I crawled out of the womb, a science fiction and fantasy fan.
I loved the Adventures of Superman on television. Anytime the Wonderful World of Disney showed anything imaginative. I was right smack in front of the TV, a big smile on my face. I started a lifelong love affair with comic books at 5, beginning with any Classics Iluustrated, Jr's that focused on the rescuing of princesses and then graduating on to superhero comics, like the Legion of Super-Heroes set in the 31st century. By the time I was 8, I was buying science fiction magazines like Worlds of If and Fantastic Stories, and joining the Science Fiction Book Club, reading stuff like The Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov. TV was a flood of great shows, like The Twilight Zone, The Outer Limits, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Star Trek, Lost In Space, The Time Tunnel, and so much more.
But the movies? They lagged terribly. They always fell short of what I could dream they could be. Many were cheesy and cliche, with miserable special effects. I didn't understand 2001:A Space Oddysey (even when I saw it again in later years). They always seem to cut short in really bringing in to a different world.
And then, one summer as I was home from college, there come rumblings of a movie that was something special. It started in larger cities and did not come to smaller places until weeks later. But some people from our area had made their way to Detroit to see it, and the word was - there had never been anything like it before.
When it finally came to Saginaw, I was in line for it's first showing. And...it blew me away. It was everything I had dreamed a science fiction movie could be. It didn't back away. It took you there. And what a there it was! By the time of the cantina scene, I was almost in tears, tears of happiness and joy that the movies had caught and exceeded all my expectations.
There were rumors that Geroge Lucas, the director behind Star Wars, planned on this being a nine movie epic. Then he quit after three, and I thought that was it. Amazingly, some twenty years later, the story continued, showing the prequel, the beginning of the story.
Then Lucas lost interest again, and once again, I thought it was over. But Disney swooped in, bought the rights from Lucas, and the story continued again, this time moving into the future, showing events after the original three movies.
Do you know what I won't miss about Star Wars now being over? I won't miss all the griping and complaining from people over which movie or series of movies were good or bad. So much caterwauling, it drives me crazy!
I saw every Star Wars movie in the theatre, virtually always on the first weekend, it came out. There was not one that I did not tingle in anticipation to see. There was not one I was disappointed in.
Yes, one could always quibble at the edges. Jar Jar Binks was a huge misfire, and there were plenty of other overly commercial aspects (Ewoks? Anyone? Anyone?). And yes, I had my favorites and favorite moments. If pressed to the wall, I would have to say The Empire Strikes Back is a favorite, but that is not to diminish any of the others. But I was there for the entire journey. From beginning to end.
I loved the original cast of characters, their joy and spirit, and interaction. I appreciated the acting skills displayed in the second set of movies, with Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman, among others, and Yoda taking center stage. And the diversity of the cast of the third set of movies was very impressive to me - I am a huge fan of Rey and the whole gang.
So, please. Save your discussion about why some of the Star Wars movies sucked.
For me.....
I LOVED THEM ALL!!!
And I look forward to whatever is next to come!
May the Force be with you!
And, as Bill Murray sang on Saturday Night Live.
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