Star Wars first came out 45 years ago, but it is still widely known and loved to this day. In fact, it has now become a whole franchise, with movies, series, and even theme park rides! But, how did Star Wars become so engraved in our culture anyway? Here are 10 shocking reasons why Star Wars is a classic.
Read on!
10. Star Wars is a classic because it was the first of its kind.
Star Wars has so many elements in it that audiences were immediately pulled into the world it was building. It is considered a milestone that shaped the film industry, being the first science fiction movie to shake the world.
Star Wars IV eventually triggered a whole array of science fiction shows and stories in the years after, but is of course most known for being followed up by sequels that lived up to the standard.
9. Star Wars became a classic because of its smart use of marketing.
Did you know that Star Wars was the first Hollywood movie to really make a jump in its marketing?
In the years leading up to the movie release, Lucas Film began releasing novels and comics kicking off the franchise. In fact, the novel of Star Wars IV was first released six months before the movie.
When it started gaining popularity, the company decided to bank on it with toys, costumes, and other such products.
Lightsabers are outrageously popular among Star Wars fans, and they cost a lot!
Now, everyone who is even remotely exposed to pop culture would have seen an item that was branded under Star Wars.
8. The Star Wars franchise kept building the universe and story.
The story started out with Star Wars IV, then it went on to Star Wars V and VI. Then, they decided to release the prequels I, II, and III.
After the franchise was acquired by Disney, they went on to release new movies:
- VII
- VIII
- IX
- Rogue One
- Solo
7. Star Wars became a classic because it built a world in a galaxy far, far away.
When people want movies, they usually want to be provided an escape from reality. Star Wars just does this. The very intro itself sets the story in a world that is far away from the earth we live in right now.
Did you know that the earth was never shown in Star Wars?
This is very different from other outer space science fiction stories, since most of them still include a mention or show of the earth in some way. The very escapism in Star Wars helped it become a classic.
6. Star Wars remained a classic because it continued to expand to new audiences.
The last movie of the original run was Star Wars III, and it came out in 2005. Many fans thought that was the end of it.
Then Disney acquired the franchise and came out with Star Wars VII in 2015. There is a full 10 year gap in between, which means that the new movies went on to cater to younger audiences.
Because it was created by Disney, the way it was crafted was perfectly crafted to contain a fresh appeal. With that said…
5. Disney’s acquisition of Star Wars helped push it as a classic.
Disney World actually built an entire land dedicated to Star Wars, further expanding its universe and lore. This also gave the fans something to touch and experience, making Star Wars all the more real to them.
At the same time, the rides and overall adventure that Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge in Disney World is also able to lure in new fans. This just keeps the market and fanbase expanding.
4. Star Wars is considered groundbreaking for its impact on art, culture, and business.
From its collectible action figures, costumes, and marketing strategies, Star Wars managed to become an invaluable case study across many industries – not just film. This kind of influence is rarely achieved these days, in such a saturated market.
Such is the impact of Star Wars, forever securing it as a classic.
3. Star Wars references familiar human incidents, which helped its appeal.
Did you know that Star Wars was actually inspired by World War II and the Vietnam War? Some of the terminologies in the movies, like the Storm Troopers, was borrowed from the Third Reich.
But, the country and setting with the rebel alliance and army of guerillas are elements that seem to be taken from Asia’s history.
This made the story subconsciously more immersive for the viewers. It definitely makes it into this list of 10 shocking reasons why Star Wars is a classic.
2. Star Wars utilizes the elements of the Hero’s Journey, which is considered a hallmark of classic stories.
The Hero’s Journey was something Joseph Campbell crafted, and it follows the following steps:
- The ordinary world
- The call to adventure
- Refusal of the call
- Meeting with the mentor
- Crossing the threshold
- Tests, allies, and enemies
- Approach
- The ordeal
- The reward
- The road back
- The resurrection
- Return with the elixir
George Lucas follows this to a tee, especially with Luke Skywalker’s story. This gave Star Wars a classic framework, which then made it into a classic.
1. Star Wars turned into a classic because of the love of the fandom.
The Star Wars fandom is so loyal, it can be shocking to some people. In fact, there are those who outright consider it to be a religion.
They are absolutely dedicated to the franchise, not just during Comic Cons or movie releases, but even in day to day life. Some fans only use and wear Star Wars merch, while others really celebrate important days like May 4.
In the Star Wars fandom, people say “May the 4th be with you.” This is a play on “May the force be with you.”
Do you agree with our 10 Shocking Reasons Why Star Wars Is A Classic?
Which one stood out to you the most?
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