Help me J.J. Abrams, you are our only hope!
On December 18, 2015, the return of Han, Leia, Luke, and Chewy finally hits the big screens around the United States. We haven’t seen the gang from the original trilogy in over 30 years. I cannot express my intense excitement.
In 1977, Star Wars (later to be known as Star Wars: A New Hope) hit the theaters with voracity. I was six years old (soon to be seven) when it came out. I remember the craze of people standing in line and seeing it dozens and dozens of times.
I begged to see Star Wars. The majority of my friends had seen it before me. My parents did relent and agree to take me to see it at the Drive In even though it was not their kind of film. In exchange for taking me, I had to be good for a week and clean my room. Do you know how hard it is for a six-year-old ADHD boy to be good for a week? I must have at least come close because I did get to go.
The words began to scroll across the gigantic screen of the drive. I could not read most of them. I had my mother read it out loud as I sat in the backseat of our car with my three-year old sister.
I remember the memorizing score of John Williams music. It pumped into our car by the speaker hanging on the window. It feels like it was only yesterday.
The moment the giant Star Destroyer overtook the Corellian Corvette, I was hooked. This movie made everything look so real. The effects were revolutionary compared to any other science fiction I had seen. It was awesome.
Star Wars changed my childhood. I went from playing Cowboys & Indians, Cops & Robbers, and Tag to playing Star Wars. I would play with the action figures. On the playground, we would role play Star Wars. My friends would talk about how KOOL Star Wars was and our favorite characters. Star Wars dominated my world.
On a day in early 1980 when my grade school was cancelled for snow, I went to my Aunt’s house. My aunt was watching either the Today Show or Good Morning America. They had an interview with George Lucas. Lucas showed a behind the scenes clip of Empire Strikes Back. It was the battle on Hoth with the AT AT Walkers. I almost lost my mind with excitement. I had no idea (long before the internet) that Star Wars was getting a sequel. I am positive that I drove my Aunt crazy that day talking about how KOOL it was and how excited I was for another Star Wars movie.
Later than year, I saw Empire at the Drive In with my parents and siblings. It was even bigger and darker than the original. It was bit scary at times for my nine-year old self but a good kind of scary. The moment at the end when Luke and Leia are waving good-bye to Chewy and Lando and the credits started to roll, I was confused. How could the movie be over. They haven’t saved Han yet. They cannot end such an awesome movie that way could they? I loved this film but the ending left me hating the suspense. Why oh Why Mr Lucas do you toy with a kid’s emotions like this?
In 1983, I was on the cusp of being a teenager. Return of the Jedi hit the theaters in full force. I could not wait to see how the gang would save Han? Could they beat the Empire? Would Luke battle his father Vader once again?
The twelve-year-old me wasn’t disappointed. I loved Jabba’s Palace and the Sarlacc Pit. Princess Leia and her metal bikini was memorable in my pre-adolescent mind. Speeder Bikes were (and still are) so awesome. The Battle on Endor and of the Second Death Star were amazing, intense, and so KOOL. Nothing in my mind beat the final light saber battle between Luke and Darth Vader. In the end, the great evil of the Star Wars Trilogy turns against his overlord and saved his son.
A twinge of these feelings and excitement that I had at age six, nine, and twelve is what I felt when I watched the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It awoke those feelings I haven’t had for a movie in thirty plus years. When Han showed up at the end of the trailer, the hairs stood up on my arms. I wanted to share my excitement with every person I saw.
I was excited about for the prequels but never like I am for The Force Awakens. I honestly enjoyed all three of the movies. But it wasn’t the same feelings I had for the Original Trilogy. The Prequels didn’t capture my imagination or my heart.
My excitement and obsession with Star Wars: The Force Awakens is based around my love for the original trilogy. It has struck that cord deep inside of me. The twelve-year-old Larry is jumping up and down and so excited to see what my childhood friends of Luke, Leia, Chewy, and Han have been up to in the last thirty years.
It is so hard waiting until December 18th to see this movie. Spoken like my six-year-old self.
Stay Geeky My Friends!
