Did anyone here hear see Star Wars in theaters back in 1977? If so, what were your thoughts on it at the time, and did you see it becoming as successful as it was?

Also, from the perspective of someone who lived through the times, WHY did it become so successful? Yes it is a great film, but sci-fi films around that time weren't really commercially successful and were considered "dorky." Why did Star Wars capture the popular imagination of pretty much an entire generation of young people, even those who might've disliked Sci-Fi, in a way that say, 2001 or The Planet of the Apes, didn't?

Yes!

Yes!
Taking into account the release date in the UK for Star Wars January 29th 1978, it had a run at two West End cinemas, opening before Christmas 1977, I saw three times before the public got to see it, in special private screenings, this was down to the nature of my work back then. In one of my screening I have the actor Peter Cushing sitting in front of me.

I cant remember if I did or not but I am glad to have all 3 movies on VHS :)

I recall I saw it 3 times when still in the cinemas in 1977.  Well, actually, the first twice was in the cinema ... the other time was at the drive in movies. I didn't yet have my drivers licence (you had to be 18 years old back then in Australia) ... but I had cousin with a car.

At the time, it was the most exciting movie I had ever seen (effects wise). Loved the original trilogy.  The next time I was excited over a movie was Raiders of the Lost Ark.

I did. I was seven, and I saw it at a drive in. My memories of it as a child are somewhat hazy but I recall the huge eruption from every car, truck and lawn chair of applause when the Death Star exploded. :)

I also remember being scared when they were in the trash compactor,  thinking that I liked Han better than Luke, Princess Leia was beautiful and I wanted her hair, Obi Wan looked like my grandpa and that one of the droids looked like my grandmother Millie's trash can.  ;D ;D

Why so successful: The score. Star Wars without John Williams would not have been nearly as successful; that score was instantly iconic. Also, compare Logan's Run to Star Wars. Released less than a year apart and both sci-fi. I remember Logan's Run, but how many other people do? The quality in Star Wars blew away anything else. I can still watch it to this day and most of the effects are not dated to me. Not to mention James Earl Jones- his voice as Darth Vader-can you imagine anyone else? I certainly can't, he MADE Darth Vader the uber-villian so perfect. Droids with personalities. Humor and yet, a storyline that isn't much different than the big war that had happened thirty years before.
So many reasons that it was successful!

I did. I was seven, and I saw it at a drive in. My memories of it as a child are somewhat hazy but I recall the huge eruption from every car, truck and lawn chair of applause when the Death Star exploded. :)

I also remember being scared when they were in the trash compactor,  thinking that I liked Han better than Luke, Princess Leia was beautiful and I wanted her hair, Obi Wan looked like my grandpa and that one of the droids looked like my grandmother Millie's trash can.  ;D ;D

Why so successful: The score. Star Wars without John Williams would not have been nearly as successful; that score was instantly iconic. Also, compare Logan's Run to Star Wars. Released less than a year apart and both sci-fi. I remember Logan's Run, but how many other people do? The quality in Star Wars blew away anything else. I can still watch it to this day and most of the effects are not dated to me. Not to mention James Earl Jones- his voice as Darth Vader-can you imagine anyone else? I certainly can't, he MADE Darth Vader the uber-villian so perfect. Droids with personalities. Humor and yet, a storyline that isn't much different than the big war that had happened thirty years before.
So many reasons that it was successful!


Plus the three leads had real chemistry.  Han was way cooler than Luke. All the guys wanted to be like Han ... but probably were more like Luke. Leia was cute enough. As long as Luke didn't get it on with his sister!

Forgot to add:

Yes it is sci-fi. But the core of the story is not. It is a story that is familiar to all of us. Throughout history evil vs good has captivated us. So it has sci-fi bells and whistles to be sure, but the core of the story is a very mainstream idea.

Plus the three leads had real chemistry.  Han was way cooler than Luke. All the guys wanted to be like Han ... but probably were more like Luke. Leia was cute enough. As long as Luke didn't get it on with his sister!


Agree! The chemistry was definitely one of the components to make it work so well.

I didn't see Star Wars when it came out because it just wasn't the type of movie I was interested in (heretical, I know). But the thing I recall very specifically is that it seemed to me like it had the largest ad campaign of any movie ever up to that point. Meaning, in those days, mostly print ads and TV commercials. And they started a LONG time before the movie was released. By the time that movie came out EVERYBODY knew about it. I remember saying to someone at the time who was going to see it "I've never seen any other movie that has blitzed the media so thoroughly". I had never heard any term like "media blitz" or anything like that. It just came into my head by itself. It almost seemed at the time that the success of the movie was already assured because of all those ads. Of course it became something much larger than all that, but it had a running start.

I saw it in the theaters as well as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which I liked better. I have also seen
The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi in theaters but I have not see another Star Wars movie after
that. For me the movie was just okay but it did have more action and more special effects then we were used
to at the time.

I saw it in the theaters as well as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which I liked better. I have also seen
The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi in theaters but I have not see another Star Wars movie after
that. For me the movie was just okay but it did have more action and more special effects then we were used
to at the time.
I preferred CE3K too!

I didn't see it until several years later  :-Empire Strikes Back.

I saw it in the theaters as well as Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which I liked better. I have also seen
The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi in theaters but I have not see another Star Wars movie after
that. For me the movie was just okay but it did have more action and more special effects then we were used
to at the time.


... and who didn't mimic those 5 music tones (used with hand signals in the movie)?

I remember standing in line to see it with one of my sisters and my 2 cousins on my first trip to Tulsa. Before seeing it, one of my other sisters said it was your basic fairy tale-complete with a princess, a villain, & a hero. I can't remember if I saw Empire in the theatre but I did see Jedi in the theatre. Actually, I THINK I saw Jedi BEFORE seeing Empire. I also saw Close Encounters in the theatre. Can't remember if I had to stand in line for that one-I might have.



I did. I was seven, and I saw it at a drive in. My memories of it as a child are somewhat hazy but I recall the huge eruption from every car, truck and lawn chair of applause when the Death Star exploded. :)

I also remember being scared when they were in the trash compactor,  thinking that I liked Han better than Luke, Princess Leia was beautiful and I wanted her hair, Obi Wan looked like my grandpa and that one of the droids looked like my grandmother Millie's trash can.  ;D ;D

Why so successful: The score. Star Wars without John Williams would not have been nearly as successful; that score was instantly iconic. Also, compare Logan's Run to Star Wars. Released less than a year apart and both sci-fi. I remember Logan's Run, but how many other people do? The quality in Star Wars blew away anything else. I can still watch it to this day and most of the effects are not dated to me. Not to mention James Earl Jones- his voice as Darth Vader-can you imagine anyone else? I certainly can't, he MADE Darth Vader the uber-villian so perfect. Droids with personalities. Humor and yet, a storyline that isn't much different than the big war that had happened thirty years before.
So many reasons that it was successful!



I remember Logan's Run which I loved at the time (with a VERY young Farrah Faucet who was an unknown at the time). I also remember the series which I didn't like as much as the movie-but of course that could have been because Micheal York wasn't in the series.  ;)

I don't think I saw it at the theatre-only on t.v.  I remember when they started to show it again after Farrah became popular and they advertise that she was in it-but she only had a very small part.


Cat

... and who didn't mimic those 5 music tones (used with hand signals in the movie)?

I used to fool around that when shaking hands.

Pretty interesting that people saw the original star wars in 1977, i'm going to see Solo: A Star Wars Story tomorrow.

Pretty interesting that people saw the original star wars in 1977, i'm going to see Solo: A Star Wars Story tomorrow.
I still have to see the most recent Star Wars, before I see Solo.

I still have to see the most recent Star Wars, before I see Solo.

I'm not a fan of Star Wars but my brother is taking me to watch it, i think it's going to be pretty interesting!

I'm not a fan of Star Wars but my brother is taking me to watch it, i think it's going to be pretty interesting!
I am not a fan too, but my son wants to take me...

I still have to see the most recent Star Wars, before I see Solo.



Same here.


I started reading a Star Wars book a long time ago but just couldn't get into it so I never finished. Can't remember which one.



Cat

I remember queueing to see this film when it was originally released in the UK.  I think I saw all three of the original films at the cinema

Same here.


I started reading a Star Wars book a long time ago but just couldn't get into it so I never finished. Can't remember which one.



Cat


You should check out the 80s Solo books. They make for great sci-fi pulp and are IMO offer a better backstory for Han than what Solo gave.

... and who didn't mimic those 5 music tones (used with hand signals in the movie)?


Absolutely, those hand signals were a must.

I had the soundtrack on album, I would sit in my room and build a model - a F4U Corsair - while listening to
the album. I played the album over and over until the model was finished. When I was done I admired my work,
looked out the window and wondered if it would fly.......It didn't. But at least it had a good soundtrack to
crash to.

I always loved this scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gpXMGit4P8

I know it is short but I love the crescendo in the music.


I have the soundtrack on CD. John Williams did a great job with the music. Well, most of John Williams music is great.


Cat

I always loved this scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gpXMGit4P8

I know it is short but I love the crescendo in the music.


I have the soundtrack on CD. John Williams did a great job with the music. Well, most of John Williams music is great.


Cat
The same for me, one of the scenes I can remember when first watching the films.

I didn't see it until early 1978. Saw clips from the movie on the academy awards and I knew I had to see it. Special effects kind of blew my mind. Had never seen anything like it.

Yes, I saw it in 1977. I was 8 years old at the time, so I don't remember my impressions that well, but I do know I loved it.  We tried to see it at the drive-in the following summer, but the line was so long we just want home. They'd have probably been sold out by the time it was our turn to buy tickets.  And I had all of the action figures and trading cards, too.  In fact, I still have them.  :)

Yes, I saw it in 1977. I was 8 years old at the time, so I don't remember my impressions that well, but I do know I loved it.  We tried to see it at the drive-in the following summer, but the line was so long we just want home. They'd have probably been sold out by the time it was our turn to buy tickets.  And I had all of the action figures and trading cards, too.  In fact, I still have them.  :)


It’s amazing! By the way everyone speaks of those original “Star Wars” action figures from Kenner, you would think they were the best-selling Christmas toys for ‘78 and ‘79. Instead, children of 1978 and 1979 wanted “Simon” and the “Atari VCS”. “The Star Wars Early Bird Certificate Package” was the only “Star Wars” item to be a popular Christmas gift from the years 1977 to 1983.

Did you get number 207 in any of your “Star Wars” wax packs in the old days? Number 207 is the card where C-3PO looks to be sporting an oversized penis.  :o

Did you have that one?

I wonder if the ORIGINAL STAR WARS ever made it to VHS? (Without the "Episode IV" in the scroll)

I wonder if the ORIGINAL STAR WARS ever made it to VHS? (Without the "Episode IV" in the scroll)


Yes, I remember watching it at a friends house. Although they could have recorded it from the tv I guess.

I would love having it from TV (Analogue cable most likely)

I wonder if the ORIGINAL STAR WARS ever made it to VHS? (Without the "Episode IV" in the scroll)


I had the first 3 movies on VHS. I just sold them last year.

"Episode IV" was in the original-even in the theatre in 1977 they had "Episode IV."


Cat

I would love having it from TV (Analogue cable most likely)


Do you mean was it shown on a cable channel? It wouldn’t have been, because cable tv wasn’t a thing in the U.K. in the eighties. Still isn’t really as satellite companies cornered the market.

Star Wars was probably broadcast around Christmas time as a blockbuster film for all the family to sit down and watch together.

I would love having it from TV (Analogue cable most likely)

Do you mean was it shown on a cable channel? It wouldn’t have been, because cable tv wasn’t a thing in the U.K. in the eighties. Still isn’t really as satellite companies cornered the market.

Star Wars was probably broadcast around Christmas time as a blockbuster film for all the family to sit down and watch together.
I understand that all Star Wars film are available on the new Disney+ channel.

I had the first 3 movies on VHS. I just sold them last year

Ya I have them all on VHS :)

1) Official VHS release (Not digitally mastered)
2) Off USA network in 1995 (Analogue cable)
3) Off HBO in the 80s sometime

All goregous and not digitally altered!!