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When you consider the state of computers back in 1977 from our point of view here in 2009, it sometimes seems miraculous that computer-generated images made it into movies back then. We can push a button these days to easily create simple images and special effects, but back in the 1970s it was laborious just to generate a wireframe model of the Death Star. Compare that to what a comparatively simple computer system can bang out for a low-budget movie these days, and it’s an extremely stark contrast.
In the video after the break, you can watch the Trench Run graphics being created for Star Wars](http://www.moviefone.com/movie/star-wars-episode-iv-a-new-hope/7512/main), and computer artist Larry Cuba narrates the process. Word of warning: it’s an extremely dry video, and someone had the crazy idea to throw sounds from the movie behind his narration. Sure, it takes a bit of movie magic out of the Lucasfilm mystique, but seeing those X-Wing fighters being created with digital light pens is pure nostalgia.
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