Buff, NY 40th Anniversary of Star Wars

40 years ago, Star Wars was released!!

Tell us about your earliest Star Wars memory, and when you realized your calling as a Star Wars fan.

 

Was not at release of Star Wars in May 1977, but several months later in August we went to see it. We were living near Erie, PA and went to see it in Harborcreek taking our then 3-year old son. Everything was fine til the Millenium Falcon made that first jump to light speed and it frightened him so much he wanted us to leave. Of course, being good parents we bribed him with the promise of a toy if we stayed. That worked. Fortunately, the theater was near a Kmart which we went to immediately after the movie. He selected a Kenner C-3PO action figure and that represented (along with the movie tix) the beginning of many dollars spent on Star Wars over the past 40 years.

 

I remember seeing Star Wars in the theater but not until the 1979 re-release. Shortly after, my mother made costumes for my brother and I - Tatooine Luke, and Leia. The next year we were Leia and Vader. And on, and on. We quickly saved allowances and UPC mail-in codes to create our modest collection of action figures and Millennium Falcon! Due to limited resources, we didn't have any other ships or vehicles and our favorite friends were those who did.
I continued my fandom with recreating Leia's numerous hairstyles and I was successful even into high school! I had very long hair until age 14. As time went on we collected cards, toys, posters. In fact, Jonathan still has my bedroom curtains!! With that said, my fandom began very early, in 1979. And I am proud to call myself a Star Wars fan today!

 

Well, I wasn't even born in 77, but my older cousins were big SW fans and had the original toys. My earliest memory would have to be playing with the 77 version toys of Vader, Threepio, Artoo when I was five and not having a clue who they were yet (i think this was in 88 or 89). Years later when I met Bryan at school he got me into seeing the Special Edition films. Then from there I kept wanting more and read the Expanded Universe...

 

I remember watching the prequels with my little brother. We must have had every action figure, lightsaber, and blaster they made. I remember reenacting the scenes of Episode 2, with me being Padme and he was Jango Fett. Then, we started watching the original trilogy on VHS. I remember coming home from school everyday and playing Episode 6 on repeat. We loved the scene in Jabba's palace with the Rancor and the scene with the Sarlacc pit. We had agendas in middle school, where we wrote our homework due dates in, and I had spent my entire study hall printing pictures from Return of the Jedi and decking out my agenda. My love for Star Wars rekindled when I saw The Force Awakens. I fell in love with Rey's character and the thought of a female main character potentially being a Jedi. My love for Star Wars just keeps getting stronger!

 

In the summer of '77, Mom and Dad took me to the DriveIn to see Star Wars and the love was instant! (This was back when you had the Giant speaker that hung in the car window.) The love deepened when VHS first released. Thanks to my sister and her Columbia movie club, I didn't have to drop several hundred dollars! Even the crappy audio on that release did not stop me from running the sound thru my stereo to recreate the theater feel.

My happiest individual moment comes courtesy of my mom. After seeing Star Wars in 77, I reeeaaallly wanted an X-Wing and the Luke Pilot action figure. Well, I got the x-wing, but Luke was sold out. I got a hand written letter from Sant promising to bring it later. Being a kid, the request/promise were forgotten and replaced by other interests. Flash forward to the late 90s/early 2000s. Mom sees the action figure in a store, remembers the story and gets it for me for Christmas! (I didn't have the heart to tell her I bought the x-wing and pilot as soon as they were rereleased with the prequel trilogy - it was the thought that counted!)


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I was 11 years old, we originally were going to see Wizards by Ralph Bakshi back in 1977 and Star Wars took it's place at the theatre.

Who would have thought 40 years later I'd be walking around dressed as Jek Porkins?

 

I had just moved to Buffalo with my family in June of 1977 (I was 9 at the time). One of the first movies I saw when I arrived here was ANH at the old Holiday 8 on Union IIRC. I remember collecting the original Star Wars magazines, and slowly started amassing the movie cards (which I now have - all 5 sets with stickers!) and action figures (which I no longer have thanks to my parents). That developed my lifelong love of Star Wars and sci-fi in general. Years later I spoke with my dad about Star Wars - he said he could have cared less about it! Well, at least I have passed along my love of the movies to Christopher! Hopefully he'll do the same someday.