The Star Wars 40th anniversary of the original release is tomorrow. Not coincidentally, this week also saw the release of new photos and info on The Last Jedi. It is amazing, of course, that Star Wars carries the same, really more, popularity as those early years.
I'll likely be watching the original theatrical release this week. I may lead in with Rogue One, but probably not, I haven't decided yet. I like the special editions well enough, but I lived so long with the originals that the pacing and even small dialogue changes in later versions still throw me off. I'll probably follow up with the blu-ray version sometime this weekend. Hmm. maybe that one I'll lead in with Rogue One.
One thing I do want to do is complete my reading of the Rogue One novel and follow that up with the original Star Wars novel. It's been a very long time since I've read it and it will be interesting to see how that combination works with 40 years of development.
Of course, so much of my early Star Wars experience involved much more than the movies. Since it was impossible to see outside of a movie theater for years later, it was a combination of The Star Wars Storybook, Marvel comics, and movie trading cards that kept the story alive. Action figures and the soundtrack came along a bit later. Learning bits of lore from the back of Star Wars cards was fun, though sometimes had the confusing effect of "I didn't see that in the movie." The bottom of the Star Destroyer in the opening scene made such an impression that I didn't there was a different top side until seeing the card. I remember getting the first pack of blue border cards at a sort of variety/general store in my grandparent's small town. It was the first of many.