Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Star Wars Before New Hope and Beyond

     I saw the first Star Wars movie when it opened at the premier theater in Los Angeles. Yes the premier! Back then it was a big deal but not quite as huge as they thought it would. be. It was something new and different and people were excited to see it but I do not think anyone had a clue the kind of phenomenon it would become.

     My uncle purchased our tickets the day before I believe and we waited in line at the premier theater for 2 hours. The theater was amazing, I can't remember the name of it, this was back in 1977 and I was 14 years old. I was just excited because this was my first time in such a theater, it was huge with tables in the middle isle where you could get table service food.  My best friend was with me and we were having the time of our lives.

     The movie began and I fell in love with the story instantly. I also fell head over heals for Luke Skywalker, Mark Hamill. Han was very handsome too but Luke was mine I purchased every souvenir I could find, from magazines to figurines.. Star Wars was funny, action packed and something completely new. It was also just Star Wars at the time, New Hope had not been added to the name yet.

     I was not able to see Star Wars again until it came out on video in 1981 I was excited because it came not too long after I had seen Empire Strikes Back. I was very thrilled when Empire Strikes Back came our in 1980. I went to see it several times at the theater with my aunt who was also a huge fan.

     My aunt and I patiently waited for Return of the Jedi to come out and waited in line for several hours to see it. We did not get to see it in a fancy theater but we did not care. We were just excited to watch it. I do not know how many times I saw it at the theater.

     I was super excited when the three movies came out on VHS. All of the first three Star Wars movies consisted of humor, adventure, excitement and offered a light side to a dark idea of good vs evil.

     In 1999 a new Star Wars movie was released and it took me several years to watch it. The movie did not interest me at all because Star Wars was Luke, Leah, Han and the gang, not before they were born. I finally broke down and watched Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones on VHS before Revenge of the Sith came out. I must admit I did like them and I liked Sith too but they did not have the qualities I loved about the original 3. I did not watch them over and over again like the original 3. They were dark and on the depressing side plus I did not care about the characters as much as I did the characters in the original movies. They didn't become "friends".

     Then I heard they were making a new Star Wars, I was so excited but a little aprehensive until I learned it would include Han, Luke and Leah. I went to see the new movie recently and I loved it just as much as the original Star Wars I saw in 1977. The new characters are light, funny, complex and lovable just like the originals I loved. The story had that same feel to it too. It was not like the last three which were dark, dreary and even though I liked them, depressing. The characters were not likable and you did not fall in love with them like Luke, Leah and Han.

    So now we have entered a new Star Wars era, there will be more movies to come. I am excited for the new venture and well it must be said "May the Force be with us all."

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