Saw the first two films during their original run when I was a small child but they had little impact. But by the time I got to first grade so many kids had the toys and talked about it all the time that I got my parents to buy the Story of the Empire Strikes Back and to take me to the 1981 re-release of Star Wars.
It was sometime during the mid 80’s. I remember my uncle showing me a scene from one of the Star Wars movies on VHS. My parents had a copy of ESB recorded on VHS. Though, being a kid in the 80’s, I probably saw ROTJ more often than ANH or ESB.
I don’t have an exact timeframe, but I’m glad I saw the OT, unaltered, and that’s what sticks out in my memories.
I was only 2 in '77, so I’m not sure when I first saw Star Wars. We were early VHS adopters, and at some point we taped it from somewhere. I don’t know how many times I watched that tape with “SW” written on it.
I saw Empire in the theater, although the only moment that I clearly remember is my mom being grossed out by the tauntaun guts.
My parents showed me the movies on VHS when I was about 4, back in 1989 or 1990.
It breaks my heart hearing about people being introduced via the special editions or the prequels.
My first introduction to Star Wars was through the prequel trilogy, on TV. I really disliked them and Star Wars became to me a green-screen and shiny CGI-explotation movie until I saw the original trilogy a long, long time later. However, the climactic moments of Revenge of the Sith (minus the volcano saber battle) was really good emotionally and performance-wise.
My first introduction to the original trilogy was through Harmy’s restored theatrical versions. I still haven’t seen the Special Editions. I have seen TFA and RO in theatres and definitely planning on catching the rest on the big screen as well.
To my generation, (the '90s kids) Jurassic Park was our franchise and I like all three of those films. JW is good too, though it feels different to the spirit of the first trilogy (of JP).
For me it was pretty much 1980/1981 when I was able to see Empire and the Star Wars re-release in the theater with my parents. Then my world became Kenner Star Wars figures.
[1984]
I was 4 years old when my father took me to the local cinema for my very first movie experience: Return of the Jedi.
All i remember is some stuff from Jabbas Palace and … the Speeder Bike Chase 😃
Rogue One is redundant. Just play the first mission of DARK FORCES.
The hallmark of a corrupt leader: Being surrounded by yes men.
‘The best visual effects in the world will not compensate for a story told badly.’ - V.E.S.
‘Star Wars is a buffet, enjoy the stuff you want, and leave the rest.’ - SilverWook
I read the Star Wars novel back in 1977 when I was 10, before I watched the movie. I went to the cinema to see it right after it was released. No internet back then of course, but I remember all the hype and discussion about it through word of mouth and on the TV and radio. I was lucky enough to live across the street from a drive in theater and when it came to that theater, I watched it EVERY night from my front porch standing on a chair to see over the drive in fence 😃 I could hear the sound coming from all the speakers hanging from the car windows! Yeah, I was a little obsessed…
I was lucky enough to live across the street from a drive in theater and when it came to that theater, I watched it EVERY night from my front porch standing on a chair to see over the drive in fence
That’s really cool!
I was lucky enough to live across the street from a drive in theater and when it came to that theater, I watched it EVERY night from my front porch standing on a chair to see over the drive in fence
That’s really cool!
Yeah, that’s one of those killer slices of Americana you don’t get anymore.
Keep Circulating the Tapes.
END OF LINE
(It hasn’t happened yet)
Oldie here. I was the perfect age of 13 when I witnessed the Tantive IV flying over our heads in a theater in 1977. To this day I am a pre-CGI diehard. Love the new movies, dislike (but don’t hate) the prequels, and dislike (but don’t hate) the Special Editions, not so much for adding scenes, but for changing them (Han/Greedo and the Anakin ghost being the primary offenders… okay these two changes I flat out hate).
Somewhere around 1990 I think. It’s a pretty fuzzy as a memory overall, and I cannot remember any specific first time. It must have been through TV broadcasts, but I definitely remember ROTJ being the only one available to watch any time so maybe that recording started it all. Apparently the local TV premiere of ESB was in 1988 so that’s also possible.
The original toys of Han, R2 and C3PO were around along with Luke in his black outfit. I was into drawing stuff at the time and tried to copy the details on paper. It was a time before the 1995 remastered VHS trilogy which arrived in our house a few years later. It was also before the Kenner ‘on steroids’ action figure line appeared because I remember that coming along later too, oh boy.
(1977) As we all know, when SW was originally released, it was only in a few select cities. Once it was obvious everyone loved it, they went into nationwide release. At age 7, I was already a huge sc-fi fan and I remember my parents showing me the ad in the paper for SW showings and telling me it was this new “greatest” sc-fi flick that was getting great reviews. I couldnt wait to see it. We went and saw it on opening weekend in my city, 6/17/77. The moment the Tantive IV came across the screen, I was totally enthralled. At that time, there had been nothing remotely like SW. (Maybe one could argue 2001) SW completely and totally reshaped how movies were made, how they sounded and when they were released.Ive argued this in other threads before, but depending on when you saw SW for the first time can greatly affect how you receive it as a film. After that original showing, I was obsessed with SW. I couldnt get enough. After SW, I saw each installment on opening day/weekend.
Here is one article on how SW changed how movies sounded and how theatres adapted: (How do I post a link where you click "here?"
http://www.tested.com/starwars/460476-star-wars-and-explosion-dolby-stereo/