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Those who saw the original Star Wars trilogy in the theaters..
Posted on 1/31/20 at 2:22 pm
Posted on 1/31/20 at 2:22 pm
What was that experience like? I was too young to be able to do that. Was also pre-internet..released every 3 years without the general public knowing what was coming next. I remember life like that, and how conversation was on schoolyard playgrounds, friends houses, etc about whatever was exciting at the time.
With "A new Hope", you were introduced to this new world, new concepts, characters, etc. New ways of filmmaking. What were you thinking when you left the theater?
When you saw that "The Empire Strikes Back" was coming, and then upon viewing this film..when the reveal came, were you expecting it? Had it been spoiled? Did you believe it?
And how did it sit with you for the next 3 years till "Return of the Jedi" cane out? Did you expect Luke to turn or kill Vader and the emperor? Did that film meet the expectations you had going in?
What was your experience?
With "A new Hope", you were introduced to this new world, new concepts, characters, etc. New ways of filmmaking. What were you thinking when you left the theater?
When you saw that "The Empire Strikes Back" was coming, and then upon viewing this film..when the reveal came, were you expecting it? Had it been spoiled? Did you believe it?
And how did it sit with you for the next 3 years till "Return of the Jedi" cane out? Did you expect Luke to turn or kill Vader and the emperor? Did that film meet the expectations you had going in?
What was your experience?
38
Posted on 1/31/20 at 2:27 pm to SEClint
I was 5 years old. Memories from that time are blurry, but remember going to see Star Wars and to a 5-year old, it was beyond amazing. I had no idea what to think. We saw it two more times in the theatre after that.
Never thought about a sequel until I heard the other kids talking about it. Empire probably had me more in awe because I was a little older and could grasp more. Vader being Luke's dad came out of nowhere and I remember a lot of us kids thought he was lying and really didn't accept it until Jedi. That one is the one that really sticks out more than the others.
Everyone anticipated Jedi and while it was good, all of us kids thought the Ewoks were stupid.
Never thought about a sequel until I heard the other kids talking about it. Empire probably had me more in awe because I was a little older and could grasp more. Vader being Luke's dad came out of nowhere and I remember a lot of us kids thought he was lying and really didn't accept it until Jedi. That one is the one that really sticks out more than the others.
Everyone anticipated Jedi and while it was good, all of us kids thought the Ewoks were stupid.
This post was edited on 1/31/20 at 2:30 pm
Posted on 1/31/20 at 2:27 pm to SEClint
Did they re-release Star Wars IV in theaters before Empire? I would have been 4 in 1977. I want to say I recall it well, so it must have been a re-release prior to Empire.
Jedi was AMAZING. I was 10 and completely ate up with it. Empire was just sad to me, but I was too young to get the point of the 3 volume trilogy and how #2 would be where the hero hits bottom.
Jedi was AMAZING. I was 10 and completely ate up with it. Empire was just sad to me, but I was too young to get the point of the 3 volume trilogy and how #2 would be where the hero hits bottom.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 2:32 pm to SEClint
The Empire Strikes Back was one of the first movies I remember seeing in the theaters. I already loved Star Wars, probably because of the toys, but I never watched that movie. I read books, listened to the stories on records, and saw the Holiday Special but I never was able to watch Star Wars until after I saw Return of the Jedi. It finally came on network TV and I was able to catch it. Something like that would blow a youngster's mind today.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 2:34 pm to SEClint
Empire Strikes Back was the greatest movie experience of my childhood. It was incredible. I remember very well forty years later and I was very young when it came out.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 2:36 pm to SEClint
Saw it in the theater when it was released, I was 16.
Kids at my school didn't know what to think of it. Growing up with 2001 and having Close Encounters as our most recent Sci-Fi film, some kids were looking for symbolism and were surprised that the movie was flat-out action.
I enjoyed it. But as a die hard Sci-Fi and Fantasy fan, a lot of it was extremely familiar. My reaction to people that flipped over it was "you know, there are a ton of books like this."
It got big fairly fast. Star Wars music was all over the radio.
Empire Strikes Back was even bigger. I had the Darth thing spoiled for me. The Muppets were huge then, so Frank Oz as Yoda stuck out like a sore thumb.
Kids at my school didn't know what to think of it. Growing up with 2001 and having Close Encounters as our most recent Sci-Fi film, some kids were looking for symbolism and were surprised that the movie was flat-out action.
I enjoyed it. But as a die hard Sci-Fi and Fantasy fan, a lot of it was extremely familiar. My reaction to people that flipped over it was "you know, there are a ton of books like this."
It got big fairly fast. Star Wars music was all over the radio.
Empire Strikes Back was even bigger. I had the Darth thing spoiled for me. The Muppets were huge then, so Frank Oz as Yoda stuck out like a sore thumb.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 2:38 pm to SEClint
I vaguely remember Star Wars (I was about 6) but I remember seeing Empire in the theater and thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. Empire is still my favorite.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 2:56 pm to SEClint
New Hope - I was pretty young when my dad took me and my brother. I don't really remember much. I thought the scene where they were in the trash compactor pretty cool.
Empire - I was excited to see it, mostly because my big brother was. I didn't really know the Star Wars story or even rememebr what had happened in the first one. I don't remember having a reaction to the big reveal, but I remember the whole theater gasping. We saw it 2 or 3 times at the theater and I was hooked. Star Wars toys were all I asked for for Christmas and birthdays after it.
Jedi - If I remember right, it was released right at the start of the summer. I just remember talking about it at school every day in the lead up to it. Getting to the theater to see it will always be a lasting memory. It was packed, people dressed up, and just a huge buzz that was exciting for 10 year old. It had been out a week or two when we saw it, and the theater was still sold out. We saw it 3 or 4 times at the theater.
I had no expectations that I remember going into any of them. Too young for that I guess.
Empire - I was excited to see it, mostly because my big brother was. I didn't really know the Star Wars story or even rememebr what had happened in the first one. I don't remember having a reaction to the big reveal, but I remember the whole theater gasping. We saw it 2 or 3 times at the theater and I was hooked. Star Wars toys were all I asked for for Christmas and birthdays after it.
Jedi - If I remember right, it was released right at the start of the summer. I just remember talking about it at school every day in the lead up to it. Getting to the theater to see it will always be a lasting memory. It was packed, people dressed up, and just a huge buzz that was exciting for 10 year old. It had been out a week or two when we saw it, and the theater was still sold out. We saw it 3 or 4 times at the theater.
I had no expectations that I remember going into any of them. Too young for that I guess.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 3:17 pm to SEClint
It may be because I was a kid but it seemed like the first one was a big deal all summer long. Then the others were great big too.
I don't think there was as much blockbuster competition and since there were fewer TV options you saw the ads for the toys a lot more frequently.
I don't think there was as much blockbuster competition and since there were fewer TV options you saw the ads for the toys a lot more frequently.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 3:39 pm to SEClint
When Star Wars was released the first time in '77, I was two. I'm not going to tell you that I remember anything. I really don't. I know it was the second movie that I was ever brought to, and I'm told that I sat still the entire time. The only memory of it I have is a vague flash of an X-Wing and TIE in a dogfight scene. By the time Empire came out, I was five. I definitely remember standing in line for it.
Remember, when Star Wars was originally released, "A New Hope" and "Episode IV" were not part of the crawl. There was no thought initially that this was going to be anything other than a standalone. Those elements were added after ESB was announced.
I think the difficult part for later generations to understand is that even as a kid my age who could not comprehend the entire story, we were inundated with the toys, read-along/cassette/record books, and the music.
We actually played with the toys in lieu of video games, etc. The original film stayed in movie theaters for 44 weeks at a time when multiple, multiple movie screen theaters weren't really a thing. Star Wars was burned into the subconscious of many of us.
Comics came out shortly after as did the release of the sequel book "Splinter of the Mind's Eye," the much-maligned Holiday Special, etc. So there were already expanded universe stories to consume. But there was definitely a build-up to ESB, and I can certainly remember the years between ESB and ROTJ everyone waiting to find out what happened.
By the time ROTJ came out, I was the age of Lucas' supposed intended audience. I was old enough to understand the Luke/Vader dynamic. Not having a lot of outlets that produced spoilers certainly helped, but I think I was able to go into ROTJ with just a sense of wanting to see what happened and not needing to dissect and posit what I was hoping would happen beforehand.
The other thing that was neat at the time for me that I enjoyed were the original "making of" documentaries that appeared. I always have enjoyed the process of seeing movies like this go from concepts to actual realized finality. So we had that and crappy plastic Halloween masks with an elastic string to appease us.
As hokey as it is to say, it really was a much simpler time when lulls were enjoyed. Binge watching didn't exist like it does now, and you really could take the time to appreciate and think about what you saw for a longer period of time before your brain was bombarded with more to overload it.
Recently, I watched the Despecialized Versions of Star Wars, ESB, and ROTJ. These are the versions that were shown in the theaters in '77, '80, and '83, respectively. I truthfully was excited to watch these and it felt like watching something new again...as weird as that sounds.
When the Special Editions were released in '97, I was in college. To have those movies come out in spans of like three weeks apart was cool at the time, but in large measure, I was in the theater searching for the "new" stuff or "upgrades." Some were fine. Some were just unnecessary. But there wasn't a sense of wanting to just see what came next. It felt processed and not organic.
The organic nature of what happened in '77 through '83, just simply cannot be replicated...particularly in today's world and even in today's Star Wars world. The intent behind the movies as a swashbuckling adventure and to a large degree modern myth has been overrun to fit modern agendas and shaped into something it was never meant to be.
The reality is, if George Lucas has not been limited by the technology of the time, I don't know that Star Wars would have become Star Wars.
Remember, when Star Wars was originally released, "A New Hope" and "Episode IV" were not part of the crawl. There was no thought initially that this was going to be anything other than a standalone. Those elements were added after ESB was announced.
I think the difficult part for later generations to understand is that even as a kid my age who could not comprehend the entire story, we were inundated with the toys, read-along/cassette/record books, and the music.
We actually played with the toys in lieu of video games, etc. The original film stayed in movie theaters for 44 weeks at a time when multiple, multiple movie screen theaters weren't really a thing. Star Wars was burned into the subconscious of many of us.
Comics came out shortly after as did the release of the sequel book "Splinter of the Mind's Eye," the much-maligned Holiday Special, etc. So there were already expanded universe stories to consume. But there was definitely a build-up to ESB, and I can certainly remember the years between ESB and ROTJ everyone waiting to find out what happened.
By the time ROTJ came out, I was the age of Lucas' supposed intended audience. I was old enough to understand the Luke/Vader dynamic. Not having a lot of outlets that produced spoilers certainly helped, but I think I was able to go into ROTJ with just a sense of wanting to see what happened and not needing to dissect and posit what I was hoping would happen beforehand.
The other thing that was neat at the time for me that I enjoyed were the original "making of" documentaries that appeared. I always have enjoyed the process of seeing movies like this go from concepts to actual realized finality. So we had that and crappy plastic Halloween masks with an elastic string to appease us.
As hokey as it is to say, it really was a much simpler time when lulls were enjoyed. Binge watching didn't exist like it does now, and you really could take the time to appreciate and think about what you saw for a longer period of time before your brain was bombarded with more to overload it.
Recently, I watched the Despecialized Versions of Star Wars, ESB, and ROTJ. These are the versions that were shown in the theaters in '77, '80, and '83, respectively. I truthfully was excited to watch these and it felt like watching something new again...as weird as that sounds.
When the Special Editions were released in '97, I was in college. To have those movies come out in spans of like three weeks apart was cool at the time, but in large measure, I was in the theater searching for the "new" stuff or "upgrades." Some were fine. Some were just unnecessary. But there wasn't a sense of wanting to just see what came next. It felt processed and not organic.
The organic nature of what happened in '77 through '83, just simply cannot be replicated...particularly in today's world and even in today's Star Wars world. The intent behind the movies as a swashbuckling adventure and to a large degree modern myth has been overrun to fit modern agendas and shaped into something it was never meant to be.
The reality is, if George Lucas has not been limited by the technology of the time, I don't know that Star Wars would have become Star Wars.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 3:52 pm to SEClint
quote:
Was also pre-internet..released every 3 years without the general public knowing what was coming next.
better
Posted on 1/31/20 at 3:59 pm to SEClint
1. Blew my young mind. It was the best thing I'd ever seen and remains the best SW movie.
2. The post SW world was in place and it didn't have the same impact, but made everyone giddy for the 3rd one. I remember there being an air of doubt that Luke really was Vader's son. It seems pretty cut and dry when you watch the movie, but there were a lot of people who spent the next three years thinking it might not be true.
3. The thing I remember the most about Jedi was walking out with my friends when it was over, talking about the Clone Wars prequel rumors. Even then, we knew the 3 year breaks were deliberate, and we already knew that Lucas was rumored to have conceptualized something, but that we'd likely not see it for many years.
But no one, at the time, was going around saying Empire was the best one, like some do now. That sentiment baffles me.
2. The post SW world was in place and it didn't have the same impact, but made everyone giddy for the 3rd one. I remember there being an air of doubt that Luke really was Vader's son. It seems pretty cut and dry when you watch the movie, but there were a lot of people who spent the next three years thinking it might not be true.
3. The thing I remember the most about Jedi was walking out with my friends when it was over, talking about the Clone Wars prequel rumors. Even then, we knew the 3 year breaks were deliberate, and we already knew that Lucas was rumored to have conceptualized something, but that we'd likely not see it for many years.
But no one, at the time, was going around saying Empire was the best one, like some do now. That sentiment baffles me.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 4:06 pm to SEClint
It's not a New Hope to me. It's Star Wars. I was captivated as a 5-6 year old.
When Empire came out, it was unbelievable. The Hoth Battle scene with the At-Ats and snow speeders to this day gets me excited. Boba Fett was the coolest character. And no way Darth could be Luke's dad. It's a trap Luke!!!
It was a long 3 years waiting for Jedi. And yes, Jedi met all the expectations I had.
When Empire came out, it was unbelievable. The Hoth Battle scene with the At-Ats and snow speeders to this day gets me excited. Boba Fett was the coolest character. And no way Darth could be Luke's dad. It's a trap Luke!!!
It was a long 3 years waiting for Jedi. And yes, Jedi met all the expectations I had.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 4:10 pm to SEClint
I saw the original in theatres. Was a 12 or 13 when A New Hope Came out. It was definitely a phenomenon all its own at the time. I think the next two releases (Episode V and Episode VI) built on that (it also gave us Space Balls). I absolutely flipped out over Star Wars ANH and lost count how many times I went to wee it in the theatres. I remember going to see Close Encounters, released later that year, and being somewhat disappointed - even though I was an avid SiFi reader and Bermuda Triangle expert at the time.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 4:26 pm to SEClint
Posted on 1/31/20 at 5:09 pm to SEClint
I remember bits and pieces of the first - like Luke and Leia kissing before he swung across, the trash compactor scene, and Ben vanishing. Vader was awesome. It was like nothing I had ever seen. Jaws was the same way - but much, much scarier.
I remember reading a book about Vader being Luke’s father before I saw Empire - just as unnerving. It just turned everything up x1000.
I was an early teen for Jedi, and it was just a lot of fun.
It was a great trilogy (that and Indy) to grow up on. My older kids grew up on the next three. My youngest is growing up on the new ones (poor guy).
I remember reading a book about Vader being Luke’s father before I saw Empire - just as unnerving. It just turned everything up x1000.
I was an early teen for Jedi, and it was just a lot of fun.
It was a great trilogy (that and Indy) to grow up on. My older kids grew up on the next three. My youngest is growing up on the new ones (poor guy).
This post was edited on 1/31/20 at 5:10 pm
Posted on 1/31/20 at 5:41 pm to SEClint
Bunch of 40 somethings up in here. I think I was 5 when Star Wars came out. I don’t remember watching it at the movies but do remember having a Star Wars themed birthday party in 1rst grade at Johnny’s Pizza that got me hooked. Distinctly remember going to Empire and it will forever be my favorite movie from childhood with Indiana Jones Temple of Doom being second. Jedi came out at the end of my 6th grade year and I think we watched it a bazillion times that Summer.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 5:56 pm to SEClint
One of the earliest memories I have is of watching Empire Strikes Back two times in a row as a four year old at the Plaza Twin theater in Monroe. The snow speeder scene awesome. As was everything else.
I do remember somehow knowing who Yoda was referring to when he said “there is another”.
Three years later we sat in line for hours at the same theater to see Return of the Jedi.
I do remember somehow knowing who Yoda was referring to when he said “there is another”.
Three years later we sat in line for hours at the same theater to see Return of the Jedi.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 5:58 pm to SEClint
A New Hope - a friend saw it 20 times in a month before I managed to get in the theater. I loved it on the first view, developed suspension of disbelief problems on the second.
Empire Strikes Back - Awesome. Drove down from Boulder with my brothers to a huge screen theater in Denver and it was just an amazing movie. Drove down the next day to repeat it. The reveal - figured it out a split second before Vader said it. Not spoiled, yes I believed it - totally made sense.
Return of the Jedi - it felt like an eternity since Empire. Didn't know what to expect. More or less met expectations - not as good as Empire, a better film from the standpoint of story than A New Hope. Not entirely satisfying though. Little did I know of the crap festival to follow.
Empire Strikes Back - Awesome. Drove down from Boulder with my brothers to a huge screen theater in Denver and it was just an amazing movie. Drove down the next day to repeat it. The reveal - figured it out a split second before Vader said it. Not spoiled, yes I believed it - totally made sense.
Return of the Jedi - it felt like an eternity since Empire. Didn't know what to expect. More or less met expectations - not as good as Empire, a better film from the standpoint of story than A New Hope. Not entirely satisfying though. Little did I know of the crap festival to follow.
Posted on 1/31/20 at 6:01 pm to SEClint
I was 8 for Star Wars, it blew my mind. It was a complete game changer, and for the remainder of the 70's it dominated everything my young mind could imagine.
My parents must have spent tons on the toys, but sadly they all are gone now (amazing how much that stuff is worth nowadays).
I still have a soft spot for the original movie models, as well as from Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers (2 blatant ripoffs for the effects, which I greatly appreciated
)
My parents must have spent tons on the toys, but sadly they all are gone now (amazing how much that stuff is worth nowadays).
I still have a soft spot for the original movie models, as well as from Battlestar Galactica and Buck Rogers (2 blatant ripoffs for the effects, which I greatly appreciated
)
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