Though less than two minutes long, this is a promising early effort from George Lucas. The subject is a theme that resonates throughout Lucas' career: the freedom of the individual against a tyrannical system. The plot isn't laid out in concrete terms: all we see is a frightened, yet determined young man running through foliage before he is gunned down by a faceless oppressor. The scenario is more metaphorical, the death of the protagonist punctuated by samples of people discussing the nature of freedom.
Even from this early date you can see Kurosawa's influence all over Lucas' style: the camera movement as it follows the hero through the forest is heavily reminiscent of similar scenes in Rashomon and The Hidden Fortress.
Even from this early date you can see Kurosawa's influence all over Lucas' style: the camera movement as it follows the hero through the forest is heavily reminiscent of similar scenes in Rashomon and The Hidden Fortress.