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Topic:
Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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Alexis_Wingstar
Registered:
Sep '06
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Date Posted:
5/10 8:04pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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My birthday isn't until September, so I was 12 when it came out. At the time, St. Louis did not have a major theater in the city. The one theater showing Star Wars was a thirty minute drive out to a suburb, and my parents wouldn't drive me out there.
"You can wait until it comes into the city and get view it in the cheap theater."  My blood still boils at that!
Well, it took a good six months or so for it to come into the city to that cheap theater... and I was sick the two weekends it showed! 
By the third weekend, it went back out to the big theater!
I had to wait until the summer of '78 to see it in the cheap theater.
By then, I had memorized every single commercial, the soundtrack (on a plastic long play record, folks... you remember those?  ) and even had read/memorized the fold out in it which said which track went with which scene. My paperback book had been read so many times it was falling apart. I even would listen to the appropriate track on my record while reading each scene from the book.
When I finally went to go see it, I made the mistake of going with two friends who weren't into science fiction and fantasy like I was, and once they heard me saying lines under my breath just as, or even right before the characters were saying it, they were like, "Hey, we thought you haven't seen this movie before!"
Well duh! I had read the book, and memorized everything already! Though I was severely disappointed at not seeing Biggs until the end, or seeing Luke go into Toche station and getting teased and ragged by the others when he described the dogfight he'd witnessed through his electro binoculars.
Well, my friends decided that I'd lied... and decided to torture me by talking and mock arguing with each other (I was sitting in the middle). I kept shushing them, but of course, they wouldn't shush. So, I got up in a huff... acting rather like Owen Lars... and sat about fifteen rows away from them and enjoyed the movie by myself, still saying the lines under my breath and humming along to the soundtrack at varying places.
Now I wonder whatever happened to those friends of mine. *sigh* I lost touch with them when they moved out of St. Louis.
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"Change. It can be good. It can be bad. It can be expected or come as a thief in the night. Invited or not, it always comes." ~Koria "Tender Shadows", co-written w/ The Musical Jedi "Two Peas Out of the Pod" http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/205643
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madman007
Registered:
Aug '07
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Date Posted:
5/10 10:16pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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I was 7 in '77 and one day I remember seeing a paperback that my dad just bought that had pictures. It was the book of the movie called Star Wars. Now, I was too young to actually read it, but I was struck by the wild creatures and robots in the pictures. I actually don't remember much in detail about going the very first time but my dad tells me my mouth was open in awe during the entire movie. (My mouth has been in the proverbial jaw drop ever since, but lately in books it's changed to head scratching.  )
Later, I remember seeing it at a drive-in. Yes, for those youngins reading this, they showed movies at night on gigantic screens outside where you stayed in your car to watch. Anyone remember those huge speakers that you hung on your car window? Now, imagine the very first scene with the Devestator chasing the Tantive VI on a screen that was larger than a house! 
In 1980, I saw ESB in the same theater that is about twenty minutes from where I live now. Recently I just discovered they are now closing that theatre and it made me sad a bit. In 97, I also saw the remastered versions in that same theater. Back in 80, I knew first hand what "blockbuster" meant, as the line for ESB stretched all the way around the building! And I remember this clearly; at the epic scene with the ultimate "who's your daddy" twist, there was a collective gasp from the whole audience-including me.
Then came ROTJ in 83. I was already hooked. Had the best of all the toys, including the Death Star playset (never had that Millennium Falcon, dangit!) I bought a storybook of the movie before it came out (sort of an 80's version of spoilers) and I knew the story. It didn't matter. They had the movie on about 3 different screens and people were packed in all of them.
Part of the Star Wars experience for me was seeing all 3 with hundreds of other people. Nothing today can compare to that, unless you have a big theatre system.
You can add in Raiders of the Lost Ark in this experience too. That's why I can't wait for May 22. Hey, I can be a kid again, too!
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It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day,
in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.
- Barack Obama
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dianethx
Registered:
Mar '02
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Date Posted:
5/11 6:32am
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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I was an adult when Star Wars came out - 26, married, working, not yet a parent.
Opening weekend, my husband suggested that we go see something called "Star Wars". I said yes. We were and are both science fiction fans and had seen most of the SF movies in the theaters. Keep in mind that most of the movies of that time were dark, grim, depressing, always ended badly with the world/galaxy/universe going to hell. So I didn't really think it would be much fun. Boy was I wrong.
It wasn't opening in many theaters so we found the one near us and got in line. And what a line. It must have been 1/4 mile long. We could see the theater way in the distance - this was before indoor multiplexes and movie theaters attached to malls. Good thing it was a sunny day. It took a couple of hours waiting just to get in. I think I got burnt standing in the sun.
As we saw the opening credits, I loved the crawl - so reminicent of Flash Gordon and the 30s movies. I figured that Lucas might just give us an entertaining movie. Then the movement of the camera down to Tatooine and the ship getting fired on and the long, long, long Star Destroyer. OH MY GOD. I was in love!
I'd never seen such special effects before. They were always static and so unrealistic in their slow movement. Plus everything was always clean (2001 - a boring Space Odyssey) or else dirty in an unrealistic way. This movie made me feel like I was there, in that world.
The tension as the stormtroopers came in and started firing. The resignation in the Rebel's eyes as they saw Vader. The sheer evilness of the villian! Breathtaking in his armor and the way you couldn't see into his eyes. I was still going OH MY GOD.
The appearance of the Princess (I love myths and Knights of the Round table stories) was great. Her spunk, the way she looked into Vader's mask and didn't flinch. Remember too that the woman's movement was really just getting going. Women were usually in subordinant roles and here was a woman. In charge!
I was loving the robots too. The ones in the other movies were usually so.. well robotic. No emotion and yet here was a prissy butler and his trashcan sidekick and I was laughing at their antics.
Then the change of scene to Tatooine and I saw the young, farmboy hero dreaming his dreams. I could empathize with him and yet I also recognized Arthur from mythology. It was a quiet time before the action would heat up. But I was still breathless.
Enter the wizard. And what a wizard with a sword made of light and a story of pain, suffering and yet he was so gentle. I could see the courage in his eyes.
When Luke didn't want to go, I figured something was going to happen but I didn't think Lucas would leave smoldering skeletons. Brilliant stroke.
I laughed when Han and Chewie came on the scene but I was also enthralled. Here was every cantina ever written in science fiction novels brought to life. So they weren't the best makeup and creatures I'd ever seen. They were enough to set the scene and I loved, loved, loved it.
By then, I was in overload. There was so much there that I could no longer think. I could only sit there in amazement and try to breathe. I don't think I did for the entire movie.
All I know is that when the credits started to role, I wanted to see that movie again. Desperately wanted to get back into line and see it again. I remember driving home and my husband said the same thing. We were flying in our xwing, not a mundane car, and we HAD to see it again. I was literally twitching for the excitement of it.
It was only later that I realized just how much I loved the music and the storyline. But at the moment I was too full, just too much energized by it.
It literally changed my life.
I taught myself to paint so that I could have the opening shot from the movie. It's hanging in my den right now. From there I went to costuming and quilting and writing - Star Wars of course. I'm a Star Wars nerd and will be for the rest of my life.
Now, the Prequels. I've one of those that really love the Prequels. The sheer enormity of it, the political machinations, the way Anakin was manipulated (Opera scene anyone?), the horror of Obi-Wan's face as he realized that his best friend had turned. Oh, the PT is magical. Sure there are some horrible dialogue - same as the OT. But it's such a grand scale that it helps make the OT so much more cosy and poignant. Love it!
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Betrayal - http://boards.theforce.net/s/b1/10935143 updated 9/22/08 Fragments of Illusion- http://boards.theforce.net/bts/b10475/28456473 updated 11/20/08 jedidas3's Master At last - Hope for our country
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Rigil_Kent
Registered:
Jan '04
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Date Posted:
5/11 8:13am
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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I was only 5 when ANH came out, but I recall being blown away by the movie. I too saw it at a drive-in theater and mostly recall being annoyed 'cause the people in the car next to us were arguing over something. By the time the Battle of Yavin began, though, they had shut up sufficiently for me to enjoy it fully while my dad dozed in his seat (what can I say? He didn't like sci-fi at all, and he only took me to shut me up.  ) While the movie did make an impact on me, I didn't realize how much of an impact until three years later when my fragile mind was shattered irreparably by the glory that is Empire...
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You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having both at once. -Robert Heinlein Tyranny Reborn: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28516174/p1 Shattered Dreams: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/
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Jade_Pilot
Registered:
Dec '05
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Date Posted:
5/11 1:16pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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I saw SW opening night in 1977 and remember thinking that it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. I also feel instantly in love with Luke-hey I was 10 years old! 
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"It is in giving that we receive." ~ St. Francis of Assisi
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ardavenport
Registered:
Dec '04
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Date Posted:
5/11 1:32pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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Alexis: my sympathies on all the frustrations you went through to finally see ANH! I count myself lucky that my mother's taste for Alec Guiness got me the ride to see it in '77. It was playing way on the other side of town (Portland OR) and there wasn't even a bus that went there.
Agreed on all points, diane, Star Wars was a life-changer. What made it such phenomenon at the time was that so much of it was either new or a stunning revival of the old.
- the music
- THE SPECIAL EFFECTS
- the used quality of everything in a futuristic setting
- non-humanoid robot with a personality, R2
- aliens with subtitles
- aliens with their own languages that sounded cool
- the sound effects
- the hero-myth story
- non-human main character in a movie, Chewie
- the costumes
- the sets
- the space-fantasy setting
- good looking space ships
- the cantina
- the cantina band
A lot of things like this are taken for granted now, but SW set the standard. It is to the Motion Picture Academy's shame that its members could not get over their prejudice against SF movies to pick Star Wars as best picture of the year.
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Links to all fics -- http://boards.theforce.net/Message.aspx?topic=25405090&brd=10304&start=26223917 The Heart of the Jedi -- http://boards.theforce.net/b/b1/26013327 ---- Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, JA and everything you wanted to know about lightsabers
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divapilot
Registered:
Nov '05
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Date Posted:
5/11 1:45pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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I was thirteen years old and spending the summer up in the woods of Vermont, miles away from anything, when a friend wrote to me about how she had seen a cool movie called "Star Wars." When I got back to my hometown, I went to see it, in the local movie theater (waaaay before the cineplexes).
I remember the star destroyer kept going, and going, and going...and I was hooked.
Diane brings up some important points -- Star Wars was different from everything that people take for granted now. The special effects were far beyond what I expected. The pace of the movie was breakneck and fun, not plodding or bogged in ponderous philosophy. The idea that a princes would mouth off to her rescuers, that she was giving the orders and not becoming a burden -- this had a tremendous influence on this thirteen year old girl. Leia was the first female to kick butt. There would have been no Ripley if there wasn't a Princess Leia to lead the way.
I've been watching movies for about 40 years, and Star Wars is the only one where people stood up and cheered.
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 Never tell me the odds. AKL
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Golden_Jedi
Registered:
Jun '05
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Date Posted:
5/11 2:15pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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I was confused for a while because all my earlier SW memories were tied to my last year of ground school (1978) until I discovered that Star Wars opened in my country only by Christmas 1977 (thanks, IMDB!). Yes, things were slower those days...
I think my grandfather took me to watch it (I was 12 and wasn't allowed to go by myself to a movie until the end of that year) and I must confess I have faint 'true memories' of that day. I remember vagely Luke and the twin sunset, the droids in the sand, Han saving Luke in the end and my puzzlement by the time the ending titles crawled by: But... But... The bad guy is not dead!!
What I do remember is that everybody was collecting the trading cards and while all my girlfriends wanted those of 'the blonde guy', I changed them for those of 'the dark haired guy'... 
The the Saturday Night Fever came along.  
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The country is that place where chickens walk around uncooked - Julio Cortázar Unexpected Blossom http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28693266 Sailing Little Boats http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/28747916
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General Kenobi
Title: Comms Admin
SW & Film Music
Classic Trilogy
Registered:
Dec '98
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Date Posted:
5/11 7:58pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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Lots of great memories above, folks. 
I was ten years old in the summer of 1977 when I saw Star Wars for the first time at the Strand Theater in Madison, WI. The theater experience was quite different back then. The theater seated over a thousand people, and it was pretty full that night. After Googling the Strand tonight, I discovered that it just had a Dolby Stereo sound system installed that year for Star Wars.
I mainly remember my impression of the opening scenes and the droids in the desert. And how excited I was on the drive home.
I had seen the "preview" in Issue #7 of Starlog magazine (my mom had gotten me a subscription) and I remember being skeptical, but wow was I wrong!
Back then we only had two theaters in our town (plus the drive-in), a far cry from the multiplexes of today, and I remember begging my mother to take me back to see Star Wars on our next trip to Madison later that summer. We also saw it at a drive-in the next summer, and probably once or twice more on one of the re-releases.
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mojodaddy
Registered:
Aug '02
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Date Posted:
5/12 6:17am
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
- Date Edited:
5/12 6:32am (1 edits total)
Edited By:
mojodaddy
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I was two years old in 1977, and though they are very vague, I do have some memories from that era. My parents had been hearing radio ads for Star Wars for a couple of months, and were determined that the three of us would go see this movie. We went when it arrived at the Esquire theater in downtown Cleburne, Texas. The theater had only two screens, but they were massive, and mono sound. I would kill (actually take lives) to see it this way again. I do actually remember moments from that first viewing. I sat between my parents, I was so little that I had to sit toward the edge of the seat so it wouldn't flip up with me inside. I remember the openning shot of Tatooine, and the princess kneeling next to R2. After the movie, my dad bought me a few action figures, and The Story of Star Wars LP. I listened to the record at bed time quite a bit, and looked at the photos in the jacket. I also had a decent collection of the trading cards. In retrospect I'm not sure if I was into Star Wars, or if it was my dad wanting me to be into Star Wars so he could justify all the attention he was paying to it. After all, I was only two, which in many ways is still an infant. I guess he was unintentionally brainwashing me, but it worked because it's 31 years later and here I am.
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Vortigern99
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '00
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Date Posted:
5/12 9:03am
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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^ ^ Just FYI, the Kenner action figures did not come out until spring 1978. It may be that you saw the movie in its first re-release in May '78. This would make more sense given that you have actual memories of the event, which are far more likely to occur at three years of age than at two.
-----signature-----
"I knew from the beginning I was not doing science fiction.
I was doing a space opera, a fantasy film, a mythological piece,
a fairy tale."--George Lucas
My "Vader's Origins" thread:
http://boards.theforce.net/Classic_Trilogy/b10002/8708417/p1
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darth_gersh
Registered:
Feb '05
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Date Posted:
5/12 1:42pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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I saw it when I was 5 years old and it was at the Wisconsin theatre in Downtown Sheboygan, WI. It was my first movie I ever got to see in a theatre and thank my dad (who has since passed) for giving me the chance to see the film. I was pretty much in awe of the whole experience. Candy, soda, popcorn and then the actual movie. I remember dad telling me to just be quite and to sit back and watch the movie. The only thing I remember that happened during the movie was at one point my dad looked over at me to see how I was doing and my mouth was just hanging open and I hadn't bearly touched any of my popcorn and candy. He just laughed and went back to the movie. After the movie let out, I asked him if that was how all movies were and he said Nah this is once in a lifetime experience.
I also remeber standing around on my bike before Return of the Jedi was gonna come out and my firends and I kept aruguing over what the title would be. Things such as Han Solo's Revenge or Skywalkers Revenge were titles my buddies and I made up.
Pretty much great experience all the way through.
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Bring on the Wookiee! "All things truly wicked start from innocence". Ernest Hemingway Save the Great White Sharks!  Crash's site soon to be up http://sharkconservationsociety.org Columbia sportswear sucks!
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mojodaddy
Registered:
Aug '02
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Date Posted:
5/12 2:04pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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Vortigern99 posted:
^ ^ Just FYI, the Kenner action figures did not come out until spring 1978. It may be that you saw the movie in its first re-release in May '78. This would make more sense given that you have actual memories of the event, which are far more likely to occur at three years of age than at two.
I'm going to agree and disagree with you. I was most certainly at the original release, but my memories of the actual film could very well be from attending a re-release.
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Vortigern99
Title: Manager Emeritus
Registered:
Nov '00
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Date Posted:
5/12 2:14pm
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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^ ^ It's certainly possible. I don't mean to say it's impossible to have memories from two years of age, just unlikely.
-----signature-----
"I knew from the beginning I was not doing science fiction.
I was doing a space opera, a fantasy film, a mythological piece,
a fairy tale."--George Lucas
My "Vader's Origins" thread:
http://boards.theforce.net/Classic_Trilogy/b10002/8708417/p1
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Jedi-2B
Registered:
Nov '00
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Date Posted:
5/13 8:48am
Subject:
RE: Seeing Star Wars in 1977
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I had been married for a few years when I first saw it in 1977, once in the theater and then again at a drive-in. I can remember liking all three movies, but didn't become a die-hard, book-reading, toy collecting fan until about a dozen years ago.
-----signature-----
It was on her fifteenth day in the darkness of the Nirauan cave when Mara Jade awoke to discover a rescuer had finally arrived.
It was not, however, any of the potential rescuers she would have expected.
It was Luke.
~~And the rest is history~~
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