stage, the hero is summoned to journey or embark on an adventure by some kind of event that takes place or from a message, he receives. The hero may embark on this passage willingly or reluctantly. For instance, in the movie, the young Lukeskywalker returning to his farm from performing some errands finds his aunt and uncle killed by shock troops of the Empire. He had been itching to leave the farm to go to the flight academy, so faced with this tragedy he finally has a reason to leave the farm, to start his "journey."

Campbell says that during the second stage, the separation stage, the hero meets with a mentor or wise man who gives the hero either an amulet or some words of wisdom to be of help to the hero on the adventure. In the movie this is where Luke meets with former Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi who gives him a light saber and starts to teach him the ways of the "force."

During the third stage, the initiation stage, the hero goes through several trials or tests. The hero will go through his first transformation, also known as "crossing the first threshold," as he crosses over to another world or dimension leaving behind the old world. The hero often receives help in these ordeals along the way by allies or from a supernatural force. In this case Luke is helped by Han Solo and Princess Leia on his quest to fight against the Empire's dark force Darth Vader.

As the hero completes these ordeals successfully, he proves himself more worthy to continue the adventure. Most importantly, during this stage the hero must pass through a major ordeal that will expand his consciousness, and thereby change his character forever. Often, this ordeal entails the death of an ally or enemy.

This is where Luke's mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi meets his death at the hand of Darth Vader, which enrages Luke and will eventually cause him to fight Vader in a duel with light sabers.

In the fourth stage, once the hero successful accomplishes his ordeal he is rewarded with a gift, it could be intrinsic like the "holy grail, or it can be new found knowledge to better the world with.
This last stage the hero travels is that of the return whence he came. Often the hero will undergo further trials on his return before he is permitted to cross the threshold back to the world he left. During his return journey, the hero will use his newfound wisdom or gift to make a safe return home. Once home the gift is used to cure some ill in the hero's home or to impart new wisdom to his neighbors.

In the case of Luke he will continue with the help of other mentors like Yoda, to become a Jedi master, completing his last stage wherein he receives "enlightenment" the gift that he can bestow on his world.

Campbell points to the significance of the monomyth in the fact that it describes the cycle that Moses, Jesus, Buddha, and the Mahavira had gone through according to their religious adherents. This is not to mention the hundreds of other monomyths told throughout human history. The monomyth proves that humankind shares a common creation DNA in a sense. No wonder Campbell's monomyth was the perfect vehicle for Lucas' "Star Wars" story!!!

I hope you enjoyed the journey!!!

i accidentally bought the star wars special edition, it waa huge dissapointment. i was actually on the side of jabba the hut(by showing a scene with him offering han solo a last chance to make things between them better,but he's just a dirty lyer,& thinks that because he's lukes friend he's freed of his obligations)the dialogue from the snow creature made no sence as it sounded like the tantan was getting slaughtered ,but it kept panning back to show the abombidable snow monkey eating it in episode 5, the emperor was unviewed until episode 6 before,but now he's seen in full view on episode 5 when vader calls him from his destroyer(before he was a mysterious person pulling strings from behind screen,but no facials until episodes 3,or 6

the band in jabbas palace just sucked anyway (didn't deserve the music spotlight),& finally the entire galaxy rejoices when the empire falls,but they couldn't help the rebels before at all. the only things improved on the special edition were the battle scenes(space,& land),& the view from the snowspeeders on hoth were transparent when looking out at the land below before. i agree with south park that george lucas should not screw with a success (he shoulda just left the story alone,but made the action scenes better) if you discover a way for me to e-mail this to george lucas every star wars fan would be grateful(the special edition almost makes me embarrassed to be a fan)

the scar of the special edition'll always be there but it would be less significant if an edition with better fight scenes,& nonethreal snowspeaders only(the story left alone).the story(terrible),& the action scenes(awsome) are equal to episodes 1-3.after watching all 3 of the family guy,& robot chicken star wars commentary,& behind the scenes i've come to the conclusion that everyone just pussed out,& told lucas what he wanted to hear. i'm pretty sure that they've made sure to only make the bastardized special edition available on dvd (i've accidentaly bought 2 different dvd box sets hopefuly not to get a special edition set). it looks like I have no choice,but to watch star trek(blasphemy) for a halfway enjoyable space opera.

are their any non-raped(regular edition) star wars dvd's in circulation or are my worst fears realized,& lucas had all of the original copies destroyed.

This is one of those rare items that has absolutely no reason to exist whatsoever. I got it at Wal-Mart for like, $3.00 when I bought Episode 3 on DVD, expecting it to be supplimental features explaining the history behind making the movies. I wasn't expecting much since it was a "Wal-Mart exclusive," meaning it probably was leftovers that weren't good enough to make the cut on the real DVDs, but still, for an extra $3, I figured it was a good enough deal.

I WAS WRONG!

This is simply a video of C-3PO and R2-D2 telling an abbreviated version of the Star-Wars saga, with clips from the movie thrown in. It is obviously intended for children who have absolutely no taste. WHY WATCH THIS WHEN YOU CAN WATCH THE REAL MOVIES!?! Maybe in 10 years this will be a nifty collector's gimmick like the Star Wars video board game, or the Star Wars Holiday Special, but if you're hoping that this will actually scratch your Star Wars itch, look elsewhere. The only other way I can recommend this disc is, is if you don't love your kids enough to give them the actual Star Wars movies.