My love for Star Wars is shared by many across the universe and when I first started this countdown it was a celebration of the greatest saga ever told, a countdown to a new film that we thought we would never see Star Wars Episode VII. But it has become much more than that! More than Ewoks, battles, Sith Lords and Rebels, its become about the wonderful people that make up this unique galaxy of Star Wars fans.
Weather I’m stopped by airport security to chat Star Wars or and old lady commenting on my Star Wars tee…. It’s more than just a movie it’s a community a lifetime of happy memories and more to be created with each new generation. It’s the force…
When I ask my pal and one of my favourite artists & creative inspirations Plastic God to be part of this countdown, I new I had to share with you his wonderful journey & memories through the Star Wars Universe. Thank you Doug for letting us all enjoy it with you, may the force be with you…
“I was 4 year old when I saw Star Wars and the first time I encountered fear. Fear from the presence of Darth Vader. A critical time where fear could be comprehended and felt, just at the brink of this knowledge. Any younger, I might have been traumatized.
FF to 1980, 7 years old, at my dads house visiting and excited that we were going to see Empire Strikes Back. The newspaper had a huge full page ad and I would just look at it, for a long time. I’d come back later and do the same thing with wonderment at what it’s gonna be like. The black and white ad as bland as one might think it is today, held a lot of power for my imagination and excitement I was going to see it the next day, more powerful than Christmas, easy.
Star Wars was my life, I had the figures, I drew Stormtroopers constantly from the one or two pictures I had as reference. Walked into Toys R’ Us, a popular toy store chain in the USA and would b-line for the action figure section, in that stupid run/walk people do to get somewhere fast but in a polite manner where you actually look like you just graduated from Monty Pythons Ministry of Silly Walks.
Before Empire was released, I saw Snowtrooper action figures and got soooooo excited cause they looked so cool and were a new breed of Stormtroopers, which were my favorite.
FF, 1983, 10 year old. Same thing, saw the newspaper ad, stared at it, now going with my dad to see Star Wars was like a thing, went with my him to the theater and had the exact same excitement as I did when I was 7.
Weirdest part is before Return of the Jedi came out, they released Emperor Guard figures at Toys R’ Us. Now at this stage I was a connoisseur of sorts of the SW action figures and this figure did not excite me so much. I didn’t know what it was or what it’s role had in the movie. Even though it looked cool visually, I could almost deduce that it would be the kind of figure that would be in abundance like the Cloud City guard that nobody cared about too much.
But what was cool was the flashback to noticing a pattern and how Toys R’ Us was kinda like a secret spoiler for characters before the movie came out just like the first time I saw the Snowtrooper in the store before Empire came out. It was like Star Wars deja vu in a very personal way.
Come December, I think to carry on tradition I’ll reserve a seat for my Dad to watch Episode VII with me.
p.s. I live for the first note of the theme song in the theater, in my mind I want to get up and scream “YES, YEAHHHH MOTHER FUCKER, BRING ME THAT SHIT!!!” and then sit back down in my seat, and hope everyone else shuts up too after all the clapping and woo, wooos from excitement and anticipation. The movie is deep with people and to me it’s the greatest movie ever made.”
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