It's hard to overstate the influence (good or otherwise) of George Lucas' Star Wars since its release on May 25th, 1977.
Jaws may have been a huge blockbuster first, but Episode IV was the historic summer hit that launched a trillion pieces of popcorn and merchandise.
Lucas tapped in to some huge desire people had for mythology, adventure, and cool sounding laser-weapons. From the original films, there is a whole generation of people (not exclusively male, but tending that way) whose childhoods were profoundly affected by the films, toys, and paraphernalia of Star Wars . For many, these movies were their first experience of cinema, a seduction leading to a life-long affair with the medium. Some even work in Film and Television because of it.
When the prequels arrived in 1999 with Stars Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace , the original fans were not 13 years old any more. Then in their mid twenties, or early thirties, with hairlines receding and Ewok collections long since hidden from their partners, the first disciples had harsh words about the new films; with their CGI, and childish characters. There was talk of George Lucas moving to the Dark Side and "rape of their childhood", all the while contemporary teenagers enjoyed the new Episodes.
Now the final hour has arrived for George Lucas' series, as Episode III: Revenge of the Sith is imminent. We finally get to see the emergence of Darth Vader, the birth of the Skywalker twins, and poor old Yoda running away to the swamp.
We asked some creative types and fans of the original films, about their early experience of the space opera, and how they are anticipating the final chapter.
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"In 1977, Lucas raised the bar on every aspect of my childhood; toys, films, comics, all the stuff that mattered . 'Menace' and 'Clones' may have forcefully urinated in the wide-open eyes of my youth, but be honest - the rot had set in way before Jar Jar's gay rasta man-frog antics. Except for Speeder Bikes and Han's pimpin' camouflage overcoat obviously, Jedi pretty much sucks - half a Death Star, Lando in the Falcon, The Empire thwarted by a bunch of midgets in fur coats with some logs. See? Bollocks. Thankfully, everything indicates 'Sith' will be a return to mighty Empire form."
Stewart Williams, Writer/Producer
"Return of the Jedi was the first film my dad took me to see at the cinema - a really momentous occasion that I've always treasured. Darth Vader has since become the ultimate anti-hero and that may be what makes anticipating Episode III so exciting. I can't wait to see the origins of the character finally revealed. But for me, the original versions of A New Hope , The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi will always be the 'holy trilogy'."
Becca Smith, BBC Researcher
"Old Star Wars movies are like returning to your childhood home, the toys collected from car boot sales, Jedi being the best one. New Star Wars films are like finding out your old room has been rented out to Lawrence Llewelyn Bowen, under the garish crap there's a Boba Fett poster somewhere. You think you should see the folks once in awhile but then you realise why you moved out in the first place."
Rich Badley, Web Editor
"Star Wars is all about Han Solo. Roguish, cheeky, on his own flying through the galaxy, hanging out in sleazy bars and dodging bounty hunters. Luke Skywalker prances round like some girlie man, Lando runs a Vegas style casino resort in the clouds, so it's all about Han. Anytime it was raining and you couldn't play outside, Star Wars was straight in the video player, complete with running commentary from all us watching it, reciting the lines just as the actors were going to say them. And that's before we get to the action figures. The best thing EVER."
Chris O'Neill, Screenwriter
"I remember queuing round the block at the ABC Cinema in Birmingham when I was 10 years old. No such thing as booking your tickets! We never got in and, scarred for years to come, it wasn't until two years ago that I succumbed one Christmas and finally saw the original 'Star Wars' and yes, I enjoyed it. Today I feel quite privileged to be of the generation that grew up with the films and, unlike LOTR, we never had any idea of just how much they would be a part of our lives for evermore. Now my daughter is a fan and I do have a friend who is a Jedi Knight!"
Jean Lynch, Editor, Close-Up Film
"Star Wars? I knew of it . I just wasn't sure what it was. I remember action figures and Darth Vader masks, but in my innocence didn't realise they were film merchandise. Hey I was five OK. (My first grown up film? - Ghostbusters) By the time I appreciated the original three the cultural hype had faded. Which means it's now easy to be objective and dismiss the latest as - well - mediocre multiplex fodder."
Mike Carter, Playwright
"Event movies that have defined two generations of film-going children. Popcorn cinema at its finest. Marketing and hype at its most influential. Movies at their most disappointing. Without doubt Episodes I and II have the worst quality-to-expectation ratio of any movies in history."
Oli Lewington, Writer
"For George Lucas to go back and meddle with his films, and then throw various toys out of his multi-million dollar San Francisco pram when people complain, is appalling. Just think if Da Vinci went back and tarted up the Mona Lisa ('I don't like her smile, it's too sarcastic') or the stop-motion skeletons in Jason and The Argonauts were redone in CGI. You just wouldn't.
So why mess with Star Wars? Whatever the quality or otherwise of the new films, they and the originals should be left untampered with for future generations and film historians."
Chris Denham, Journalist
Article by Johnny Messias
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