Looking back at the original release of Star Wars

Crowds wait to see Star Wars first time around

I'm taking a break from creating new material for Episode Nothing during August, in order to devote some time to other projects and to research new posts which will take us into the autumn.

But to show I haven't disappeared entirely, I'm still going to check in each week, and will use the opportunity to point to some of the older content on the site. With 152 posts, going back to 2013, I hope there's some material there that's worth bringing to people's attention.

Unimpressed: The negative 1977 reviews of Star Wars

Not everybody was excited by Star Wars

The majority of contemporary critics liked Star Wars. When I first began researching the subject, I was struck by the fact that reviewers generally felt the same way as audiences.

But there were a few dissenters. Today, we consider the critics who didn't like Star Wars, and why.

40 years on: Star Wars at the Oscars – part three

George Lucas (bottom right) breaks into a smile as the winner of the Best Director Oscar is announced

Today, we conclude our look at the Academy Awards of April 3, 1978. It was one of the most controversial, often uncomfortable, Oscar ceremonies ever. 

As the biggest awards of the night loomed, how would Star Wars fare against Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Julia, The Goodbye Girl and Annie Hall? 

What other movies were on release at the same time as Star Wars?

A 1977 line to see Star Wars. What else was showing?

Star Wars was the film everybody was talking about. But what was its competition? If you didn't want to see it, or were just waiting for the lines to go down, what were your other options?

Episode Nothing takes a look at what else was playing alongside the biggest film in history.

When is your Star Wars 40th anniversary?

Star Wars opened on both screens
at the Gaumont, Bournemouth

In a shorter Episode Nothing post than usual (thank my internet provider for that), I'm taking a look at the 40th anniversary of my own first viewing of Star Wars – and asking you for your memories.

Interview: Craig Stevens, author of The Star Wars Phenomenon in Britain

  

The Star Wars Phenomenon in Britain by Craig Stevens

There's a great new book coming out about Star Wars mania in the UK. And I don't think you'll even have to be British to like it.

Today, Episode Nothing meets Craig Stevens, the author of The Star Wars Phenomenon in Britain.

The original release of Star Wars: when it was seen and where

Star Wars mania at Mann's Chinese Theater

On the weekend of May 27-29 1977, many thousands of people were enjoying a film that was playing on hundreds of American cinema screens. The film took $2.7million at the box office that weekend. 

It was called Smokey and the Bandit. 

Meanwhile, people in a small number of major US cities had a chance to see a new science fiction movie called Star Wars. 

December 27, 1977: Star Wars is released in London

Star Wars reaches London, December 1977

Forty years ago, the world-conquering release of Star Wars continued with its arrival in London. Episode Nothing considers that milestone in the Star Wars story.

The cast of Star Wars on TV: the Donny & Marie show, 1977

The bizarre finale of the Donny & Marie Star Wars skit

The Star Wars Holiday Special was not the first time the blockbuster of the century crossed paths with television’s light entertainment industry. Today, Episode Nothing goes back to September 23, 1977, when characters from Star Wars appeared on Donny & Marie.

The story of a boy, a girl and a universe: the original Star Wars teaser trailer from 1976

The 1976 teaser trailer for Star Wars, before the final logo was produced

Almost forty years after cinema audiences saw the first trailer for Star Wars, Episode Nothing considers what people would have made of this strange new movie.

A 1977 interview with Mark Hamill from Blue Peter - and what it reveals about Star Wars

 

Mark Hamill interviewed on the BBC's Blue Peter in December 1977

Millions of children will have seen it in December 1977, but a fascinating clip of Mark Hamill on the British children's show Blue Peter has only recently reappeared. 

Episode Nothing considers what it tells us about the 1970s and the early days of Star Wars fandom.

What the censors made of Star Wars: British paperwork reveals their views

A UK poster for Star Wars, displaying the 'U' certificate

The bodies that apply age ratings to films around the world had to consider whether Star Wars was appropriate for all children. Episode Nothing considers some fascinating documents from the archives of the British film censors which record their conclusion. 

Listen: A 1977 audience's reaction to Star Wars

Hear a 1977 audience react to Star Wars below

Today, Episode Nothing points you towards one of the most beautiful, warmly nostalgic Star Wars experiences you can have on the internet, as we hear a first generation audience react to the film.

What's the record number of times anyone has seen Star Wars? Anyone beat 102?

A 1977 audience waits in line to see Star Wars

Last time at Episode Nothing, we considered the case of Daniel Henning, a boy who saw Star Wars 102 times – and not on video, but in a cinema. Today, we give further consideration to the people who saw the film multiple times, and who became a key part of the Star Wars phenomenon.

How the release of The Force Awakens will be a galaxy away from the opening of the original Star Wars

Then and now: teaser ads for Star Wars in 1977 and Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens 

It's almost here. Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens will be released next month. And it's being awaited with such rapt anticipation that there's a danger we'll have nothing left in reserve to welcome the Second Coming.

How different is all this from the release of the first Star Wars in 1977? Episode Nothing considers

Star Wars on DVD and Blu-ray: will we ever get the unaltered, original theatrical cut?

Han Solo prepares to shoot first in
the 1977 theatrical cut of Star Wars

We've looked at Star Wars on Super 8 and home video. Now it's time for a brief guide to the frustrating history of the original film on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Laughing at Star Wars: the Top 10 funniest jokes in the original movie - part two

In part one of this post, I argued that people often forget something important about Star Wars: It was funny.   

It wasn't a comedy, and it never made the mistake of knowingly sending up the genre, but a few well-judged jokes helped make the film the bright and lively experience that it was.

For part two, here is the rest of my chronological list of the film's best comic moments.

Selling Star Wars: Fox boss Peter Myers on the film's original release

Audiences outside Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood,
the cinema most associated with Star Wars

Did 20th Century-Fox know what it had on its hands with Star Wars?

Many books and articles written about the film's first release have insisted that George Lucas had a much better idea than Fox about how to market the movie. 

The critics strike back: How Star Wars was blamed for the death of intelligent film-making

George Lucas: The man responsible for the death of
grown-up cinema, according to some commentators

As we saw in this post about the contemporary reviews of Star Wars, the film met with an overwhelmingly positive reception in 1977. But within a few years, Star Wars was being held responsible for everything that was wrong with cinema.

YouTube video shows Alec Guinness being nice about Star Wars

This YouTube video shows Alec Guinness talking about Star Wars on the BBC's Parkinson show in 1977. The film was shortly to open in London's West End and Guinness was doing a round of publicity.