When did you first see Star Wars readers? I don't think I saw it in 1977. I was 16 and preoccupied by a death in the family to have really noticed what was on at the flicks, not even Star Wars.
Shame really. I would have liked to have seen it at the time as it was basically for my generation.
It was years later when I first saw it and quickly caught up with the two subsequent movies.
When the second trilogy was out I remember queuing for quite some time to see the Phantom Menace at Doncaster Dome when it opened. I still have the ticket stub somewhere.
So did you see Star Wars in '77 readers? If not then when and where did it happen?
I left it for a couple of years, I was into tvsf, not films really. Also everyone was raving about it which put me off! I actually caught a press preview of Phantom Menace, courtesy of my mate who is a journalist.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if our generation would be stunned to find out we missed it at the time Kev?
DeleteI can't remember why, but I never joined the queues outside the cinema Woodsy. I first saw Star Wars when it was shown on TV, maybe a few years later. Same with the other two movies. I appreciate the story more now though and wish I'd have seen it on the big screen back in 1977.
ReplyDeleteI know, me too Tony. I can't remember, was it well promoted? Was it a big deal when it first came out?
DeleteYes, I think there was a lot of hype at the time Woodsy. I'm sure even the cooler kids who'd previously laughed at anything to do with sci fi were now lining up outside the local cinema to see it. I do wish I'd have put away a few of the early carded toy figures though. Darn it, I certainly missed out on that one :D
DeleteI didn't give toys a second thought in 77 Tony. It was heavy rock and girls ruling the roost back then. Your'e right though, canny kids will have squirreled some Lukes and Snaggletooth's away!
DeleteStar Wars premiered in the UK the same week that Blake's 7 started, I was much more into that.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen a single episode of Blakes 7. I'm a lightweight!
DeleteIt was a very big deal when it came out, with all the news programs talking about it, I still remember seeing the first clip of it on the 5.45 news. It came out in Britain around Christmas 1977 in the London area, then nationwide late January 1978....which seemed like a lifetime of waiting.
ReplyDeleteDavid
Its weird, I just don't recall the hype David. Christmas 1977 eh? I was on the verge of being 17, busily dreamimg of dropping out of my A Levels and getting a motorbike!
DeleteI read the novel last year. It was such great fun spotting the differences between the film script and the book. We all know the screenplay so well they stand out a mile. One difference is that the book doesn't call them parsecs, it calls them something like timeparts. Anyone else read the Star Wars novel?
ReplyDeleteMy reply vanished again!
DeleteIt was spammed! No idea why. I've unspammed it.
DeleteNo but I did listen to the radio series, which, bizarrely, works really well.
ReplyDeleteIt opened in the States on May 25, 1977 but I didn't see it opening week. My family must have seen it either the first or second weekend of June 1977. I've actually had young Star Wars fans awestruck at hearing this!
ReplyDeletethe summer of 77! Sounds classic already! I can see why their awestruck! Star wars and sun shine!
DeleteI did see it in the cinema when it first came out. And then went again. And again, this time sneaking in my camera to take snaps of the aliens, cantina, stormtroopers etc. And the rifle rack in the Death Star guardroom, to settle a bet with a friend that those stormtroopers were toting MG34s :) Got the Making Of book as well, great stuff.
ReplyDeleteBest -- Paul
Brill Paul! A true fan! And you won the bet I assume?
DeleteUnlike today, major U.S. premieres dragged six months behind, summer blockbusters held back for Xmas and so on. So SW first came to our neighbourhood in early 1978, and I got to see the it on Feb. 6th, 1978. I recall having devoured the novel by then.
ReplyDeleteWith today's day-and-date releases, it is hard to imagine the amount of feverish anticipation for those much awaited movies. Dreaming about the films to come was more than half the fun!
You didn't have to wait too long Arto. I really enjoyed the book. I used to see two other novels at car boots: Hans at Solos End and Hans Revenge. Never read those. You?
DeleteNever had those translated in Finnish Woodsy. However, TESB The Novel came out in '80.
DeleteI saw it in '77 and thought it was great! Afterwards I would see it at the theaters a bunch of times. I have one neat story: At the time I was working 3rd shift at a steel mill and one night I went in and every one was just sitting around the office. Mike, our foreman, said there weren't enough orders to fill for everyone to work a full shift that night and we could either stay or go home if we wanted. We yammered around a little and most of us decided to leave for the night (not a hard decision), but then someone suggested we all go together to see Star Wars. Yeah! So, nearly the whole crew left and met up at the theater where we all enjoyed a midnight showing of the greatest thing going that year!
ReplyDeleteNow that's a graveyard shift Ed! bet it was a superb atmosphere in that midnight showing!
DeleteHi Woodsy
ReplyDeleteStood in line in 1977 after seeing the commercials and hearing the good hype about it. Got there about 7 PM, stood in line for an hour for the 8 PM show. When I got to the ticket window found out I was standing in line for the midnight show! Got the tickets and came back. Saw it about 12 times or so over the next several months. Still love it!
Jim
Sacramento, CA
Another midnight viewing! Brilliant Jim. So what did you do for four hours?
DeleteWent and got something to eat, as best as I can remember. It was a weekend night.
Deletei watched the movie in 1977at cinema with my father.now i'm 49 and i'm enthusiast again.... my son love it too.. he's 12 . the force in strong in my family..... =) ew
ReplyDeleteI hope you turned round to your son and said I am Your Father EW! ha ha
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