Also, Han Shot First

Better dead than Ewok!

I remember when I saw the first artwork for Star Wars (a drawing of Darth Vader about a year or two before the film’s release) and they mentioned “light sabers”. I didn’t get what the big deal was. Whoopie, they carried light weight swords.

I was a big fan of THX1138, still far, far away Lucas’ best movie.

(I didn’t see American Graffiti until the early’90s since I hated Happy Days and that sort of fake nostalgia).

@jaycubed: Walked into it cold. There were a few utility-pole posters around campus, and it was playing at a decrepit old off-campus cinema, so my friend and I figured, what the hell.

We happened to get the last two seats. And it happened to be opening night. And we were fucking blown away. My life changed when the big ship passed overhead.

Didn’t hurt that half the audience was probably stoned, although I wouldn’t have thought of that at the time.

@nojo:
“Didn’t hurt that half the audience was probably stoned, although I wouldn’t have thought of that at the time.”

I was fried, and had a very interesting X-wing fighter motorcycle ride home afterwards through the bright night streets of Las Vegas.

As exhilarating as it was, that was the last time I did that!

Pre.S. A couple of years before I saw the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the same theatre (I worked there during college) during its initial release. There were only 8 people present and 4 of them walked out when Tim Curry first appeared. The rest of us were literally rolling in the aisles laughing. One of the best nights of my life due to my date (still my dearest friend) and what came afterwards.

@jaycubed: Dude.

The ratty campus theater that showed Star Wars opening night — nobody thought it worthy of a better venue at the time — was also the ratty campus theater that ran Rocky Horror midnight shows.

The audiences were well-disciplined early on — hot dogs armed and ready — but when the frat boys discovered it, it descended into chaos. You don’t just holler and throw shit, people. There’s an order to it.

GPS note: The Ratty Campus Theater was across the street from the Animal House exterior, and around the corner from where I was born. All three structures no longer exist.

@nojo:
The structure of the theatre (Boulevard Twins) I mentioned still exists; but it became a chain bookstore (remember those?), was subdivided but never leased and finally became a men’s clothing store (the last time I was in Vegas a few years ago).

I believe it was the first two screen movie-house in Vegas, but when the multiplex craze came along it couldn’t compete.