It’s 1977 and I’m reading The Detroit Free Press. In it is a story about an relatively unknown movie called Star Wars directed by an unknown man named George Lucus.
The article tells me this movie is attracting a lot of fans because of its spectacular special effects. Star Wars interests me because I’m a big science fiction fan. Can’t get enough of reading about future times.
So one day I take my two sons out of school, put my young daughter in the car and we’re off to Southfield’s Americana movie theater.
Despite it being a weekday, the line waiting to get into the building is long. Thank God, I’ve packed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to chow down on while waiting.
Inside we watch in awe as a message scrolls down the screen, uplifting music blares out of the speakers, spaceships zip through space fighting the empire. We fall in love with Hans Solo, Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, C-3PO, R2-D2 and Chewbacca.
Four Star Wars fans left that movie theater that day.
It’s hard to believe it was 28 years ago.
The Empire Strikes Back was released in 1980, Return of the Jedi in 1983. Each time the family waited in anticipation for opening day.
Return of the Jedi wrapped up the storyline with Darth Vader dying, Hans Solo and Princess Leia becoming a couple, the empire destroyed and everyone living happily ever after.
We were all sad the Star Wars saga was ending. It had become something to look forward to every couple of years.
In the 90s, Lucus announced a pre-sequel trilogy. We were going to learn how Darth Vader became a member of the dark force.
When Phantom Menace opened in 1999, I tried so hard to tell everyone I loved it, but I was disappointed. It didn’t seem to have the same impact.
The day it opened I ran into an Oxford Leader reporter at the theater. It was already the second time he’d seen the movie. He ended up watching the movie numerous times and kept on insisting it was wonderful.
I disliked Attack of the Clones, so much, that I had doubts I would go see the last episode, but…it was to be the last one. I did go and I did like it, just not as much as the first three movies.
I’ve been trying to figure out why. I think it all comes back to the original characters. They were lovable. Even the good robots showed off their acting talents and had plenty of film time. Hans Solo provided comic relief in-between the killing of robots.
I’m guessing I won’t remember the names of any central characters in the last three episodes, except of course Yoda. Although not real, he has a place in all out hearts and my nomination for best supporting actor of the year.
Maybe it has something to do with the growth of computer animation. I’ve seen lots of movies with computer animation. It has become so good that it’s no big deal.
Remember when I wrote earlier we were such in awe of the special effects of the first movie? Maybe I’ve become jaded since the first movie came out or maybe I’ve just grown out of it.