Matt Wood

Similar Products – Film Beginning Analysis

Star Wars A New Hope (1977):

Studio: Lucasfilm Ltd

Written by: George Lucas

After the opening titles, there is a scene of a large star destroyer chasing and shooting at a

smaller ship. The larger ship uses its tractor beams to draw the smaller one in and it is then

boarded by clones and gunfire is exchanged. Then two droids try to escape the conflict and

find Princess Leia who is in distress as she is in extreme danger of being captured by the

villainous Darth Vader and his empire. She makes a plea for help to Obi Wan Kenobi and

gives it to one of the droids to give to Kenobi. The droids flee the ship through an escape

pod and the Leia is captured.

The opening shot of the two ships

shows the audience that the film is

sci-fi and is fantasy as the ships in

the scene do not exist in the human

world.

The fact that the rebels’ faces are seen, it creates

a link with the audience and makes the audience

want them to be successful because they are

human.

However all of the imperial

characters have masks on

which cover their faces which

doesn’t create a feeling of

empathy with these

characters.

Therefore the audience is on the side of the rebels.

Matt Wood

This shot is from down low

looking up on Darth Vader which

makes him seem big and

powerful and high of status.

Also the fact that Darth Vader is wearing black

and all of the Storm Troopers are in white

shows that Vader is above them in the

hierarchy and is powerful.