Did anyone here see Star Wars when it FIRST came out?

[Enraged_Ape]

I remember reading about that movie in one of those teenage fanboy magazines and thinking, "MY GOD. Mankind has never seen anything like this before. This is going to be one hell of a movie. Can they really do this?"

And then I remember sitting in that movie theater on a hot July evening in 1977, and the lights went down, and the screen went dark, and the opening credits crawled into the distance, and a HUGE rebel blockade runner streaked onscreen, exchanging laser blasts with a FUCKING PANTS-SHITTING GIGANTIC Imperial star destroyer. And then I thought, "They did it. They absolutely did it."

This is how I think it will be to see Fahrenheit 9/11. I have not seen it yet, but I have a real feeling that when I do, it's going to be one of those hot summer nights I remember for a while.

[King Of Paperboys]

1. I hope it changes your life.

I hope it has changed MY life. I haven't slept yet. I WANT to change my life based on what I saw. I hope to God I follow through.

[TrogL]

2. This is bigger than Star Wars

Yes, I'm a geezer and saw the original Star Wars.

That was "waaay kewl".

This is "Oh...my....God" material. I cannot remember seeing a movie in a theater where the majority of the audience was crying.

[Aristus]

3. 'Coming this summer to a theater near you, a revolutionary new

adventure film! It's the story of a boy, a girl, and a galaxy. A story of heroes, and villains. A story of defeat and triumph. From LucasFilm, Limited comes the epic saga of the 'Star Wars'.'

Yeah, I saw it first time around. :-)

[Lestat]

4. I wasn't born yet when Star Wars came out.

So I can't tell ya how I feel.

But...I will go see F 9/11. Then I'll know that feeling. :)

[HEyHEY]

5. I am old enough that I saw Rturn of the Jedi when it came out

That's it though

[Parrcrow]

6. Yup I'm a geezer,

saw it when it first came out. I brought a date. I was 16.

[Enraged_Ape]

12. Sure wish I had a girlfriend, or a date, at that time

That would have made it even more memorable.

[Ernesto]

24. You call yourself a geezer? I was in my late 20's when I saw it, kid!

I also had a date: we were both stoned!

[ablbodyed]

7. I saw it in San Diego>>>>

It was the most incredible movie experience of my life. Waited in line for the midnight showing (guess what was moving up and doen the line?) Fabulous exciement. There was a strobe light in ceiling that flashed when the deathstar exploded. Too great.

[Dr Fate]

8. I was 5 years old, and it had been out for a few months.

I remember already being intrigued by the merchandising.

I saw it in a packed theater, sitting next to these two black dudes, who were having as much fun as I was.

I'll never forget that experience- what a great flick that was- before the franchise was ruined...

[jjmalonejr]

9. My brother and I raked leaves all day to earn the $ to go

It absolutely blew my mind. I was 9 years old.

Now, with F911 looming (I have tix for tonight) I feel like I'm 9 again.

[StaggerLee]

10. I was nine too!

Our local Boys and Girls Club took us to see it. I spent the next couple of years doodling tie fighters and x-wing fighters on everything I could get my hands on.

Going to see F911 this weekend.

[jjmalonejr]

11. We've lots in common, StaggerLee!

Including being Grateful Dead fans (I assume, from your screen name).

[StaggerLee]

13. Love the Dead

Never saw them in concert though. I really admire the artwork associated with them. (I have one of those Space Your Face coffee mugs that I absolutely treasure)

:hi:

[Hailtothechimp]

17. I was nine. My dad took me to see it.

My dad never took me to movies, before or since. I remember being blown away by it.

[StaggerLee]

26. It made a great impact on me as well.

I really learned to appreciate movie magic after I saw it.

[Kat45]

14. Yup. There were long lines to get in the theaters.

I was in college, and a bunch of us went in to see it. I can remember standing in the thick crowd in the lobby as we all waited for them to lift the velvet rope to let us enter the theater. When the did, everyone started streaming in and someone in the back of the crowd started mooing.

Oh yeah, and the movie was great!

[SW FL Dem]

15. I saw it within the first few days -

Haven't seen F 9/11 yet but plan to soon.

[No2W2004]

16. Yep, I saw it when I was 12

Still have the movie guide they were selling in the lobby! :)

Me and my friends had deep discussions about who would kick ass more, the star cruiser or that big ass ship at the end of close encounters.

Then Lucas had to come out with that bigger star destroyer. End of discussion.

[mr blur]

18. Yep I saw it when it first came out

and I'm afraid I thought it was a piece of crap then, too. Looks like I was/am in the minority with that one!

[Deja Q]

19. Star Wars was mindless cattle cack with big model space ships.

Please don't compare intellectual brilliance (F911) with steaming cattle cack (typical and typically mindless American entertainment)

SW is so bad, when Luke gets out of his x-wing after he blows up the death star, he runs to Leia and says "Hey Carrie!" (paraphrased, but he says CARRIE... Carrie Fisher, the actress who played Leia... of course, this was one whoopsie George Lucas probably dealt with in the "special edition"...)

[KoKo]

22. Ahhh...disgusting...don't know where to start to trash your comment!

:puke:

[Enraged_Ape]

36. Geez, HypnoToad, and I always liked your posts

It's too bad I have to put you on ignore now. :(

I was merely comparing the feeling that I had of anticipation and excitement in waiting for, and finally seeing, "Star Wars" 27 years ago to the feeling I have now as I wait to see "Fahrenheit 9/11". I wasn't comparing to the two films. But you knew that. You just thought it would be amusing to play the obnoxious smartass.

[KoKo]

20. yeah...I saw it and thought the same thing...but I was older than 22 and

thought that..Maybe creative minds are ageless...but I know what you mean. Although I don't think Star Wars changed our political sence it was great blockbuster for us "creatives" who love fantasy that "stretches the mind," and makes you notice new art forms. Lucas did that in Star Wars.

Moore's flick is a different genre..but reached and picks from quasi documentary into the best that was produced before the "vast wasteland" kicked in.

:shrug: I think I get what you are saying...but have a different kick on it..

[solinvictus]

21. Yes

Back about October or so of 1977. I was 7 years old and it was incredible.

[flamingyouth]

23. I did - at the UA Cinema 150 on 6th & Blanchard

We waited in line in the rain for about two hours. It was AWESOME.:thumbsup:

Edit: I was in 4th grade.

[BigMcLargehuge]

25. yep

summer of 77

[Unperson 309]

27. Heh! I remember sitting in the theater with Craig Miller,

the Lucasfilm publicist at the Los Angeles press premiere! The Press showing was a day or two before the actual public premiere. We had seen the previews at WorldCon in Kansas City, 1976 and chatted with Lucas and this weird shy guy who had had a guest role in the TV soap opera, General Hospital. He said to me in the elevator "I hope you like the film... I play this farmboy named Luke."

Right, (I thought) Luke. Real hayseed thing. OK, well I'll watch for it, Kid. Uh huh.

So there I was at the Chinese Theatre watching this silly film about a space farmboy...

And then the Star Destroyer flew over.

Oh.......

...............my.........

......................... GOD!!!!

Yes, that very film changed my life DRAMATICALLY! Through that film, I met my beloved Missus, changed my life completely! Left a bad job and a worse relationship for a beautiful marriage and doing what I want to do! I'm *alive* today because of that film!

So, even though George Lucas and I have had some serious differences
(Let's just say... our lawyers tangoed briefly!) of opinion, and I think that lately he's been a real crud... I do bow to the man's genius and talent!

In fact, I have a largish chunk of the Deathstar on my wall along with various plaques and artwork from the film. So for all my dissing of the later films (can you say 'Jar-Jar SUCKS'?) I have to admit that the films affected me dramatically.

309

[Rabrrrrrr]

30. Cripes! That's a hell of a story!

What a set of experiences you've had.

AND you have a piece of the Death Star! I score very high on the geek test, but I bow, deeply, to you. :-)

[lagniappe]

28. I saw it when I was 10 years old.

Saw it 6 times in the theater. The first time we tried to see it the line was around the building, so instead my father took us to see A Bridge Too Far instead.

I don't think any other movie has had an impact on me like Star Wars did. I could easily watch it again today. The only other movie that came close was Jaws. I wouldn't swim in anything other than a pool for months.

[Rabrrrrrr]

29. Yep, I was there. And it did, indeed, completely change my outlook in life

in so many ways. I can honestly say, and thankfully not in some weirdo near-psychotic way, I wouldn't be who I am today without Star Wars.

Like you, that opening, with the blockade runner and that HUGE ASS imperial ship blew me away.

And the jawa sandcrawler. And the blaster beams. And, of course, the FRICKIN' LIGHT SABER! How cool was that??!!

And the fight at the end in the falcon, shooting the four tie fighters. Can't tell you how many times I re-enacted that scene in the privacy of my own home. I bet I blew away a thousand tie fighters that summer in my bedroom.

It was the first movie I ever went to more than once.

I was 11.

[BlackVelvetElvis]

31. My dad took me.

I was 11 and both of us loved it. We were amazed by the special effects-we haven't seen anything like it before.

[alpaca]

34. 77

Saw it about 21 times in 77. All of my parents friends without kids took me because it was considered a 'kids' movie. Not that I minded, great movie.

[Elidor]

32. The funny thing is, the theater was empty

I saw it in Denver during its original run. A real nice theater whose name escapes me. (Years later I saw The Wall there.) Everyone thinks it was just a huge hit from the day it opened. But well into its second week, my father and I caught a showing in the early evening that had only 12 people.

After the show was over, the twelve of us were staring at eachother, mouths agape, at how we had that great flick all to ourselves. (This was because the early trailers were very minimalist and secretive - nobody knew what the hell the movie was about, really.) It knocked us on our collective asses. A few days later the lines were around the block and the phenomenon had officially been born. I couldn't even get back in to see it a second time for several weeks.

[Rabrrrrrr]

35. Same for me - I first saw it early on, without really knowing anything

about it. I'm sure I had seen some TV ads for it, and likely some trailers, but the name wasn't consciously on my mind except that it had "star" and "wars" in the title, and I loved "star"-based movies, and "war"-based movies, so thought, what the hell I'm a kid why not go?

Not a lot of people in the theater at all. Soon after, the word spread, and when I went to it again later I remember having a hard time finding a seat in the theater.

[Rhiannon12866]

33. Why don't you just ask people here to post their ages, LOL!

Actually, yes, I did see it when it first came out. Six times, no less.:-)

[VelmaD]

37. My mom wouldn't let me go...

because she thought my little brother was too young and he would whine about it if I got to go and he didn't. Granted I was only 6 and he was 4. :)

She was a pretty cool mom though because when Empire Strikes Back came out she stood in line with us to go the very first day. GO MOM!

[Gildor Inglorion]

38. Yes, and you described it JUST RIGHT...

and the scene where Luke crawls up into the gun turret and starts taking out enemy tie-fighters put me right there with him. Nothing before or since has had quite that effect. Thanks for the reminder!

[Speck Tater]

39. I saw it on opening day and

came back the very next day with my kids to see it again.

My wife and I saw it alone the first time because we were taking our date-night away from the kids. But once we saw it we knew we had to share it with them. My son was 4 years old and it was his first time in a movie theater. It totally blew him away! He's in his 30's now and still talks about that first showing of Star Wars.

[Rhiannon12866]

40. What a great introduction to the movies!

And what a great Dad you are to have shared it with him. I imagine that this had a great impact on his life. This will always be a special movie to me. I went to see it six times, unlike anything else, LOL!:D

[bemildred]

41. July 1977, Grey's Harbor Washington, on a trip up to Victoria.

I'll never forget that little town because of it.

[Drifter]

42. I saw it soon after it came out ...

And haven't seen another one since.

Cheers
Drifter