Star Wars Turns 30

Few people know that Chewbacca went on to become a successful hurler for the Boston Red Sox. He was an intimidating force out of the Bull Pen and also inspired his own brand of chewing tobacco.

It's hard to believe that George Lucas' iconic universe turned thirty this week. I was eight years old the first time I saw Star Wars and it left a long lasting impact on me. It was a warm day in Santa Rosa, CA. I can't remember the name of the theater, but it was a single screen. This was way back in the old days before multiplexes plagued the world. Strangely, there were only about thirty other folks in the theater, but it was the first showing on opening day. From the first moments of the scrolled paragraphs and the overhead starship battle, I was hooked. I had never seen anything like it and was convinced I'd never see anything like it again. It was pure magic in every sense of the word. After the movie was over, I immediately ran into the lobby where my grandparents were waiting to pick me up. I begged them to let me watch it again. After tireless groveling, they allowed me to stay. The second viewing was a slightly different experience as the line wrapped around the building. This was history in the making. The arrival of the blockbuster. Sure, Jaws was a huge hit, but this would be the movie that would change cinematic history, and I was about to watch it for the second time in three hours. In fact, I would con my family into letting me see the movie five times in the opening week. I even managed to drag them with me two of those times. Ultimately, I would end up seeing Star Wars around eight times during it's initial run. Eight times! Empire Strikes Back remains my favorite of the saga, but Star Wars will always hold a special place in my heart because it was the first movie to affect me this profoundly. Now, at age 38, I've seen countless films. Movies are a huge part of my life and while I wouldn't say Star Wars is my favorite film of all time, it is the cinematic experience that would show me just how powerful movies could be. George Lucas, I salute you. Happy birthday to the Star Wars universe--a slice of cinematic bliss I will never forget.