2007年VOA标准英语-Star War Fans Celebrate Film's 30-Year Legacy

By Mike O'Sullivan
Los Angeles
21 May 2007

In May of 1977, the science fiction adventure Star Wars was released in theaters, and May 24-28 in Los Angeles, tens of thousands of fans will celebrate the film and its 30-year legacy¹. Mike O'Sullivan reports, the movie became part of popular culture and changed the direction of Hollywood.

Scene from Star Wars Episode III

Star Wars was, in a way, a return to the simple action-adventures of Saturday movie matinees of the 1930s and '40s. But with the most advanced special effects of its day, it took the genre² to a new level.

The man behind Star Wars, writer/director George Lucas, told a recent Hollywood forum³ that he used the latest effects to help him tell the story.

"Because science fiction is basically a literary medium, it is very hard to make it real," said George Lucas. "It is almost impossible. So I very carefully designed the movie within the range that I thought could be done."

Jonathan Rinzler, author of the book The Making of Star Wars, says Lucas had all the elements he needed for a successful movie.

"He was using all of the old movie serials⁴ and comic books and sci-fi novels and adventure and fun, and he just figured it was a no-brainer, and at that level, he was right," said Jonathan Rinzler. "He just did not realize how successful he was."

The head of fan relations for Lucasfilm, Steve Sansweet, says there was more to Star Wars than met the eye, and it resonated with viewers.

"Here you had a movie that on the surface was a summer popcorn⁵ movie," said Steve Sansweet. "It was an exciting action adventure. But since so many of the points and so many of the characters were based on archetypes that have been around for thousands and thousands of years in mythology⁶ and religion, it attracted us subliminally⁷ to that core."

It was a classic tale of good against evil, and the film's cast of characters, including Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, the beautiful Princess Leia, the evil Darth Vader and the venerable Yoda, became part of saga⁸ that would lead to five more films. Three would explore events that occurred before the original movie.

Fans lined up outside theaters for weeks, and a coordinated⁹ marketing¹⁰ effort made Star Wars a sensation, says Jonathan Taplin, a movie producer who teaches cinema at the University of Southern California.

"For the movie business, it was really the first completely blockbuster piece of entertainment that encompassed¹¹ movies, merchandising, toys, everything that could be imagined, wrapped up in what we now think of as the blockbuster," noted¹² Taplin. "It did not really exist before Star Wars."

George Lucas says his movies are meant to be entertain viewers.

"A primary thing is to entertain and let them have a couple of hours of enjoyment¹³, but then hopefully behind that, there are other little truths that are stuck in there that allow you to see the world in a different way," he said.

Film professor Jonathan Taplin says Star Wars brought some unwelcome changes to Hollywood - an emphasis on films geared to a young male audience, film franchises¹⁴ such as Superman and Spider-Man with numerous sequels, and fewer original stories finding their way to the screen.

But for thousands of fans who will gather at an event called Star Wars Celebration Four, to be held in Los Angeles, Star Wars opened new vistas¹⁵, and created a sense of community. Steve Sansweet of Lucasfilm says there will be no more Star War movies, but the legacy continues.

"This celebrates the first 30 years of Star Wars," he said. "We are only at the beginning. "

In early 2008, a new video game called The Force Unleashed¹⁶ will fill in gaps in the story. Lucasfilm is also working on two television programs - an animated¹⁷ series called The Clone Wars, to be released next year, and a live-action series, to be released late in the decade.

"The force will be with you, always."

1 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

2 genre   

n.(文学、艺术等的)类型，体裁，风格

参考例句：

• My favorite music genre is blues.我最喜欢的音乐种类是布鲁斯音乐。
• Superficially,this Shakespeare's work seems to fit into the same genre.从表面上看， 莎士比亚的这个剧本似乎属于同一类型。

3 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

4 serials   

n.连载小说，电视连续剧( serial的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The computer can alter the serials librarian and produce a bindery notice. 计算机可提醒管理连续出版物的馆员，并制作装订通知。 来自辞典例句
• I realized I have started to like a few of their serials. 我意识到我已开始喜欢上了不少他们的连续剧。 来自互联网

5 popcorn   

n.爆米花

参考例句：

• I like to eat popcorn when I am watching TV play at home.当我在家观看电视剧时，喜欢吃爆米花。
• He still stood behind his cash register stuffing his mouth with popcorn.他仍站在收银机后，嘴里塞满了爆米花。

6 mythology   

n.神话，神话学，神话集

参考例句：

• In Greek mythology,Zeus was the ruler of Gods and men.在希腊神话中，宙斯是众神和人类的统治者。
• He is the hero of Greek mythology.他是希腊民间传说中的英雄。

7 subliminally   

adv.下意识地

参考例句：

• I have read many books, perhaps they influenced me subliminally. 我读过很多书，也许受到了它们潜移默化的影响。 来自柯林斯例句

8 saga   

n.(尤指中世纪北欧海盗的)故事，英雄传奇

参考例句：

• The saga of Flight 19 is probably the most repeated story about the Bermuda Triangle.飞行19中队的传说或许是有关百慕大三角最重复的故事。
• The novel depicts the saga of a family.小说描绘了一个家族的传奇故事。

9 coordinated   

adj.协调的

参考例句：

• The sound has to be coordinated with the picture. 声音必须和画面协调一致。
• The numerous existing statutes are complicated and poorly coordinated. 目前繁多的法令既十分复杂又缺乏快调。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

10 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

11 encompassed   

v.围绕( encompass的过去式和过去分词 )；包围；包含；包括

参考例句：

• The enemy encompassed the city. 敌人包围了城市。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I have encompassed him with every protection. 我已经把他保护得严严实实。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

14 franchises   

n.（尤指选举议员的）选举权( franchise的名词复数 )；参政权；获特许权的商业机构（或服务）；（公司授予的）特许经销权v.给…以特许权，出售特许权( franchise的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• TV franchises will be auctioned to the highest bidder. 电视特许经营权将拍卖给出价最高的投标人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ford dealerships operated as independent franchises. 福特汽车公司的代销商都是独立的联营商。 来自辞典例句

15 vistas   

长条形景色( vista的名词复数 )； 回顾； 展望； （未来可能发生的）一系列情景

参考例句：

• This new job could open up whole new vistas for her. 这项新工作可能给她开辟全新的前景。
• The picture is small but It'shows broad vistas. 画幅虽然不大，所表现的天地却十分广阔。

16 unleashed   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。
• The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 animated   

adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的

参考例句：

• His observations gave rise to an animated and lively discussion.他的言论引起了一场气氛热烈而活跃的讨论。
• We had an animated discussion over current events last evening.昨天晚上我们热烈地讨论时事。