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Avatar List added by Chuck Kahn on 27 April 2009 09:35

Movies that influenced Star Wars IV: A New Hope

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People who added this item 108  Average listal rating (63 ratings) 7.8  IMDB Rating
1. The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Sidekicks accompany the hero on a mission to rescue a princess from an enemy fortress (Death Star).

title aka "Kakushi-toride no san-akunin"

People who added this item 184  Average listal rating (123 ratings) 8  IMDB Rating
2. The Searchers (1956)
The fate of Aunt Beru & Uncle Owen took a cue from this film.
Chuck Kahn's rating:

People who added this item 33  Average listal rating (23 ratings) 6.7  IMDB Rating 7.1 
3. The 7th Voyage of Sinbad (1958)
There's a swing across a chasm that's very much like the one Luke & Leia would do 19 years later. Also, Harryhausen's stop motion Cyclops & Dragon would be at home on the Falcon's chess board.
Chuck Kahn's rating:

People who added this item 11  Average listal rating (8 ratings) 8.3  IMDB Rating 7.7 
4. Scaramouche (1952)
Lots of swordfighting and mentor-ship and family revelations (okay, that's TESB).

People who added this item 1209  Average listal rating (769 ratings) 7.9  IMDB Rating 8.4 
5. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The first shot of the Discovery is very similar to the reveal of the Imperial Star Destroyer. Also "A New Hope" has many symmetrical widescreen compositions (see Leia feeding the plans to R2) similar to Kubrick's 2001 style.

People who added this item 56  Average listal rating (26 ratings) 8.1  IMDB Rating 7.8 
6. Triumph of the Will (1935)
(thks Nonfictionguy)

The medal ceremony at the end of A New Hope owes much to this movie.



Comments

Posted : 7 months, 3 weeks ago at May 14 2:04
http://www.listal.com/movie/triumph-of-the-will

The techniques and imagery would serve as example, and Leni Reifenstahl's influence can be found in many modern productions, from political campaign ads to the closing ceremonial scenes in Star Wars.

There is also WWII Gunner footage, which is directly copied (move for move) for the Luke/Han incoming Tie Fighter scene. Sadly I don't yet know the title of that one.
Posted : 7 months, 2 weeks ago at May 16 20:06
Also the Death Star trench run mimicked the WWII movie The Dam Busters.
Posted : 7 months, 2 weeks ago at May 16 20:12
Oh and George Lucas acknowledges his debt to Akira Kurosawa's Kakushi-toride no san-akunin (1958)
Posted : 7 months, 2 weeks ago at May 16 23:07
I saw the Dam Busters -- I don't recall that much similarity to the Death Star trench.

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Description

The more movies made before 1977 that you watch, the more influences you'll find for "Star Wars IV: A New Hope"

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