Star Wars Debuts With Disco Hit And Iconic Theme: May 25th, 1977

George Lucas’ space opera Star Wars debuts in theaters, accompanied by an instantly iconic score from John Williams.

Star Wars thrills audiences with its groundbreaking special effects, from ships whizzing through space to intense lightsaber battles to otherwordly creatures. Fans will return to the theaters again and again, making the film the most successful of the year, at over $775 million at the box office, and laying the groundwork for one of the most celebrated film franchises of all time.

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Lucas wanted a trio of unknowns for the central “good guy” characters: Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo (Harrison Ford), and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). But for the music, he turned to a seasoned veteran. John Williams was already known for memorable scores for films like Fiddler on the Roof, The Poseidon Adventure, and – of course – Jaws.

For Star Wars, Williams creates a symphonic score that includes leitmotifs (musical phrases specific to each main character, like Darth Vader’s ominous “Imperial March”) that are also incorporated into the thundering opening theme as the yellow words scroll over the screen for the first time. Williams is cleverly telling the story before it even begins, introducing through music the young hero who will take down the evil Galactic Empire, with the help of a rebel princess and a hot-shot mercenary.

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The main title theme, performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, is a #10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and Williams takes home numerous awards for the soundtrack, including an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Grammy Award. A re-imagined disco version from Meco – complete with a bleeping R2-D2 solo – also lands at #1 on the pop chart.

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