The FORCE AWAKENS. It certainly has – in all of us!
I spent the better part of the wee hours of this morning posting first reviews, videos and photos from Star Wars like some crazed adolescent fanboy! The opening of this movie may be the one thing that excites me ALMOST as much as my gig at City Winery on Jan 1st! I saw A New Hope with my mom and brother back in 1977. It was unusual- us going to the theater as a family to see a movie- but we knew it was special. They sold programs for that first Star Wars feature and I got one and I purchased an action figure – which I still have. I remember when A New Hope began: that big black screen and the opening crawl appeared:
“A long time ago in a galaxy far,
far away …”
Then the golden words STAR WARS appeared accompanied by the horns of John Williams’ fantastic score.
Mama squeezed my hand and whispered to me:
This is gonna be good!
I will never forget that moment. Me and mama holding hands during the opening crawl of Star Wars.
I was hooked.
We went back (just mom & I) to see it again. I had never seen anything like it. None of us had. Now fast-forward to the night in 2007, when I sang while Star Wars director George Lucas (and then fiancee) Melody Hobson danced at my feet to “I Will Survive!” (I Met George Lucas!)
Talk about a Star Wars Geek Moment!!!
But in 1977, it was just lovely sharing that movie wonder with my mom. It was just like her to be excited for this film because I was excited. She was always my biggest fan. The anticipation for this new movie brings that sweet memory back to me. Mama always encouraged my love for movies. She would say to me: “You’re just like your daddy that way!” My oldest brother is also a huge film fan.
The Force is strong in my family.
