Somehow May has turned out to be the day when all the special events in the history of Star Wars have piled up. It started on the very first day of May in 1977, which saw the Northpoint Theater at Bay and Powell streets in San Francisco host the very first ever public screening of Star Wars in 1977. The film the Coronet Theatre on Geary Boulevard in San Francisco was one of 32 cinemas in the nation to show Star Wars on the film’s official opening day of May 25, 1977, the first public screening was on May 1 at the 982-seat Northpoint Theatre at Bay and Powell streets.
May first was 501st day, the day we salute the gallant philanthropic cosplayers who dress up as Imperial Stormtroopers to do good deeds.
May 4th is when first the British Conservative Party, when Margaret Thatcher became the first female prime minister of the UK, and later the whole world made a pun of ‘May the Force be with you’.
May 5th, Revenge of the Fifth. is a pun on Revenge of the Sith.
May 14th is George W. Lucas’ birthday.
George Lucas, is of course the creative genius who came up with Star Wars in the first place. He was born May 14, 1944 in Modesto, California. The son of a stationery store owner and walnut farmer, George Lucas overcame dyslexia to become one of the world’s most successful filmmakers and the father of a generatiHe rivals the late Stephen J. Cannell as the poster child for success for dyslexics
May 15th is the anniversary of the debut of the animated prequel Attack of the Clones, which takes place before Star Wars: A New Hope during the Clone Wars.
May 19th is the anniversary of the debut of The Phantom Menace 1(999) and Revenge of the Sith (2005)
May 20th is Empire Day. According to Wookieepedia, “Empire Day celebrates the ascension of Palpatine to the imperial throne and the end of the Clone Wars and the destruction of the Galactic Republic. “The term Empire Day was derived from a holiday within the United Kingdom and extended throughout the countries of the Commonwealth, celebrating the anniversary of the British Empire’s formation between 1902 and 1958. Coincidentally, the holiday fell on May 20, which was also the day of the UK’s premiere of Star Wars V: The Empire strikes Back which resulted in a “revival” of the holiday of sorts”
May 21st is the anniversary of the U.S. release of The Empire Strikes Back. It was released one day earlier in the U.K.
May 25th was the anniversary of AANH, Return of the Jedi, and Han Solo – A Star Wars Story
May 27th is the day the Obi-wan series will be released on Disney Plus.
Disney Studios bought Lucasfilm in 2012, which is why both Disneyland and Walt Disney World have a Star Tours ride and Disneyland has the Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom ride and Galaxy’s Edge If you visit Walt Disney World during the month of May you are likely to see Jawas, stormtroopers, scruffy smugglers, heroic rebels and Jedi Knights. Disney takes May seriously when it comes to celebrating Star Wars.
Star Wars has becime part of our cultural heritage. In the TV mini-series V, a high school band played the theme song from Star Wars to welcome the alien Visitors. Star Wars has generated books, movies, TV shows, a radio series, comic books, video games, RPGs, hundreds of cosplay performances. Which is your favorite? Share your opinion with us in the Comments Section below.
My favorites were Marvel Comics Star Wars #49 and #50, where Leia Organa had to kill up close and personal for the first time instead of firing a blaster at someone meters away, or giving an order for someone else to fire an ion cannon at an imperial ship.IMHO, one of Chris Clairemont’s finest stories. My other favorite was the radio adaptation. Which is your favorite?
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Susan Macdonald is the author of the children’s book “R is for Renaissance Faire”, as well as 26 short stories, mostly fantasy in “Alternative Truths”, “Swords and Sorceress #30”, Swords &Sorceries Vols. 1, 2, & 5, “Cat Tails” “Under Western Stars”, and “Knee-High Drummond and the Durango Kid”. Her articles have appeared on SCIFI.radio’s web site, in The Inquisitr, and in The Millington Star. She enjoys Renaissance Faires (see book above), science fiction conventions, Highland Games, and Native American pow-wows.
