One of the most famous “blasters” in the Star Wars films is the one seen carried by Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and at times Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). Designed by Mikhail Vladimirovich Margolin (1906-1975), this pistol has been used in shooting competitions around the world since 1950. One factor that played into the realism of the arsenal of Storm Trooper weapons, Han Solo’s infamous blaster, and countless other guns is that these were in fact dressed up weapons from our world! Here is a look at how modern – and not so modern – firearms were dressed up in the Star Wars films. The musical score was bombastic yet classically inspired and had very realistic looking weapons. Unlike other sci-fi films of the era that featured “futuristic” looking costumes, disco-inspired music, and ray guns, Star Wars offered costumes that were seemingly retro yet militaristic. evil – that borrowed heavily from American westerns, war films, and notably the samurai epic The Hidden Fortress by director Akira Kurosawa.
Perhaps one of the things that made Star Wars so accessible was in its approach to science fiction. The cultural impact of these films can’t be understated. The “final” film in the Star Wars saga, The Rise of Skywalker, came out last December, concluding the sequel trilogy. Peter Suciu takes a look at a wide array of Star Wars weapons - guns like Han Solo’s (in)famous blaster and more.
