Star Wars (aka “A New Hope” – as it became known later) premiered 35 Years ago on May 25th. I wanted to take a moment to recognize this great movie and the fact it turns 35 later this week. It is unreal to me that it was that long ago and Star Wars is that old.
This movie changed my childhood. It changed the games I played with my friends from Cowboys and Indians to the Rebels Versus the Empire. It changed the toys I wanted for my birthday and Christmas. It dominated my imagination and cemented me as a sci fi geek and in particular a Star Wars geek.
I was 6 years old at the time Star Wars hit and I turned 7 later in the year. I remember the commercials for the movie and the toys on Saturday morning cartoons.I wanted every toy out there and was disappointed when some of my friends and cousins got KOOL Star Wars toys that I did not receive.
Even at this young age, I was excited about this movie. Lots of my friends were able to see it before me and I was jealous. As a kid, it seemed like my family waited at least a month if not more before they took me to watch it. I remember my parents made me be a “good boy” for a whole week so I could go to this film at the Drive In theatre. I cleaned my room for what felt like hours on the day my family finally went to see Star Wars.
My family regularly went to the Drive In to watch movies so I was used to it. But when the Star Destroyer went across the screen at the beginning of the movie, I realized this movie was bigger and greater than any I had seen previous (my whole almost 7 years of life). I watched with a dropped jaw through the whole movie because of the awesome special effects and seeing things that appeared real. This was a mammoth movie on the big Drive In screen.
Since that fateful night, I have seen Star Wars hundreds of times. I own this movie on two different VHS sets and a DVD set and when I finally upgrade to a Blue Ray player, I am sure I will own it on Blue Ray. I love this movie because it is the beginning of the greatest movie Trilogy of all time (sorry Lord Of the Rings and Back to the Future) and it is weaved into the very fabric of my childhood which is the foundation for my life.
I cannot imagine my life without Star Wars. For that, I would like to thank Mr. George Lucas. I may not have the same attachment for your changes to the Trilogy or for the second Trilogy as I do the original. But in the end, you are the Master and I am but the Leaner and you created a movie that became a part of who I am now.
May the Force Be With YOU!
