Star Wars, now four saga's long, has succeeded for different reasons because George Lucas' imagination touches us on many different levels. We continue to marvel at the film series' special effects. We've almost forgotten that about 20 years ago the original Star Wars brought hope back into an American cinema overrun at the time with sex, defeatism, and everybody-dies -in-the -end horror movies.

Star Wars has become our new American myth. The story we look at to understand and see ourselves. What continues to set the Star Wars' films apart from almost all popular cinema today is not Lucas the special effects wizard, or Lucas the artist, but Lucas the preacher.

You heard right, I said preacher. If we had any doubt about the filmmaker's pulpit pounding urges after the first three Star Wars movies, "Phantom" should sink those misgivings forever.

Lucas has said one of his goals in making the Star Wars series was to get young people to think about their own spiritual lives. Who's he kidding? Phantom encourages more than just some vague walk into spiritual self discovery. Take away the space ships and blasters and you've got a message which sounds a whole lot like the Sermon On The Mount.

Sometimes Lucas spells out his scripture through direct dialogue of his characters, sometimes you have to read between the plot lines for the message, but like a good preacher, George drives his point home on different levels just as many ways as he can.

Begin with the message that service to others is what counts most in life. As nine-year old Anakin Skywalker's mother tells us and the boy early in the film.

The official Star Wars site describes Anakin as "good at heart, hopeful and optimistic." He's a natural around equipment and machinery, more powerful in the Force than any before him, and, we are told "devinely" born. Yet we all know the youngster is destined to eventually turn towards evil and become Darth Vader.

It's this tragic transformation, which will take place over the next three Star Wars films, that may give Lucas his loudest preaching voice. The danger of good folks starting out with good intentions trying to gain the whole world, but, in fact, losing their souls  is not of kids' movie stuff.

Behind all of the Star Wars theme is the hope that Anakin may be the one who can eventually bring balance to the Force. Star Wars fans know that this balance will come from twins to be born into the final three Star Wars tales. In a media land which advances the individual as savior, Star Wars preaches teamwork.

And what about those tiny what-you-might-call 'em creatures which microscopically spread the Force all over the place? Does anyone besides me catch a hint of the Holy Spirit here?

Next time you view Phantom pay attention to more than the great special effects. There are a couple of good sermons points in between all those space ships.

by monty keeling
May 31, 1999

20th Century Fox

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