The universe of influences on ‘Star Wars’
For all its weird, withered fruit — the Midi-chlorians and Jar Jar Binkses and Count Dookus of its universe — the “Star Wars” tree has roots in many rich sources. Whole books and documentaries exist on the topic, so here are just a handful of the significant influences on the series. Most of these, as well as many other sources, have been freely acknowledged by saga creator George Lucas, who dotted it with fond tributes to his favorites.
Among the reasons that “Star Wars” has proved so resonant is the filmmaker’s unique sense of wonder and adventure. But part of it is the brilliance of the sources that set his imagination afire.
Lucas has frequently cited the desire to remake “Flash Gordon” with high production values as the germ of his space saga. Failing to secure those rights, Lucas lifted spare parts from the rocket ship — especially from the 1940 “Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe” (including two heroes disguised as enemy soldiers infiltrating the fortress; the captive princess; the big, hairy, animalistic friend; and others). The 1936 “Flash Gordon” contained many inspirational elements, including a city in the clouds, as in “The Empire Strikes Back.”
“A New Hope” borrows heavily from Akira Kurosawa’s “The Hidden Fortress.” The character analogues are strong — droids C-3P0 and R2-D2 standing in for Japanese peasants Tahei and Matashichi; Obi-Wan for veteran warrior Rokurota Makabe. The droids’ introduction scene and Obi-Wan’s confrontation with an old foe also match up. There’s even an evil general who ultimately sees the error of his ways (a la Darth Vader’s infamous character switcheroo in “Return of the Jedi”).
The saga lifted bits of Kurosawa’s “Sanjuro,” “Dersu Uzala” and the classic “Yojimbo” (the inspiration/source of “A Fistful of Dollars,” “Last Man Standing” and “Miller’s Crossing,” itself an adaptation of Dashiell Hammett’s “Red Harvest”), including the basis of the famous cantina scene. There’s even a “flash of blade, arm on floor” moment in “Yojimbo.”
Lucas has cited J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” as a major influence. In “Empire,” for instance, Vader chopped off Luke’s hand, which plunged into an abyss with his father’s lightsaber; in “Return of the King,” Gollum bit off Frodo’s finger, which plunged into an abyss with the Ring of Power. Yoda offered Luke the choice of helping his friends or not, saying he had seen only one possible future; Galadriel did the same with Sam.
And similarities are often drawn between Luke and young King Arthur — orphans with wise mentors who inherit swords and become heroes.
Lucas also tips his cap to Frank Herbert’s “Dune.” They share a key desert planet (Tatooine versus Herbert’s Arrakis), spoken mind control
(Jedi mind trick versus “The Voice”), Princess Leia versus Princess Alia, and many others.
“Lawrence of Arabia,” “Casablanca” and many other films, including the lesserknown “633 Squadron” (for the first film’s attack on the Death Star) show up in one way or another in the saga’s shot selections and environments.
Thematically, the Republic mirrors the Roman Empire, complete with chariot, or pod, races (including close cinematic references to “Ben-Hur” in “Phantom Menace”) and gladiators (“Attack of the Clones”). The Republic faces the same dilemma that the Roman Empire, post-World War I Germany and so many others did: a strongman or a weakened democracy? Security or liberty? Episodes II and III, the only overtly politically themed in the series, address these questions.
Or as Padmé put it, “So this is how liberty dies … with thunderous applause.”
Lucas grew up in the immediate post-World War II era, so many of his touchstone references come from that time (see the entire “Indiana Jones” series) — for better or worse. The evil Empire is Nazi-like in many ways, starting with its use of Stormtroopers, its officers’ uniforms, its black-white-and-red color scheme, and the shape of Darth Vader’s helmet.
Strangely, though, as many have pointed out, the medal ceremony at the end of “A New Hope” bears a resemblance to an infamous pro-Nazi movie, Leni Riefenstahl’s 1935 “Triumph of the Will.” Whether this was merely a cinematic nod to another director’s powerful work or some subtle message meant to alarm is unclear. By the way, one of the titles of Lucas’ proto-“Star Wars” script was “Journal of the Whills.”
But the era of Lucas’ upbringing also, sadly, seems to contribute to certain antiquated racial attitudes in the series, such as those allowing Jar Jar Binks, Watto and Nute Gunray to be presented as derogatory ethnic stereotypes in “Phantom Menace.”
Perhaps the most profound influence on Lucas’ storytelling is mythologist Joseph Campbell and his concept of “the hero’s journey.”
Campbell’s insightful deconstruction of legends as “monomyth,” tracking similar elements and plot movements in keystone folklore around the world, has deeply affected countless storytellers since its publication in 1949’s “The Hero With a Thousand Faces.”
His 12 stages, from “Call to Adventure” (Leia’s message to Obi-Wan), to “Belly of the whale” (the trash compactor), to “Return With the Elixir” (now more powerful — a nascent Jedi — Luke is rewarded with medals) appear — often in sequence — all over modern film, and very much so in “A New Hope.” Scholarly articles tracking “The Hero’s Journey” in “A New Hope” and the saga overall abound. Lucas has not hesitated to credit Campbell’s theories as the narrative basis for the film(s). Campbell himself broke down “A New Hope” in terms of “the hero’s journey” in an interview with Bill Moyers.
Campbell has said new myths are needed for new times. With “Star Wars Episode VII — The Force Awakens,” the first in the series that Lucas was not involved in writing or directing, director J.J. Abrams and company have the opportunity to make their own mythic mark.