Key Takeaways:
– Director Rian Johnson was inspired by Japanese film Three Outlaw Samurai while making Star Wars: The Last Jedi.
– The samurai film influenced the lightsaber duels in the Star Wars sequel.
– Johnson's biggest surprise when making the movie was the intimate nature of the process despite its big scale.
– The Last Jedi was divisive among fans and critics but has its loyal following who appreciate its deconstruction of major franchise tropes.
Rian Johnson's Unexpected Inspiration
The Last Jedi may be a Star Wars movie, but its roots seem to stretch back to a 1964 Japanese film. Director Rian Johnson pulled back the curtain on this unexpected source of inspiration during a recent interview. The movie in question? The Three Outlaw Samurai. It's an old film, but it tread ground that would one day become very familiar to Star Wars fans.
A Samurai Film and Star Wars – A Perfect Match
Rian Johnson's revelation makes perfect sense once you consider the subgenre of the film that influenced him. Three Outlaw Samurai falls under the Japanese genre known as ‘Chambara' or sword-fighting which makes it an ideal inspiration for the lightsaber duels in Star Wars. The icing on the cake is that the franchise's creator, George Lucas, also drew inspiration from Japanese samurai films. This only adds more depth to the franchise's ongoing dialogue and interaction with Japanese cinema.
The Unanticipated Intimacy of Directing a Star Wars Film
Rian Johnson's experience making Star Wars: The Last Jedi wasn't what he expected. He entered into it knowing it was a huge project with its pressures. But he found himself most surprised by the intimacy of the process. Despite working on one of the biggest film franchises, Johnson discovered that telling a heart-warming story still mattered the most.
The Last Jedi – A Divisive Yet Successful Film
When Star Wars: The Last Jedi hit the screens on December 15, 2017, it was met with mixed reactions. Some adored it for its audacity to deconstruct some of the franchise's biggest tropes, while others were disillusioned with its treatment of legacy characters, particularly Luke Skywalker. Despite the criticism, The Last Jedi managed to gross a whopping $1.334 billion. Although it might not compare to its predecessor's considerably larger collection, it's still a considerable figure.
The Ongoing Debate and Where to Watch
Even four years after its release, the debates surrounding The Last Jedi are yet to die down. The character development of iconic heroes like Luke Skywalker still remains a hot topic among fans. But despite the varied opinions, there's no denying the success of the Star Wars franchise and its enduring cultural impact. The entire Star Wars saga, including Johnson's controversial yet innovative entry, is now available for streaming on Disney+. This gives fans and critics alike an opportunity to revisit, evaluate, and possibly even appreciate the film in a whole new light.
In a world where we keep revisiting the same storylines and tropes, Rian Johnson's attempt to deconstruct and rebuild some of the franchise's key elements is brave. Especially when that franchise is as beloved and globally popular as Star Wars. Despite the mixed responses, the experiment was a resounding success on many fronts. It's heartening to see directors take risks and draw inspiration from unlikely sources, keeping the Star Wars universe fresh and unpredictable, one film at a time.
