I swear that title isn’t intended to see how many plays on words I could cram into one post. Yes, I’m talking about the original Star Wars movie, the one we (I) saw back in 1977. Sometimes it’s called Episode IV. And sometimes it’s called A New Hope. I just knew it as Star Wars. And the next generation reference, I promise you, has nothing to do with Star Trek. It has to do with my son.
I have some pretty strong opinions about what movies I let my son watch. I am admittedly very nostalgic so I tend to gravitate towards movies that I loved as a kid. I also hope he’ll like them. Most of the Disney movies have been hits with him: 101 Dalmatians (although he doesn’t like to be alone with Cruelle De Ville), Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Robin Hood.
As I’m watching some of these classics, their age becomes immediately apparent to me. Snow White was made back in the 1930s and you can tell by watching it. The animation is not as fluid as we’re used to and the quality is lower. Watching Robin Hood, it’s pretty obvious that this was a 1970s flick. The style, the mannerisms, the moustaches. Yep. It’s a 70s flick.
So how would a 1977 classic that I absolutely adored as a kid translate to my 4 year old son?
I don’t remember when we started talking about Star Wars with my son. Perhaps it was when we started really perusing the toy aisles. It amazes me that after all these years, Star Wars merchandising is still going strong. He was immediately drawn to Darth Vader, even though he knew he was the bad guy. And he pleaded for a red light saber.
At Christmas time, Santa brought him a red light saber that lights up and makes the appropriate swishing sounds when you “fight.” I even thought enough to get him a blue light saber for his birthday a month later so that he could fight his friends when they came over. I was saddened to find that the blue light saber was not actually a “light” saber since it didn’t light up on make noise. Oh well. That was one was for his friends anyway.
We had even more exposure to Star Wars on a recent Disney vacation including a stop at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We got to watch a live Jedi training session and see young boys (and a girl) learn to fight and defeat the evil lord Darth Vader. My son was mesmerized. Terrified, but mesmerized. (Side note: I also got a really cool Star Wars hat there.)
Me and my Jedi-in-training (and a really cool hat)
When we returned from the trip, I would get a few questions here and there about Darth Vader. And then I thought it might be time. It might be time to introduce my son to Star Wars. I made a trip to the cheapest movie spot I know: BJs (yes, that BJs).
Then came my dilemma. BJs had two trilogies for sale. The original Star Wars, or what they refer to as Episodes IV, V, and VI. Or the prequel, known as Episodes I, II, and III. I, of course, am totally partial to the original. Plus, I only saw the first movie of the prequel and was so nauseated by Jar Jar Binks, I had no interest in the remaining movies.
But it’s a prequel. Would it make sense to show everything in chronological order? Or would I have to explain in the near future how Luke Skywalker is the son of Darth Vader but Darth Vader is really Anakin Skywalker, the little boy in the prequel, who grows up to become the father of Luke Skywalker. (Oh sorry, I probably should have said SPOILER ALERT).
And then there was the whole issue of low-tech vs. high-tech. Would he be okay watching the highly animated prequel trilogy only to be severely disappointed by the plastic models posing as tie fighters in the original trilogy?
I made an adult decision. I decided I wanted to see the originals and I’m glad I did. We watched Star Wars together on the condition that his 4 year old brain was only allowed to ask a limited number of questions and that we would stop the movie if there was something pressing he needed to ask.
It actually wasn’t until today that I realized we watched the wrong disc. We watched the original theatrical version instead of the new, reformatted, digitally enhanced version. We went super low-tech and didn’t even know it. But we both loved it. And it turns out that after all these years, I never really knew what the storyline was, other than good vs. evil. I actually really liked the movie.
A Jedi at rest. In a laundry basket.
The best part? I was able to share some of my childhood with my son and despite all the bells and whistles, he now prefers his blue light saber. You know, the same one as Luke Skywalker. The downside? He wanted to know why his light saber didn’t come with “the force.” I’m currently looking into that.
12 comments
Can’t tell you how much that movie has influenced my life. My dad wanted to see it when it came out and reluctantly brought me along (apparently I was not very good at sitting through movies at the age of six). I bucked the trend and sat mesmerized through the whole thing. Consequently, new chapters always came out around my birthday all the way up to the point I became a mother, I would ask to see them over and over in the theater as part of my birthday present. And I named my son (in part) after George Lucas…he’s a genius in my book. Wonderful, wonderful, way to teach boys and girls about good vs. evil. 🙂
It was seriously memorable for me because I was also 6 and going to the movies was a VERY BIG DEAL for my family. Movies didn’t come out very often and we lived over 45 minutes from any theater. I still remember we took up the whole back row of the theater. I definitely still love that movie.
The hat rocks and I think you made the best decision. The new movies are actually a lot more complex I think, and might be hard to udnerstand. Also all that high tech means perhaps a little scarier. I’m so glad he liked it and I am just waiting for Miles to be ready!
He was totally cool with Star Wars. The Empire Strikes Back got a little over his head but he loved the big fight sequence at the end. And yes, I think simpler is better sometimes.
Hmm. I want that hat! Henry is 6 and is obsessed with Star Wars. Jason was so proud to be able to give him his ORIGINAL from 1977 Tai Fighter and ship of some sort and Henry plays with them with the most amazing respect. We watch some form of Star Wars every day. The look on his face when he saw the prequels and realized that *tada* whole anakin, darth, luke’s father thing was priceless. I think being able to share something like this across generations is wonderful. I’m sending this to my husband to read. He’ll love it!
I bought that hat because I needed one but I bought that one specifically because I saw a woman in the park wearing it and I just knew she had to have bought it there. And I FOUND IT! My brother had a model of the Darth Vader ship hanging in his room and could swear it look exactly the same as what they had in the movie. Because it probably was.
“He wanted to know why his light saber didn’t come with ‘the force.'”
^ So cute.
Random memories:
When we were in line to see Star Wars at the movie theater in 1977, I saw this poster on the wall and it scared me: http://bit.ly/en8BoB
I still fondly remember the Darth Vader poster I hung in my bedroom (that eventually found itself relocated to a wall in my closet).
I saved up allowance money to buy an Imperial Commander hat. I loved that hat and wish I still had it. I don’t know what happened to it.
“He wanted to know why his light saber didn’t come with ‘the force.'”
^ So cute.
Random memories:
When we were in line to see Star Wars at the movie theater in 1977, I saw this poster on the wall and it scared me: http://bit.ly/en8BoB
I still fondly remember the Darth Vader poster I hung in my bedroom (that eventually found itself relocated to a wall in my closet).
I saved up allowance money to buy an Imperial Commander hat. I loved that hat and wish I still had it. I don’t know what happened to it.
Okay. You just blew my mind for a couple of reasons.
1. I TOTALLY remember that poster and all these years I thought it was a picture of a woman in an oven being cooked. That was what was so frightening to me.
2. Every time I saw an imperial commander hat in the movie, I thought of you.
3. Why did you have a poster of Darth Vader? I totally remember it but what.. were a fan of the dark side???
Awe….adorable
Love Star Wars
that is all
Up until a few years ago, I’d never seen ANY of the Star Wars movies. I, too, was faced with the same decision that you had to make for your son. I started with Episode I and worked my way up. I so, soooo regret doing that. By the time I got to the movies with Luke and Leah, I was a little burnt out on “The Force.”
[…] little guy likes to remember that and insisted that we watch Star Wars: Episode IV right after we finished the Millenium Falcon. It’s pretty much in heavy rotation these days […]