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#4600263 - 05/26/22 12:54 AM 45 years ago  
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Many very interesting stories about it including one where many theaters refused to book the film.

There is also a very well known story that the heads of 20th Century Fox were so convinced that the movie will fail, when Lucas ask them to be given 100% of the $ return on merchandising, they agreed.

It's been said 20th Century Fox sold the merchandising rights back to George Lucas for before The Empire Strikes Back was released because Lucas owned the sequel and Fox owned the distribution rights.

Quote
Fox initially owned the merchandising rights and was able to make quite a few dollars on the initial Kenner figures, books, and apparel. However, in a bad move to make a quick buck, they gave the farm away to Lucas who was then able to sell that “farm” to Disney for $4 billion many years later.

Since George Lucas financed The Empire Strikes Back, he was looking to Fox to distribute the movie. Since Lucas owned the movie, he could have any studio distribute the movie. The problem is that Lucas wanted the merchandising rights back. So in order to distribute Empire and retain video rights for 7 years, Fox gave George Lucas back the merchandising rights away just to distribute Empire. It was a shortsighted decision to give up merchandising rights just to distribute the next Star Wars movie. Maybe Fox didn’t think there was a future for merchandising, but Lucas was making more films.


The merchandises for Star Wars has made more money than all the Star Wars movies earned in ticket sales (not including Episode 7,8,9, Solo and Rogue One, those are not owned by Lucas).

$28 billion before Lucas sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/m...o-theater-wanted-show-movie-1977-846864/

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/original-star-wars-film-reviews-752700/

https://flashbak.com/waiting-in-line-to-see-star-wars-1977-2000-26505/



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#4600273 - 05/26/22 09:29 AM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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I went to see it at our local cinema. I remember standing in the queue and looking down the road. Only BD-123 will know what I'm on about but the queue from the Odeon went down Foregate and turned into Castle Street. I'd never seen such queues.

I saw it again the following week, the queues were still mental.


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#4600277 - 05/26/22 10:39 AM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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I was not quite 5 years old when I saw the original Star Wars in the movie theater and I still have some vivid memories of that day. As for long queues, I certainly remember the one for Empire Strikes Back. I think I waited in line with my dad for about 1.5 hours.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4600281 - 05/26/22 11:25 AM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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Happy Birthday Star Wars

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Originally Posted by Chucky
I remember standing in the queue and looking down the road. Only BD-123 will know what I'm on about but the queue from the Odeon went down Foregate and turned into Castle Street. I'd never seen such queues.


The blue line? Dats a long queue !!

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#4600283 - 05/26/22 11:48 AM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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The Princess was beautiful,

You can't blame the kid (spoiler)

for falling for his own sister.


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#4600284 - 05/26/22 11:52 AM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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I can't tell you how far the queue went around the corner, just that it did.

I'm trying to remember what other films caused such queues. Jaws maybe? And of course the SW sequels.

A huge difference to when I went to see Death Race (2008). Queue=0 Patrons=2 (me and my brother). After watching it I understood why. Thanks bro.


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#4600285 - 05/26/22 11:55 AM Re: 45 years ago [Re: Chucky]  
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Originally Posted by Chucky

A huge difference to when I went to see Death Race (2008). Queue=0 Patrons=2 (me and my brother). After watching it I understood why. Thanks bro.



I live in a densely urbanized area so it's very rare that I've seen a movie in an empty or nearly-empty movie theater but I seem to recall a mostly empty theater when I watched the Director's Cut version of "Blade Runner" when it was in limited theatrical release in 1992.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4600288 - 05/26/22 12:33 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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I remember the movie theater I saw it at was busy for months on end when that movie came out. I remember the big bright sign that would show the name of the movies being played out front. Long lines just to get into the parking lot. Then another long line at the ticket window. Everybody in line hoping they could get in before it sold out, making them wait for the next showing. I remember a small burger chain around here named Burger Chef was one of the first to come out with Star wars collectable toys that came with a meal. It was certainly a big deal around here for a long time that year.

#4600293 - 05/26/22 01:50 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: LB4LB]  
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Originally Posted by LB4LB
I remember the movie theater I saw it at was busy for months on end when that movie came out. I remember the big bright sign that would show the name of the movies being played out front. Long lines just to get into the parking lot. Then another long line at the ticket window. Everybody in line hoping they could get in before it sold out, making them wait for the next showing. I remember a small burger chain around here named Burger Chef was one of the first to come out with Star wars collectable toys that came with a meal. It was certainly a big deal around here for a long time that year.

Wow Burger Chef, that's a memory we had a Burger Queen too I was 16 or 17 and the movie played at a few cinemas for a month as I recall and we went back and saw it over and over.

Last edited by KRT_Bong; 05/26/22 01:51 PM.

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#4600302 - 05/26/22 03:15 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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Originally Posted by Chucky
I went to see it at our local cinema. I remember standing in the queue and looking down the road. Only BD-123 will know what I'm on about but the queue from the Odeon went down Foregate and turned into Castle Street. I'd never seen such queues.

I saw it again the following week, the queues were still mental.


I did much the same at a cinema in Glasgow & similarly it was queued around the corner of the block.
I can even remember which 2 friends I saw it with ...

but if you want to know about merchandising ... https://youtu.be/HnXKE0nfAjI?t=40
(or maybe not seeing as Lucas demanded no merchandising in return for permission for Spaceballs to parody Star Wars)


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#4600303 - 05/26/22 03:52 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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I lived in Alaska at the time (I was 14), and we didn't get it up there until August of that year, and it was driving me crazy waiting. And yes, there were long lines, and it played in the theater for months. I saw it 8 times during its first run, and that was the first time I had gone to see a movie more than once.


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#4600305 - 05/26/22 04:06 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: Arthonon]  
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Originally Posted by Arthonon
I lived in Alaska at the time (I was 14), and we didn't get it up there until August of that year, and it was driving me crazy waiting. And yes, there were long lines, and it played in the theater for months. I saw it 8 times during its first run, and that was the first time I had gone to see a movie more than once.



Heh, so even in low population Alaska there were long lines to see the movie! I guess your town had one movie theater? smile


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4600321 - 05/26/22 05:31 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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I went to see Star Wars for my 11th birthday party. Me a bunch of my friends and a few parents. The line stretched around the theater, no advanced tickets in those days you had to get there early and stand in the line.
Popcorn, pop and a day of roughhousing. We were amped all weekend! Great times.

Honestly I did not have a movie experience like the opening of Star Wars until the original Matrix release night.
Generation X for life!

#4600323 - 05/26/22 05:35 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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Great post Tarnsman. Your experience is similar to what I had when I went to go see "Back to the Future" with my summer camp group.

Sometimes I miss the 80's. biggrin


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4600335 - 05/26/22 06:17 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Originally Posted by Arthonon
I lived in Alaska at the time (I was 14), and we didn't get it up there until August of that year, and it was driving me crazy waiting. And yes, there were long lines, and it played in the theater for months. I saw it 8 times during its first run, and that was the first time I had gone to see a movie more than once.



Heh, so even in low population Alaska there were long lines to see the movie! I guess your town had one movie theater? smile

We had more than one theater, but there was only one playing Star Wars. Anchorage only had about 150,000 people at the time and that wasn't enough to have multiple theaters playing the same movie.


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#4600360 - 05/26/22 09:44 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer

Sometimes I miss the 80's. biggrin


Don't worry man. Before you know it you'll hit the 80's. We're the last analog generation.


The road less traveled is filled with fewer needy people.
#4600363 - 05/26/22 10:11 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: Chef]  
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Originally Posted by Chef
Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer

Sometimes I miss the 80's. biggrin


Don't worry man. Before you know it you'll hit the 80's. We're the last analog generation.


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#4600368 - 05/26/22 11:07 PM Re: 45 years ago [Re: Chef]  
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Originally Posted by Chef
Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer

Sometimes I miss the 80's. biggrin


Don't worry man. Before you know it you'll hit the 80's. We're the last analog generation.


And the first digital generation.



Last edited by Tarnsman; 05/26/22 11:15 PM.
#4600386 - 05/27/22 09:29 AM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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Family Guy made fun of the Star Wars films.

Star Wars (both are same thing but different websites)

https://primewire.mx/watch-movie/watch-family-guy-presents-blue-harvest-online-68608.5526886

https://movies123.studio/movies/blue-harvest/

The Empire Strikes Back.

https://primewire.mx/movie/watch-fa...mething-something-dark-side-online-64682

Couldn't find the It's A Trap! for Return Of The Jedi.

Originally Posted by Tarnsman

And the first digital generation.


People played that? I would lose interest after awhile.

#4600387 - 05/27/22 10:32 AM Re: 45 years ago [Re: NoFlyBoy]  
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Originally Posted by NoFlyBoy
Family Guy made fun of the Star Wars films.

.


You're pulling my leg right? I had no clue whatsoever!!! Thanks for letting us know.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
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