What would Rogue One: A Star Wars Story have looked like had it been released in the late 70s instead of 2016? A fan-made retro trailer has arrived to show us just that. And it's prefect. With downgraded video that needs an adjust from the tracking wheel, this VHS commercial takes us back to a gentler, more innocent time when we weren't getting a Star Wars movie every single year. Says the announcer in this Youtube video.
"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. You've experienced it in theaters. Now the mission comes home. Rogue One. Relive the excitement. The emotion. And the terror. Complete your VHS collection now."
Perhaps the strangest thing about this VHS commercial is that the movie doesn't look up to the quality of A New Hope. Instead, it comes across looking just like a TV movie, and falls in line with the original Star Wars spin-offs, the live-action Ewok adventures. Yes, watching this footage, you can't help but think about that dreaded Star Wars Holiday Special. Only with slightly better special effects.
Rogue One is now available on VOD, which means Star Wars fans around the world have access to every single bit of video footage the movie has to offer. And we've already started to see an influx of fan-made mash-up videos. This latest one follows in the wake of some enterprising young man splicing the end of the movie together with the beginning of A New Hope for one seamless transition. These videos have been pretty cool so far. But how long with this fad last?
Lucasfilm presents Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the first in a new series of Star Wars standalone films set in the universe fans know and love, but featuring new characters and storylines. As the first of these compelling, creative stories, Rogue One tells the story of a group of unlikely heroes who, in a time of conflict, band together on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline brings together ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things, and, in doing so, become part of something greater than themselves.
As you can see in this VHS commercial, Rogue One does a perfect job of capturing that original Star Wars vibe, even if some of the VFX are above and beyond what we got back in the late 70s and early 80s. Watching this video certainly feels like a bit of time-travel or sorcery. And it's amazingly well done.
The VHS trailer gets the perfect 70s narration, grainy footage, and ear-centric take on the terror of Darth Vader. You might even be able to fool yourself into thinking this movie is actually of that decade long ago. Hopefully you're not too tired of all this Rogue One excitment. While the movie is available for streaming, it still hasn't hit Blu-ray and DVD yet. That happens exactly one week from today on April 4. Until then, May the Force Be One With You, and may you be One With the Force!