George Lucas’ “Star Wars” (1977) invites his audience to get caught up in the film’s special effects in order to enrapture us in the romance quest of the principal characters.  However, the special effects may function even more to enrapture us in the ideology of violence.  This film glorifies war, the use of violence, the idea of “might is right”, the casual use of blasters, “big bombs”, missiles, all to support traditional American family values.  Our heroes are the blue-eyed boy, the virgin pure princess, Jung’s wise old man, and Harrison Ford as the swash buckling cowboy dude with a space age loyal hairy dog.  All team up to conquer the evil Nazi/Russian type president and Mr Baddie dressed in black who, ironically is played by the voice of a black man.

This movie could have been called “How the Western Galaxy Was Won” because so many cowboy American western values are espoused.  The baddies are opposed and oppose with super high tech missiles, bombs, blasters, guns and magical laser words.  The explosions, the murders are committed without so much as the flutter of an eyelash, inner thought, or struggle of conscience, let alone depth, all lacking in these hero-type characters.  Though an exception must be made for the wise old man whose wisdom is a little insipid at times.  It is no wonder he appears dressed as a monk who gets sliced up by Darth Vader’s magic sword and ends up with the substance of nothing but a monk’s robe on the floor.

Death and destruction are accompanied by the special effects of shimmering firework displays and John William’s “brassy, powerful and richly orchestrated score” (Gianetti 202).

Not once do we witness the magic of dialogue between the rebels and the rulers.  Diplomacy is dead and weapons, “might” , “power” and violence rule supreme in the future of Lucas’s film.  The special effects keep most of us hypnotized to the screen; “oh what fun it is to mutilate your opponent!” seems to be the message.  I found Star Wars something like watch an American football game and I don’t like that either.

93.