“Good artists borrow, great artists steal.” - Picasso
No art is created in a vacuum. When new art emerges it is inherently participating in a dialogue with all works preceding it. The history of art is a continuum of humanity’s creative side. Though art does not necessarily have any winners or losers, it does have its successes and failures. Successful artists live up to their predecessors, channeling their heroes' works with ingenuity and nuance. Through the synthesis of an artist’s inspirations, something new and original is born. In this way, great works are continually built upon great works. Sometimes however, there comes an artistic synthesis so sensational that it becomes the new standard, the latest precedent. For the film industry in 1970s Hollywood, it wasStar Wars.
Now legendary filmmaker George Lucas was a fan of science fiction, war, samurai, western, and historical films before the creation of Star Wars. If you watch his favorite films, you may be able to identify the litany of plot points, archetypes, and shot compositions that were directly adapted into Star Wars. Like all the best artists, George Lucas created his magnum opus on the shoulders of giants. The following list contains the 20 most important films that George Lucas took from to create Star Wars.
20The Fighting Devil Dogs
A 1938 movie serial from Republic Pictures,The Fighting Devil Dogswas not considered a great production for its time. This is due to the serial’s heavy usage of stock footage and multiple recap chapters. It is however, famous for its iconic main villain The Lightning. In the plot, USMarinesare on a mission in Singapore to uncover the threat of the masked terrorist The Lightning. Draped in all black attire, the cloak and helmet wearing antagonist is a design strikingly similar toDarth Vader.
Like Vader, The Lightning is a pilot of his personal aircraft, flying wing. He also notably has the ability to shoot lightning out of his hands, a power which was given toSith Lords inStar Wars. When protagonist Lt. Grayson’s father is killed by The Lightning, the fight becomes personal. This echos Luke Skywalker’s belief that Darth Vader killed his father being a motivating factor in his fight against the Empire.
19Buck Rogers
A science fiction serial produced by Universal,Buck Rogerswas a major breadwinner for the studio in 1939. The Aviation genre was predicted to outrank Westerns in popularity, but thanks to serials likeBuck Rogers, they were both trumped by science fiction. The plot features protagonist Lt. Buck Rogers as part of the crew of an airship which goes down flying over the North Pole. After being instructed to release experimental Nirvino Gas into the air, Buck is inadvertently placed in suspended animation for 500 years. Perhaps this is where George Lucas got the idea to put Han Solo in carbonite. Upon waking after 500 years, Buck finds the world is now ruled by aruthless dictatorwith an army of Super-Racketeers. Such is very similar to the Emperor and his army of storm troopers.
Earth’s only refuge is found in The Hidden City, run by the charming scientist Dr. Huer. Cloud City fromStar Wars: Episode V, The Empire Strikes Back, is similarly posed to the audience and the rebel alliance, as a safe place ran by the charismatic Lando Calrissian. However, George Lucas cleverly inverts this concept at the film’s climax when it is revealed that Cloud City has been taken under siege by the Galactic Empire. Additionally, theBuck Rogersserial contains interplanetary travel and warfare.
18633 Squadron
A decade and some change before Star Wars, this 1964 British/American war film features the exploits of a fictional British Bomber Squadron during World War II.633 Squadronis based on a novel of the same name, written by a real former member of the Royal Air Force. Scenes from this film featuring pilots in their cockpits bare a great resemblance to shots of Luke Skywalker piloting his X-Wing. The film’s climax features the squadron flying through a long, narrow forge while being fired upon by anti-aircraft guns. The scene is George Lucas' direct inspiration for the trench run inStar Wars: Episode IV, A New Hope. Notably, it is the first aviation film shot in color and Panasonic widescreen.
Related:Top Gun Maverick: Rooster and Maverick’s Complicated Relationship, Explained
17Flash Gordon
Another 30s science-fiction serial,Flash Gordonholds a special place in history. The rather zany ventures of thefootball quarterbackturned interplanetary agent of justice have been preserved in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its cultural and aesthetic significance. Wildly significant to George Lucas, who hoped to remake the serial for theatrical release. However, unable to acquire the rights to do so, he took the road less traveled, crafting his own space opera that would permeate all throughout culture as a kingpin ofsci-fi blockbusters.
Flash’s adventure begins with a visit to an alien planet where he encounters the evil Emperor Ming. The Emperor’s daughter ends up turning on her father and his evil ways, a plot point which George Lucas transmuted intoStar Warsas warring factions father-daughter relationship of Darth Vader andPrincess Leia.
Luke Skywalker’s haircut seems to be lifted off ofFlash Gordonas well.
16The Triumph of the Will
Triumph des Willensin German,The Triumph of the Willis an ethically morose piece of history. The 1935 German Nazi propaganda film was commissioned by Adolf Hitler to bolster German morale by attempting to show the strength of the Nazi party. The film was directed, edited, produced, and co-written by Leni Riefenstahl. Her moving camera shots and aerial photography, when combined with music, affected viewers.
Riefenstahl’s camera techniques were so powerful that George Lucas lifted imagery from the propaganda film intoStar Wars. Most recognizably, the ceremony scene at the end ofA New Hope, resembles the grandiosity of the Nazi propaganda film. Lucas also took inspiration from theimplementation of musicin the scene to associate certain feelings with the rebel alliance.
15The Dam Busters
The Dam Bustersis a 1955 British war epic which depicts the true story of operation Chastice. The real operation Chastice involved the Royal Air Force attacking Germany by bombing several dams, causing flooding. The film shares the same cinematography tropes of other aviation films that were adapted intoStar Wars. This film uniquely offers an emotional aspect to the war. The Royal Air Force deals with the mixed emotions of a successfulmissionwhich yielded some comrades compromised. This theme is explored inStar Warsthrough the inclusion of a character like Luke’s gunner Dak inThe Empire Strikes Back. The special bombing technique included in this film, along with633 Squadroninspired the trench run sequence inA New Hope.
14The Hidden Fortress
The Hidden Fortressis a Japanese adventure film created by Akira Kurosawa in 1958. Many know Akira Kurosawa’s samurai were a great inspiration to George Lucas' Sith and Jedi. Primarily the sword fighting style seen in the original trilogy is visually reminiscent of Kurosawa’s films.The Hidden Fortressin particularin particular reflects the role of Han Solo and Chewbacca inA New Hope.
In The Hidden Fortress, two peasants agree to escort a man and a woman in exchange for gold. However, the peasants are unaware that they are escorting a princess and a war general! George Lucas borrowed this plot point for the beginning of A New Hope, as Han Solo and Chewbacca are unaware that their guest passengers are the son of Darth Vader andgeneral Kenobifrom theClone Wars.
Related:These Are Some of the Best Early Akira Kurosawa Movies
13Dersu Uzala
Another film by the prolific director Akira Kurosawa,Dersu Uzalais a Soviet-Japanese film based on the memoir by Russian explorer Vladimir Arsenyev. It is notable for being Akira Kurosawa’s only non-Japanese language film as well as the only film he shot on 70mm film. The film takes place outdoors in the wilderness and follows a friendship between two people of profoundly different backgrounds. The environment as well as the character dynamic is the blueprint forYodaand Luke Skywalker’s relationship inStar Wars. Thematically, the film is about the difficulties in facing the loss of capability which eventually comes to all who age. This theme is similarly found in Star Wars as Yoda, as well as Obi-Wan, who must accept their usefulness and pass on the torch to Luke when theybecome one with the force.
The 1961 Samurai filmYojimbobyAkira Kurasawais about a ronin who comes upon a town with two feuding crime lords who both wish to hire the traveler for protection. The ronin takes interest in a farmer’s child who abhors the thought of having to spend his days as a farmer. That youth has a lot in common with Luke Skywalker who desperately wanted nothing to do with another season’s harvest on uncle Owen’s moisture farm. The youth in Yojimbo ends up joining a group called the gamblers, whereas Luke becomes a pilot for the rebel alliance. The crime lords of Yojimbo are represented in Star Wars via character’s likeJabba The Hutt.
11The Guns of Navarone
A 1961 adventure war film,The Guns of Navaronedisplays the efforts of an allied commando group to destroy what is believed to be an impregnable German fortress that threatens allied naval ships. Replace commando group with rebel alliance, German fortress with Empire space station, and naval ships with innocent planets, you’ve got yourselfStar Wars. In the plot, the axis powers plan to display their power by assaulting the island of Leos where thousands of British soldiers are located. This directly reflects when the Empire laid waste to Alderaan just to move along negotiations with Princess Leia inA New Hope. Additionally, the protagonists of The Guns of Navarone mustdisguisethemselves to get the jump on German soliders. Just as our heroes fitted themselves in storm trooper’s clothes to sneak around the Death Star unquestioned.
