Film Notes

Today we finally meet the adorable Threepio and Artoo!

Isn't it wonderful when a filmmaker - and an actor get it so right?

Could you make the world fall in love with a tin-can?

This was yet another magical scene when I saw it as a youngster - and still is actually. There's a wonderful quality to the imagery of the two droids shuffling along the stark white corridor. The image quality and colour is beautiful. It was even impressive, following those dramatic opening shots in space - to behold the sparkling C-3P0 and his companion, and hear the unusual soft sound of his voice amongst the mayhem. Just terrific how once again, the young Lucas gives us the bare minimum that we need: a couple of droids, one speaking - the other beeping - simple tracking full-length and medium shots, a pure hospital-white set that lit the metallic characters beautifully. I also must praise young George for his use of gauze on the lens to soften the images. He decided to do this throughout the film to give it a lovely fantasy feel and it makes 3P0's flashing gold surface look all the more magnificent.

In a decade that gave some good but gritty, raw looking movies - and lots of appalling looking ones, this stuff really stood apart. And seriously, it must be said once again that it's a marvel how the droids personalities are so charmingly conjured up in these few seconds of screen time.

Art Notes

This is another early one from 1977 - so it's one of my favourites. Far from being butler-like in the top panel Threepio is adopting more of a muscly Gangsta Rap posture "Yo Vader - don't mess with me! I got my Pistol Grip Pump across my Lap!". If Samuel L. Jackson had been grown up back then he could have done the voice-over.

Art of Understatement Notes

The Stormtroopers burn through the door and the the Rebel exclaims "UH OH!". Surely that should that read "HOLY EFFING CRAP!"

Interesting speech bubble: jagged at the bottom.

Next: something stinks!

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