What It Was Really Like To See Star Wars In 1977

In 1977, George Lucas’ Star Wars blew the minds of moviegoers, and the space adventure has gotten generations of moviegoers hooked on stories from a galaxy far, far away in the years since.

Today, the Star Wars franchise is alive and well, but audiences don’t get that same surprise and atmosphere that moviegoers got in 1977. Imagine watching Jurassic Park or Avatar for the first time and multiply it by ten.

1977’s Star Wars was way ahead of its time, and it changed the landscape of cinema and pop culture forever. Here’s what it was really like to see Star Wars in 1977.

#StarWars #Movies #LukeSkywalker

A long time ago...in California | 0:00
Playing hookie for some Wookiee | 1:43
A movie for all ages | 3:11
How many times? | 4:31
A whole new universe | 5:55
Worth the drive | 7:14
The film America needed | 8:36
Not everyone loved Star Wars | 10:17

[Looper]

Do you have any fond memories related to Star Wars?

[Vaderdk]

I’m 71, but as a 26 year old who waited in line in 1977 let me just say I’ll never forget how it felt when we finished reading that iconic scroll and the theater started to rumble. Then that ship flew by followed by this giant shadow that kept coming and coming and coming blotting out the entire screen. We were excited, confused and a bit scared all at the same time. Then, just as we were recovering, HE showed up.

[christoffsimply]

I was 6 years old but I still remember. My father was in the hospital the last 2 years of his life. In spite of doctors' orders, my mother had told my father than his oldest son loved this "stupid space movie". He broke orders, grabbed a pair of jeans and we all went to a drive in. He was too sick to get the popcorn so I went to get it. A 6 year old could do that back then. When I got back to the car, my mother switched to the backseat so I could sit next to my father for the trash compactor scene. That was the last thing I ever was able to do with my father. There aren't words or videos that could explain what this movie meant to tens of millions of people back then. There wasn't anything like it. Everything since is standing on the shoulders of giants. They're all good, but nothing else has stepped up quite like this movie. Thanks for reading!

[peterward]

You can write and talk all you want, but no amount of words can really Express the feeling. You literally had to be there.

[simbarules]

Star Wars wasn't just a movie I watched with my dad when I was seven. It was an awakening. I know it sounds dramatic, but I truly believe it opened up something in everyone who saw it. It was like our imaginations were suddenly unleashed, the boundaries of what was possible shattered. Even though it was just a story, it felt like we were all seeing the world with fresh eyes for the first time.

I was so captivated, I went back to the theater six more times just to soak it all in. Star Wars wasn't about spaceships and lightsabers; it was about chasing your dreams, finding your purpose. It ignited a fire in me that still burns to this day.

It may not be the "best" movie ever made, but it's the one that has touched me the most deeply. Star Wars didn't just entertain me, it shaped the course of my life. It's given me the courage to live life at full speed, filled with moments of pure joy that no amount of money could ever buy.
I know (some) people will agree with what I just brought up, because it is and remains in our collective consciousness, lol, May the force be with you…. ❤

[__Sauron_]

Rest In Peace to all the loving Star Wars actors and actresses we’we lost over the years❤️

[cheddarcheese]

I was 7 in 77..The magic was overwhelming!.I saw it 32 times..Back then SW played at the Woodhaven Mall for 3 yrs!.and my Mom would go there every weekend and let me see a flick.I always chose SW..My Mom just passed away a few weeks ago..Thanks Mom.

[videobobdammit]

Somebody stood up in the theatre during a screening in '77 and screamed: "THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE I'VE EVER

[Pipedreams]

I was 21 and went with a mate to see it. The opening sequence blew us away and we were hooked from then on. You really had to be a part of the time to appreciate just how it was.

[timbraam]

The opening scene, where the star destroyer is chasing the small rebel ship, is still my favorite movie opening. It was just so beyond anything we’d ever seen before, it was mesmerizing

[aday]

In 1977, I watched Stars Wars at a Drive-In Theater. My dad surprised our family one afternoon by asking us all, “Do you want to see Star Wars?” I was beyond excited. There are no adequate words. I’ll never forget the opening scene and the whole experience of watching with my family outdoors from our car. My dad passed away in 2011 and I’ll never forget him or the Star Wars experience he provided for us 47 years ago.

[jowbloe]

The opening scene with the Star Destroyer taking *FOREVER* to cross the big screen, back when movies were shown on an actual *BIG* screen, is still the most awe inspiring thing I have ever seen in a movie.

[QuinnJACKSON-zxdx]

I was 7 when I saw Star Wars, and it forever shaped my imagination and wonder. MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU, ALWAYS.

[rex-racer]

And the music! Holy cow, John Williams’ score! Star Wars through the years has had its ups & downs, but the music has always been stellar.

[RogueWJL]

An extraordinary moment in time

The world was literally changed by this movie

[danjohnston]

I was 21 years old in 1977. What do I remember? Crouching down in the theatre seat as the ships passed over our heads. I had never seen anything with such visual impact. If you weren't there, you will never know how that changed cinema. It was magical.

[kerandco]

My Dad had been to USA and came back to Australia and couldn’t wait to show my bro and I. He took us to Warringah Mall Cinema near Manly, Sydney and I will never forget that feeling ! May the force be with you…

[kevinkrouse]

I was an usher at The Plitt Theater in Orange County, California. "Star Wars" in 70mm and 6 Track Stereo Sound!
The night before it opened, the manager told us he wanted to screen the movie for the employees and we could invite one friend (I took my 7 year old nephew). So there we are, about 50 of us, sitting in the middle of that theater that sat around 1, 000 people, loaded down with popcorn & candy & drinks and the movie started! To say it was a life changing event is an understatement!! Almost 50 years later, still a huge Star Wars fan!

[gastonave]

People raised on CGI can't comprehend how mind blowing the special effects in Star Wars were in the 70's.

[jonoffensend]

I happened to be a projectionist at a local theater, audience reaction was unreal.