Star Wars: The Legacy
Revealed is a documentary, executive produced by Emmy
award-winning documentary
series leader Kevin Burns, set to debut on the History Channel on May 28th,
2007, in celebration of the ravenously popular film series' 30th anniversary.
Featuring modern philosophers, academics, news reporters and acclaimed authors, as
well as filmmakers, critics, politicians and those who have a finger on the
pulse of popular culture, the two-hour documentary examines the six-film
series as an epic work worthy of study, fitting it into the overall tapestry
of the heroic tradition of storytelling, from Homeric poems and the Bible all
the way to 20th century Westerns and Samurai films of George Lucas's youth.
There's no question that Star Wars has left an indelible mark on popular
culture. This film provides a look at how such a futuristic treatment of
old-fashioned entertainment would be an enduring source of escapism and
inspiration for modern generations, as well as those of the future.
While some historians and learned professors might scoff at putting the Star
Wars films on the same pedestal as masterworks like "The Iliad" and "The
Odyssey", this documentary does make for a compelling case that the Lucas saga
definitely fits in with the grand tradition of great storytelling of that
iconic mold, utilizing many of the same finely-honed staples of epic
craftsmanship that give to new generations the same effect that must have
kept those who heard the stories of Achilles and Odysseus in rapt attention.
Indeed, it borrows from the best of the classic storytelling traditions,
filled with such time-honored characters as wizards (Obi-Wan, Quigon),
warriors (Chewbacca, Mace Windu), damsels (Leia, Amidala), jesters (Jar-Jar, C3PO and
R2D2), pirates (Han Solo), monsters (Jabba the Hut) and mentors (Yoda) that
are all part of the hero's quest, as well as his arc of maturity that sees him
going from a dreamer to a leader of men.
The documentary is broken up into segments, each discussing some aspect of the
hero's journey of both trilogies -- Anakin Skywalker's three-part tragedy in
Episodes I-III and Luke Skywalker's journey of redemption in
Episodes IV-VI.
It starts with a look at the culture that shaped George Lucas' childhood
growing up in Modesto, California, where a young boy would read comic books
with depictions of worlds fantastic and foreign, and he'd view the matinee serials, such as
"Flash Gordon" and "Buck Rogers", taking him to places and
dimensions where one can only
dream of.
From there, we learn of the influence by writer and professor Joseph Campbell,
who frequently wrote on the archetypical aspects of mythology, religion, and
the classic narrative forms. Lucas openly credits Campbell as a major influence
on his work, especially on the material found in Campbell's seminal 1949 book,
"The Hero with a Thousand Faces", which told of the hero's journey, tracing
common elements drawn from ancient mythology and religion. The documentary
dissects aspects of the hero's journey with examples found in Lucas' film
series, relating the various characters, images, and scenes to Campbell's three-staged structure of the "monomyth",
whereby the hero departs on his journey, is initiated, and then returns in
his new form as the undisputed champion of all obstacles.
Although there have been prior documentaries to discuss the classical and
mythological aspects
of the Star Wars epic saga and the influence of Joseph Campbell, most notably in
the Bill Moyers interviews of Lucas in the 1988 doc, The Power of Myth, and
again in 1999's The Mythology of Star Wars, where The Legacy Revealed
ultimately differs from all predecessors
is in bringing these other documentaries up to date with the newer chapters of
the Star Wars saga, right up the most recent release, Episode III. It also
looks beyond the mythology to examine the influence of the film series on
popular culture, as well as on other creators of today's epic films and
television series, including such notable directors as Peter Jackson, Kevin
Smith, Joss Whedon, and J.J. Abrams. Interestingly, all of the
interviews are conducted with people outside of the sphere of the production
Star Wars films, studying the material from a third-party perspective,
dissecting the films from the standpoint of their influences from previous
sources, and of their influences on those that continue to be made today.
With six films and hundreds of characters to explore in 100 minutes, it's a
given that The Legacy Revealed is not striving for in-depth analysis of the
Star Wars saga so much as trying to give an overview of the series as
modern-day mythology, filled with the very same elements you'd find in any of
the great masterpieces that have enthralled people for centuries from every
corner of the globe and all walks of life. It is condensed and concise,
covering much ground in very little time, with each segment of the film
practically worthy of making into its own documentary, should the chance ever
arise. Particularly interesting are the allusions Lucas draws between
the symbols and colors of the "dark side" forces and the rise of the Nazi
regimes into power, as well as the broad context of the thematic material that
mirrors our own present-day politics and culture. For example, it's
practically impossible not to draw parallels between Anakin's, "You're either
with me or you're against me" and George Bush's, "You're either with us or
you're with the terrorists", though it may just be serendipitous coincidence.
Although it does go by
fast, The Legacy Revealed makes up for its abbreviated treatment with
some very well-edited visual examples of the subjects discussed, including
clips from the movies themselves, which do provide some adequate replacement for
in-depth discussions on any of the particular topics. Talking head
interviews are reduced down to choice sound bytes from the the news and
entertainment professionals, and the overall package is tight, efficient, and
presented in eye-catching fashion.
Although you probably can
enjoy this documentary without having seen all six Star Wars episodes,
it is highly recommended that you familiarize yourself with the events of the movies,
as it does assume that viewers will be intimately knowledgeable about the
characters and events within the films; many of the examples discussed and
depicted would be major spoilers to those who have yet to see all of the
films. That said, Star Wars fans who haven't read the the works
of the noted authors interviewed on the myth and legend behind the Lucas opus
will probably find the material fascinating throughout, and probably hungry for more.
As someone who has a
strong lifelong interest in Ancient Greek and Roman culture (I have a degree in Classical Civilization), I have consistently defended the more recent
story arc of the Star Wars saga (Episodes I-III), mostly because
I found the attention to detail and obvious allusions to Greco-Roman history,
literature, and ways of life to be rich and rewarding from an artistic
standpoint. When I do discuss these elements with people who are jaded
against Lucas' vision in these newer films, I always sense that those I have talked
to (and even argued with) come away with a better and more respectful opinion
of the films as having been more well-designed than they originally gave them
credit for, and even if some aspects will forever tend to bother them (Jar Jar Binks, Anakin's whininess), this documentary actually takes those into account
as well, providing ample examples of what Lucas had been aiming for.
Taking one example, the character of Jar Jar Binks is related to the Ancient Greek
and Roman literary use of the "parasite" (or flatterer) as a staple comic
character to provide identity, release of tension, and a means to further the
hero's engagement of peril. Provided this context, it is much easier to
understand Lucas's inclusion of the character, rather than the knee-jerk
tendency to see it as merely a whoring effort to market licensed products to
children.
Star Wars: The Legacy
Revealed isn't the first to discuss the Star Wars films for its
mythical and artistic merit, and certainly will not be the last, but for those uninitiated, it makes
for a great place to start in terms of thinking of the films in a deeper,
broader context than just as the stories of Anakin and Luke. Although we
might take them for granted today, future generations will look back on the
Star Wars phenomenon and judge us by our attraction to the stories, and
how it has permeated our modern culture, influencing other creators of
fiction, philosophers, and politicians to help to communicate messages that we
can all understand and appreciate. Like all great works of fiction, we
can look at them and see ourselves, our hopes, our dreams, and our core sets
of beliefs. Though the stories themselves are about fictional characters
living in a time and era not of our own, our admiration and fascination with
them say more about us and our subconscious needs and desires than you'd
initially think on first glance. The Legacy Revealed shows that,
after three decades of living in the post-Star Wars era, the films continue
to be an enriching source of entertainment and thoughtful reflection for
millions today, and perhaps billions more in future generations.
Qwipster's rating:
©2007 Vince Leo
