Star Wars "The movie that changed everything"
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Star Wars "The movie that changed everything"
Celebrating....... "Star Wars" (aka "A New Hope") - 30th Anniv. - May 25, 2007 It's hard to believe it's been 30 years already! I saw SW in the theater soon after it premiered. Needless to say I became an instant, devoted SW fan (my favorite character was and will always be Luke).
Congratulations SW and George Lucas for continuing to inspire new generations to this saga. Sorry, but I have to say it...."May the Force be with you".......I heard that phrase over and over again in 1977. LOL
_______________________
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/ ... index.html
Thirty years later, 'Star Wars' force still being felt
POSTED: 10:16 a.m. EDT, May 24, 2007
• "Star Wars" was released May 25, 1977, in just 40 theaters
• Blockbuster film tremendously influential
• 30th anniversary events include History Channel documentary
(CNN) -- What the studio executives couldn't see, 13-year-old Stephen Colbert saw all too clearly.
"We went to school the next day unable to explain to our friends how everything was different now," the "Colbert Report" host, now 43, says about his first viewing of "Star Wars" in the History Channel documentary "Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed."
How right he was.
"Star Wars," indeed, was a phenomenon -- one that caught most of Hollywood by surprise. Thirty years after its premiere on May 25, 1977 (in just 32 theaters), it remains the model for the summer blockbuster -- and a touchstone for two generations of moviegoers. (i-Report: Your "Star Wars" memories)
With the film's 30th anniversary Friday, celebrations are kicking into high gear. Besides the History Channel special, set to air 9 p.m. ET Monday, there are:
Several books (notably "The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film" [Del Rey]);
"Star Wars" weekends at the Disney-MGM Studios theme park near Orlando, Florida;
"Star Wars" Celebration IV, beginning Thursday in Los Angeles, California;
30th-anniversary action figures, released by Hasbro;
A screening of all six films on Cinemax on Friday;
And even "Star Wars" postage stamps, to go along with all those R2-D2 mailboxes that the United States Postal Service has installed around the country.
Not bad for a film rather unsensationally described in its own press kit as "an expression of [George Lucas'] boyhood fantasy life -- his love for 'Flash Gordon' and all the great mysteries and adventures in books and movies." (EW: The secrets of "Star Wars")
'It was touch-and-go for a time'
Given that press kits are usually chock-full of hyperbole, that somewhat timid portrayal may have indicated what studio execs, and even Lucas' friends, thought of the film.
After viewing a screening in March 1977, with the special effects still unfinished, Lucas' wife Marcia was aghast, according to Peter Biskind's 1970s movie history, "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls."
"It's the 'At Long Last Love' of science fiction," she said, referring to a well-known bomb of the time.
And the necessary special effects cost a fortune in 1977. Lucas' studio, 20th Century Fox, was nervous. "It was touch-and-go for a time," Lucas later recalled. (He wouldn't trust a studio again, creating his own company, Lucasfilm, to go along with his special-effects house, Industrial Light & Magic, for future endeavors.)
But moviegoers never doubted. The film was a hit from its first day, attracting such crowds of people that its opening was featured on Walter Cronkite's "CBS Evening News." Harrison Ford was practically ripped apart while shopping at a record store. The film's theme music, redone in disco form by a musician named Meco, became a No. 1 single.
The success of "Star Wars" paved the way for Lucas' entire empire, including massively successful merchandising tie-ins and five other films, broadening the "Star Wars" mythology. (Gallery: A guide to "Star Wars" characters)
Observers, from casual fans to Ph.D.-laden professors, have tried to explain the reasons for the films' success. Lucas had more than "Flash Gordon" on his mind when he started writing the first film in 1973; he had the myth-probing works of Joseph Campbell as well.
Lucas' universe incorporated such figures as the reluctant hero (Luke Skywalker), the reckless adventurer (Han Solo), the goofy sidekick (C-3PO, Jar Jar Binks) and -- perhaps most important -- the corrupted leader (Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader). It's a mythology that has deep resonance.
"A hundred years from now someone will be sitting here discussing the impact of 'Star Wars' and they will be seeing different things in it than we are seeing today, just as today we have classes in the university on Homer," Joan Breton Connelly, who teaches "From the Iliad to 'Star Wars' " at New York University, says in "Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed."
Former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw is blunter.
"I thought 'Star Wars' was the quintessential Western played out in a different universe," he says in the History Channel documentary.
'All roads now lead to Tatooine'
"Star Wars" changed the Hollywood universe as well.
Previous box-office kings -- "The Sound of Music," "The Godfather," '70s disaster movies, even "Star Wars" predecessor "Jaws" -- were aimed primarily at adults. "Star Wars" brought in a huge teenage market that went to movies over and over (and over) again. In the decades since, this has become Hollywood's blockbuster template.
In a recent column, Atlanta Journal-Constitution film critic Eleanor Ringel lamented how "Star Wars" and "Saturday Night Fever" helped kill the so-called '70s golden age, when movies ranging from "The Godfather" to "The Sting" to "Shampoo" could be both critical and box office successes.
"Goodbye, Don Corleone and Travis Bickle. Hello, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Tony Manero. Move over, Little Italy and Nashville. All roads now lead to Tatooine and Brooklyn," she wrote.
And though the second "Star Wars" trilogy -- "The Phantom Menace," "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" -- did huge business, many fans prefer the first three films. (Most rate the second film, 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back," best; it's no coincidence that it had a script written by Lawrence Kasdan and sci-fi legend -- and noted screenwriter -- Leigh Brackett.)
Nevertheless, Lucas and his collaborators succeeded in creating a legacy.
"It is bad guys versus good guys, and everyone wants to see that story," says director -- and hardcore "Star Wars" fan -- Kevin Smith in the documentary. "That story will never grow tired, never grow old."
Congratulations SW and George Lucas for continuing to inspire new generations to this saga. Sorry, but I have to say it...."May the Force be with you".......I heard that phrase over and over again in 1977. LOL
_______________________
http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Movies/ ... index.html
Thirty years later, 'Star Wars' force still being felt
POSTED: 10:16 a.m. EDT, May 24, 2007
• "Star Wars" was released May 25, 1977, in just 40 theaters
• Blockbuster film tremendously influential
• 30th anniversary events include History Channel documentary
(CNN) -- What the studio executives couldn't see, 13-year-old Stephen Colbert saw all too clearly.
"We went to school the next day unable to explain to our friends how everything was different now," the "Colbert Report" host, now 43, says about his first viewing of "Star Wars" in the History Channel documentary "Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed."
How right he was.
"Star Wars," indeed, was a phenomenon -- one that caught most of Hollywood by surprise. Thirty years after its premiere on May 25, 1977 (in just 32 theaters), it remains the model for the summer blockbuster -- and a touchstone for two generations of moviegoers. (i-Report: Your "Star Wars" memories)
With the film's 30th anniversary Friday, celebrations are kicking into high gear. Besides the History Channel special, set to air 9 p.m. ET Monday, there are:
Several books (notably "The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film" [Del Rey]);
"Star Wars" weekends at the Disney-MGM Studios theme park near Orlando, Florida;
"Star Wars" Celebration IV, beginning Thursday in Los Angeles, California;
30th-anniversary action figures, released by Hasbro;
A screening of all six films on Cinemax on Friday;
And even "Star Wars" postage stamps, to go along with all those R2-D2 mailboxes that the United States Postal Service has installed around the country.
Not bad for a film rather unsensationally described in its own press kit as "an expression of [George Lucas'] boyhood fantasy life -- his love for 'Flash Gordon' and all the great mysteries and adventures in books and movies." (EW: The secrets of "Star Wars")
'It was touch-and-go for a time'
Given that press kits are usually chock-full of hyperbole, that somewhat timid portrayal may have indicated what studio execs, and even Lucas' friends, thought of the film.
After viewing a screening in March 1977, with the special effects still unfinished, Lucas' wife Marcia was aghast, according to Peter Biskind's 1970s movie history, "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls."
"It's the 'At Long Last Love' of science fiction," she said, referring to a well-known bomb of the time.
And the necessary special effects cost a fortune in 1977. Lucas' studio, 20th Century Fox, was nervous. "It was touch-and-go for a time," Lucas later recalled. (He wouldn't trust a studio again, creating his own company, Lucasfilm, to go along with his special-effects house, Industrial Light & Magic, for future endeavors.)
But moviegoers never doubted. The film was a hit from its first day, attracting such crowds of people that its opening was featured on Walter Cronkite's "CBS Evening News." Harrison Ford was practically ripped apart while shopping at a record store. The film's theme music, redone in disco form by a musician named Meco, became a No. 1 single.
The success of "Star Wars" paved the way for Lucas' entire empire, including massively successful merchandising tie-ins and five other films, broadening the "Star Wars" mythology. (Gallery: A guide to "Star Wars" characters)
Observers, from casual fans to Ph.D.-laden professors, have tried to explain the reasons for the films' success. Lucas had more than "Flash Gordon" on his mind when he started writing the first film in 1973; he had the myth-probing works of Joseph Campbell as well.
Lucas' universe incorporated such figures as the reluctant hero (Luke Skywalker), the reckless adventurer (Han Solo), the goofy sidekick (C-3PO, Jar Jar Binks) and -- perhaps most important -- the corrupted leader (Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader). It's a mythology that has deep resonance.
"A hundred years from now someone will be sitting here discussing the impact of 'Star Wars' and they will be seeing different things in it than we are seeing today, just as today we have classes in the university on Homer," Joan Breton Connelly, who teaches "From the Iliad to 'Star Wars' " at New York University, says in "Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed."
Former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw is blunter.
"I thought 'Star Wars' was the quintessential Western played out in a different universe," he says in the History Channel documentary.
'All roads now lead to Tatooine'
"Star Wars" changed the Hollywood universe as well.
Previous box-office kings -- "The Sound of Music," "The Godfather," '70s disaster movies, even "Star Wars" predecessor "Jaws" -- were aimed primarily at adults. "Star Wars" brought in a huge teenage market that went to movies over and over (and over) again. In the decades since, this has become Hollywood's blockbuster template.
In a recent column, Atlanta Journal-Constitution film critic Eleanor Ringel lamented how "Star Wars" and "Saturday Night Fever" helped kill the so-called '70s golden age, when movies ranging from "The Godfather" to "The Sting" to "Shampoo" could be both critical and box office successes.
"Goodbye, Don Corleone and Travis Bickle. Hello, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Tony Manero. Move over, Little Italy and Nashville. All roads now lead to Tatooine and Brooklyn," she wrote.
And though the second "Star Wars" trilogy -- "The Phantom Menace," "Attack of the Clones" and "Revenge of the Sith" -- did huge business, many fans prefer the first three films. (Most rate the second film, 1980's "The Empire Strikes Back," best; it's no coincidence that it had a script written by Lawrence Kasdan and sci-fi legend -- and noted screenwriter -- Leigh Brackett.)
Nevertheless, Lucas and his collaborators succeeded in creating a legacy.
"It is bad guys versus good guys, and everyone wants to see that story," says director -- and hardcore "Star Wars" fan -- Kevin Smith in the documentary. "That story will never grow tired, never grow old."
Last edited by Miss Mary on Fri May 25, 2007 6:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- yoda
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Miss Mary wrote:I predict we'll have a visit from young yoda/Matt today, sometime.....his yoda radar is probably up!!!!
He will arrive, that he will - sorry Matt, I can't do yoda speak as well as you can!
Mary
Correct you were. Strong in the Force, Miss Mary is!

I love Star Wars!!! "When 900 years old you reach, look as good you will not, hmm?"
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LOL @ yoda! He made an appearance.....
Found a local article commerating the SW anniv.:
http://www.wlwt.com/entertainment/13389231/detail.html
Found a local article commerating the SW anniv.:
http://www.wlwt.com/entertainment/13389231/detail.html
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- DaylilyDawn
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Aslkahuna wrote:Now you will experience the full power of the Dark Side.
My favorite character is the Emperor.
Darth Kahuna
I Lord Vader,bow down to the Emperor as I embrace the Dark Side of the Force. I will grow strong in the Force though I am only 31, I fell in with Lord Vader at an early age I was about 6 years old.
The above sentence came from my son. His bedroom is a shrine to the Dark Side.
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- Aslkahuna
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I have Sith Posters in the house. My light sabers are Vader's and Dooku's. My Darth Maul Saber broke in half during a light saber fight some time ago and could not be repaired. The image of the Emperor is the wallpaper on my and my son's computer monitor. On the shelf next to my digital temperature readout I have action figures of Darth's Vader and Sidious, the Emperor and a Storm Trooper. A portrait of Darth Vader hangs in the front room.
There is a great disturbance in the Force.
I have waited a long time for this moment my little green friend
Steve
There is a great disturbance in the Force.
I have waited a long time for this moment my little green friend
Steve
Last edited by Aslkahuna on Sat May 26, 2007 5:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
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I want to watch A New Hope, sometimes this weekend. We have surround sound and a big screen in the basement. When that scroll starts, I swear but I get goose bumps!
I'm sure some SW fans are watching all 6 movies this weekend.....I can't imagine sitting down for all 6, in a row but hey more power to anyone who tries this! And now young yoda, you're going to say you've done just this Matt! LOL
M.
I'm sure some SW fans are watching all 6 movies this weekend.....I can't imagine sitting down for all 6, in a row but hey more power to anyone who tries this! And now young yoda, you're going to say you've done just this Matt! LOL
M.
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- DaylilyDawn
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Aslkahuna wrote:I have Sith Posters in the house. My light sabers are Vader's and Dooku's. My Darth Maul Saber broke in half during a light saber fight some time ago and could not be repaired. The image of the Emperor is the wallpaper on my and my son's computer monitor. On the shelf next to my digital temperature readout I have action figures of Darth's Vader and Sidious, the Emperor and a Storm Trooper. A portrait of Darth Vader hangs in the front room.
There is a great disturbance in the Force.
I have waited a long time for this moment my little green friend
SteveMy
My son has framed posters of Bobba Fett , One of the advertising posters (full size) that hung in movie theatres is of Luke and Leia with Luke having the lightsabre in a defensive move, two pictures made from photomosiacs , one of Darth Vader and one of Yoda . He also has a piece oftmovie clip framed with an autograph of the actor who played the part in the clip. I can take pictures of all of it and send it to you if you would like to see it.
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