'Star Wars' is Turning Thirty

It's hard to believe that it's been thirty years since the original "Star Wars" hit movies screens in May of 1977. I don't quite remember it since I wasn't born until December but for whatever reason, 'Star Wars' became a very important part of my life. Growing up with the advent of the VCR, I had copies of the movies which I would watch incessantly. Thanks to my parents I had a large collection of toys with which I re-created the movies in my mind but I also created my own adventures and stories and this helped stimulate my imagination and storytelling. For those of us who had our youth filled with 'Star Wars' inspired adventures, it's particularly nostalgic to think back on how the film series has changed over the years and how the movie has come to mean so much to people despite the fact that there were times when the movies moved away from what we loved so much about them.

Looking back on it, I always realized that 'Star Wars' was actually the fourth film in a series of films (this was not originally the case but that's another point). According to George Lucas, creator of the series, the film was originally part of a larger concept but because he didn't have studio backing for a long film or for a series of films, he decided to begin in the middle of the story and fill in the rest as and when he felt it necessary. In watching the original movie from 1977 you realize that it's quite self-contained. Although the villain escapes in the end, there is a problem and resolution laid out in one film. As time has gone on and Lucas has worked to fill in the gaps in his story, we are now left with one continuous story beginning with Episode I and ending with Episode VI.

I grew up with the final three films in the series simply because from 1983 until 1999 that was the only source of Star Wars entertainment we had. I remember when the first novel came out in the early 90's. I was ecstatic to know that 'Star Wars' was back if only in book form. It didn't matter to me because I was so thrilled to finally have something relating to 'Star Wars' coming out; something, anything! For a generation of young adults moving into adulthood, it was a wonderful time. I was still in high school at the time but I remember getting the book and reading each chapter carefully to absorb the details and get it in my head. Some may wonder why it means so much to someone but it's because it was a big part of my youth. The story of 'Star Wars' has classic underpinnings in what is known as the hero's journey. The story of Anakin Skywalker (who becomes Darth Vader) was fit into the mold later. This was originally the story of Luke Skywalker and his quest to become a Jedi and find his father.

Although I am fortunate enough to have both my parents with me I could still relate to Luke's desire to go beyond the boundaries of his home and seek out adventure. I am still waiting to find Han Solo and hop on board his starship for a trip around the galaxy and a series of adventures but who knows, it could still happen. Read any of the message boards or visit the chat rooms where discussions on 'Star Wars' are taking place and you'll find thousands of people saying the same things. Discussing how 'Star Wars' has changed their lives. I can't say that it necessarily altered the course of my life, but it did give me something to retreat to when I was feeling down or even gave me a world to escape into when the reality of this one was wearing me down. The film remains special to me and in the interim it's changed in the public's eye from what it was into what it's become.

When the original film was released, it was a different film for a different time. The special effects and setting were truly out of this world. We were literally seeing come of the most fantastic effects that had graced the silver screen. Over time the effects improved but in the original series of films, the story was what drove it. Lucas himself once said something along the lines of "having effects doesn't mean you have a story, you need a story and a plot." The original trilogy (released between 1977 and 1983) focused a great deal on the development of the characters and their journey together. In 1999 when the prequel trilogy was started, most of us who grew up on the original films were both excited and wary. We had been waiting for years for these movies to come back and now the time was upon us.

But times had changed, it was no longer good enough to have a story or a good movie but you also had to maximize profits. That being said, it was key to target the audience that would help drive prices. Kids. With the possible exception of Episode III, all of the films in the prequels were largely aimed with an eye on producing scenes of stunning fantasy and subsequently tying them into the latest merchandising ideas. Fast food tie-ins, books, school supplies, toys, stuffed animals, rare figures, coloring books, comic books, stamps, you name it, the merchandising existed. The focus moved away and it began focusing on other things, namely money. I guess in that way it's like any person.

When 'Star Wars' was born, it was part of an industry that had already existed for nearly a century. It was new and cutting edge and was trying to establish an identity in society and cinematic history. When it accomplished that, the story was continued much like someone goes to school and learns about the way the world works. As time went on, the focus shifted away from the things that drove you originally to the things that inspire you later on, making a profit and making money. While I'm happy that 'Star Wars' is still in the collective consciousness of society, it's a bit sad to see that as the series has matured, the drive for money has outpaced the drive to keep it near and dear to those who kept it going for so many years. While we continue to enjoy the films and related paraphenilia, we also long for the days when it wasn't quite so commercial. Oh well, I guess it's part of getting old.