This film's force will be with us for a long time

Rating: Null/10 (31 January 1999)

In early summer 1977 I found myself taking in the sights on Times Square one Saturday afternoon, and I came across a long line of people waiting to get into Loews Theater (which turned out to have a screen, oh, about a half mile wide) to see "Star Wars." For several months I'd been intrigued by a silver-gray movie poster at the Memphian Theater back home that said simply, "Coming to Your Galaxy This Summer: Star Wars." My feet were tired from walking all over New York, so I decided, "What the heck," and got in line. When I bought my ticket I was given a pin-on button, about three inches in diameter, upon which was printed against a blue field of stars, "May the Force Be With You." "Wonder what that means?" I thought, and I pinned it on my shirt. I found a seat and for the next two hours, as I sat suspended in space from the front row of the balcony, "Star Wars" transported me, as no movie had before, to adventures in a time and place I could never have imagined. "Star Wars" took my breath away. Almost literally. When the Millennium Falcon kicked into overdrive and the stars stretched, I nearly fell out of the balcony. The next day I traveled home and told all my friends that they would soon see a new science fiction movie that was about to sweep the country and they would all love it. They thought I was nuts, but I was mostly right of course. (Can you believe some people don't love "Star Wars?") Now I have the new version of all three "Star Wars" films on LaserDisc, and I expect to continue enjoying them for years to come. And yes, I like the new versions better. The Jabba the Hutt scene was an especially welcome addition to the first film.