At the 50th Academy Awards which took place in April 1978, Star Wars won seven awards, all for visual effects, editing, costume design and sound. It's biggest award went to John Williams for best original score. Sir Alec Guinness lost best supporting actor, and George Lucas lost best original screenplay. To add salt to the wound, the film also lost best picture and best director, with the Oscar's going to Annie Hall and it's director Woody Allen.
Still, even without taking home the top honors, Star Wars went on to become a classic, spanning movies, television shows and merchandise still selling millions a year today. I'm not sure that many kids really wanted an Annie Hall action figure to play with, although I'm sure there were a few who would have liked to find it under their Christmas Tree, with an extra hat and wardrobe choices.
I was still in diapers when Star Wars was originally released, but jumped on the bandwagon as a little kid when my dad took me to Return of Jedi came out in 1983. I then devoured the trilogy when all three were released in a VHS box set. I did see them all on the big screen when they were re-released in the 1990's, and of course then the DVD releases later on. I haven't yet purchased the Blu-rays, but it's just a matter of time.
When I was young, my favorite character was Leia, but had plenty of stormtrooper action figures to balance out my two versions of Leia that I had. I still regret giving all those action figures away when I moved out into my own place. Well, actually I never gave them away, but did give the ok to my mom to give them to a cousin's baby.
It's hard to imagine a film today having a bigger, or more long lasting impact than Star Wars. Although I really disliked the prequels, I did go, and enjoy the sequels in the 2000's. I haven't watch any of the series, although I did try and started The Mandalorian. When I need a Star Wars fix, I always go back to the original trilogy, usually starting with The Empire Strikes Back, then The Return of the Jedi, and the original.
Over the years, I've gone back and forth crushing over Luke in one viewing, then Han in another. That doesn't even include my love for Lando, and the odd Stormtrooper orgy fantasy. For this post however, I'm sticking to the two heroes from the 1977 original film. Check out my look back to the semi-dressed past with Mark Hamill, (HERE:) and Harrison Ford. (HERE:)
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