40 years on: Star Wars at the Oscars – part one

Mark Hamill, C-3PO and R2-D2 at the Oscars, April 3, 1978

Audiences had spoken. They had crowned Star Wars, not only as the film of 1977, but as the most successful movie of all time. But would the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences agree? 

On April 3, it will be 40 years since Star Wars was up for 10 awards at one of the most surprising and controversial Oscars ceremonies of them all. Episode Nothing looks back. 

What other movies were on release at the same time as Star Wars?

A 1977 line to see Star Wars. What else was showing?

Star Wars was the film everybody was talking about. But what was its competition? If you didn't want to see it, or were just waiting for the lines to go down, what were your other options?

Episode Nothing takes a look at what else was playing alongside the biggest film in history.

One of the best Carrie Fisher interviews you’ll ever read, from 1977

Carrie Fisher in a Star Wars photo shoot from 1977

The three young stars of Star Wars were almost unknown when the film came out. But suddenly, everyone wanted to talk to them. A 1977 interview with Carrie Fisher, by Guy Flatley, reveals many of the qualities we came to know and love about the actress who was Princess Leia.

How George Lucas gave us glimpses of a Star Wars bigger universe - part two

We’ve been looking at how Star Wars cleverly gave us glimpses of a bigger galaxy than we saw on screen. In the conclusion of this two-part post, I’ll turn to what the film told us about droids and alien species, and the life of Luke Skywalker.

Things we DIDN'T see in Star Wars: How George Lucas hinted at a bigger universe

Obi-Wan Kenobi tells Luke about the
Old Republic and the Jedi Knights

The Kessel run. Spice freighters. The Clone Wars. The Old Republic. There’s a lot in Star Wars that’s mentioned but never explained. In the first half of a two-part post, Episode Nothing considers how George Lucas cleverly hinted at a much bigger galaxy than he showed on screen.