It’s Star Wars Day!
By Wyatt Earp | May 4, 2011
I admit it: I’m an unabashed Star Wars geek. I have seen all six films so many times that I can recite them from memory, and I have enough Star Wars toys, er, memorabilia to fill a few homes. My geekitude has rubbed off; as the kids still play with the Star Wars action figures I had as a ute.
I thought my geek cred was pretty high, but apparently not, since I didn’t know that today was our holiday.
Today is a day to celebrate, it is a holiday. It is a day when Star Wars devotees can let their geek flag fly with pride and revel in all things Star Wars. Today is May the Fourth (be with you). The origin of May the Fourth is tricky. Some reports have it originating in 1994, to the unlikely source of the UK Parliament. Not typically known for its side-splitting humor or pop culture friendly theme days, the joke came from the right honorable MP from Leyton, Harry Cohen.
“May the fourth is an appropriate date for a defence debate. My researcher said that it should be called national star wars day. He was talking about the film ‘Star Wars’ rather than Reagan’s defense fantasy, and he added, ‘May the fourth be with you.’” Cohen said. (H/T – Kim)
There are some Star Wars truisms should never be disputed:
1. The Empire was always cooler than the Rebels.
2. Boba Fett is the greatest character in the series.
3. The Millennium Falcon is the best ship in the series.
4. Retooling a film to make it more p.c. is a mistake. To wit:
In the “remastered” Star Wars, George Lucas used CG effects to make it look like Greedo shot at Han first, before Han blows him away. Wrong. In the original film, as seen above, Solo fries Greedo without warning – because Han is such a badass. Lucas didn’t like that a hero would shoot someone first, and thought that would warp little kids’ minds.
The problem is that at this point in the film, Solo was a scumbag smuggler. He never relied on morals or his conscience. Han was all about Han. That’s why kids like me thought he was the coolest character in the series . . . and Lucas ruined that image in one fell swoop. Thanks, George!
Topics: Coolness!, Movies, Video | 22 Comments »
May 4th, 2011 at 1:16 pm
Okay, so Harrison Ford shot first at a Muppet? It is not PC to blow away a muppet first?
Man, PC to the extreme….
Okay, Lucas should re-edit so that the Muppet looks like Usama Bin-Laden.
Then that would be all nice and PC.
May 4th, 2011 at 1:18 pm
Not only did HAN SHOOT FIRST, but the supposed “prequels” do not, in fact, exist.
Kind of like “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull” doesn’t exist. It’s just a figment of your imagination.
May 4th, 2011 at 1:20 pm
also I am a huge (or was) Star Wars geek and actually went to the premiere of Return (remember when it was “Revenge”?) of the Jedi in Han Solo costume (and yes I was a little girl)
May 4th, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Ferrell – They should change it so Han shoots Jar Jar Binks.
Orchid – My kids like them, but like good little Earps they think Empire is the best of the six. And mental note: Buy Orchid a Princess Leia costume for Halloween.
May 4th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
That would be like using CGI to change Raiders of the Lost Ark so that Indy sword fights that big guy in the market rather than just shooting him. Wrong, just wrong. In the last decade, Lucas has managed to piss away any respect I had for him.
May 4th, 2011 at 1:30 pm
John D. – You know the story behind that, right? Ford had a severe case of dysentery when they shot that scene. He was sweating profusely and could barely stand. Ford ad-libbed the shooting and they kept it in. In my opinion, it’s a classic moment.
May 4th, 2011 at 1:32 pm
That bearded turd Lucas has been messing with his older films for a while. He added new scenes into THX-1138 too.
And Spielberg digitally removed all of the guns from ET: The Extra-Terrestrial.
May 4th, 2011 at 2:00 pm
Wyatt – I had heard that story. And it makes perfect sense to me, as dysentery would make me want to shoot someone too. Especially a big, evil dude with a scimitar.
May 4th, 2011 at 2:14 pm
Gunnutmegger – I remember that about the guns. Another reason why I hate that film.
John D – Yeah, I’d be shooting someone just to take my mind off the internal turmoil.
May 4th, 2011 at 3:04 pm
So Star Wars is starting to rub off on me a little bit. I’m still a Trekkie, though and do quite well speaking Vulcan. Kaiidth.
May 4th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
I prefer this one
Wah Nay!
May 4th, 2011 at 5:45 pm
p.s. – THX-1138 is a total piece of shit.
May 4th, 2011 at 6:07 pm
Boba Fett was my fav when I was a kid. I was tho only one I knew that thought he was really cool. It’s good to know I have plenty of company now.
May 4th, 2011 at 6:27 pm
Of all the space operas I’ve seen (and I’ve seen a lot of them) Galaxy Quest has to be my fav. Absolutely nailed the geeks who live Star Trek & Star Wars. And left little to the imagination concerning Sigorney’s chest size.
BTW, I own all the Start Wars & Star Trek movies. Guess I’m a geek too.
May 4th, 2011 at 10:15 pm
Kim – So you can have a conversation with Michelle Obama? Sweet!
Lou – Gay Greedo. Love it!
Randal – Never saw it, but I assumed as much.
Orbitup – My 10-year old has a FatHead of him in his bedroom. It’s awesome.
Robert B. – Check out Fanboys. It captures the gook quotient rather well.
May 4th, 2011 at 11:30 pm
http://tease.thedailywh.at/2011/05/04/may-the-4th-be-with-you-of-the-day
(keep scrolling)
May 4th, 2011 at 11:39 pm
You think Boba Fett is a better character than Vader?
Vader
- supernaturally powerful dark lord
- chokes out underlings who annoy him
- had to kill the Emperor himself when the Rebels failed
Fett
- 5 minutes of screen time and 1 line of dialogue
- was a toady to that bloated Jabba gangster
- got killed by a blind man who hit him with his cane
- screamed like a sissy when he fell into that desert vagina monster thing
I rest my case.
May 4th, 2011 at 11:59 pm
Two words: Jar-jar Binks.
May 5th, 2011 at 12:52 am
Well, Boba was just underutilized. He could have been great. Same thing with Darth Maul in the new ones. His last fight with Obi-Wan was awesome.
May 5th, 2011 at 1:11 am
I remember when all of the action figures of the main characters came out.
They sold quite well all over the United States except for Detroit.
Apparently, in Detroit, nobody wanted to buy a toy Yoda.
May 5th, 2011 at 10:27 am
Wyatt:
And to think if you bought one of those 12 inch Han Solo figures back then (for under $20)…it would worth a LOT more today…amazing.
(still got my Speeder biker and Han’s blaster toys, along with an AT-ST – and in mint condition)
Those were the days…
Stay safe
((And may the 4th be with you…always.))
May 5th, 2011 at 11:18 am
Smite – Greatest link . . . evah!
Fozzy – Just because Lucas gave him a bitch demise doesn’t mean he’s not teh awesome. Not taking anything away from Vader, but I love the Fett Man.
BA – I despise that thing.
Orbitup – I love Maul, too. Great character that was wasted. I’d make the same case for Grand Moff Tarkin. A great actor like Peter Cushing should have had more lines and more scenes, IMO.
Punslinger – Not the public’s fault that the car car stinks!
Bob G. – I have the 12″ Vader, Stormtrooper, and Jawa. Of course, they’re well broken-in, so they’re worth less on the market. Not that I would sell them anyway.