Star Wars and the Matrix - a Comparison

Star Wars and The Matrix

There holds in heaven, if there is a heaven, a cabinet so sublime, so extravagantly constructed as to hold the two classics: Star Wars and The Matrix. Star Wars was the original space-western journey of the seventies – The Matrix is the Star Wars of the noughties.

Luke Skywalker was the well-built, blonde haired, blue eyed stereotypical American farmer of the time of Star Wars’ production. Today, western civilisation considers Neo an idol for modern boys. Neo is the rebellious tech-whiz, a computer junkie. In the 70’s, marrying the princess (cheerleader or a Kennedy) was the ultimate prize in becoming a man. Leia is a prize (a lei is a decorative Hawaiian garland, a prize). Trinity is a more politically correct prize - an equally skilful person. 
Darth Vader ( 'dearth ', 'dark’, 'death ' or 'dead ' father) is the omnipotent father figure whose child is terrified of attack or disapproval. Agent Smith possesses the same limiting effect, as he is unknown (Smith – an alias which is commonly used for CIA spies, “they are everyone, they are no one”) and unapproachable by Neo. Both stories are about the child overcoming this ‘father’. The outside worlds that conspire to crush the heroes are the Empire and the AI machines. Yoda & Morpheus and Obi-Wan Kenobi show similar parallels.

If you were to translate the images of Star Wars into modern vernacular, you may come up with The Matrix. Both movies use the common device of the potential hero being either sought out or roped into peculiar circumstances. Luke heeds the plea in Leia 's hologram message, and Neo obeys the advice of a mysterious message telling him to “follow the white rabbit”. However, the heroes initially refuse the call to adventure until outside factors force them to reconsider.
The heroes pass through childhood and into adolescence where they begin to become aware of the world around them. The mentors (Morpheus and Obi-wan) cleverly ensnare the heroes curiosity by carefully promoting the Force and The Matrix. “Your eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them” explains Obi-wan while Luke practises on the lightsabre whilst Morpheus asks “What is real?” Cautioning Neo not to accept everything at face value.
The 'sons ' soon build the courage to challenge their 'father '. They break rules others are bound by. Tension is raised as both heroes find themselves deep in their opponent’s realm: Luke arrogantly followed a lone TIE fighter into the Death Star and Neo lets himself fall into the hands of the Agents (to save Morpheus). Luke ditches his targeting computer for the Force, whilst Neo realises that in The Matrix, he is simply in a state of non-existence, allowing him to believe he is the One. As Morpheus predicted, he doesn 't need to “dodge bullets”…because he can simply stop them.

Star Wars and The Matrix are renowned for their ground-breaking technical feats and special effects. Both films also carefully orchestrate costumes and settings to help their story, but more specifically Star Wars introduced a new vocabulary of action cinematography predicated on computer-controlled camera movements, carrying the viewer swooping and diving through miniature sci-fi sets. The Matrix exploited the film technique: “bullet-time photography,” in which an array of cameras positioned in an arc, fire simultaneously or almost simultaneously, creating the effect of a virtual camera swooping around a subject slowed to motionlessness or near-motionlessness.
Space travel was still considered an exciting and novel idea in the 70s, and Star Wars cleverly manipulated this to produce the fantastic space ballet that it is. However, it is incomparable to “bullet time” which was very effective in illustrating Neo’s and the Agents’ ability to defy the laws of The Matrix. However more importantly is the fact that in Star Wars the special effects were largely performed on the backgrounds, and the characters, although sometimes highly costumed (Chewbacca), moved and performed like human actors. In The Matrix, superior technology allowed manipulation of the actors as well, which allows the technology itself to become a character.

The definitive factor that makes Star Wars and The Matrix classics are that you could ask ten fans what they think is the most important aspect of the movies’ creation, and you would receive twenty different answers. The storylines of the movies can relate to most of the audience; namely the sensitive issue that to become a man one must escape one’s father. They are also the best of all their contemporaries in production values and they accurately depict and evoke their times.
These simple ingredients have ensured the two films will readily assume their places in popular culture.

Bibliography
Star Wars. http://www.shavenwookie.com/rimrun/oct99.html . (1999).

The Matrix. http://decentfilms.com/reviews/matrix.html. (1999)

The Matrix. http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/ (1999)

The Matrix. http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_cmp/new_phil_main.html (1999)

Bibliography: Star Wars. http://www.shavenwookie.com/rimrun/oct99.html . (1999). The Matrix. http://decentfilms.com/reviews/matrix.html. (1999) The Matrix. http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/ (1999) The Matrix. http://whatisthematrix.warnerbros.com/rl_cmp/new_phil_main.html (1999)