The Empire Strikes Back...30 years ago...

Neoavatara ^ | May 22, 2010 | Neoavatara

[Neoavatara]

30 years.

Three decades.

Man, do I feel old.

Many of you weren't even born in 1980. That is a scary thought. Me, I was 6 years old and a Star Wars fanatic from the first moment I saw the opening scene of the original movie. My generation didn't play cowboys-and-indians, or soldiers on a battlefield...we were Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and the rest of the characters from "A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away"...

[Rocko]

The best of the Star Wars series.

[Perdogg]

Today is also the 30th birthday of Pac-Man

[Perdogg]

I thought it was also. I also like the old SPFX models rather than the modern day CGI.

[Cheburashka]

I went to sleep early, got up about Midnight, went to the 2AM showing at the Old Esquire Theater on Oak Street in Chicago.

Yeah, I was young once.

[bigredkitty1]

Thank you for the rush of memories of my youth! I remember how I sat transfixed from the opening scenes to the final credits of ALL the ‘Star Wars’ movies. In my young eyes, they were fresh, original and simply amazing! Even 30 years later(Good grief, has it been that long?), I still have the same opinion.

Long live the Alliance!

[yarddog]

I thought the original one was the best but “The Empire” was just about as good.

“Return of the Jedi” started out good then deteriorated. I will say Carrie Fisher cut a nice figure in the slave princess costume.

It was clear to me that Lucas was sending a message and it was tinged in red. Sure enough, many years later he admitted he thought of the Ewoks as sort of like the Viet Cong.

[Interesting Times]

The best of the Star Wars series.

Which isn't saying much.

Since the Empire's Stormtroopers can't hit somebody 35 feet away with 500 rounds sprayed from their futuristic energy weapons, perhaps they should try throwing rocks instead.

[wbarmy]

I took my four year old daughter to the re-release of Star Wars in 1997. The crowd was mostly, totally, an older crowd, very few kids or teenagers. My daughter was really excited about the movie and during the garbage scene jumped up in her seat and started yelling at Luke to “get out of there”. The laughter went on for several minutes from the entire crowd. I think it pleased them, and me, to see someone getting as excited about the movie as we had been when it first came out.

[yarddog]

Well the bad guys never could hit anything. That goes back a long way. Of course it was stupid but remember this was a fantasy.

I loved the light sabers but they are one thing which is totally impossible in any way. Same thing goes for beaming someone up in “Star Trek” totally violated any law of physics and one of those things that if they could do that, they could literally do anything.

[Rocko]

Since the Empire's Stormtroopers can't hit somebody 35 feet away with 500 rounds sprayed from their futuristic energy weapons, perhaps they should try throwing rocks instead.

What, you were expecting realism? Even after seeing the first one?

[Young Werther]

I will NEVER forgive Lucas for his incomplete "Triple Triology".

First there was Episodes 4 5 and 6. Then he went back and produced Episodes 1 2 and 3.

Episodes 7 8 and 9 were never produced and .....

[Popman]

I saw it when was 20 years old and vividly remembering walking out of the theater totally blown away with the movie, special effects and sound.

A true tour de force

That opening scene with the ship coming in from the top of the screen which seemed at that time to take five minutes and the walls rumbling and the star cruiser just filling the entire screen really was awesome and great film making

[willyd]

The music absolutely made that movie.

[Tijeras_Slim]

After 1,2 & 3 count your blessings.

[Interesting Times]

I don’t demand gritty realism in a space opera, but you need enough internal consistency to suspend disbelief. Pixar does this superbly. Lucas doesn’t know how or can’t be bothered.

[ottbmare]

If you were that big a fan, you’d know it wasn’t “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away”; it was “Long, long ago in ...”

[Yardstick]

Agree, that opening scene has got to be one of the best ever. To use the modern jargon, it is EPIC!

[wally_bert]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwV61t_Tec8

[rintense]

Agreed.