Star Wars, A Bad, Bad Movie

[indianasmith]

I was in 7th grade when I went to see it in the summer of '77.
I was entranced from the moment the opening credits rolled, and I love it still to this day.

[Trevor]

I was 10 when I saw it in my hometown cinema (the Embassy) in 1977. Saw it, loved it and still do.

I saw The Empire Strikes Back there three years later and will never forget the ripple of horror which ran through the cinema when Darth Vader says "Yes, I am your sister." 😉

Seriously, people screamed and I know they did as I was one of them 😳😳😳

[LordGraal]

It was also pure escapism and a breakout from too many 1970s films that were too realistic and depressing.

Very much agree with you.  This thread is actually making me want to watch it again ha ha.  Although I'd like to watch a version with the original effects in it. 

[LordGraal]

I saw The Empire Strikes Back there three years later

I certainly enjoyed that more than the first - the walkers are very cool and I liked the asteroid sequence.  Particularly the space worm.

[M.10rda]

ZNO made a good point about the toys/product tie-ins - the film itself was a sensation, however the toys et al were mostly of such high quality that I think they really helped reinforce the cultural phenomenon for the 24 or so months between one entry leaving the theaters and the next one being released.

Case in point: It's openly acknowledged (by Marvel editor-in-chief Jim Shooter among others) that Marvel's STAR WARS comic almost singlehandedly saved Marvel's bacon in 1977, and kept it in the black through the mid-80s. Prior to the first issue Marvel was struggling to sell enough issues to stay afloat. Without STAR WARS, maybe no SPIDER-MAN, X-MEN, and AVENGERSverse flicks in the 21st century. Those STAR WARS comics from the 70s and 80s are aaaaaaawesome.

[Rev. Powell]

Without STAR WARS, maybe no SPIDER-MAN, X-MEN, and AVENGERSverse flicks in the 21st century.

Hmm, now you're making me rethink my love of STAR WARS. (Sorry, that was a very "Medved" comment of mine.)

[M.10rda]

LOL! I'm not suggesting that STAR WARS' contribution to 21st century cinema is unambivalently positive!       But many of the things that people claim to like about Marvel-based movies is stuff from Marvel comics published after 1977... Deadpool... Rocket Raccoon... the nuanced/ambiguous Magneto played by McKellan and Fassbender... most Wolverine and Thanos lore... (just personally for me) Kitty Pryde (who has never been portrayed properly onscreen)....... oh, the Spiderverse - which I believe you like (iirc), Rev. All of those things followed the STAR WARS comic and mightn't have ever existed if not for the STAR WARS comic. Just saying.

(A lot of stuff we don't like we could still chalk up to the STAR WARS comic, too. Madame Web followed the STAR WARS comic. Morbius, however....... pre-STAR WARS!  )

[pacman000]

(My favorite may be when Leia comforts Luke over the loss of a mentor he knew for about a day, when she herself lost all her family, friends, neighbors, her entire planet, yet seems barely shaken up.)

That was added when they'd already started filming. Obi Wan wasn't supposed to die, but Lucas thought the Death Star wasn't threatening enough. Alec Guinness threatened to quit when he read the changes, but Lucas convinced him to stay. After that Guinness apparently agreed it was right for Obi Wan to die; that the plot needed it.

Sometime during the film's production, Guinness wrote a letter to a friend, complaining. It said the director was making decisions based on plot instead of character development. Wouldn't be surprised if he wrote the letter after his talk with Lucas about that plot twist.

[LordGraal]

(My favorite may be when Leia comforts Luke over the loss of a mentor he knew for about a day, when she herself lost all her family, friends, neighbors, her entire planet, yet seems barely shaken up.)

That was added when they'd already started filming. Obi Wan wasn't supposed to die, but Lucas thought the Death Star wasn't threatening enough. Alec Guinness threatened to quit when he read the changes, but Lucas convinced him to stay. After that Guinness apparently agreed it was right for Obi Wan to die; that the plot needed it.

Sometime during the film's production, Guinness wrote a letter to a friend, complaining. It said the director was making decisions based on plot instead of character development. Wouldn't be surprised if he wrote the letter after his talk with Lucas about that plot twist.

I find it strange how much power name actors can have over a film sometimes.  Not really in this case, as he accepted it. But it can show a lack of respect for the director and/or writer(s) when they're supposed to be there acting the best they can and follwoing the script.

[pacman000]

(My favorite may be when Leia comforts Luke over the loss of a mentor he knew for about a day, when she herself lost all her family, friends, neighbors, her entire planet, yet seems barely shaken up.)

That was added when they'd already started filming. Obi Wan wasn't supposed to die, but Lucas thought the Death Star wasn't threatening enough. Alec Guinness threatened to quit when he read the changes, but Lucas convinced him to stay. After that Guinness apparently agreed it was right for Obi Wan to die; that the plot needed it.

Sometime during the film's production, Guinness wrote a letter to a friend, complaining. It said the director was making decisions based on plot instead of character development. Wouldn't be surprised if he wrote the letter after his talk with Lucas about that plot twist.

I find it strange how much power name actors can have over a film sometimes.  Not really in this case, as he accepted it. But it can show a lack of respect for the director and/or writer(s) when they're supposed to be there acting the best they can and follwoing the script.

True. But in this case Lucas changed the script. Guinness had agreed to film the earlier version, not the version where he died. (If I remember right, he thought his grandkids might like to see him as a space wizard. Killing him off changed that incentive.)

Filmmaking is a team effort, even if the director is in charge, he or she must work with the cast & crew to get the job done, & dine well.

[LordGraal]

Filmmaking is a team effort, even if the director is in charge, he or she must work with the cast & crew to get the job done, & dine well.

But the bottom line is that actors sign on to complete the film.  They haven't put in the effort to write it or the massive amount of work directors do along with the rest of the crew.  Actors should give their best performance.  The incentive should be to complete the film for the people who are paying you - not your family. If an actor threatens to walk because of a change to their character it is massively selfish and disrespectful to the numerous other people who work on it.  If it's a safety issue or a morally repugent change then fine.  But not because your grandkids would be disapoointed.  Ridiculous.

[pacman000]

Keep in mind, I'm not 100% sure he wanted the role because for grandkids. Thus is just my memory.

I'd agree with the rest, if the the script wasn't changed during production. Changing a script another person's agreed to, is changing part of the agreement itself.

Either way, Guinness did a good job, even with the changed scene, & he came back for one of the sequels, so I can't be too harsh on him.

[LordGraal]

Keep in mind, I'm not 100% sure he wanted the role because for grandkids. Thus is just my memory.

I'd agree with the rest, if the the script wasn't changed during production. Changing a script another person's agreed to, is changing part of the agreement itself.

Either way, Guinness did a good job, even with the changed scene, & he came back for one of the sequels, so I can't be too harsh on him.

Of course  He added alot to the film. 

I respect Christopher Plummer for being honest about why he did Starcrash.  Anything to get to Rome