I tried an interesting experiment which I thought would allow me to appreciate (and RE-experience!) why and how Star wars made such an impact in 77'........by watching a couple of DVD's of other films that were released that same year over a period of a couple of days.

These fims encompass a wide variety of genres and styles

Films like:

Annie Hall

A Bridge too Far

Saturday night fever

The Deep

Smoky And the Bandit

Close Encounters Of the Third Kind

The Gauntlet

and then Star Wars!(The GOUT DVD)

And Bam!

the difference is like night and day!

Star War's rythm and pacing, it's effects, the aesthetics of it' enviroment, the slightly oblique quality of it's characters,the sound effects,the music and above all the films powerful energy combine to provide an experience which all of the films lacked(even though some of them are fine films in their own right)

Trust me,try watching some of the above films or maybe even one of them and then watch Star Wars.......it will be like watching it for the first time!