Star Wars. Even if you have never been to a movie in your life you have probably still heard of this movie. It all started on May 25, 1977 when this movie opened in 32 theaters and it earned 6.8 million dollars it's first weekend (the budget was $11 million). Can you even imagine that today. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End opened today in 41 theaters and is being shown well over 600 times just in the Houston area alone. I actually didn't see Star Wars in the theaters until 1999 when it was re-released as a special addition. This is the quintessential summer blockbuster and the mold that all others strive to fit. I think what the major factors of it's popularity were was that it is just a funny movie to watch and that it's innovative approach to marketing really opened the eyes of Hollywood. I really can't think of another movie prior to Star Wars that had such an impact of movie merchandising. And then there is the whole Special Effects advancements that came out of it like Industrial Light and Magic (ILM), LucasFilms, Skywalker Sound, and the like. So happy 30th Star Wars.
Hey, do you have any stories about your experiences with Star Wars? Share them with us. I sure would like to hear them.
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5 comments:
I remember walking down the street on a visit to London with my Nan and Grandad, 11 years old and wanting to see this flm that had a gigantic poster in 3D attached to the cinema. I didn't get to see it until I was about 14 though! But the queues at that cinema went on forever!
Indeed Star Wars was the movie that defined merchandising heaven, every 11 year old wanted the millenium falcon toy, I never got one but managed to get my hands on my mates, pure joy at 11 I can tell you.
Mind you I did do a mean Darth Vadar impression....ahhhhhh memories!
I believe that I went to see Star Wars with my Aunt Becky. It was the first real grown up movie I got to go see since I was going with her. Can you believe I was 11 then? I certainly can't. I've seen it again since then, probably two or three times, but from what I remember, the last scene where Luke shoots the lazer into the death star left a lasting impression on me with the special affects.
I don't know when I saw the first one for the first time, but I do remember watching The Empire Strikes Back in the theaters and the sound or picture went out for about 10 minutes.
I remember seeing the previews for Return of the Jedi and being shocked to see Luke in the elevator with Darth Vader and the Emperor (probably the first movie trailer I ever remember).
I went with Kim to see Eric at the UA (is that what it was called?) and he let me sit in the theater showing Return of the Jedi.
And of coarse the toys.
Actually, I went and hid in my bedroom when my parents first tried making me watch this.
I've also got a really vivid memory of seeing Empire Strikes Back on the big screen, which is crazy because I'm nowhere near old enough to have seen it the first time round. Did they ever re release it into cinemas?
I wouldn't call myself a fan (which means I've more sympathy for the prequels than 9/10ths of the population), and I always get this pleasant feeling of suprise when rewatching the originals because I just enjoy them so damn much.
Lucas re-released all three original films as special additions in 1999 so that is probably were you saw it.
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