Star Wars:Episode IV:A New Hope was released 30 years ago today.
I was only six, so I don't remember EXACTLY when I went to see it, but I know I saw it at least 5 or 6 times that summer, including twice at a drive in as a double feature with Logan's Run.
I am at a weird loss as to what to say about it. Whenever I think about it, I can't help feeling like I'm six again. it was just the most exciting thing I had ever seen. I remember convincing everyone that I knew that they "had" to go see it(and off course, take me with them). I got my mom to see it a few times. I got my dad to see it. I think I convinced my older sister to take me as well.
I became obsessed with it(something that has never really waned). I started collecting the action figures. I think the first ones I got were Luke Skywalker, a Tuscan Raider, Darth Vader, and the land speeder. there was this bike/hobby shop in my town called Rudy's(or at least Rudy was the guy who owned it, so I called it Rudy's) and I used to haunt him about when the next shipment of figures would come in, and he would sometimes let me sift through the boxes when they came in so i could pick out the figures I wanted.
I'm pretty sure I ended up with all of them, including the Jawa that you could only get by cutting out the Kenner proof of purchases and sending them in.
I remember begging and begging until my parents bought me the Millennium Falcon(which I still have). I still have a fair number of the figures from the original trilogy(though not quite all- I was a kid first,not a collector, and I played with the toys-destroying some and losing others)
I remember looking forward to the Star Wars Christmas Special WITHOUT a hint of irony.
I remember telling people "May the Force be with you."
I was Luke Skywalker for Halloween.
Man, I was a little geek.
And the movie itself. What a great adventure !!! The opening crawl. That star destroyer that swoops in from overhead. The sound. The monsters. The heroes. The villains. The Force. Light sabers !!! It's the movie that inspired me to want to become a filmmaker(inspirations that the realities of life have since beaten out of me)- It just made me feel like anything was possible. That good would triumph over evil. And it was like nothing I had ever seen before(okay, I was six, so not a great spectrum of reference, but still). And I must admit, when we went to see the re-release in 1997, I got these giddy chills when the 20th Century Fox logo came up and that song started. In fact, when I was a kid, whenever I heard that 20th Century Fox fanfare on Tee Vee, I would think that Star Wars was going to be on. Alas, it never was.
I know that the dialogue is clunky. The story is corny, but somehow it all just works, and I love it. It's hard to believe that was 30 years ago...What, did you think I was going to type something like "but that was a long time a go, in a galaxy far, far away" ? That would be kind of silly, wouldn't it ?
One last thing, I have asked this before, but I will ask it again. This question is actually about "Empire".
When Luke leaves Degobah to go to Bespa(the Cloud City) to save Han and Leia, and he flies away, The spirit of Ben Kenobi says;"That boy was our last hope" and Yoda says : "No, there is another." About whom do you think Yoda is speaking ? A lot of people think it's Leia because we later find out that she is Luke's sister, but I disagree. She never has anything to do with the Force. I think he is talking about Anakin, and how Anakin will later turn on the Emperor and kill him. What do you think ?
I was only six, so I don't remember EXACTLY when I went to see it, but I know I saw it at least 5 or 6 times that summer, including twice at a drive in as a double feature with Logan's Run.
I am at a weird loss as to what to say about it. Whenever I think about it, I can't help feeling like I'm six again. it was just the most exciting thing I had ever seen. I remember convincing everyone that I knew that they "had" to go see it(and off course, take me with them). I got my mom to see it a few times. I got my dad to see it. I think I convinced my older sister to take me as well.
I became obsessed with it(something that has never really waned). I started collecting the action figures. I think the first ones I got were Luke Skywalker, a Tuscan Raider, Darth Vader, and the land speeder. there was this bike/hobby shop in my town called Rudy's(or at least Rudy was the guy who owned it, so I called it Rudy's) and I used to haunt him about when the next shipment of figures would come in, and he would sometimes let me sift through the boxes when they came in so i could pick out the figures I wanted.
I'm pretty sure I ended up with all of them, including the Jawa that you could only get by cutting out the Kenner proof of purchases and sending them in.
I remember begging and begging until my parents bought me the Millennium Falcon(which I still have). I still have a fair number of the figures from the original trilogy(though not quite all- I was a kid first,not a collector, and I played with the toys-destroying some and losing others)
I remember looking forward to the Star Wars Christmas Special WITHOUT a hint of irony.
I remember telling people "May the Force be with you."
I was Luke Skywalker for Halloween.
Man, I was a little geek.
And the movie itself. What a great adventure !!! The opening crawl. That star destroyer that swoops in from overhead. The sound. The monsters. The heroes. The villains. The Force. Light sabers !!! It's the movie that inspired me to want to become a filmmaker(inspirations that the realities of life have since beaten out of me)- It just made me feel like anything was possible. That good would triumph over evil. And it was like nothing I had ever seen before(okay, I was six, so not a great spectrum of reference, but still). And I must admit, when we went to see the re-release in 1997, I got these giddy chills when the 20th Century Fox logo came up and that song started. In fact, when I was a kid, whenever I heard that 20th Century Fox fanfare on Tee Vee, I would think that Star Wars was going to be on. Alas, it never was.
I know that the dialogue is clunky. The story is corny, but somehow it all just works, and I love it. It's hard to believe that was 30 years ago...What, did you think I was going to type something like "but that was a long time a go, in a galaxy far, far away" ? That would be kind of silly, wouldn't it ?
One last thing, I have asked this before, but I will ask it again. This question is actually about "Empire".
When Luke leaves Degobah to go to Bespa(the Cloud City) to save Han and Leia, and he flies away, The spirit of Ben Kenobi says;"That boy was our last hope" and Yoda says : "No, there is another." About whom do you think Yoda is speaking ? A lot of people think it's Leia because we later find out that she is Luke's sister, but I disagree. She never has anything to do with the Force. I think he is talking about Anakin, and how Anakin will later turn on the Emperor and kill him. What do you think ?
Oh, and May the Force be with you...
9 comments:
I was 7. Saw it at the drive-in with my Dad. Told him afterwards, "I wanna make movies."
I was a day away from being 4 months old. I wish I was old enough to see it in the theaters. I'm just glad to have seen the special editions in the theater.
When they did the first movie, I thought Lucas was going to make Han Solo Force-sensitive. But then they changed it. That might be the answer.
Jeff- i always figured I was not the only one.
Avitable- yeah, it was pretty cool to see the Special Editions in the theater.
The Han theory is interesting. I remember thinking that after seeing Emopire for the first time, when we were all trying to figure out who Yoda was talking about.
I was 10--I think I saw it once or twice. I had some of the toys and the soundtrack album, but that was about it. I don't remember ever seeing the Xmas special. I saw the two sequels in high school during the 80s, but my indifference toward science fiction was by then fully entrenched and I went solely out of lust for Carrie Fisher. To this day, I haven't seen the latest three films. I may or may not get around to it.
If I was 6 then, I might have gone as ape shit over "Star Wars" as I did in 1973 when I saw the TV show "Emergency!".
I was 18. I suffered through it TWICE in the same night hoping to get laid by the girl I was dating who wanted to sit through it twice.
I never got to first base with her, that night or any other. She was a cutie. Star Wars was forgettable, but her I will always remember because of the horrific case of blueballs she gave me...
I was 11, bunch of friends saw it and loved it. Never got addicted that I had to see it numerous times. Although I had masses of the little figures, which would be worth quite a bit now if I still had them.
But I have now seen all Star Wars movies in the theater soon after release date.
Not seen the movie Logan's Run only the series but I got it on VHS a few days ago at a Thrift Store.
Jeff- aaah, the lust for Carrie Fisher, I remember it well. Also, the Christmas special is legendarily awful. the frist ten minutes is Chewbacca's family talking in Wookiee with no subtitles. AND Jefferson Starship was on it.I vaguely remember Emergencey as well. that was Randolph Mantooth, wasn't it ? thanks for the visit and comment.
mark- Thanks for the visit and comment. Did you try saying- "I'm Luke Skywalker, and I'm here to rescue you." ? or perhaps try the "Jedi mind trick" on her ?
Michael- Logan's Run is a pretty good bad science fiction movie. i must admit, I took off work to see Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones on the opening Friday. Thanks for the comment and visit.
"I was Luke Skywalker for Halloween." Well, I was walking around a conference with my hair in those big Leia buns, re-styled especially for the photo you requested. But no white dress.
I always thought that the "there's another one" line referred to Leia. Interesting theory you have.
Oh, I was on my way to the Edgwater on Thursday night when a random guy started ot hit on me. He said (I'm not kidding) "very beautiful you are." I said "Thanks, Yoda." He didn't get it. He ain't gettin' any (I'm saying it's due to his lack of Star Wars knowledge but really, he was a creepy guy who never had a chance).
sh- and thank you very kindly for the picture !! very cool !!
I think anyone who talks backwards and is NOT referencing Yoda is one to be avoided !
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