Unless you have been hiding under a rock in a galaxy far, far away you are probably aware that Stars Wars: The Force Awakens (Episode 7) opened yesterday. Surprisingly, I’ve heard, read or had conversations lately with several people who just don’t get what the deal with Star Wars. Of course, if you are Gen X nerd like myself, it is hard to believe that anyone doesn’t think that at least Star Wars the Original Trilogy is the greatest movie series ever.
One explanation this phenomenon is age at the release of Star Wars. The Original Trilogy was released between 1977 and 1983. Episodes I-III were released between 1999-2005. Several of the people I know who don’t get the Star Wars thing were either born after 1983 or to young to see a of the Original Trilogy and by the time Episode I was release were old enough to consider it a little kid film. Seriously, if your first exposure to Star Wars is The Phantom Menace and you are over the age of 8 or 9 I understand not liking it. The Phantom Menace and the prequels were not good movies.
There are several reasons why I think Star Wars is a big deal.
First A New Hope greatly changed the way special effects were done in movies. A New Hope required new technologies and methods. Companies like Industrial Light and Magic and Digital Production grew out of this boom of new technologies.
A New Hope was one of the first science fiction movies to become a true blockbuster. Star Wars pulled fans from a variety of backgrounds not just science fiction junkies.
Star Wars and Jaws launched the Summer Blockbuster. This has become a very profitable approach for Hollywood.
Personally, I was fell in love with Star Wars after my Dad took me to see Star Wars a New Hope. It may have been the first PG movie I was allowed to see. It was not like any movie I had seen before the special effects blew me away. Oh, then there was the music. Star Wars is the sole reason I consider John Williams one of the greatest composers of the 20th century. One of the things my Daddy and I enjoyed doing was movies. I’m really not into science fiction but he was. We enjoyed watching Star Wars together.
Being the nerds that we are the Big Guy and I have decided to celebrate our anniversary by seeing The Force Awakens (TFA). If you haven’t seen it go see. Unlike, the prequels TFA has the feel of a Star Wars movie. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful and of course then there is that John Williams score. I was leery about how Disney would handle a Star Wars movie. They did a great job. J.J. Abrams has proven he can make a better Lucas movie than Lucas.
The Dee Zone 