Star Wars – Memory Lane
A Long Time Ago (1977).
In a Galaxy Far, Far Away (Irvine, CA).
The theater was dark and kind of scary, but my father’s large presence nearby was comforting. Just 45 minutes before that moment I had been watching the Donny & Marie variety show and waiting for bedtime. My dad took me, not my brother — just me, away from the house.
It boggled my six-year-old mind. It felt heady. Special. It felt … adult. My dad told me, “They’re talking about this movie at work. They say it’s really good.”
I repeated that refrain in my head. Like a mantra. Noting that everyone in the theater seemed pretty excited. That the popcorn tasted good and that I actually had my very own soda.
The the 20th Century Fox theme played. Bump-bum, Bump-dum, brrrrbum-bum!– because of the movie soundtrack I thought that Fox theme was a part of the overture. The Star Wars theme still doesn’t sound quite right unless it’s preceded by that Fox theme….
Then the now familiar words scrolled down the screen, I was proud to be able to read most of them and my dad filled me in on the rest. And then the action began. And I forgot about my popcorn, I forgot about my soda, and my world was forever changed.
I remember when Darth Vader loomed out of the smoke. Flanked by firing Stormtroopers, who looked like evil skeletons. Vader was so huge, so menacing, and making that disconcerting asthmatic wheeze that would haunt my nightmares for more than a few years to come. While I quaked in my seat my father leaned over to me and whispered:
‘That’s the bad guy’.
I remember thinking the six-year-old equivalent of “no sh*t!”
Star Wars changed everyone’s world when it debuted in 1977. Jaws may have been the first real summer blockbuster but Lucas blew Spielberg’s robotic fish out of the water and gave the world a mythology to embrace, and maybe best of all (but most detrimentally) toys to play with. I remember my first Kenner Star Wars action figures. My grandmother got them for me for Christmas. All of the original set: Obi-Wan, C-3P0, R2D2, Vader, Luke, Han, Leia, Stormtrooper, Chewbacca. Later I got more and, more, and more, and more and even now I’ve got a Star Wars poster, and several Darth Vaders adorning my workspace.
I’ve re-lived Star Wars with the original arcade game, the SNES games, X-Wing, TIE Fighter, X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter, X-Wing Alliance, Dark Forces, Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight, Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast, and Knights of the Old Republic for the Xbox. We tried Lego Star Wars but it didn’t take – too hard – soon we’ll try again. I have the 360 duel pack with both trilogies. Anyone know how to start that one with the original films?
My son and daughter have seen Star Wars now. They saw the old version, thank you. I plan to show them Star Wars – Return of the Jedi maybe this week or weekend. When that is done, and depending on their reaction (Henry is 6 and Maggie is almost 9). Then and only then will I stop and consider the new trilogy and associated spinoffs.
Got any Star Wars memories there?
March 11th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
Star Wars was one of the first movies I remember going with friends and paying my own way … about a dozen times! I know some of those times one of our parents dropped us off, but other times we took the bus (BAT – Brockton Area Transit) to the ‘Westgate Mall’ …
March 11th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
My oldest son is now 10. When he was 7 years old he brought me the Star Wars VHS tape and asked, “Daddy, can I watch Star Wars?” With tears in my eyes I said, “Son, I’ve been waiting for you to ask me that your whole life. Let me show you the collection…”
🙂
March 11th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
I was a huge star wars nerd when I was little. It was around the time the first prequel came out, but i saw that much later. Instead I watched all 3 movies over and over and over again, read a bunch of the books (yes, in elementary school, my teachers thought I was nuts), bought any game I came across that was star wars. I was as obsessed as my parents would let me be. I even went over my friends house and played with the plastic light sabers to re-enact major scenes. I really was a huge nerd lol.
March 11th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
Ah, but that’s a 30+ tradition at this point. I didn’t have the novels, there were no movies, but I did sit through the Christmas special and I dreamed… a lot… oh! I had about 200 Kenner figures!
March 12th, 2009 at 3:32 am
I was too old for the Kenner stuff and lunch boxes, but one thing that still amazes me is taht I was able to see the film a dozen times over the course of a year in theaters. And when you look at the ticket sales it is obvious that in today’s market it wouldn’t have lasted a month.
March 12th, 2009 at 8:06 am
I saw Star Wars when it came out. I was 7 and it was my cousin Gary’s 8th birthday. I was spending the weekend with my Aunt and Uncle (who are also my godparents) in NJ so I could attend the party since we lived in Long Island. The whole birthday party was centered around going to see this new movie that everyone was talking about. I think it was maybe a week after it came out, I don’t recall exactly.
We all filed into the theater, about a dozen 7-8yr old boys with 2-3 adults. We each had popcorn and soda and just like you GamerDad, they sat forgotten once the movie started. You are 100% right in that Star Wars changed the world like very few movies could ever hope to. It is quite amazing.
Since then I have seen all 6 movies (9 if you count the re-released original trilogy) numerous times. I have read every Star Wars universe book that came out as of about two years ago. I to played Rebel Assualt and Tie Fighter on my PC (Still have them). I remember breaking a Thrustmaster joystick playing Tie Fighter trying to make a turn. I also remember the Thrustmaster support person being in awe when I called to try to get a replacement (which they sent). I have shared countless hours with Dylan (7) playing Lego Star wars and watching the Clone Wars series on Cartoon Network.
Dylan has seen Star Wars, but that’s it. The Empire Strikes back is a bit too dark for him still, so we are waiting. But one day soon, in the next year or two, I hope to have an all day Star Wars Marathon with him, a ton of popcorn and gallons of soda (and plenty of Tums).
@Mike: Comparing the numbers from 1977 movies to current movies simply doesn’t work. There are way more theaters and screens now as well as it being a bit more expensive, so looking at gross revenues is misleading. Probably the best numbers to compare would be ticket sales for Star Wars as a percentage of total tickets sold and available for all moves in all theaters. Then look at the same stat for current films. I am pretty sure if you looked at it that way Star Wars would still blow away most of the competition. Of course, that could just be the fanboy in my speaking too… 🙂
March 12th, 2009 at 8:40 am
I never really got into Star Wars. It just seemed boring to me.
March 12th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
BLASPHEMY, STAR WARS IS THE PINNACLE OF AWESOMENESS!
But in all seriousness, I get that a lot from friends and when I ask why, they say LoTR is better. I don’t really see how that’s an answer :/
March 12th, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Star Wars was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. My parents took me for my birthday. Thinking back, I wondered if they really liked it, but I was in awe. I quickly amassed a large collection of toys, sheets, shirts, and other things, including the soundtrack on cassette.
Since then, I have seen all of the movies several times. Unlike some “purists”, I liked Episodes I-III. They were good, escapist, fun. My daughter (age 6) asked to see them and we watched them I-VI, in that order. I don’t know if it had the same impact on her, but she seemed to really like them.
March 12th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
We didn’t see a lot of movies, and if I recall correctly only ended up seeing the 2nd one on a whim while on vacation (I believe the 2nd time it came out —> imagine that, coming back IN to theaters for an encore run!)
I recall seeing the first one at the local library as it was in almost constant circulation in the movie viewing area…
March 13th, 2009 at 2:45 pm
IMO, LotR Is better,