Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004)
This most comprehensive look at the making of the original Star Wars trilogy ever produced examines the early concepts, the deals, the production hell and then the eventual success of George Lucas' space opera. With commentaries from the cast and crew and stories about how a little movie that was looked upon as an impending box office disaster became a cultural phenomenon. Empire of Dreams is one of my favourite documentaries of all time that takes an extensive dive into Star Wars' success and George Lucas' genius. We are allowed to see the structures that formed the most influential movies in cinematic history laid out piece by piece. I have been a huge Star Wars fan for as long as I can remember. They entertained me, captivated me and simply blew my mind. I was fascinated in every way by this behemoth of a franchise and was utterly thrilled to see an extensive look behind its making as I put in my copy of the Bonus Material DVD. A chance to see the inner workings of Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) in all their glory felt like a must for any fan. As well as with Star Wars, I have equally been a long-time enthusiast of seeing the behind-the-scenes construction of the filmmaking process, the implementation and workings of practical special effects plus the build-up to every piece of the jigsaw come together with the final product. It is truly eye-opening and not only shows the grand display of imagination and creativity at play but it equally awakens that spark of potential within ourselves. We begin with a look into George Lucas' early years with his study of filmmaking alongside other soon-to-be greats like Steven Spielberg and how his obvious talent led to the opportunity to create films such as his hit, American Graffiti (1973). Lucas was becoming more noticeable as an up-and-coming director. He now felt he could focus on a project he had been working on in the background, a science fiction epic. Lucas began planning out the story for what would become Star Wars, which he was inspired by 1930s Flash Gordon serials, old Japanese samurai movies and other products. Whilst a science fiction at face value, Lucas opted for an equal mythological approach bringing a mysticism element. Almost like a fairy tale adventure but in space. This is apparent with the young eager adventurer, the old wise 'wizard', a swashbuckler and a damsel, but even then it is given a sweeping breath of fresh air. Science fiction movies at the time of the early 70s were not so popular and considered a bad investment however 20th Century Fox gave Lucas the chance. The majority of the documentary is spent covering the creation of the first film, simply titled, Star Wars. Since it is the first entry there was plenty to uncover from the initial casting tapes, set building, concept art, marketing, composing the score, sound design and my favourite, the forming of ILM the special effects crew. I loved hearing the interviews with the actors and crew accompanied by older footage giving further insight into those moments like auditions and off-screen banter. I also adored seeing how the effects came together with the use of models, the strange locations and origins of the 'futuristic' sounds, John William's composing of beautiful pieces and seeing the faces of some lesser-seen actors. We all know the rough journey it took in making the movie with the amount of difficulties endured that equally caused Lucas many problems. Despite it all, the film was finished, released and feared to be a huge flop but, was instead, a renowned success, allowing Lucas to continue the story. We see further in-depth looks into Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi with their accomplishments, hardships and formations. Overall, Empire of Dreams is a phenomenal guide to the original trilogy's creation that extensively breaks apart its development, showering us with engrossing knowledge. I found myself beaming with joy throughout making me feel proud to be a Star Wars fan. A definitive documentary for any enthusiast. Also, check out Light & Magic (TV Series 2022) for a deeper look into ILM's story.
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