A plethora of clips can be chosen as the iconic moments of Star Wars. Particularly when we are discussing the original trilogy. For my money the Sarlacc Battle reigns supreme because we get all our characters in the Rebel Alliance together again. The boys (ahem men) get Princess Leia scantly clad or as I like to think of it the man child fantasy for a generation is born. The elusive Boba Fett is defeated, we are treated to a classic Han/Luke banter and before it is all said and done Luke and Leia once again take a cable flight to escape. Seriously, is there a better 7 1/2 minutes?
In light of the fact that it is May 4th and all the genuine excitement of J.J. Abrams takeover of our beloved space odyssey I thought I would take a moment of reflection as to why this group of films is so embedded in my DNA. Star Wars represents a lot of things for me over the last 30 years. It was the ice breaker for making new friends on the playground in kindergarten. The source of endless imaginary play with homemade lightsabers crafted out of wrapping paper tubes. Meticulous spending at 7-11 for trading cards in the hopes of finally having a complete set. It became the source of identifying kindred spirits in adult friendships and an acknowledgement of geekdom before it was cool to be a geek. It has been priceless for the memories collected over the years including taking off work to see the original trilogy for the last time on a large screen at The Zegfield Theater in Manhattan in the 90s. And now, reliving it as I watch my own 7 year old embrace the innocence and adventure of Luke Skywalker, discover the fearless courage of Princess Leia and laugh at the incorrigible sarcasm of Han Solo. I watch her connect the dots and make nuanced references about the colors of Luke's lightsaber because she watched Empire Strikes Back last. The vast number of memories I connect to this trilogy of films are priceless. That is the magic of movies. They visually take us into worlds unknown and for my money take me back to that first Saturday afternoon sitting in the movie theater with my cousins on either side of me anticipating the blackened sky that will quietly be filled with the words "Long ago in a galaxy far far away..." only to suddenly be flooded with the booming opening notes of John Williams unforgettable score instantly transporting us to a place the likes of which our young eyes had never seen before.
Star Wars clunky dialogue may have gotten hokey over time, the special effects have long been outpaced by more recent films and the prequels were an unmitigated disaster. None of this, not even George Lucas' ego, can tarnish the wonder of what it was to be a kid in the late 70s and to come of age with the Rebel Alliance. Nothing will ever remove the uniform gasp from the audience when Yoda proclaimed to Obi Wan Kanobi "No there is another..." in response to Luke being their last chance for the Jedis. I have loved movies from a very young age, Star Wars is when I fell in love with going to the movies. It's a love affair that stands the test of time.
I'm so excited to finally read some of your posts! This one especially hits an emotional note with me because I grew up a huge Star Wars fan. I have such vivid memories of watching Return of the Jedi over and over again on a worn-out VHS tape whenever I stayed home sick from school and of running around playgrounds with my cousins as a kid, pretending to be Star Wars characters (I was always Princess Leia). There's something special about a series that can hold on to your heart the way Stars Wars has held on to mine in the 20 years since I first saw the movies, and I'm so happy you also feel so connected to this series.
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading. I think Star Wars is one of those iconic moments in film history that brings about enthusiasm and kinship amongst strangers like I have never seen. We all have our quotes, favorite moments and childhood games. I was always Han Solo. I loved Leia, but Han had the Millenium Falcon and that made him the coolest man in the galaxy. I think what makes Star Wars special is it's complete lack of cynicism. Knowing what I have learned about your reading and TV tastes, I should have known there would be a special place for Star Wars as well.
ReplyDelete