Star Wars: Could it have worked as classic Sword and Sorcery

[aTOMiC]

As I’ve often said, Star Wars has all of the basic elements to function as a classic Fantasy/Sword & Sorcery tale. But what if the films had actually been created that way? LOTR was wildly successful but would the Star Wars story have been as interesting set in a low tech, ancient world? Magic swords and a wizard sect with gnarly powers – check. An evil empire ruled by an emperor who embraces the dark side this world’s magic – check. Swashbuckling hero Captain that saves the day in spite of his nefarious background – check. As I see it, outside of space travel and advanced technology, just about every plot element in Star Wars could be adapted to fit a fantasy setting. Would I have been blown away by the opening scene with a small frigate trying to out run a massive Man-o-war out on the open ocean? Probably not. There are some things about Star Wars that are interesting only because of the cool, sci-fi factor but that might be replaced with handling each scene differently.

I don’t expect anyone to say they would have preferred Star Wars to have been filmed this way but it does get one thinking about just how you could adapt each scene, each character and each plot point to fit the alternative scenario.

Obi-wan Kenobi in Episode V would probably have more in common with Gandalf than ever before. Aliens would simply be replaced with more commonly associated creatures such as elves, dwarves, trolls etc. Luke and Obi-wan would need to seek passage across an ocean instead the expanse of space.

Just a notion that has always intrigued me.

[Loredoctor]

As I understand it, Lucas tried to get the rights to LOTR but the estate denied it. Then he went and made Star Wars. Makes sense that SW was influenced by his desire to make LOTR given the similarities.

Anyway, I have always classed SW as fantasy, but the design sense in the series works so well that alot would have been lost had it been fantasy.

[wayfriend]

I think that you have to credit the special effects, and how they related to their time, as much as anything else when you think about the success of Star Wars.

Fantasy would not have worked. The effects of those days lent themselves more towards sci-fi than fantasy. They could do robots and spaceships pretty well. Yes, they did some creature work for Star Wars, but if it had been that alone, it would not have been as huge.

[matrixman]

I agree with what Wayfriend said.

LOTR was wildly successful but would the Star Wars story have been as interesting set in a low tech, ancient world? Magic swords and a wizard sect with gnarly powers – check.

But it's a lightsaber, not a "magic" sword like Excalibur. It was precisely the uniqueness of things like the lightsaber that made Star Wars different from any "conventional" fantasy at the time.

An evil empire ruled by an emperor who embraces the dark side this world’s magic – check.

Yeah, but it's an evil galactic empire ruled by an emperor who has a freakin' planet-destroying metallic moon for a home. We're not talking Conan and a bunch of guys on horses. For sheer scale of forces involved, Star Wars went beyond any fantasy story that took place just on one world, and probably only on the one continent of that particular world. It's not Earth Wars, but Star Wars.

Swashbuckling hero Captain that saves the day in spite of his nefarious background – check.

...who saves the day in a spaceship that can go faster than the speed of light. Beat that, Sinbad of the Seven Seas!

As I see it, outside of space travel and advanced technology, just about every plot element in Star Wars could be adapted to fit a fantasy setting.

But without its technological aspect, Star Wars just isn't Star Wars. I might as well ask if Star Trek would have been as interesting without its futuristic premise? It was seeing that cool-looking Enterprise among the stars that made me feel, aha, here's a special show which looks like nothing else on television.

[Avatar]

Good posts guys. Interesting idea Tom, certainly perfectly valid. But I think MM is right. It was the scope, the scale that contributed a lot to it's eminence.

--A

[Loredoctor]

Yeah, MM is right.

[Usivius]

and as much as Lucas may have been influenced by LotR, it was actually Kurosawa's movie "The Hidden Fortress" that spawned the basic idea and inspriation for Star Wars.
check it out. One of my favourite movies.

[taraswizard]

Since Star Wars is really a fantasy/Sword in the stone story it must work as a representative of that ilk. It is not a SFnal movie.

[dANdeLION]

Wait a minute. Lucas wanted to do LOTR in the 70's? Then that means what, he'd have done the prequal 30 years later? We'd see Sauron as a Wizard, trying to get the other wizards to vote for the commissioning of an Orc army, to fight the hordes of the enemy? That would have been interesting....

[matrixman]

As much as I enjoyed Revenge of the Sith, I have to concede that, overall, Lucas has given prequels a bad reputation. I completely understand those who feel he shouldn't have bothered with the prequel trilogy.

[Loredoctor]

As much as I enjoyed Revenge of the Sith, I have to concede that, overall, Lucas has given prequels a bad reputation. I completely understand those who feel he shouldn't have bothered with the prequel trilogy.

Jay's given up on his prequel forum.

[dANdeLION]

Are you sure about that? I still see stats for 1969....I don't think Jay's able to completely let got if it, man.

[Loredoctor]

Are you sure about that? I still see stats for 1969....I don't think Jay's able to completely let got if it, man.

Dear god. Let's hope he doesn't have Danlo as a kid who races go-karts!