There I was, slouched in my seat, in the pitch black, when the magic began with the drums beating away in the darkness. The horns kicked in as the shaft of light coming from the projection booth splashed the 20th Century Fox logo across the screen.
…Da-dung-dung. Da-da-da-da-da da-dung. Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-dung-dung…
As the 20th Century Fox Fanfare continued to build up, so too did the feeling of excitement inside of me as I watched my first movie on the big screen.
An emotional bond etched in me that day by the near delirium I was feeling at that moment. Any time I have ever heard that piece of music since then, those same emotions bubble back to the surface.
Then silence as “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….” came onto the screen.
After a moment of black, George Lucas hits us with another amazing piece of music, this time from John Williams, to reveal the Star Wars title graphic flying out into space.
I was mesmerized by the epic movie that unfolded before my eyes. The screen filled with images that were larger than life, accompanied by an incredible story and breathtaking effects, and I was sucked into another world.
Man, by the time the heroes were awarded their medals at the end, I felt like I had just gone on the most astonishing and awe-inspiring journey one could ever hope to go on.
My love for movies, the cinema, and Star Wars was born that day. And even though my geekdom blossomed on the small screen with Star Trek, my first real geek experience was Star Wars, and boy, was it an amazing one—surrounded by my fellow geeks as we flew across the stars, engulfed in this new galaxy.
Later, as a movie theater manager, I had the honor to try to bring that same feeling to many kids sitting down to watch their first movie in front of the silver screen.
Hit reply and share your earliest movie memories.
Until next time, may the Force be with you.
Joe
P.S. I was super excited when Disney bought Fox because I thought they’d bring the 20th Century Fox Fanfare back to Star Wars. Sadly, the powers that be must have not understood the emotional impact that track of music has on so many of us. And even though it was not officially part of the Star Wars music, it was a track that so many of us feel is an important part of the Star Wars experience. Yes, I’d also love to see the searchlights and that art déco 20th Century Fox logo again, but I’d settle for some Fanfare at this point. I think the audience would be off the hook cheering if it came back.
Learn more about the marvelous track of music that Alfred Newman wrote.