Star Wars Day is today so “May the 4 be with you!” Yes, this is a special day set aside for fans of the franchise to celebrate all things geeky and good about the original trilogy and complain about the new films – if so inclined.
As we’re all painfully aware, few science-fiction franchises have polarized people the way the new movies have, as many older fans hate the new trilogy with a passion.
At the same time, I’ve noticed that many young fans simply don’t like the original trilogy as much as new films. Simply put, well, I guess it all depends on what you grew up with.
Star Wars Day falls on May 4, and that date was seemingly chosen simply so geeks can say, “May the 4 be with you,” a pun on the famous “May the force be with you” line from the Star Wars films.
Interestingly enough, “May the 4 be with you” as a phrase is also linked to George Lucas when he was asked by German TV channel N24 to say, “May the force be with you” and the phrase was interpreted incorrectly into German saying, “We shall be with you on May 4.”
The first organized celebration of Star Wars Day was held last year in Canada. The festivities took place at the Toronto Underground Cinema and included a trivia game based on the original trilogy, a costume contest, tribute films, parodies, and other events. The second annual organized event is taking place today.
George Lucas has certainly caught heat over the years for his continual tweaking of the original trilogy to fit into the new Star Wars universe. Indeed, the famed director was particularly hated after the first new Star Wars film debuted.
“Well, [Star Wars is] not a religious event. I hate to tell people that. It’s a movie, just a movie,” Lucas told The Hollywood Reporter when The Phantom Menace 3-D launched.
“If you look at Blade Runner, it’s been cut sixteen ways from Sunday and there are all kinds of different versions of it. Star Wars, there’s basically one version — it just keeps getting improved a little bit as we move forward.”
Lucas thinks Star Wars is a malleable product and the franchise will likely continue to be tweaked and changed over the years to keep it fresh. Even though some fans might hate the new trilogy, many continue to go back to the theaters each time an updated version of the films is launched.
