Back in 1981, National Public Radio (NPR) Playhouse featured radio dramas that relied on good acting, sound effects and musical scores to tell their stories. Some of these were science fiction, but the most notable was Star Wars in 1981 and Empire Strikes Back in 1983. The films were adapted to extended episodes (13 and 10 respectively). Return of the Jedi was to be made as well, but NPR’s rocky relationship with their government benefactor at the time shelved the series. It would be 13 years before NPR would return to finish the original trilogy with a 6 part series that reunited cast and crew. ...

Truly one of the most legendary villains in film history, Darth Vader is the epitome of evil. He is the character over the years we’ve all loved to hate. But from his early beginnings as Anakin Skywalker to his rise to become Darth Lord of the Sith, he’s had many actors play him.

Starting with the voice of Darth Vader in all the films, James Earl Jones is the most memorable. Even though he’s never physically seen in any of the films, his deep sinister tone has thrilled audiences for more than 30 years. Still working at 79, he most recently was seen on House on TV, is in the stage adaptation of Driving Miss Daisy. He also has a film coming out in 2012. ...

Every fan of the series has wanted one thing besides seeing more of Leia in her slave bikini or Jar Jar hung from the rafters and that is to wield a real life light saber. In this quest, people have tried to use various items as pseudo sabers including things like fluorescent overhead bulbs which are quite dangerous if they break and are not recommended. And of course there have been plenty of toy versions like those sold in the stores and at carnivals that have the plastic that lights up and extends out when you swing it. Those might be durable enough for battle, but they look really hokey. ...

Star Wars is considered science fiction, but like its adversary Star Trek, the George Lucas universe had foreseen many real technological breakthroughs. These innovative achievements showcase the vision that went into making the films and how the future would come to pass. Here are some examples:

In Empire Strikes Back, Luke loses his hand in the battle with Lord Vader at the Cloud City. He is seen later in the film getting a new hand put back on. Inventors like Dean Kamen (of Segway fame) have created a bionic arm that provides amputees with functional fingers where they can pick up and manipulate things much easier. While still not as agile as Luke’s arm, they can go a long way to helping the handicapped be able to do tasks that before were quite difficult if not impossible. ...

It's hard to imagine that back in 1971 when the idea of Star Wars, a sort of spaghetti western in space, was pitched to Universal, that such a film almost didn’t see the light of day. Even though it had been greenlighted along with American Graffiti as a two film deal, the initial scripts were rejected. George Lucas had to fight for its very creation with rewrite after rewrite and wondered even after it was complete whether it was worth it to continue.

So how did this worrisome experiment turn into a multi-billion dollar empire and cult classic still thrilling people? Well like Walt Disney, Lucas knew that good moviemaking started with a great story. No film becomes as memorable as Star Wars on special effects alone. People have to care about the subject matter, relate to it. Themes such as fighting the establishment, death, friendship, betrayal, and redemption are timeless subjects that live on. They draw us into the film, instead of strictly being spectators in our seats. ...