13 Things You Learn Rewatching Star Wars: A New Hope
12. The Opening Shot Is Wonderful, Literally
The opening shot of A New Hope is wonderful, literally: it excites wonder, is wonder-full, astonishing. The crawl of text recedes, the camera tilts down, we see the crest of a planet fill the lower part of the frame as a Rebel space cruiser flies over it. Laser beams shoot past, it is being followed, chased. Then, the impossible size of the Imperial ship creeps into view, and we follow it slowly as its magnitude fills the screen until the entire screen is spaceship. Then it continues, and continues. This is a stunning way to open a film, and one of director George Lucas finest moments. The smaller ship sets our expectations - as well as setting up the whole little-guy/big-guy theme of the series - and then the Imperial ship smashes them to create one of cinemas great visual landmarks. (Notice too how the Imperial ships domes and open bays are used to create a greater impression of just how vast it is.)
