It will surprise no one to know that the original “Star Wars” movies were formative experiences for me. From the original in 1977 to “The Empire Strikes Back” in 1980 to “Return of the Jedi” in 1983, the films – and more to the point at the moment – seeing them in theaters were a huge part of my life as a movie and science fiction fan as a teenager and young adult.

A couple of years ago, Stephen Danley, creator of the webpage Star Wars at the Movies, interviewed me for his podcast and page.

https://www.starwarsatthemovies.com/

We talked about the experience of going to see the originals first at my neighborhood theater in Muncie, Indiana, and later at the Eastwood Theater in Indianapolis with a group of friends.

Stephen’s entire podcast and page are fun, but here’s a link to the podcast. I come in at about the 24-minute mark, if I’m remembering correctly. Here’s the link, if this works:

https://www.starwarsatthemovies.com/podcast/2024/10/28/ep-24-the-eastwood-and-beyond

Enjoy this “Star Wars” flashback.

(The photo above is me from a few years later, not seeing a “Star Wars” movie and not even really seeing “A Nightmare on Elm Street Part II.” The newspaper took it as a publicity shot. I was the newspaper’s movie reviewer from 1978 to 1990.)