I will be taking the original Star Wars Trilogy (no “Special Editions” here) and breaking it down 10 mins at a time – starting with the first 10 minutes of A New Hope and ending with the last 10 minutes of Return of the Jedi. Each segment will include a brief synopsis, some truly nerdy trivia, thoughts about the scenes, as well as the moments that were Good, Bad, and Bantha Poodoo. All this leads to the premiere of the new Star Wars film The Force Awakens!” Lets get started!
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) 00:00:00 – 00:10:00
“This is madness…. were doomed!”
• We get the opening crawl (written by Brian De Palma no less!)
• Space battle! Although by today’s standards it moves a little slow and static, it still packs a punch.
• First appearance of C3PO and R2D2, the only two characters to appear in every Star Wars movie filmed. (No, I’m not going to count the character of Anakin Skywalker / Darth Vader. To me they are two different dudes.)
• First appearance of Darth Vader
• First appearance of Princess Leia
• When Princess Leia places the plans in R2 and then goes to hide, it sounds like R2 says “Okay see you later Princess Leia” in his beep-beep tones. Don’t believe me? Go listen to it again.
• Droids crash land on Tatooine
The Good: Opening shot of the Star Destroyer. This scene changed everything!
The Bad: C3PO and R2D2 walking across the laser battle without a scratch.
Bantha Poodoo: Threepio leaving R2 and going off on his own. Whatta jerk!
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) 00:10:01 – 00:20:00
“Look Sir, droids.”
• That is the skeleton of a Krayt Dragon that C3PO walks past. The film crew left it there back in 1977. When they went back to Tunisia in 2001 to film Attack of the Clones, the skeleton was still there.
• Utinni!
• This canyon in Tunisia where the Jawas threaten to blow up R2 is the same location used in Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indy threatens to blow up the Ark.
• The first appearance of Gonk the droid! Also the last appearance of Gonk the droid. Believe it or not, they made an action figure of Gonk. Although “action” might be pushing it.
• Dewbacks!
• The first appearance of Luke Skywalker
• “But I was heading into Tosche Station to pick up some poweeeerrrr conveeeeeeeerrrrteerrrrs! Waaaaaaahhhhh!”
The Good: John Williams’s “Sand Crawler” score.
The Bad: That one “a little too tall” Jawa that was helping bring droids out of the Crawler. What, they run out of kids and midgets?
Bantha Poodoo: Sorry Gonk, but its poodoo for you my friend.
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) 00:20:01 – 00:30:00
“Thank the Maker.”
• Luke plays with a toy model of a T-16 Sky-hopper. He flew these little ships around Tatooine bulls-eyeing womp rats with his buddy Biggs.
• C3PO tells Luke, “I’m not much at telling stories…” but in Jedi Threepio tells the Ewoks the coolest story ever! With sound effects and sign language and everything!
• Look for C3PO rubbing the oil off his… uh… goldenrod.
• Captain Antilles was the dude that got physically choked then tossed against a wall by Darth Vader at the beginning of the movie.
• Again R2D2’s beeps and whistles sound just like “You don’t think he likes me?” Much love to Ben Burtt who took this movie to the next level with his sound design.
• “You told me to forget it, Uncle Owen? When? It sure wasn’t during this lunch conversation. No, please tell me, when did you tell me to forget it? Huh? Huh? You’re not even my real Uncle!”
• Luke never eats any of his lunch. All that blue milk gone to waste.
• “He has too much of his father in him? Hey Beru, I told you to forget it too!”
• Awesome music by John Williams while Luke gazes at the binary sunset.
• Banthas!
• I think we’ve all been guilty of “Obi Wan Kenobi gibberish” at some point in our lives.
• Sand People knock Luke out to steal the hubcaps off his landspeeder.
The Good: The Binary Sunset scene with Luke is where we, the audience, firmly connect with Luke Skywalker and he becomes part of us, forever.
The Bad: C3PO driving the landspeeder is kinda lame. There was more footage of that but thankfully one of the editors thought it was lame too.
Bantha Poodoo: Uncle Owen
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) 00:30:01 – 00:40:00
“Sorcerer’s ways.”
• Obi Wan (Ben) Kenobi shows up for the first time doing his “look I’m a scary monster” bit. Works on the Sand People every time.
• Alec Guinness is all class.
• Obi Wan says “The Jundland Wastes are not to be traveled lightly.” Jundland translates to “No Mans Land” in the native tongue.
• Looks like the Sand People tried to jack C3PO’s arm as well. Savages!
• Let the lies begin! Ben, how could you?
• “Sir if you’re not needing me I think I’ll close down.” In other words, “I’m not needed for this scene so they can just put the C3PO suit here on Ben’s couch and I can go grab a bite to eat.” – Anthony Daniels
• Sounds like Ben knows all about the lameness of Uncle Owen too.
• That’s no moon, that’s The Death Star!
• Those two bickering Death Star Generals are named Cassio Tagge (the dude with the horrible bowl cut) and Conan Antonio Motti. For years the Star Wars character of Motti just went by “Antonio Motti” but in 2012 Conan O’Brian had George Lucas on his show and asked if he could name a Star Wars character after him. George gave him Motti and from then on the official name of that character was “Conan Antonio Motti”!
• Peter Cushing looking rather skeletal
• How’s this for Sorcerer’s ways, Conan! Force-choke bud!
The Good: Obi Wan’s introduction, “Hello there.”
The Bad: The lies Obi Wan! The lies!
Bantha Poodoo: General Tagge’s bowl cut
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) 00:40:01 – 00:50:00
“Wretched hive of scum and villainy.”
• “And those blast points… only Imperial Stormtroopers are that precise.” Actually Ben, Stormtroopers are HORRIBLE shots.
• They used Vaseline on the film itself to smudge the wheels out on the Landspeeder.
• Luke gives Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru a moment of silence…okay, cool, now off to go be a Jedi, later.
• Time for your shot Princess.
• Luke, you’re just in time for a Jawa BBQ!
• Dude, C3PO is messed up – he just got finished helping burn slaughtered Jawas, then like thirty minutes later he calls them all a bunch of disgusting creatures. How rude.
• The action figure of Snaggletooth (that little dude ordering a drink from the bar, that can’t WAIT to drink it) is one of the most valuable Star Wars toys out there. Just make sure you get the “blue outfit” action figure and not the worthless “red outfit” figure.
• The novel Tales from the Cantina has stories involving most of the creatures you see in this scene. Wanna know more about those hot twins? Go read the book.
• First appearance of Chewbacca.
• Luke, bro, tugging on the bartenders shirt is not the way to order a drink. Luke probably doesn’t tip either.
• Oops, looks like Ben cut the arm off the wrong dude.
• I love that the Cantina Band doesn’t miss a beat after the lightsaber amputation.
• First appearance of Han Solo.
The Good: The Cantina Band laying it down.
The Bad: Luke’s bar manners.
Bantha Poodoo: C3PO’S Jawa hatred
Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) 00:50:01 – 00:60:00
“Ches ko ba tuta creesta crenko ya kolska!”
• “Going somewhere Solo?” Yes Greedo, I was just coming over to shoot you first.
• Solo was smuggling a drug/spice called “Glitterstim” for Jabba when he was boarded by Imperial Troops. So basically he was delivering drugs and got pulled over by the cops and tossed the stuff out the window.
• I like the “I just shot Greedo first slow walk” out of the Cantina Bar that Han does after shooting Greedo first.
• “Okay guys, knock on the door 9 times. No answer, door is locked. Move on to the next one.” Stormtroopers, ugh.
• Hey was that Greedo that just walked by?! Didnt he just get shot first by Han Solo?
• Did you notice the “94” on the docking bay wall there by Chewie?
• First appearance of the Millennium Falcon.
• See what I mean? Stormtroopers can’t shoot! You know who can shoot though? Han Solo!
• The Falcon is getting chased by two Star Destroyers. Han Solo tells everyone, “I know a few maneuvers (like that time I shot Greedo first). We’ll lose them.” Then cut to the Falcon not doing much in the way of “maneuvers.”
• Oh, all of a sudden Princess Leia’s got a British accent, huh? Come to think of it, Greedo might have had a British accent before he got shot first by Han.
• “Dantooine. They’re on Dantooine.” I used to think she said Tatooine, you know that planet where Greedo got shot first by Han Solo.
• Speaking of shooting first, The Death Star just took out Alderaan.
• Space Chess looks pretty fun.
The Good: Han Solo shooting Greedo first then slowly walking out and tipping the bartender on his way.
The Bad: Tatooine Stormtroopers.
Bantha Poodoo: Carrie Fisher’s fake British accent
To Be Continued!
The Institute of Idle Time 