One of my earliest childhood memories was sitting down in front of an old VHS player, inserting a mammoth sized video cassette and being transported to a galaxy far far away via my television set. This George Lucas created universe, introduced me to an eclectic mixture of characters. From the conflicted Darth Vader to the comical human cyborg relations of C3PO and to one of cinemas most famous anti-heroes I was instantly taken by these larger than life characters. To celebrate the seventh film of the series, ‘ The Force Awakens’, Opus Creative have designed seven custom posters that visually capture the seven movies through our eyes. We have called this series of posters ‘The Ultimate Star Wars Tribute From Opus Creative’ and there is a print-ready version free for all our readers to download. To give you an insight into how Star Wars crazy we are, we have asked each member of the Opus Creative Staff to sum up what the iconic franchise means to them.
What does Star Wars mean to you?
“To me Star Wars is like a warm blanket that I can always drape over myself when I want to be transported to the warmth of my childhood. It is a saga that I am so indoctrinated by, that my ability to suspend disbelief against seemingly impossible odds stacked against the protagonists (being overcome consistently) isn’t questioned. I can also get over the fact that the dialogue is sometimes more wooden than Pat Kenny and that a bunch of sassy teddy bears (Ewoks) can take down the might of an empire. Even Jar Jar Binks and a questionable incest story line that would feel at home on Coronation Street has not effected my unwavering love for this cinematic classic.
To me Star Wars quotes are the basis for fun conversations, lightsabers are the stuff of utopian dreams and if there is an after life I want to be transported there in the Millennium Falcon.”
Ray Hurley
Creative Director
What does Star Wars mean to you?
“Nostalgia is a powerful emotion; everyone probably remembers catching glimpses of episodes IV through VI at Christmas during the 80s and early 90s on TV – and when I think back the one scene I always remember ‘happening upon’ is from Return of the Jedi where everyone’s favourite bounty hunter Boba Fett is unceremoniously launched into a Sarlacc pit. Although undeserving of sympathy it’s hard not to feel sorry for Boba when you consider his destination and C-3PO’s ‘hand over mouth, into the ear’ comment to Jabba The Hutt: “In it’s belly, you will find a new definition of pain and suffering as you are slowly digested over a…thousand years” – While obviously long dead, you would be (ahem…) – a thousand years is a considerable amount of time spent dissolving in the belly of such a tooth fortunate fiend, but then, Star Wars always did dispense of it’s villains in the most creative of ways (The Gamorrean ‘Pig Men’ being another unfortunate example).
Of course, that’s just one of many, many memories, of the many great scenes throughout the course of Star Wars. There’s The Cantina on Mos Eisley, a place that exhibits the true diversity of the Star Wars Universe, and who knew Jazz would be so popular amongst the denizens of The Republic. There’s Hoth, the ‘Ice World’ where some of the most icon Star Wars imagery resides, a place of great cruelty should you tread unknowingly. Then there is Dagobah, where Luke Skywalker finally comes to meet Yoda, one of the last remaining Jedi on a swamp like planet with a distinct ere of mystery. A place that ultimately teaches Luke ‘the ways of the Force’ – So many fantastic environments and memories. Perhaps though, the most potent trigger – for this viewer – is not so much the visual component, but the audio. The simple swoosh of a Lightsaber is a sound that transcends Star Wars, and is something that is recognisable to many people across the globe. Blasters firing, met with a return serve from a Lightsaber. The screech of a Tie Fighter as she makes another pass over The Death Star and perhaps the most iconic of all; the simple, dull, oxygen starved sound of Darth Vader… breathing.
It’s hard to imagine modern day cinema without Star Wars. Having just recently seen Episode VII: The Force Awakens while wearing an ear to ear grin from the moment John Williams timeless score boomed onto screen before falling away to a simple trickle as the camera yet again, paned down towards a planet I found myself encapsulated in that moment in time. Transported back to all those Christmas’ watching episodes IV through VI with my brother, all those years ago where I sat down in Cinemas as a younger fan, to watch episodes I through III with a very good friend, to experience for the first time, Star Wars with other people. To be able to say I was there, and am so again now, is a fond reminder of the power of story telling and escapism.
I look forward to the future, and I’m happy with The Force Awakens a new generation of kids get to experience Star Wars and tell their own stories in twenty years time of how Rey and Finn first met, and how The Republic faced down The First Order. A special thing indeed, it is, to be able to identify with so many others who have experienced the magic of Star Wars. “Those aren’t the ‘droids you’re looking for…” /waves hand”
Gareth Barry
Head of Development
What does Star Wars mean to you?
“One of the things that I have always loved about Star Wars is that it poses as many questions as it answers. Its iconic milieu- a galaxy composed of inhabitants as diverse as they are similar- raises questions about the nature of power and greed, about the mechanisms of mass control, the true nature of reality being defined by our questioning of it, and the possibilities for individual choice within such a world.
Power- both its acquisition and its use- is at the core of the story. It is central to understanding the characters and the underlying dynamics of this society -which despite the fantastical setting-bears strong resemblance to our own.
The importance of claiming personal power and of taking responsibility for events, drives the narrative by opening up possibilities for collectivising to resist the status quo. Just as Luke trains to be a Jedi Master and to tap into the supernatural powers that ‘The Force’ will award him, we, the audience, are aroused to the capacity for great light and great darkness that exists within each one of us. Just as personal battles become collective ones- the ‘dark side’ as characterised by Vader, resides in each one of us-a counterbalance to the light.
Themes of self-sacrifice and the need for connection abound. In ‘The Empire Strikes Back’ Luke makes the ultimate sacrifice when he chooses to save his friends over completing his Jedi training. Personally, I love the theme of connection that is woven throughout the narrative. The battle between darkness and light is not a clear-cut one, for their relationship to one another is far from simple. Reaching out to one another and orientating ourselves towards a goal is a transformative process. Things are often not as they appear to be.
Ultimately, it is not always the good guy or gal who wins. Just as darkness is nourished by fear, Lucas suggests that hope is the only antidote to despair. In order to step into the light, we must be capable of imagining realities that are not yet within our grasp. Hope invites courage, and courage is what allows us to conquer the darkness.
By visioning these themes in a space opera context, morally hefty issues can be explored with a playfulness and surreality that might not otherwise be possible- this is what lends Star Wars much of its accessibility and why it still retains such powerful purchase over our imaginations. Well, mine anyway.”
Lisa Allen
Copywriter
Star Wars – Episode One: The Phantom Menace
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Star Wars – Episode Two: Attack of the Clones
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Star Wars – Episode Three: Revenge of the Sith
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Star Wars – Episode Four: A New Hope
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Star Wars – Episode Five: The Empire Strikes Back
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Star Wars – Episode Six: Return of the Jedi
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Star Wars – Episode Seven: The Force Awakens
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These posters are not for resale and are strictly for personal use only. For any more information regarding ‘The Ultimate Star Wars Tribute From Opus Creative’ or to avail of our services call us on +353 (21) 242 8689 or email us on hello@opuscreative.ie
