They do not build them as they once did.

Due to it being "Intergalactic Star Wars Status" day or whatever on facebook, I've been thinking about the first time I saw the original trilogy way back when.
And other first times as well. Culture wise.

I recall my dad renting the Episode IV sometime when I was about 6 or 7.

What I remember most from this is that my dear mom did not want me to see them on the account of them being too violent. Is there really any better way to get a 6 year old more eager to watch something than saying something like this?

During a period of what felt like years (as temporal measurement was not my greatest strength back then. It most likely was about a three week period) I plowed thru the other two.

I can't really remember any real details on how I felt about the so many classic scenes I now know by heart, but I do recall I even at my young age I thought "Empire" was the best of three. See, I was dark little jerk back then as well.

Goes without saying (or it should) that the original three films have really aged well. Ok some of the dialog is perhaps not the stuff Shakespeare is made of , but it works.
The first one came out in 77' and 33 years later it still is just as great as it was back then.

Name one film that has arrived this side of the millennium shift that will still be going strong 2033. I can't really think of one. Sure there have been great films, but nothing that I think will be able to match what Lucas somehow pulled together back in the day. Star Wars has not only remained the king of the genre, which would be impressive on it's own. It has in fact grown since then. ( In spite of the three new films and the *cringe* TV series)

Another thing I came to think about this morning during my first lesson, was my first experience with heavy metal.
No surprise here.. It was of course Metallica's Master Of Puppets from 86 ( I think).

The first three tracks blew my little 13 year old head right the fuck off.
My cousin (the guy who had played it for me) copied their first record, Kill Em All onto a tape for me. I spent the next few weeks doing pretty much everything short of going on a killing spree to get my greasy little paws on anything I could find Metallica wise.

I'm not as big a Metallica fan these days. When they come to town I do go if it won't cost me too much and doesn't take too much effort on my part to get tickets..
But that's it.

I still however can listen to Master Of Puppets, Ride The Lightning and any of their stuff pre Black Album and still have a "wow" moment every now and then.

Name one band that has released an album post 2000 that will have that kind of staying power.
I can't think of anything off the top of head ( yes I know I will get angry letters from Slipknot fans any day now).
You ask any metal guitarist what their first close encounter with heavy music was and at least 8 out of 10 will say Master Of Puppets.

What's my point? Nothing really except maybe that nostalgia ain't what it used to be and I feel old when all my points of reference are older than most of my ex girlfriends.

Having said that.. Good night.







A poster I made for the Wednesday Pub last fall.







This might be worth looking into...