For the Love of Luke Skywalker
I have probably mentioned here before that I am a huge Star Wars fan. And by Star Wars, I mean the first three movies. And by first three movies, I mean Episodes IV, V, and VI. And by Episodes IV, V and VI, I mean Star Wars (A New Hope), The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. I know this sounds confusing, but I’ve learned over the last week in trying to explain the chronology of the series to my now 9-year-old daughter that understanding how this works isn’t so easy.
I’ll spare you the entire convoluted explanation since most of you already understand and those of you who don’t understand likely don’t care.
I think that all of us have defining moments in our lives–instants where our lives change forever. I can honestly say that one of my most vivid memories of my childhood was sitting in the tiny theatre at the now razed Tampa Bay Center (mall) with my father and hearing that score by John Williams pulse through my body. I remember the stars flickering across the screen, the camera panning down and the first shot of two starships, one tiny, one immense, sliding across the screen.
I think I held my breath.
I was 11 years old. Maybe twelve. I can’t remember much more than the way the movie changed my life.
My imagination was struck open like…well, like a blaster to a cargo bay door. From that moment on, most of my stories took place in space, on weird planets, amid strange and fantastical magic. As I was just a child, I had no idea what fan fiction was, but I’d written it and showed it to no one.
I saw STAR WARS over 100 times. In the theatre. I’m not exaggerating. Back then, they didn’t care if you paid admission once and stayed all day. The movie remained in theatres for over a year–there was no imminent DVD release to kick it out. So long as people were willing to pay admission, the movie stayed. So I went. Over and over and over, committing every word, every scene to memory.
Oh, and I was completely and totally in love with Mark Hamill.
I know, I know. I should have loved Harrison Ford. Everyone else did. Not me. He was cute, but he was old! I was only 12! I wanted the handsome, brave farm boy with the melt-into-you blue eyes. The one who wasn’t “simple tricks and nonsense,” (should I admit here that at one time, I could quote the entire film verbatim?) but real magic and courage and an intense desire to do the right thing? By the time I was a senior in high school, skipping out to camp out at the opening of RETURN OF THE JEDI (11th in line for the first showing), Luke had matured and so had I. By the time I met Mark Hamill after a Broadway performance of his in THE NERD (great show!) I would have willingly had his child. Unfortunately, he was married (still is to the same woman…I mean, can you not love this man?) and was a perfect gentleman and very gracious to his fans.
But he shaped many of the first heroes I ever wrote in the beginning of my career. They come in all shapes, sizes and occupations–and none of them fly in space–but all of them have at their heart that Luke Skywalker determination to change the world.
I could go on and on about how Princess Leia shaped my heroines, but I think it’s pretty obvious!
For Christmas, my daughter received the Star Wars II Lego game for her X-box. This got her interested in the movies, though I’ve been trying for years to get her interested. So this week, in my refilling the well quest, we snuggled up in bed and watched all three movies and rediscovered the magic together. She woke up tonight an hour after going to sleep and had to get up and tell me that in her dream, she’d figured out why they’d titled the first movie “A New Hope.” (Because Anakin was the hope, but he turned to the dark side, so then Luke was the new hope. She’s brilliant, this kid.)
So for the love of Luke Skywalker, I get back to work today on my own stories…not set in space, but with a bold heroine and a hero, frankly, who’s more Han than Luke…at first. But he learns from his mistakes and in the end, he saves the galaxy. Metaphorically speaking. Well, a little figuratively, too. It is my final story in my witch series.
What movies or books or popular culture (music, perhaps?) made a difference in your life?
The t.v. show I remember most was when I was probably around 7 or 8 - an anime show from the late 70’s/early 80’s called StarBlazers (hence the name of my blog). It was one of the few shows me and my two younger brothers actually watched together and enjoyed. There was the hero, Derek Wildstar, and his sidekicks, as well as the love of his life, Nova. I don’t remember much about it now, and haven’t see it in decades, but I do remember the impact it had on me and how I created magical worlds of make-believe with my brothers - it really sparked the imagination.
Comment by Stacy ~ — January 3, 2007 @ 7:47 am
I love Star Wars! I remember seeing it when I was really little but I liked Han Solo … I also thought Chewy was great. Of course, I missed this year’s Rose Bowl parade. It’s great that you’re able to bond with your daugther over it. Of course then there’s my NKOTB and Mark Walhberg obsession … it’s OK to laugh at me … most people do.
However, I met Joey McIntyre when he was doing off Broadway and he was very nice and gracious and still cute. I was more excited that he was nice since it would’ve been a huge let down if he wasn’t.
Comment by Yolanda — January 3, 2007 @ 9:26 am
I loved Fantasy Island. I always thought the concept for this show was fabulous, and I never missed it. It came on after my second favorite show, The Love Boat. Can you tell I write romance? Anyhow, both were great shows. On Fantasy Island, I loved the way anyone could fulfill their wildest dreams, and even a few they didn’t realize that they had. To me this is the core of every really good story. Adventure. Goals. Lessons learned. Oh, and they always had such great guest stars!
Comment by Kimberly Raye — January 3, 2007 @ 10:14 am
I loved Star Wars as a child and still do today(only the original movies…not too fond of the new ones). Of course, I had a little brother who was so in to the Star Wars toys, so we had them all!!! He always got mad a me when I made Leia and Han get married everytime we played, but we had lots of fun with all the ships, ewok village, and all the other toys. We had the best time and I still will pull out the dvd’s and watch the 3 movies at least 2-3 times a year. My brother is coming up to visit in a couple of months an we already have plans to watch all of the Star Wars movies together(we are the only Star Wars freaks in my family).
Comment by Liza — January 3, 2007 @ 10:34 am
My husband let our 4 year old watch Star Wars two months ago and my son is obsessed! He LOVES all of them! I liked the movies when I was a kid (the New Hope ones). I remember going to the special theater downtown (they had a domed screen), right after school got out for the summer and watching the movies with my mom and brothers. That was our treat. I even got a set of the action figures (I can’t find them for my son, although, I know I have them). Anyway…back to my son…he is obsessed. He could tell you all about the last three movies (we have them on VHS only if you can believe it) and #1 (we have that also on VHS). We don’t have the other two (I have seen #2, but not #3). He can give you family histories, information about all of them (seriously). He asked Santa for a Star Wars shirt and his presents wrapped in Star Wars Christmas wrapping paper. Did you even know it existed? Santa was kind enough to leave the extras!
I must confess, I am a Han Solo fan. I guess I liked bad boys.
When I was growing up, it was “Love Boat”. Geez. We’d pop popcorn in a oil popcorn popper (this is dating me!) and have a Saturday night tv show night (no vcrs, we were the last one to get one, I swear!) as a family. My folks wouldn’t let me watch “Fantasy Island” unless it was a special occasion (I still don’t know why). I looked forward to that every week. I am so weird.
Comment by katie — January 3, 2007 @ 10:46 am
For me it was all about The Love Boat. I would sleep at my grandmothers house every weekend and we would pop some jiffy pop and watch it together (although most of the time she would fall asleep…lol)
Comment by Tina Martinesi — January 3, 2007 @ 10:49 am
we all watched the Star Wars marathon when it was on. Hubby had not seen the new ones. he doesn’t care for them as much as the “real” ones. Daguther loves them all. I like the originals better too, but am a Han fan. I am just that much older than you I guess Julie. It was playing at the local theather for over a year also. One of the guys i graduated with got a job there hoping to see lots of movies our senior year, and that is the only movie he ever saw!!
I am a Star Trek fan. I remember watching the original series with my mom and then years later the movies, new series’ and now we still put it on the TV. Of course, we did that with Monty Python too, so I am not sure what that says about me. I married a man who likes the same stuff I do too, at least when it comes to tv. Daughter calls us geeks.
Comment by ev — January 3, 2007 @ 10:59 am
Obviously every romance novel I ever read — in fact, though a lot of people say romance novels create false expectations about love in young women, I found that reading them allowed me to know what was sh** about my first marriage and that I deserved more — so that was huge. (and then I found the real thing, later…much like heroines do in romance novels! LOL).
As for who shapes my heroes…Superman/Clark Kent. I know I sound like a broken record on Superman, but I think that model drives what men I find attractive, in real life and in books. The first Chris Reeve movies came around when I was fifteen, and I was so sucked in — saw the movie about a hundred times, and even bought the soundtrack. Still a huge influence for me…
Sam
Comment by Sam Hunter — January 3, 2007 @ 11:05 am
Like you Julie I think I was 12 or 13 when I saw STAR WARS. I remember watching the commercials before it was released and me and all the neighborhood kids were mesmerized.
I fell in love with Luke. :love2: I wanted to marry a boy like Luke.
Later on I fell in love with Han. Still love Han.:love2:
And Princess Leah I mean what a strong girl and great leader she made.
I wanted to grow up to be strong like her.
I have the entire original 3 movie set on tape. I saw at the theatre the doctored versions and also bought the enhanced versions.
I still love the originals.
We have all the movie soundtracks. I mean ther is no better composer in my or my daughters opion than John Williams.
Another Movie that made me believe in the underdog was ROCKY. I mean when they play Gonna Fly Now (I hope I got that right). It makes me want to get up and run and do something.:doggie:
Comment by Gigi — January 3, 2007 @ 11:15 am
I really liked Star Wars, but it didn’t wham me as much as it did a lot of people. I actually like it better now than I did when I first saw it as a kid. (Talking about the first 3 movies…I saw the first of the “new” trilogy, loathed it and never bothered seeing the others!)
Probably the movie that most wowed me as a kid and had me begging to go back again was Raiders of the Lost Ark. I LOVED Indiana Jones! I was so excited to see they’re *finally* proceeding on the 4th one. Harrison Ford might be old and farty now, but the character has such charisma.
Comment by Leslie — January 3, 2007 @ 11:49 am
I loved the Star Wars movies, they came out when I was older, but still had the same magic for me. My son was so into them that he had so much of the Star Wars things (I have them still in my garage can we say collectors items) and my daughter was Princess Lei. I sat with my grandson and we watched them together when he was staying with me, and he is just as enthusiastic as his dad was. Loved it…………:P
Comment by Cryna — January 3, 2007 @ 1:10 pm
Hmmm-I’m not sure what movie had an impact on me as a child. However, I know I have always loved Bambi & to this day it can still make me cry! I also remember seeing Dumbo & as an adult still like that also though I haven’t seen it in many years. I guess I would have to say that The Wizard of Oz probably made somewhat of an impact on me. I’m mulling all this over in my mind as I sit here. Now, I must get ready to go to work so I will be running this around in the brain today!
Comment by Donna M — January 3, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
I was nine when Star Wars came out and I remember sitting in the darkened theater and watching those words scroll from bottom to top. R2D2 was my favorite character, then Chewy. Han garnered my attention as I got older but now I’m back to Chewy. He’s the perfect man. LOL
To this day, when I see the 20th Century Fox logo and hear those drums and horns just before a movie starts I expect them to be followed by the Star Wars theme.
Comment by Missy — January 3, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
Okay, I am so not on the same boat. I have never seen any of the original Star Wars, just two of the most recent three.
The first movie I ever remember seeing in a theatre was Son of the South with Brer Rabbit, which you can no longer get…hmm…I wonder why. (sarcastically, she said).
The biggest impact show I saw was Dukes of Hazzard. The good ‘ole boys. They were good but with an edge which is so how I like my men.
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Have a super day!!!
Comment by Debbie — January 3, 2007 @ 1:55 pm
gigi- Have you seen the new Rocky movie? It is very good and very much like the first one. Made me giddy all over again.:thumbsup2::thumbsup2::thumbsup2::thumbsup2:
I can not wait for the 4th Indiana Jones movie, I don’t care how old Harrison is. And the new Die Hard (Live Free or Die Hard). I just hope they keep my favorite line- Yipee Kiaaay MF in it!!!
Yolanda- keep an eye on the travel channel and HGTV- they aired the parade to begin with and one or the other will reshow it soon. The Star Wars float was great and you need to check out the 2nd float for Oklahoma.
I love a parade!!
Comment by ev — January 3, 2007 @ 2:03 pm
What?! Am I the ONLY Grease fan out there???? Grease RULED my world when I was about 8 or 9… I think. Me and my two sisters would sit in the theater and quote it word for word, dressed in full-50s garb! What a sight!
Just this Christmas, me and my sisters humiliated our children with a very long, very bad karaoke show made up entirely of Grease tunes!
Lara
Comment by Lara — January 3, 2007 @ 2:13 pm
Lara you are not alone I can watch GREASE over and over again
and I can still quote some of it LOL
Comment by Cherylann — January 3, 2007 @ 2:32 pm
ev….I saw a little of the parade (but I totally missed all of the Star Wars stuff…my 4 year old would have loved it). I loved the Oklahoma float. Didn’t expect it and my 4 year old loved that one (I told you, I saw exactly two floats).
Comment by katie — January 3, 2007 @ 2:49 pm
If we’re talking movies, definitely GREASE! It was my all-time favorite. I fell in love with bad boys right then and I still appreciate black leather pants and a tight T-shirt. Nobody can fill ‘em out like John Travolta, though. Loved him as Vinnie on Welcome Back Kotter, and he still rules today. Such a great guy.
Comment by Kimberly Raye — January 3, 2007 @ 4:12 pm
I’m also an URBAN COWBOY fanatic! In fact, I just watched it for like the three hundredth time two days ago. I’ve had the flu and so I lazed in bed, watched Bud and Sissy fall in love and felt infinitely more hopeful. Big sigh.
Comment by Kimberly Raye — January 3, 2007 @ 4:13 pm
Star Wars stuck with me. I can remember seeing A New Hope with my parents (pre-divorce), and The Empire Strikes Back/Return Of The Jedi with my then single mom.
And Star Trek was a show I would watch with my grandfather.
I’m a sci-fi chick.
Comment by Heather Harper — January 3, 2007 @ 4:15 pm
I still remember the chill I got when across the screen went
Once upon a time in a galaxy far far away.
I still remember during the Empire Strikes Back (first day,first showing) when Darth Vader reveals he is Luke’s father - the audience gasp collectively - it was a great movie moment
Comment by Liz — January 3, 2007 @ 6:57 pm
:mrgreen:Still under the toilet here :mrgreen
I love all your answers and you had me thinking.
Any cartoon heroes? Let’s face it you have you seen the early pictures of Mickey Mouse? “Father knows Best” “My Three Sons” a little boring for a futuristic me.The Honeymooners influence should have turned anyone off on marriage forever. I must admit to liking the men in Big Valley, Ponderosa, they were handsome strong protective and they had cooks and housekeepers. Zorro provided room for a little teen fantasy too. Well he had a nice horse(what young girl doesn’t dream of owning a horse?) Not sure what slant the whip had on things.
On radio the “Shadow Knows” he had a sexy voice.
I don’t think we had a tv until the late 50’s and the Saturday movies
consisted of Roy Rogers, Gene Autry and the Lone Ranger
nothing there. I mean Gene was buried with his HORSE>
Tarzan my first real look at a nearly nude man.
Ahhheeeeeeahhhh! Oh come on now maybe jane could but I am not into vine swinging (no offense PlotMonkeys) and I did love the chimps.
Hmmmm, then came tv: No way to Flash Gordon. The blonde hair was nice but the tight silver pants and fake rocket ships. Paleaseeee! I don’t think so. Then there was that efficient big guy known as Robbie the robot, just a little to cold, to the touch, for my liking. Jackie Gleason, Red Skelton and Bob Hope could make me laugh, a quality I need in my man but just not enough there either
Well you get the drift…..
No wonder I was a late bloomer.
Comment by jeannie — January 3, 2007 @ 8:24 pm
Kimberly, hope you get better soon! I’m with you on the Love Boat and Fantasy Island - it’s amazing how stuff like that sticks with you. Just the other day a plane went over our house and …. you know where this is going…”Ze Plane…Ze Plane…” Of course, my 11 year old thought Mom and Dad had flipped. And I Looooovved Grease. Still do! Grease 2 wasn’t that great but I watch Grease anytime I can find it on TV. I have the soundtrack on my iPod! I don’t think I’ve ever dressed up in 50’s clothes to watch it though (lol).
Comment by Jodie — January 3, 2007 @ 8:27 pm
The music loves of my childhood were Michael Jackson and Davey Jones from the Monkees. I repeatedly told my mother when I was 6 that I was going to marry him when i grew up (luckily that did not come to pass).
My dreams of Davey Jones were shattered when I found out that I was watching reruns of a show that aired way before I was born. (not that he would have waited for my nine year old self to grow up, but i hoped).
My childhood movie impacts were The Princess Bride, it was the first movie I ever saw in the theater and i loved the romance of it even at age 7. And the other was Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, I loved that movie and still watch it all the time.
Comment by Kris — January 3, 2007 @ 9:43 pm
Did you watch the Rose Parade? Did you see all the marching Stormtroopers. Some of our people were marching in that. My husband is a fanatic, too. In fact, you can check out his website at http://www.maulrat.org. He’s part of an organization called the 501st DuneSea Garrison (they have them all over, but that’s what the one here in AZ is called). These people create their own movie quality Star Wars costumes and do appearances for charity. They do the MS Walk every year, the big Toy Drives and make hospital visits. To make a long story short, he’s the DSG’s best Darth Maul. He shaves his head and puts on the red and black make-up by himself. He even has the double-edged saber (not real, but it’s heavy enough that it feels like it). It’s pretty cool, because George Lucas recongizes these organizations and he invited Garrisons from each state to send in a tape of their Troopers. Four of our people got to go. Whomever got chosen got a free plane ticket and accomodations…courtesy of George. I hear they got a chance to meet him, too. Very cool.
Anyway, the type of movies that made a difference in my life? James Bond. I don’t even remember how I discovered those movies, but ever since then, I’ve been a fan…of him as well as all action-packed movies in general. Seeing Grease was also a turning point for me. Since I loved to dance, any movie that had dancing in it? I’m SO there. But singing AND dancing? I’m STILL so there.
Comment by Celise — January 4, 2007 @ 12:11 am