The Big Daddy of them all celebrates turning thirty-three today...
George Lucas, the wunderkind behind that endearing little film, "American Graffiti" came out with his third film on this day. He wanted to make a film for kids like the innocent serials the young boy remembered as a child in those small town theaters he would go to on weekends. Believing Star Wars wouldn't make much money, Lucas decided to hedge his bets and merchandise it. Bringing in a little scratch to make up for what he thought wouldn't be that successful of a film, the film maker changed cinema as we know it.
And the rest is history.
Episode IV as it would later be called, truly was the first film to blow my mind from that opening image of an immense Star Destroyer moving above us, to the last image of the heroes standing, waiting to get a medal from a princess. After that, Star Wars was born and kids everywhere would be saying that now familiar phrase, "May the Force be with you."
Happy Birthday, "A New Hope" and let's pray that phrase rings true over the coming years...
