May 25, 1983

Overshadowed by the birthday of "Star Wars", it's the anniversary of another SW movie, "Return of the Jedi"

* * *

OK, I admit it; I didn't see Star Wars on Opening Day. But I did see ROTJ on May 25, 1983. There weren't any midnight showings in those days, at least not that I ever head about. The first showing was at 7 pm.

We got tickets in advance... Met up with my sister, her daughter, a friend and stood in line for two hours.

I seem to remember that line as being one of the most fun things about the movie! Everyone was so excited. The biggest question on everyone's lips was "Is Darth Vader really Luke's father?"

Hot buttered popcorn and Cokes with ice... cheering when Boba Fett falls into the Sarlaac... laughing at the walkers getting crunched by the huge logs... cheering again when the Emperor went down the shaft... (bloodthirsty bunch, weren't we?)

It was the first of several times I saw the movie in a theater (it was years before it came out on home video) and I always thought of it as a "feel good movie"... the good guys won... good triumphed over evil... Leia and Han got together... the Emperor croaked... LOL

All that summer I went to see it when I was stressed! LOL

So, happy birthday to Star Wars in general, and Return of the Jedi in particular. I will always love you!

May the Force be with us all...

It's Not About Boba Fett!

Happy thirtieth to The Empire Strikes Back OR What do you mean "Episode 5?"

I know I'm not the only one who's getting a little tired of Boba Fett being shoved in our faces for the 30th Anniversary of TESB. From the CV logo to Tee Shirts, it's just too much.

The Empire Strikes Back is the favorite of the Saga for a lot of fans. Trying to make Boba Fett, who had but three lines, the focus of this film is to totally disrespect a magnificent movie.

I saw TESB originally in a theater, as it was meant to be seen... after three years of anticipation! And with a lot of "Episode 5? What do you mean 'Episode 5'?"

And I saw it several times, probably two-dozen times... and Boba Fett, whose name I didn't even know, was not an important part of it. He was just the scum of a bounty hunter who took Han away at the end.

TESB is about the Rebellion. Imagining the Rebels living on the run, hiding out on an ice planet, evacuating in a panic, not knowing who would make it out and who wouldn't.

It's about Luke and Yoda, and the training of a Jedi. Everything we learned about the Force, and the principals of the light side, the dedication of a Jedi Knight.

It's about Han and Leia and the development of a love affair. Who could forget Han's "I know" with its rich, multi-layered meaning.

It's about Lando and his betrayal of Han. It's about the Empire.

It's also about Luke and Vader. Was he really Luke's father? Or was he telling one big, fat cosmic lie? Ha, wait three years to find out!

The Empire Strikes Back is a great movie, one of the best ever made. It's about heroes and their adventures.

It's not about Boba Fett. So enough already!

Always and Forever

Always and forever
Each movie with you
Are better than dreams to me
You know that it's true.


Ah, Star Wars... I love you so much. You may change, but I won't. Prequels come and cartoons go, but my love for you will always be.

And no, it's not just Obi-Wan! LOL (Some of you know me so well!)

Ever since that fateful day in 1977 when my sister said "You HAVE to go see this movie!" I've been hooked. I can't count the number of times she and I saw ESB together. The first time I heard "No, I am your father!" she poked me in the ribs and whispered, "What do you think of that?" LOL

I loved ROTJ, too. I loved how the good guys won and everything worked out fine. I like happy endings. I like heroes who are good guys.

I liked seeing Boba Fett DIE!

I admit I never thought the PT would be made. And it took a while for TPM to grow on me. I thought it was OK, but it didn't take my breath away like ANH (then called simply "Star Wars") did. I thought Qui-Gon was hot, and the Queen had on too much makeup.

But after watching AOTC and falling hopelessly in love with Obi-Wan Kenobi, I appreciated it more. I really think of the PT as a whole greater than the sum of its parts.

And I like The Clone Wars. I don't care if it is a cartoon... it's FUN! Not every episode, mind you, but overall I enjoy it. Who would have thought I'd love the Madalorian story arc, but it was the best by far. Should have been the season finale...

I'm sad that I can't go to C-V since I had a blast at C-IV, but it's not in the cards for me this time. If it had been in California I might have been able to swing it, but maybe next time.

I'm sure I can live it vicariously through Jedi Master Mina anyway. She promises to spam the crap out of my email... LOL

I'm off to dream of Obi-Wan and more STAR WARS!

ACROSS THE STARS

All my exes live in Hyperspace...

Well, that's not exactly true. It would be more accurate to say that all my friends are ex-Hyperspacers... and soon we all will be.

Most of the friends I have now I met through Hyperspace, through these very blogs, in fact. Back in the heyday of blogging, this was my first stop every time I logged onto the Internet. There were always new blogs up to read, to comment on, to laugh at, get mad at, to cry at...

We shared all sorts of things; from the personal to the amusing to the mundane... we shared our love of the saga along with our disagreements...

Together we celebrated C-IV! A whole day of the convention just for Hyperspace members. I felt so special wearing that red lanyard (yeah, I'm a geek)...

But, sadly, most of the bloggers I met at that monumental Meet 'n Greet party that night are no longer members here. Sure, I have other ways of keeping in touch with them, but it's just not the same.

The salad days are over.