May 21, 1980 Remains a Very Memorable Day
Forty years ago today remains one of the greatest days of my life. The reason is simple – it’s nothing really – but it’s everything. I guess it really comes down what your passions are.
My first love was Star Wars. Can you blame me? I was born in a sweet spot for it, as it debuted in 1977 when I was nine years old. My father took me (which was special in its own right). It was sprawling, majestic, enthralling. The color. The special effects. The story. THE MUSIC!
I was, like millions of youngsters, hypnotized by the epic story. George Lucas succeeded in what he was trying to create – a 1930’s-type serial that included heroes, damsels, swashbucklers and villains. Star Wars had it all.
And I returned to the theater over and over again. There were no VCRs, no cable, no Netflix, no Internet. It certainly helped that the $1 theater only a mile away screened it for about a year when it was re-released in 1978. I won’t say how many times I ventured to a movie theater to see Star Wars. The number is ridiculous; you wouldn’t believe me and think I was nuts at the same time. Let’s just say the number is in double-figures and would lead the NBA in scoring average-per-game in any year.
Of course there was the line of Kenner toys that came out, and I had all of those. I had the soundtrack on vinyl, the lunch box, the posters, the T-shirts. My sisters hated me since they had to take turns escorting me to the theater to watch it (for the first several viewings anyway).
Then came word that “Star Wars II” was being made. Oh my. My Star Wars pants couldn’t take it and couldn’t wait.
May 21, 1980. I had the date circled on my calendar. The Empire Strikes Back was being released. I have to give incredible thanks (again) to my sister, Ann, for volunteering with pleasure to take me and wait in line. Looking back, I’m not sure how she did it; we literally waited for close to seven hours. Back then, there wasn’t reserved seating, and you had to really guestimate what show you might get into. We arrived at 10:30 am, waited in the queue line and secured tickets to the 5:20 pm show in mid-afternoon.
I was blown away; the movie surpassed any of my expectations. I remember being downright mad that we now had to wait THREE YEARS to find out what happens to Han Solo and if Darth Vader was telling the truth about being Luke’s father. The three years made Return of the Jedi that much more of a satisfying watch.
The Empire Strikes Back remains the best act of (now) a nine-part story, literally the middle stanza of the saga. The beauty of the movie is that everything was hunky dory at the end of Star Wars and in Empire, everything goes to hell. We learn so much more about the Force and its power, we’re introduced to Yoda (whoever thought a muppet could steal the show?), as well as a mysterious bounty hunter named Boba Fett.
The action is second-to-none; the Battle of Hoth that extends to the asteroid field chase is my favorite stanza in all of the nine movies. It has some of the funniest lines of the saga, and the budding romance of Han and Leia is veiled through wisecracks and smart alec banter.
There are so many fantastic scenes, but the best, and most emotional, might be when Han is frozen into carbonite. The scene shows the loyalty of Chewbacca, unwilling to let his best friend basically be executed without a fight.
“Chewie, stop, there’ll be another time. Listen to me – the princess. You have to take care of her!”
Then to have Leia exclaim, “I love you.” Only to have Han (in true form) simply say, “I know.”
Empire remains my favorite chapter of the Star Wars saga, as it does for many (most, really). It’s easily the best chapter; it’s simply a thrilling story. I would return to the theater again and again, like I did for the original, though not as many times (the number for Empire remains bad enough that you wouldn’t be believe me and think I was still nuts).
There’s a little extra for me, though, when it comes to this movie being momentous, as I still remember the anticipation I felt 40 years ago today. I was 12 and ready for more. A passion that was ignited three years prior was about to go to the next level. It remains one of the greatest days of my life.
Since I’ve been able to pass down my love for Star Wars to my son, who is that same fantastic age of 12.
Happy 40th Anniversary, Empire.
Never grow up. And never tell me the odds.
