May 26, 1977 - The debut of Star Wars
- Sal Maiorana
- May 26, 2017
- 2 min read
OK, I'll admit it: I could not care less about the Star Wars franchise. Never have, and never will.
You may find this hard to believe, but I still have never seen the original film which made its debut 40 years ago this week. I know, that seems wholly impossible, but it’s true. I never had as a kid, nor ever will have as an adult, an interest in science fiction, whether it’s reading, watching on TV, or at the movie theater.
However, I cannot deny that the original movie starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher, certainly struck a chord with the world, and it’s sustainability four decades later is fascinating.
I read that Gone With the Wind is still the all-time highest-grossing film with gross ticket sales, adjusted for inflation, of $3.47 billion since Rhett Butler first told Scarlet O’Hara in 1939, “Frankly my dear, I don’t give damn.” Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) ranks second at $3.21 billion, and there’s the original Star Wars – despite about four less decades of air time than those first two - coming in third at $1.87 million.
When you factor in the incredible interest that spawned 10 lucrative sequels and prequels, five TV series, and multiple made-for-TV movies, as well as billions of dollars in books and merchandise, it’s safe to say the Star Wars franchise is the most lucrative in motion picture history.
Maybe I missed the boat on this. But in 1977, I do remember going to the theater to see Airport ’77, starring Jack Lemmon and Lee Grant; Orca, starring Richard Harris; Slapshot, starring Paul Newman (one of my all-time favorite); Smoky and the Bandit, starring Burt Reynolds and Jackie Gleason; Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta; and Oh God, starring George Burns and John Denver.
So, while I never did and never will care about Star Wars, here’s a nod to the movie that hit theaters on May 25, 1977. With the crush of the first day past, and this being an off day for the Yankees prior to the White Sox visiting town for a three-game weekend set, maybe some of the players were able to find seats in New York-area theaters a day after the premiere. Then again, maybe not.
コメント