[VIDEO REVIEWS]Checking in on that far, far away galaxy

"Star Wars II -- Attack of the Clones" came out a couple of weeks ago in the United States. But we here in Korea will have to wait until July to see the budding romance between Padme Amadila (Natalie Portman) and Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), strange creatures, light-saber duels and sky-car chase scenes blasting by skyscrapers, all shot in digital format.

George Lucas, who produced or directed the three older "Star Wars" films, took even more control of the two prequels. Reviews of "Attack" vary, but the movie is still atop box office charts.

While you wait -- more than a month -- brush up on your "Star Wars" know-how with older and, arguably, more fantastic Star Wars movies.

STAR WARS (1977)

Directed by Lucas. Starring Alec Guinness, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse and James Earl Jones.

The movie that began the "Star Wars" craze is not perfect, but tells a grand, legendary tale. The special effects may not be slick by today's standards, but why complain when you have a heroine with braids twisting past her ears, exploding battleships and otherworldly creatures set against an ultimate fight of good against evil?

It's "a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away," and there is a young man, Luke Skywalker (Hamill). He lives with his aunt and uncle and has a good but boring life. One day, his caretakers are murdered by stormtroopers from the evil Empire. He finds a distress message stored in his robot, R2D2, from a Princess Leia (Fisher), who is leading the rebellion against the Empire.

Luke's journey to rescue the princess and save the empire leads him to unforgettable characters such as Obi-Wan Kenobi (Guinness), Han Solo (Ford), Chewbacca (Mayhew) and Darth Vader (Prowse, voiced by Jones).

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)

Directed by Irvin Kershner. Starring Hamill, Ford, Fisher, Prowse, Jones and Frank Oz.

The force is still with Luke (Hamill) in "The Empire Strikes Back," which has a darker feel than the original but still carries on the grand tradition. The characters are better developed in this film, which includes a romance between Princess Leia (Fisher) and Han Solo (Ford), wise words from Yoda (voice of Oz) and a battle between Luke (Hamill) and Darth Vader (Prowse, voice of Jones).

RETURN OF THE JEDI (1983)

Directed by Richard Marquand. Starring Hamill, Fisher, Billy Dee Williams and Anthony Daniels.

The final showdown between father and son takes place. The Rebel forces make a last stand against the evil Empire, which is building a supposedly impenetrable fortress, the Death Star II. Famous scenes include Princess Leia (Fisher) doing away with the enormous Jabba the Hut, Luke (Hamill) learning that Leia is his sister and Vader (Prowse, voice of Jones) is his father, and the good guys doing battle with the help of the fuzzy Ewoks.

by Joe Yong-hee