If you’re of my generation, you realize that the movie was revolutionary. It changed the way we go to the cinema. It began a whole new culture, a whole new cult following.
Star Wars introduced new terms and concepts into our culture. Droid, stormtrooper, jedi and even wookie became familiar words.
I saw Star Wars for the first time with a high school friend. We were both home from our freshman year at (different) college(s). Back on campus, I saw it again (and perhaps again) with my roommate. We even had an adventure of sorts as we got lost in town on the way to the theater.
We stood in line for hours to see “The Empire Strikes Back.” And “Luke I’m your father” generated almost as much buzz as “Who Shot J.R.?”
Fast forward to the age of VCRs and my family spent untold weeks making Friday nights pizza and movie night. Always the same pizza, and one of three possible Star Wars movies. Ten years later, the younger brother is likewise a fan, but he’s fonder of the latter three movies.
I on the other hand, felt slightly sacrilegious laughing at the Yoda vs. Saruman (Count Dooku) fight in Episode I. And I admit looking at my watch and being distressed that we were only 45 minutes into the film.
All of this began, on this day, 35 years ago…when Star Wars was released in the theaters.