MJB SCRIPT REVIEW | STAR WARS EPISODE IV : A NEW HOPE

“𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗿, 𝗻𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱”

So, with the Summer now a distant memory, I wanted to look at one of the grandest, most legendary blockbuster scripts of all time. Not only is it one of my favourite films and an inspiration to generations, it is also the progenitor of an entire cinematic universe. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the movie overlord script that is...

STAR WARS EPISODE IV - A NEW HOPE.

Plot in a nutshell: Farm boy Luke Skywalker joins forces with Jedi Knight Obi Wan Kenobi to rescue a princess from the Empire's world-destroying battle station. Ensue movie legend.

This is going to be fun. Trying to review a script solely on its merits when the aftermath of its creation is literally ingrained into the very fabric of society. I know people who hate film. Don’t watch it. Couldn’t be doing with it in their lives quite happily. And they know what “The Force” is.

That, is a truly legendary script.

That.

First things first, this is clearly the draft that George Lucas originally wrote before he passed it to his first wife Marcia (acclaimed film editor), who then cut out all the slow bits and politics to give us the streamlined script we eventually saw transformed into live action. But at least with this draft we see George’s original (if taking two years to get finished) vision of the story.

The start is exciting. More violent than expected (rebel soldiers with arms and faces blown off!), yet utterly riveting. You know you’re going to love this story already. Then it intercuts to Luke faffing about on Tatooine.

Sigh.

Glad that got cut.

Then Leia gets captured, shows some real feistiness for a sixteen year old detainee in the middle of (what she considers to be) a war. We’re introduced to one of the greatest villains of all time…

You get the picture.

So what’s the story with the quality of the script? Well, it virtually apes, word for word, the action in the film. The action directions are descriptive, far too long and a little rote at times. I can see how the crew on the films struggled with this one, as it’s really detailed and yet quite vague (if that’s possible). I wouldn’t call any one sequence memorable, so much as taken from other films and adapted (Hidden Fortress anyone?). But hey, who am I? Just a passing reviewer trying to find some gold.

So, what did I learn from STAR WARS EPISODE IV : A NEW HOPE?

1. Dialogue - Harrison Ford famously quoted about the script “You can write this shit, George. You sure as hell can’t say it.” The dialogue here has a playful 1950’s feel to it. A “gee, gosh darn it!” kind of feel that sits comfortably enough with a family audience, but has its limits for the more discerning reader/viewer. But it is definitely a guaranteed approach to making sure your script fits within a certain target audience, and it gets full points for that approach.

2. Actors - just like my previous review with PREDATOR, there are times when, as an actor, you’re going to be reading for a role and there’s going to be a stretch beyond reality. Aliens, magic, fantasy, you name it. But then again, that’s one of the really fun parts about being an actor. You get to do make-believe. The script interestingly was a real push for not only the cast, but the producers and crew as well. It was something completely new and original, but everyone embraced it. Nearly everybody on the planet has seen this movie. So when you read this script, you will instantly recognise the scenes and performances. This is a great lesson in making a leap from reading the script, to believing that it can be done, into transforming your performance into the final product. If the actors could make the dialogue in the script so legendary, chances are you might get the chance in something yourself. Take some hope from that.

3. This is a grand standing example of writing the story you want to write, with the characters you need to see, your way. Just do it. As long as it fits the technical approach, you have no idea where it could go or how much it could touch the zeitgeist. If I hadn’t seen the original film, I would have probably needed a couple more reads to get excited about it (the action directions are long at times). But that’s where George could see what he wanted and he just sat and sculpted it. For two years. Two years. Yeah. That.

So, final thoughts.

Can’t believe I’m going to say this, but this script isn’t exactly the most riveting read. Yes, at the time, it was probably quite mind blowing (even though many people didn’t understand what the hell was going on) and had a lot of things in there that people had either forgotten about or just hadn’t considered reusing in the right way. Yes, it has created such iconic dialogue, characters, places and props even (seriously, who would’ve ever thought that the lightsabre would’ve caught on in such a HUGE way? People literally impersonate the hum of this weapon. I mean, seriously…), but no one can be left in any doubt about the lasting effect of this story. Yes, this script and what it has created has entered the zeitgeist in such a way as to continue to be popular for generations. Generations. As well as creating a universe that is infinitely adaptable with rich, deep veins of (l)ore to mine.

But I kept on having to come back to it. Maybe it’s just me, but I’ve seen the film so many times, that reading the script just felt like an exercise in dragging out the whole storytelling process without any of the zam and zip of the original film. But I’ve always vowed to separate the two, so I will say this in closing; no one can plan to write an iconic script that will transcend decades…generations, even…in its lasting power. So write the story you want to write. Not because you’re hoping it will last that long, but because it just might.

Link to the script:

https://thescriptsavant.com/movies/Star_Wars_A_New_Hope.pdf