It's fascinating to look back at the world before major events in history, just to see how those pivotal turning points changed things forever. But when it comes to the entertainment business, there's another aspect of its most historical moments which is arguably more memorable than the events themselves: the anticipation. That's the thing about movies. As influential as they might be, they never come out of nowhere. So a movie as culturally significant as Star Wars: A New Hope might completely blow audiences away, but people still knew it was coming, and it turns out a lot of them knew it would be big.
A collection of 1976 memos (that's the year, not how many there are, thankfully) from 20th Century Fox have been extracted from the catacombs of obscurity courtesy of documentary filmmaker Charles de Lauzirika, and they display a seldom-seen look at the excitement for the movie from within the company. Written by Peter S. Myers, 20th Century Fox VP of Domestic Distribution at the time, the memos are addictively optimistic about Star Wars, sharing reactions to early cuts of the film and excitedly predicting its inevitable success.
RELATED: John Boyega Is Open To Returning To 'Star Wars' (On One Condition)
"They claim the picture has a look never seen on the screen before and that it is so believable you never feel it is other than the present even though the location and equipment are space in the year 2000 plus," Myers enthusiastically wrote, noting the reaction from members of 20th Century Fox's creative team. "The best report for me is that it is so realistic and that you really do become involved with and care about all the characters." This shows that not only were early audiences impressed by the visuals and production values, but they also connected to the characters as well, knowing even back then that Star Wars was more than just a showcase of special effects. Not bad for a series largely aimed at kids.
"We have an obligation to our company and to ourselves to protect this very large investment with the very best theatres, terms, and guarantees ever secured," Myers continued, never forgetting that 20th Century Fox is still a business, after all. "I am saying the picture should get better treatment than Godfather, King Kong, Jaws, Poseidon (Adventure), or Towering Inferno." Bold words, considering how well regarded and popular (most of) those films still are to this day. But now, 46 years later, as Star Wars continues to be one of the most dominant media franchises on the planet, these words from days gone by almost feel clairvoyant in their enthusiasm.
Star Wars was famously a huge hit right from the start when it first premiered, but it's interesting to see reactions like this from even the rough cuts of the film a year before its release. It shows that, even though the special effects and visuals of the movie were a big reason it made such a splash, it still had a considerable depth that viewers easily picked up on. Myers' memos give a surreal look at a pre-Star Wars world where the franchise's eminence was merely imminent, and it feels like the calm before a culture-defining storm.
As divisive as Star Wars can get these days, it's easy to forget just how unifying it felt in the old days where fans all appeared to be united in their love for the series. Of course, that could easily be a terminal case of rose-colored nostalgia glasses, as toxic fans have always been a fact of life. But maybe a look at the untainted optimism before anyone really knew what they had can help put things in perspective for some of the people who send death threats over a story about space wizards.
The Star Wars saga is now available on Disney Plus.
MORE: There Really Is A Horror Movie About A Killer App (And It's Hilariously Bad)
Source: Charles de Lauzirika