Barbershopman
TMF Master
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2006
- Messages
- 842
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Today, May 25, 2017 marks the exact 40th anniversary of a franchise with the opening of a little movie the critics called "a soap opera in space". Roger Ebert's original 4 out of 4 stars review said it harkened him back to the days of his Flash Gordon comic books. I'm talking, of course, about Star Wars.
From the opening scroll, to the medal presentation at the end of the movie, it had us mesmerized. I saw the original three times in theaters when I was eight, many others saw it many more times, because in 1977, it was affordable to do so. It was unlike anything up to that point. And it set in motion a frenzy of toys, clothing, memorabilia, and conventions all over the world. I have a Star Wars lunch box (a metal one) in my basement somewhere, and somewhere near by are the action figures of Luke, Han Solo, C-3PO and R2-D2, among others.
It's special effects are the stuff of legend, and put a company called Industrial Light and Magic and its owner, George Lucas on the map.
And then there's the score by John Williams. Jaws made Williams well known, but Star Wars put him in elite status among movie composers. And it forged a friendship between Lucas, Williams and Spielberg that continues to this day.
It's movies, to date, make it the 3rd highest grossing movie franchise in history. The original alone netted three-quarters of a billion dollars worldwide. Plus, how many movie franchises are still relevant enough 40 years after their original release.
So embrace your inner geek and see it for nostalgias' sake, and May the Force be With You.
Barbershopman
From the opening scroll, to the medal presentation at the end of the movie, it had us mesmerized. I saw the original three times in theaters when I was eight, many others saw it many more times, because in 1977, it was affordable to do so. It was unlike anything up to that point. And it set in motion a frenzy of toys, clothing, memorabilia, and conventions all over the world. I have a Star Wars lunch box (a metal one) in my basement somewhere, and somewhere near by are the action figures of Luke, Han Solo, C-3PO and R2-D2, among others.
It's special effects are the stuff of legend, and put a company called Industrial Light and Magic and its owner, George Lucas on the map.
And then there's the score by John Williams. Jaws made Williams well known, but Star Wars put him in elite status among movie composers. And it forged a friendship between Lucas, Williams and Spielberg that continues to this day.
It's movies, to date, make it the 3rd highest grossing movie franchise in history. The original alone netted three-quarters of a billion dollars worldwide. Plus, how many movie franchises are still relevant enough 40 years after their original release.
So embrace your inner geek and see it for nostalgias' sake, and May the Force be With You.
Barbershopman
