It’s almost more than 46 years since George Lucas brought Star Wars to life. The Star Wars franchise is famous for its visual storytelling. Its intricate themes and subplots are what captivate audiences worldwide.
Going forward with the idea, George Lucas approached a Star Wars scene with a silent film style. The director relied on John Williams’ music to convey emotions and storytelling without dialogue in that scene.
The scene was none other than the musical piece and principal theme Battle of the Heroes, composed by Williams for Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith.
George Lucas’ Crafted Silent Masterpiece in Star Wars
In an interview, George Lucas said that Star Wars—particularly in action sequences— depends heavily on visual storytelling similar to silent movies. The director collaborated with John Williams to create a new theme in every film. That’s what he did in the famous scene in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith. Lucas said (via Connor):
Star Wars is essentially a silent movie, and in this particular case, it’s even more so because it’s an action sequence. There’s no dialogue in it. So, when I talked to John Williams, I said, ‘Listen, this is a perfect place to have a new theme.’ Every film, we try to at least bring in one new theme, and I said this is sort of goes beyond the Dual of the Fates, which we used before. Because now the people who are fighting are friends, so it’s a kind of tragedy Dual of the Fates.”
Lucas collaborated with Williams to create an immersive cinematic experience. Williams’ music complemented Lucas’ visual narrative and enhanced the impact of Star Wars on the audience. This collaboration marked the synergy between visual and musical elements to produce a great action sequence.
George Lucas’ Visual Storytelling Techniques in Star Wars Franchise
It’s visible from the Star Wars franchise that George Lucas might not have been a master of verbal expression, but he can definitely fire the imagination. In Revenge of the Sith, Lucas made blatant choices in character placement and cinematography.
Through composition framing and establishing long shots, he conveyed a sense of impending tragedy. By freezing the frames in the pivotal moments, viewers can see the nuanced messages Lucas is trying to communicate with the characters.
As Lucas himself told Laurent Bouzereau and Jody Duncan in their book Star Wars: The Making of Episode I – The Phantom Menace, when he writes the script, he “hears the movie more in terms of music” than he “does in terms of sound effects.” The director “pays a lot of attention to the music, even during the early stages of writing.”
Watch Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith on Disney+.
