CT Audience Reactions to the OT in the cinema.

I found this amazing video online



In contains audio excerpts from a showing of Star Wars in 1977 including cheers and reactions from the audience. A really cool thing to be able to hear, back when Star Wars was new.

Does anyone have any stories like this. I wasn't around for them in the theaters.

 

Really interesting artifact there. I know that people would do anything to relive Star Wars at home, so it doesn't surprise me that someone snuck a recorder into the theater.

Anyways, while I was born in the 90s, there was still much to relate to in this clip. I know many fans like myself can't remember their first time specifically after so many viewings, but all the cheers and response really reminded me of the impact the film still has. The big moment was Han's return, but I also liked the girl uttering "monsters" as Tarkin prepared to fire on the Rebel base.

 

I remember people cheering when Luke and Leia swung across the chasm.

 

It was like being at a football match! Oohs and ahs, gasps, cheering and whistling. Unbelievable stuff really.

 

I'd love to hear a tape recording from 1997...

Star Wars Fan: "Eh, what the **** is this ****!?"

 

In 1997 we had the Internet, where you could look up naked ladies and complain about Greedo shooting first.


I guess nothing has changed.

 

I remember when I saw The Empire Strikes Back people cheered when Luke blew up the Walker in the Hoth Battle.

 

I wasn't alive back then but it must've been amazing to seen ANH in theaters. Cannot wait for my theater experience this December when VII comes out.

 

I remember when I saw "THE GREEN HORNET" in the theaters. The audience clapped loudly in the end. Yet, it was a box office flop and is still highly criticized by many. I think the box office was more of a sign of ANH's popularity.

 

I was 7 when ANH came out (know back then as just STAR WARS). I don't remember much. But, by the time ESB came out, I was ten years old and the audience was very into the movie. Watching Jedi I remember the cheers, screams and applause throughout the movie.

 

I recall a SW producer saying at the first night of the first release, the audience booed Darth Vader's first appearance - as he climbs through the hatch of the blockade runner.

People with no prior SW experience, with only visual and musical cues, instinctively responding negatively to the main villain. That's a good movie.

 

John Williams' score was very in tune with the emotions that the picture was trying to convey. No words are needed.

 

I reckon you could watch the original SW with the dialogue removed and have a pretty good idea of what was going on from start to finish.

 

Which is why the ROTJ NOOO! is so hated. The music already does what the dialog would and does it better.

 

Dial-up

 

I actually got a little choked up listening to that. Particularly when they cheer for Han swooping in to save Luke. Such a pure moment.

I'd give anything to go back and watch SW in 1977 with an audience. I was 3 when I went, and my memories are fuzzy. I was 6 when I went to see TESB, and I do remember one kid a few seats down saying "No way." when Vader revealed he was Luke's Father. I was 9 when I went to see ROTJ and my biggest memory is everyone cheering when Chewie showed up at Jabba's palace.

 

I remember lots of cheering when the death star was destroyed. Pretty amazing. It was a very long time before I saw another film with an audience that into it.

 

(Sigh), where's a time machine when you need one?

 

Man that would be awesome to go back in time to hear the reactions of the crowd. I'm guessing it couldn't be too far off what i exerienced at Celebration VII in Anaheim this year. They showed all the films on the big screen and it was a treat to hear the crowds reactions to each scene.

 

Yup - lots of cheering and gasps during the movie, and smiles galore coming out of it. It was quite the experience.

 

Two things I remember....
First, back in 1977, after Death Star went up, I heard some people laughing at Vader during the last shot of him stabilizing his fighter and zooming off. No wonder he wanted payback three years later.

Second, in 1983, I saw ROTJ on opening day. When the Emperor was zapping Luke, the whole audience was shouting at Vader, "Help him!" And when he grabbed Palpatine and tossed him down the shaft, there was a HUGE cheer.

Yup, you can't replace the moviegoing experience.

 

I have memories of audience reactions, activities at theaters and all that at a lot of movies but I don't remember any details or reactions other than my own from when I went to see these. I can't even remember if the theaters were crowded.

 

Though the first time I saw ROTJ was at the drive-in and some of my memories are a bit fuzzy, I know from my sister that people cheered when Anakin saved Luke and people honked their horns.

When it comes to audio recordings like this, there is one for "Halloween" and you can hear crowd reactions not unlike this.

 

I envy all of you in this thread. The first time I saw the OT was at home in the early 90s, and though I did see it on the big screen when the SEs came out, I can only imagine what it must have been like to see the films for the very first time.