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Where were you in '83? ROTJ 30th anniversary 5/25/83-5/25/13

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My mom let me stay home from school, so we could go see ROTJ on opening day.

Anybody else old enough to remember where you were 30 years ago, today?

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I was a non specialized cell somewhere in my dad's body.

“Grow up. These are my Disney's movies, not yours.”

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 (Edited)

I feel sorry for both of you. ;-)

I know there are some people here my age or older. Let's hear from them as well.

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I remember sitting on the ground for hours, waiting in a line that went out into the street, screwing up traffic. (and it wasn't even opening day). The crowd really ate it up, especially the last 15 minutes, I've never seen an audience react like that during the day. Also, we stared at this cardboard display in the lobby all day:

 

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Mielr said:

I feel sorry for both of you. ;-)

Please don't.

I am actually happy that I saw the films at home. That way I could watch them without waiting. Actually I could not resit but to watch ROTJ immediately after ESB (I still have a habit to watch them together). I can't imagine having to wait 3 years in-between.

:)

真実

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Running two blocks with my Mom to the theater, because we couldn't find parking any closer, and lucking out in getting a good spot in line. The theater had a Darth Vader walking around wearing a costume that looked like it was mostly wool, and itchy wool at that.

Out of all the theaters I saw to OT at, it's the only one that's left. An honest to goodness movie palace, it hasn't changed much since '83. It's mostly a concert venue now though.

Sitting in the front row of the balcony was like IMAX. It was somehow the perfect viewing angle. It made the speeder bike scene even more awesome.

To say the crowd went nuts when Vader grabs Palpatine and gives him the shaft is an understatement.

People clapped and cheered all the way to the end. How often do you get an audience experience like that anymore?

In spite of the mixed feelings and dissection of the film since then, nothing will ever spoil the memory of that day for me. Yub Nub!

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Where were you in '77?

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imperialscum said:



Mielr said:

I feel sorry for both of you. ;-)


Please don't.

I am actually happy that I saw the films at home. That way I could watch them without waiting. Actually I could not resit but to watch ROTJ immediately after ESB (I still have a habit to watch them together). I can't imagine having to wait 3 years in-between.

:)


I didn't have to wait 3 years because I saw SW and ESB theatrically for the 1st time in 1982. There's no comparison between seeing them on TV and in a theater.

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SilverWook said:



Sitting in the front row of the balcony was like IMAX. It was somehow the perfect viewing angle. It made the speeder bike scene even more awesome.

To say the crowd went nuts when Vader grabs Palpatine and gives him the shaft is an understatement.

People clapped and cheered all the way to the end. How often do you get an audience experience like that anymore?


Yes, I remember the audience clapped when the film was over, and at various points during the film.

I remember that I (and the people sitting in front of me) actually ducked during the speeder bike chase, when the bike went under the fallen log! Seeing it on a big screen (even though I wasn't that close to it) really has an enveloping effect.

I saw it 2 or 3 more times in the theater after opening day.

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I saw it with my older brothers when it came out.  I remember feverishly finishing the storybook a few days earlier so I could know the story.  :)

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You cheated! :-P Didn't it spoil the ending for you? I read the novelization, but only after I saw the movie.

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Ahhhh, 1983......I was 15.....I remember queuing outside down the side of the cinema with my mates & wee bro to see ROTJ in '83.......

ABC Cinema in Belfast:

Which is now Jury's Hotel :(

Across the road from it was the NEW VIC:

Which is now an extension of the Grand Opera House & The FitzWilliam Hotel

I remember at each screening Darth Vader made a public appearance, the suit looked authentic & whoever was inside was the right height, in other words it didn't look fake

I remember the ticket booth sold memorabilia, the ROTJ storybook & Official Collectors Book were there......over at the sweet counter, they sold other things, posters etc.......why do cinemas nowadays not cash into these sort of things....well not in Northern Ireland anyway.

J

 

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^ Sad when Indie Cinemas go isn't it.

This is the palace-of-dreams where I was first transported to a galaxy far, far away...

...I went to the last night when they played 'It's A Wonderful Life'... "Hello Moviehouse!" *sob sniff*.  Still remember how the satin upholstered armrests felt as I gripped them with excitement when the Star Wars logo exploded out of the screen.

VIZ TOP TIPS! - PARENTS. Impress your children by showing them a floppy disk and telling them it’s a 3D model of a save icon.

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Leicester Square Odeon. 8 years old and had taken the day off school to go and see it with my dad (who'd taken the day off work). Bloke dressed in Vader outfit patrolling the queue outside the main entrance scaring the crap out of the kids and making the adults laugh. Also recall my father taking me to Hanleys (massive toystore in London) afterwards and buying me some Star Wars stuff. Can't remember exactly what but I was happy! Great memories.

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I was 11 years old in 1983, and saw it one week after opening, so Wednesday June 1.  I was not (nor am i today) into seeing movies on opening day -- I knew it would be the same film no matter when I got to the cinema.  But i was definitely excited, and was anticipating the date i planned to see it.  I went with an older friend (9 years my elder) who was actually my first camp counselor, became a good friend of the family, and we had a big brother/little brother type thing going on.  He had to borrow my parents' car to drive us because he had a motorcycle.

It was a mall cinema, so nothing special.  We sat 3rd row center, or thereabouts.  I still have my ticket stub... somewhere.

Pink Floyd -- First in Space

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Jaitea said:




I remember the ticket booth sold memorabilia, the ROTJ storybook & Official Collectors Book were there......over at the sweet counter, they sold other things, posters etc.......why do cinemas nowadays not cash into these sort of things....well not in Northern Ireland anyway.


 


Yes! Here in the US they had a collector's book/program, too. I had forgotten about that. :-) I think it was sold at the concession counter.

This is the one I have:

http://www.oldcomics.net/images/mag-return-of-jedi.jpg

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Mielr said:

Yes! Here in the US they had a collector's book/program, too. I had forgotten about that. :-) I think it was sold at the concession counter.

This is the one I have:

http://www.oldcomics.net/images/mag-return-of-jedi.jpg

I have that one, too.  Bought it at the grocery store, i *think* well after i had seen the film.

Pink Floyd -- First in Space

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SilverWook said:


Did anyone get a "Jedi Adventure Center" display in their local mall that summer?

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It's funny, because I was living in Florida at the time, though not near Lakeland, as that newspaper ad lists.

I remember I (with my niece and nephew) went to a mall store for a sort of photo and autograph event with "Darth Vader." I have an "autographed" 8x10 glossy somewhere, along with a photo my mom took of the 3 of us with a tall man in a Darth Vader costume. ;-)

I don't know if that was part of the "Jedi Adventure Center" or not, I don't specifically recall going to anything like that, but it was 30 years ago so who knows.

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Where was I in '83? Oh yeah, sitting at home, playing with "Masters", not even knowing of a movie called "Star Wars".

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I wasn't even a glint in my father's eye in 83.

<span style=“font-weight: bold;”>The Most Handsomest Guy on OT.com</span>

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auximenies said:

Mielr said:

Yes! Here in the US they had a collector's book/program, too. I had forgotten about that. :-) I think it was sold at the concession counter.

This is the one I have:

http://www.oldcomics.net/images/mag-return-of-jedi.jpg

I have that one, too.  Bought it at the grocery store, i *think* well after i had seen the film.

I have an older sibling (11 years older than me) who got that book when he was a kid, and I looked at it all the time when I was growing up.  It definitely added to the "mystique" of ROTJ for me, and ROTJ was briefly my favorite SW movie.  Seeing all the models and how they did certain things was awesome.

It's hard to describe what I mean by "mystique," but there was something about the book that just made ROTJ feel so... epic, like it was a the culmination of all the greatest filmmaking/SPFX techniques combined into one film, made by filmmaking masters.  It felt like so much care went into making the movie.  But something beyond that too that I can't really explain.

ROTJ is now my least favorite of the OT, so go figure.

Anyone remember different camera angles from ROTJ?