So, let me get this straight…
You’re all saying that a movie made as an homage to countless stories found in the entire genre of Space Opera, which, in turn is a hackneyed pastiche of every story telling trick ever known actually resembles some other book/film?!
Inconceivable!!
Lucas used clips from The Dam Busters, 633 Squadron, and Lord knows how many other films to provide the storyboard for the attack on the Death Star. This parody is particularly good:
In Phantom Menace, the only part of the second trilogy I’ve bothered to see, he blatantly ripped off Ben Hur, Spartacus, and Cleopatra. What, he thought no one would notice? :dubious: 
If you sync up Dark Side Of The Moon and watch Star Wars, well the proof that it’s really just Oz with a fresh coat of paint becomes quite obvious.
If you play The Phantom Menace backwards, you’ll hear the message “Steven Spielberg is dead. I’ve been pretending to be him, so all my time is used up in making his films. That’s why I haven’t had time to spend making my own movies good.”
I did see it. The thing about the peasants/robots was that the story was told in large part from their point of view, not that of the heroes. Definitely an influence, but there were tons more also.
And pray to God he never does.
Blazing Saddles. Starring Jar Jar Binks. :eek:
A person, dissatisfied with the dull life currently being lived, is taken to a far-off land with strange companions. Seemingly trapped in this place, the person explores the wonders of the new environment, encountering bizarre dangers. Eventually, it turns out that the key to getting home was right back where the person initially arrived; while the person’s companions receive rewards of status and love, the main character merely returns home, somewhat wiser.
“The Wizard of Oz” and “Ringworld”
Bravo!
That was an excellent essay. But I still prefer Malcolm Tucker’s summary:
Dark Side of the That’s-No-Moon-It’s-A-Space-Station.
So the only “parallels” are basic story motifs and common tropes that are in everything. Got it.
“How about some more beans, Mr. Jedi?”
Okay, that was pretty funny.
At least you didn’t work in some kids toy angle in there.
“Had enough, I think you have!”
Think of this this way: Star Wars is a very basic story framework upon which Lucas proceeded to hang all sorts of rad stuff. Aliens, blaster guns, robots, telekinesis, space battles, laser swords, etc.
I don’t argue that. My point is my original point - that Star Wars was not “cribbed” or copied from The Wizard of Oz in any meaningful way, that any similarities are broad common story elements.
I realize that Lucas did not start from scratch, and had a lot of influences - from thematic ideas, cinematography, storyboarding, concept of battle scenes, etc. But TWOO was not one of them.
I do remember Dorothy wanting to pick up some power-convertors.
Still, because both stories are heroes’ journies, the parallels can be seen.
In TWoO, the external goal is a direct mirror to Dorothy’s inner goal, with her companions acting as direct proxies for the traits she must develop in order to grow up, only to discover she and they had them all along.
In Star Wars, the exterior goal is its own plot, but Luke must also gain the same sorts of traits to complete his inner journey, and his companions are used to demonstrate them. As opposed to Dorothy, Luke’s friends already possess them (and not so black-and-white). All show courage; Ben shows compassion and wisdom; Han is quick-thinking and confident; Leia is a leader with chutzpah, Chewie displays strength and loyalty. Even the droids, R2’s determination and 3PO’s… communication, I guess?
George Lucas is a big fan of The Wizard of Oz. It’s very hard to believe that he didn’t consciously model some elements of Star Wars on it. Of course he modeled other parts of it on other things. As I said, Lucas deliberately stole from everything he could get his hands on. Remember, he had to take enough of the basic mythic structure from all the things he imitated that anybody with an eye for how story elements worked could see what he was doing, but he had to avoid taking so much of them that he might be sued for plagiarism. Here are some of the many websites discussing the relationship between the two movies:
The only way Larry Mudd was mistaken in the post you quote is that he didn’t mention all the other movies, books, legends, etc. that Star Wars deliberately imitated.
I do remember Luke waking up and being reunited with his family.
Those musical numbers were cool, too. I especially liked the chorus of Jawas singing “Dink Dink the Tuscan Raider’s Dead.”