1977: Original STAR WARS Review | Film 77 | Classic Movie Review | BBC Archive

"Family entertainment at its most sublime"
Barry Norman gives his thoughts on George Lucas's phenomenally successful science fantasy film Star Wars, ahead of its UK release.
Originally broadcast 20 November 1977.
You can listen to UK fans flocking to see Star Wars at the cinema on 27 December 1977 in the BBC Sounds archive series, On This Day - www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0d...
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[@bobafetting6373]

“Ah well. He’s a good director and deserves his success. Damn him” Perfect!

[@quatelquandor4803]

🔥🔥🔥

[@jesustovar2549]

I agree with that

[@FINNSTIGAT0R]

Pure Britishess right there 😂

[@danno6169]

Wasn't expecting that - spat out my absinthe. Can't remember if Barry Norman was usually that witty.

[@kxmode]

That was pure British!

[@COL321]

Barry Norman dressed like a human Austin Allegro

[@HelloAllegro]

Allegros were available in other undesirable colours, I'll have you know.

[@lemming9984]

Yeah, he was always 'square', just like the Allegro's steering wheel!

[@raypurchase801]

Best comment I've seen all month.

[@visionist7]

With "Preferred" leatherette

[@brawnyjoint]

Genius

[@georgemorley1029]

In 2 minutes, forty nine seconds, he has condensed everything you would ever need to know about the film as a layman watching the programme. This is how film criticism used to be. Short, accurate, incisive.

[@jonathanwalker8730]

When I think of Barry Norman I always remember his review of the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Commando, in which he described Arnie's opponents' weapons being loaded with ammunition "designed to miss large, slow-moving Americans."

[@jamesflynn4951]

And no spoilers

[@MarcoSpeaksNadsat]

Nowadays Gen Z need 2 minutes, forty nine seconds of trigger warnings before the review can start lol.

[@stevemurrell6167]

@@MarcoSpeaksNadsat Gen Y mate....I'm 62 and consider myself Gen X.😅

[@KD--sj8eo]

It still is from the right people.

[@Mutex30]

"It's not so much a film, it's more an industry" As accurate as this statement is, they really had no idea how true this would turn out to be.

[@Sabersquirl]

Film merchandising was already a big thing by the late 70s. That's why it is a Fox executive this review is quoting in saying that.

[@20thcenturyresidue78]

I thought that was such a cynical, negative thing to say (or perhaps it was me not wanting to believe it was the game plan all along). Thinking from the perspective of my mind as a child. Now I know all too well.

[@ManCave1972]

Barry Norman was the OG

[@OpenGL4ever]

@@Sabersquirl No, FOX didn't knew that Film merchanidising was a big thing. Because they only bought the movie rights from George Lucas. George Lucas wanted and kept the merchandising rights.

[@M2Mil7er]

it was already true when he said it. That's why he said it.

[@PopeLando]

I think a lot of contemporary critics didn't "get" Star Wars, but Barry Norman got it completely, and completely right.

[@cactusoft]

To be fair, it was released in May 1977 in the US, months before Barry Norman reviewed it for the late December UK release. It was already an unprecedented blockbuster smash hit, any UK reviewer would have looked like a total clown to give anything but a glowing review considering it was virtually guaranteed to break all records in the UK.

[@seanmansell5983]

I tend to ignore contemporary critics i think most peoples favourite films over the years Would look a tad different if they went on what the critics opinions and thoughts same with the oscars

[@zacmumblethunder7466]

@@cactusoft I remember that when the film did open here, Barry Norman gave it a fairly lacklustre review.

[@trevorberridge6079]

He got some things wrong despite reviewing it in hindsight. Star Wars had already achieved massive success in the US. Predicting the merchandise roll out was no great stretch.

[@misternobody4786]

first time too

[@CycolacFan]

The good old days, when a film that opened in May in America took almost eight months to reach UK cinemas…

[@NarrowboatNogginTheNog]

And you could still avoid spoilers!

[@bigtam462]

And years for it to come on the telly......when it did it was special ,a big family occasion.....

[@CycolacFan]

@@bigtam462 like the Disney movies I used to not bother because it was always on. Then suddenly they were never shown again and only available on VHS and later DVD.

[@joboward]

it was because the film was expensive to produce and the reels where reused around the world, it was like this up until the early 2000s before digital screens became the norm

[@rammie1976]

@@bigtam462 star wars at christmas...damn that brings back memories...

[@patchworkdragon2588]

Best film critic by far. Not only is his voice so soothing to listen to but everything he said was thoughtful and presented to the cinema going as valid critique to help make a good decision on your next film. When he did use humour he wasn’t cruel. Barry is sadly missed.

[@petermgruhn]

Except one comes away from the review with useful ideas regarding the film. I'm not going to go back and measure it, but just how little of what he said was even about the film?

[@Moondog-wc4vm]

"and there you have it, why not?" Very firmly tongue in cheek BTW.

[@hilkovanwalraven3111]

@@petermgruhn as it should be

[@secondchance6603]

​@@petermgruhn Much better than today where they show you most of the main story points and throw out spoilers left right and center.

[@glasgovipsolara]

I don’t remember him ever being cruel in his humour either but I do remember one line that made me really laugh as a teenager - he said about someone that they might have been moonlighting as a rent boy or something to that effect. Wish I could remember the context but from that moment I became a big fan of Film ‘77, so much so I had difficulty calling it Film ‘78 and so on. Miss those nights when Barry was on.

[@efnissien]

Barry Norman was bang on when he prophesized the money making machine Star Wars became - but wrong on the view that none of the money would make it back to the UK. It gave the film industry a vital shot in the arm, Elstree became the 'Go to' guys for big sets and technical innovation.

[@frankiehoskyn3948]

Barry Norman wasn't wrong, the films did create many British jobs at the time, but most of the money made from the Lucas/Spielberg films from the 70's/80's went to America. This episode of the 1980 BBC documentary "The Risk Business" explains it all in detail. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a6THc2ewmsl-atk

[@jackjude]

He didn't predict the money making machine, it was already rolling in the US.

[@frankiehoskyn3948]

@@jackjude Barry was right when he said that the films profits would go to America and not stay in Britain.

[@efnissien]

@@jackjude I mean in terms of the merchandising - although there's the legendary story about George Lucas negotiating 100% merchandising rights from Fox.

[@jackjude]

@@efnissien I was thinking the toy range would have been released along with the film in May of that year in the States. But your right, as the first figure (for example) didn't hit he stores until '78.

[@Problembeing]

I really miss Barry Norman!

[@FatNorthernBigot]

…and why not?

[@baggierols73]

Yep...was never the same when he moved to Sky TV. Same program & format but without the sparkle ✨

[@davefb]

I was thinking 'oh heck, what did he say'... But... Can't fault that review!

[@cb25]

Same

[@jameslaird9924]

Here here

[@DrDaveW]

The so called “younger actors” took their fees. Sir Alec Guinness opted for a share of the profits. Best decision ever!

[@InAMinMaths]

Yes he also helped with some dialogues and got a little extra on top…

[@DrDaveW]

@@InAMinMaths Considering the dialogue in Star Wars, he should have tried harder!

[@visionist7]

@@DrDaveW poodoo!

[@Wolfington]

He's dead now though...can't take it with you

[@fifthof1795]

Lucas took no directors fee , but gambled and took all the rights to the merch instead. An even wiser decision.

[@muchanadziko6378]

"Now, there's no need to envy him. He's a good director and deserves his success. Damn him..."

[@chrisofnottingham]

Barry was always good at giving an impression of what a film was like and allowing the viewer to work out if they would like it or not, rather than forcing his personal opinion on you.

[@gordon1545]

And, why not.

[@akeel_1701]

@@gordon1545 exactly what I was gonna say...

[@nebularain3338]

If someone actually manages to force their personal opinion on you then you deserve it.

[@Romans8-9]

Yeah but didnt stop him from forcing his politics on you.

[@photobackflip]

"I don't want to force my personal opinion on you out of 5 stars"

[@mohanicus]

Barry Norman was one of the best and most honest film critics ever.

[@roberthaworth8991]

He doesn't whine like Gene Siskel, nor get on a moral high horse like Roger Ebert, nor is there any of the fakey rivalry the two of them cooked up to get ratings.

[@walterbishop1697]

Barry Norman came from an era when critics weren't bought off. I wouldn't trust any today that are not independent. Even then few can be trusted.

[@roberthaworth8991]

@@walterbishop1697 The colorful 1950s automotive writer and evaluator Tom McCahill was pretty obviously bought off. He purported to love the Edsel and several other doggies.

[@zapkvr]

Hes a reviewer he is NOT a critic.

[@mohanicus]

@@zapkvr reviewer is just a posh arse name for film critic.

[@Rich.Newell]

There will never be another Barry Norman.

[@thecelticdruid.6681]

...... "and why not"?!!

[@FatNorthernBigot]

I agree. For a start, he had two forenames, neither of which are in common use.

[@cb25]

Nobody’s ever really gone...

[@lordtherapeutics]

I was 10. It was one of the top 5 highlights of my childhood seeing it at the Odeon. From the opening reveal of the colossal Star Destroyer chasing the diplomatic mission ship, every boy was mesmerised, utterly transfixed for the next 2 hours. A giant leap forward to those of us bred on Dr Who's rickety sets and bargain basement rubber monsters.

[@sirperybLakeney]

I was 4! It was probably the first live action movie that I saw at the cinema. Odeon Leicester Square, no less.

[@jonathanwalker8730]

I think I was seven or eight. One of the most traumatic events in my childhood was when my extensive collection of Star Wars bubblegum cards was stolen from my desk at school. Not the worst thing that can happen to a kid, admittedly, but I was very upset at the time.

[@mrfoameruk]

I was 13 in the UK and remember being giddy about seeing this movie. Up to that point, I had read all the articles I could find on magazine shelves (usually WH Smiths) and tried to watch any TV that would have anything about it on. For me, I don't think there has been any more defining moment that I remember so well apart from having and loving Sinclair and Commodore Amiga computers. I really don't know what kids of today will look back on with the sense I get now.

[@jonathanwalker8730]

@@mrfoameruk I was seven or eight. Everything about Star Wars was absolutely intoxicating. Around that time, my dad also smuggled me into our local cinema to see Jaws; I literally jumped out of my seat in the scene where the guy's decapitated head rolled out of the bottom of the boat. My dad, who'd already seen the film once and knew what was coming, laughed hysterically at my reaction I know what you mean about kids now; it's a shame they're unlikely to have those sort of cinematic experiences.

[@Ass_Burgers_Syndrome]

@@jonathanwalker8730 Parents took me to see Jaws at the end of summer 76 before my 8th birthday. We had to drive to a cinema pretty far away because they didn't show it locally. Then a few months later it came to our local and we went to see it again! Can't remember exactly when I saw SW, we had to wait some time after London premiere. Jaws and Star Wars are my top two favourite films ever since. I remember having a bunch of those bubble gum cards. Never did have a whole collection, and only had the red and blue ones. I didn't even know about the other colours at the time because we never got them in the packs we had, maybe they we released later or something

[@zakiqbal79]

Barry Norman is a legend..Loved his reviews whilst I was growing up

[@deniro800]

Watched this programme religiously.Always waited for Barry Norman to finish a sentence with " aaand why not,I might add"...

[@mrjohn.whereyoufrom]

Surreal of hearing Harrison Ford is playing a juvenile role while at the same time he’s now too old for Indiana Jones 5! Where has time gone???

[@goldilocks913]

Once upon a time in a galaxy very near, l was young ! Can remember waiting in the queue with my sister in New street Birmgham odeon 😂

[@knownpleasures]

He’s done Indiana Jones 5 the movie so officially he’s not too old lol

[@fluorosco]

@@knownpleasures I can't wait

[@csb7376]

Juvenile and he looks mid 30's. I know what Barry is trying to say though. Luke & Leia could be classed as juvenile...but Han?🤔

[@PhilipKerry]

@@csb7376 " Juvenile role " doesn't refer to the Actors age ....... It simply is just another way of saying supporting Actor to Sir Alec who was the " Star " ........

[@patrickryan5570]

Barry was always my favourite film critic - He had 26 years at the BBC presenting his iconic film review show - Great television indeed and a must watch show at the time.

[@thedave7760]

Why didn't he mention the lack of diversity?

[@TheChipmunk2008]

@@thedave7760 There were dozens of races in SW!

[@thedave7760]

@@TheChipmunk2008 But he didn't feel the need to tell us all about how diverse the film was and who was not represented.

[@makasete30]

@@thedave7760 why would he? No one else did back then. He would have been laughed at if he did. Demographics were very different back then.

[@SAXONWARLORD1000AD]

@@thedave7760 why bother and who cares

[@kevinbennett7615]

Barry Norman was the best film critic. Even if he disliked a movie, he described it in such a way you could still tell whether or not you might like it. I always got the feeling he wanted you to go and watch everything even if he hated it.

[@davidbarlee4722]

Opened in America in May but arrived in the UK after Christmas. Back in those day they only made a number of copies of a film on reels for cinemas so they would release in America first and as the films popularity started to dip off they would then ship the reels to other countries to release. Star Wars was so big it took a while for them to be passed on ! One of my earliest memories was going to see this at the regal cinema in leamington spa with my dad and brother. We were so excited and the memory of the opening scene still sends goosebumps down my spine as if I was 4 again.

[@watermusic4381]

Nice info. Cheers.

[@badninja1971]

I remember the Regal. Getting their really early, queuing outside hoping it didn’t sellout.

[@Serreski]

Are you really old?

[@zigster1298]

@@Serreski 😂 I’m sure you can do the maths. ‘If David was 4 in 1977, how old is he in 2022?’

[@watermusic4381]

@@zigster1298 😁 Haha

[@frankiehoskyn3948]

Seeing the film at the Dominion Tottenham Court Road, London on it's opening day (27th December 1977) was a watershed moment in my childhood. 🙂

[@Derek_S]

I saw it at the Dominion too. Living in north London, we usually went to a local Odeon or ABC cinema for run of the mill features but for the big blockbusters, we always went to a west end one. That usually meant the Leicester Square area. Was it not on there at that time? or was it also on at one of them already and sold out?

[@frankiehoskyn3948]

@@Derek_S When Star Wars first opened in December 1977 it was only showing at two cinemas in the London area (the Dominion and the Leicester Square Theatre). The film companies back then were much more cautious when they released their films. If you wanted to see the latest blockbuster film when it first opened, the only place to see it was in a West End cinema. It was only after several months that the release widened to include local cinemas.

[@OSW]

This guy is such a mark for C3PO & R2D2! And i love the snarky shade he throws at the production "BRITISH companies made this but we're not seeing a share of the monstrous profits"

[@dcanmore]

this was a time of great change in the British movie industry (it got worse in the 80s), fewer and fewer British movies were being made due to low cinema attendances and ongoing economic depression, so the Americans came in and used the expertise available at lesser cost than US studios (Kubrick started this trend from Dr Strangelove onwards). After Star Wars this prompted Superman, Alien and Indiana Jones productions to be made at the same UK studios (usually Pinewood, Elstree and Shepperton). This is why you see these movies peppered with British actors in medium and smaller roles.

[@zufgh]

@@dcanmore 'Fewer and fewer British movies were being made due to low cinema attendances and ongoing economic depression' And a never-ending deluge of miserable, self-loathing kitchen sink dramas as opposed to stuff that actually made general audiences feel engaged, excited and even uplifted.

[@Torlik11]

@@dcanmore And they still do it today with places like New-Zeland or when they film in eastern europe. That's also why half of americans tv shows are actually filmed in canada

[@Romans8-9]

I dont, he should be glad the Americans chose to employ the British but BN being a typical socialist has to complain about everything.

[@Mirokuofnite]

@@dcanmore I guess the same effect happened to the US state of Georgia. A lot of film and tv production there due to sky high cost in California these days.

[@LordOfRuin]

Barry Norman, loved watching his reviews when I was a kid!

[@ipuya]

Barry norman was one of my favorite tv hosts growing up. I used to watch his show religiously. Just hearing his voice makes me nostalgic for the old days.

[@Gandalf606]

I saw it 67 times as a teenager, when it first came here in 1977. I'd just started my first summer job at my local cinema - the Odeon in Chelmsford. Back then, I was asked to be the second cashier, so after we'd processed all the customers, I was free to support the ushers. But there was very little to do once the film started so I got to watch this amazing film, over and over again all through my school summer hols. I could recite every line. What a film it was back then. Episode 4 is still my favourite of the nine even today.

[@moos5221]

that's crazy :D

[@_yadokari]

I have fond memories of that place, mostly getting a choc ice at intermission.

[@Gandalf606]

@@_yadokari- it was an old fashioned auditorium with a proper 'circle' upstairs. Maybe I was one of the lads who served you once lol! The lads used to get embarrassed because the advert for the intermission always used to say: "get your ice-creams and drinks ... from the sales girls and in the foyer, now" 😜

[@delbhoye]

Chelmsford Odeon is where I first saw Star Wars - aged 10 in 1977. 🙂

[@alaggan]

Concise, thorough and articulate from Barry Norman as ever. I miss his film reviews.

[@AntonGully]

Barry Norman was the best. I never cared about BBC film review shows since he retired (permanently now). I'm about 99% sure I watched this review (difficult because it was well past my bedtime when it was on) then bounced around like popcorn until it actually hit the local cinema months upon months later.

[@NeilAFawcett]

As a VERY young child at the time, I can recall the magical feeling of this film. I had a poster on my bedorom wall I spent ages looking at before I fell asleep... And I also recall reviewers saying it was too complicated with all the jumping around from spaceships and planets etc etc...

[@dj71162]

Too complicated? Honestly the first hour or so is slow paced and gradual, and the plot is very basic. What's complicated about it? The idea is that its supposed to be the exact opposite and something that kids can follow.

[@NeilAFawcett]

@@dj71162 Agreed, but that was some of the initial feedback.

[@waynecurie71]

That very poster would be worth a few quid now

[@RonniMenziesStirling]

Ah, Barry Norman! Back in the days before studios could "buy" reviews! You could totally trust him.

[@stevem195988]

If you think you could trust his judgment remember his review of Bladerunner which he just didn’t get

[@tigerbread78]

@@stevem195988You could trust Barry to be honest in his opinion is what the OP meant, tastes are subjective.

[@hugodrax71]

@@stevem195988 He wasn't the only one and, to be fair, he didn't see the director's cut

[@zacksmith2227]

A time when film reviews were consise articulate & efficient boiled down to everything about the film down without spoilers or the fanfare. We miss em .My English teacher once told me brevity is the soul of wit. Never more so than this review. Please post more Barry Norman's film reviews if you have them. even though he is longer here with us in form we cherish and miss the spirit of his endeavour.

[@ryansoprovich2258]

Your English teacher was quoting Shakespeare. Unless your English teacher was Shakespeare. I don't know how old you are...

[@cbstevp]

I like how he said that none of the profits would go back to Britain's film industry but Lucas made two more movies there, investing millions in Britain, hiring hundreds to make the movies, plus the investment from all the other film makers who followed over the next decades. So yeah Star Wars had a lot to do with giving the British film industry a big boost

[@andrewburgemeister6684]

Also inspired other big blockbusters to film at Shepperton/Pinewood Studios given the favourable tax concessions given to motion-picture productions that shoot there and employ local crew and cast!

[@armoris66]

Everything you've said is correct in hindsight but I guess his view was historically based. Star wars indeed revived an ailing British film industry who's hay day was well and truly in the past but can now be considered one of the world's preeminent production centres.

[@MaryBrownIsTheBlairWitch]

A lot of 'The Phantom Menace' was shot in Britain (Leavesden Studios) in 1997, too.

[@cow_tools_]

Yeah, but did enough actual MONEY get to stay in Britain? I suspect not.

[@terryread7347]

Just one more. SW was made at Elstree.TESB. ROTJ was made in the US. See Blue Harvest. Fake production title for ROTJ.

[@jonnysupreme]

Ahhh, the 70's, when every TV host had a haircut like a lego man

[@gan247]

Or you could say, _every_ Lego man has a haircut of a 70s TV host.

[@jonnysupreme]

@@gan247 that too 🤣

[@onlyme219]

I was 11 at the time it was released and it was magical, it's also been magical to my children and grandchildren to watch, nothing will compare to this particular movie

[@JoshuaMPatton]

"He's a good director and deserves his success, damn him." Hilarious.

[@robinbroady6596]

and why not

[@scatmancrothers]

bbc need to upload waaayy more barry norman reviews. there is virtually nothing of him on youtube comparitvely considering he was reviewing films for decades on the BBC. his pickled onions were also fantastic.

[@malcolmrowe9003]

Might a lot of his reviews have gone the same way as many early Doctor Who episodes?

[@DS9TREK]

@@malcolmrowe9003 the BBC stopped recording over old telly programmes in 1978, so a lot of Norman's stuff should be in the archive

[@Cannon-Fodder]

Barry's pickled onions were fantastic, you're right. Had some a few years ago. I'll definitely have to look for some more in the shops.

[@sirgaymeerkat1994]

I remember when Barry Norman fell ill and went to hospital! the doctor said Norman was "highly critical"

[@Cannon-Fodder]

That was only after they had 'reviewed' his case.

[@sirgaymeerkat1994]

@@Cannon-Fodder 😃

[@williamfoy599]

Back in the 1970s when critics felt they had to tell us that Carrie Fisher was Eddie Fisher's daughter. RIP CARRIE. WE ALL MISS YOU.

[@toddboughn5168]

Now, when people talk about Eddie Fisher it's "oh, yeah. Carrie Fisher's dad."

[@MP-mn2tu]

Noticed this as well, disgrace

[@Razormiller]

@@MP-mn2tu Lol its not a disgrace ffs. Its human nature..Of course theyre gonna mention it if the parents a famous actor. They did the same for Charlie Sheen & Emilio Estevez(even tho he changed his name).. Same with Will Smiths kids etc.. Colin Hanks got it.. John Waynes sons(especially Patrick) got it all the time .. Kate Hudson always had her mum Goldie Hawn mentioned. Josh Brolins had his dad brought up etc........ And you can be 100% sure they all got a help startin in the industry coz of their parents fame. Thats just how it works. Thats not to say the kids arent great actors in their own right too but of course the parents get mentioned. The film studios also want it mentioned to help promote the film. Get it more attention. Same thing happens all the time in sports. If a new sports player has a famous parent then the parent gets mentioned. When Erling Haaland(footballer) started off it was always pointed out his dad was Alf Inge Haaland.... Now that Haaland has become a superstar its mentioned less and less.

[@YerDa67]

@@Razormiller Exactly.

[@mattmale7183]

@@MP-mn2tu Prat

[@djdrwatson]

2:25 He's a good director and deserves his success - and why not?! 😂😂

[@armoris66]

I still say "And why not?!" Only those in the know, know where it comes from 😁👍🏾

[@mavhass]

I was trawling the comments for this very post!

[@theblueacorn]

@@armoris66 Rory Bremner, I think.

[@armoris66]

@@theblueacorn You're right but Rory Bremner was just impersonating Barry Norman tbf.

[@theblueacorn]

It would be interesting to learn how many times Baz actually said it, like Michael Caine and ‘Not a lot of people know that’. Impressionists pinpoint something that sounds right.

[@calessel3139]

One of the few critics that actually understood the film at the time.

[@cnfuzz]

There was not much to understand , it was just cowboys and indians in space with a lot of marketing

[@garyl5128]

Great show! I used to watch this when it was on, and still have some VHS snippets of the show - Alien for example. I remember recording that after getting in from the pub and being a bit worse for wear, but was still able to use the corded pause control (no remotes back then!) so I only recorded the good bits. Amazing to think that too was over 40 years ago ...

[@Elsa-yo8pi]

I was tidying the garage the other day and I found a VHS tape of Alien. 😁

[@hod2116]

Yeah watched alien this week was surprised how dated it didn't look for a 43yold film

[@scotttait2197]

I had a fergusson video star top loader with wired remote ... thought it was the dogs bits ... mobd blowing even got 1st VHS woth actual infra red remote... (1st remote telly was ultrasonic rattling your keys would change channel)

[@garyl5128]

@@scotttait2197 I've a feeling mine might have been a Fergusson VS as well - and I think initially rented from Granada tv rental shop as I didn't buy one to start with. Their blank 3 hour tapes came in orange and green - I still have some!

[@vintagesoup79]

Remember when it took months for major films to come over to the UK...

[@kevinskipp2762]

And before the internet you could avoid spoilers a lot more easily

[@richardhall5489]

....and the prints were scratched and dirty by the time they got here.

[@markmclellan7146]

...and you got to see Star Wars in a massive theatre which contributed to the scale of the movie. Cigarette smoke in the projector beam creating an ambience of it's own. Odeon 1, Glasgow Renfield Street on the night it opened. :-)

[@waynedaniel]

I remember when ET came out in the UK about 6months after the US and every kid I knew already had a pirate VHS copy of it. ET made a lot of money but who knows how much it lost worldwide because of the staggered Global releases back then.

[@baggierols73]

@@waynedaniel wasn't that the reason it was never released on VHS to rent for 6 years?

[@aemrt5745]

What is really amazing is how slow things moved back then. It came out in May 1977 in the States. As a kid, I remember that it played in theaters all summer and fall. Yet, Barry said it will not release in London until after Christmas! Wow.

[@FoobsTon]

Yeah..... We got wind of it by carrier pigeon. If you watch the film again it's also quite slow moving and the film is all the better for it.

[@thomsboys77]

Jaws, Star Wars, Gremlins, Ghostbusters, Trading Places, Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit - just to name a few - all came out in the summer in the US but didn’t come out in the UK until the Christmas holidays

[@colinmclean3029]

In the area of Scotland where I'm from, we didn't get Star Wars until February 1978. The cinema was constantly packed throughout its run.

[@Badgerjnr73]

Barry Norman was a ritual part of growing up in the 70s and 80s. If you wanted to know what film to spend your weekend pocket money on, then Barry was the man to listen to, if you missed the trailers during ad breaks!

[@davidnm21]

A look back at the BBC archives, always enjoyed Barry Norman’s reviews.

[@taffwob]

"And, why not?"

[@darthwiizius]

They always were a completely different kettle of fish.

[@gingerbill128]

@@taffwob i was thinking " why is this idiot posting 'and why not?' , turns out i was the idiot when i realised.

[@emeidocathail7808]

Very open and optimistic review .. used to love Barry’s show back in the day.

[@johnguilfoyle3073]

Harrison Ford was 35, Mark Hamill was 26, and Carrie Fisher was 21 in 1977 when Star Wars came out. While younger than Alec Guinness at 63, it's hard to imagine a 35-year-old Harrison Ford being considered a Juvenile.

[@Seansaighdeoir]

In a galaxy far far away in a world long forgotten I with friends queued to see this movie when it came to the local cinema. The queues stretched for what looked like miles but was probably about 100 yards. How long ago it all seems now ....

[@screenname1]

I never saw the movie in a theatre until the 1997 rerelease. I was 7 years old when it originally came out, and 8 years old when I would have had a chance to see it. There was no possibility of convincing my Dad to take us to see it when the majority were in favor of watching Superman the Movie Instead. So that was the first movie I ever saw. Star Wars was playing on another screen, and I was tempted to go and sneak in but settled to watch Richard Donner's verisimilitude instead. For me even today Superman 1 and 2 are the best superhero movies ever made. I had all the tops 1 and 2 series Star Wars cards, Marvel Comics, etc, and had read the novelisation, but none of that prepared one for the experience of watching the motion picture, which we did finally in 1982 when it came out on ITV. It was a fun experience. It was uncanny at times. We watched the making of etc., and there was an episode of the Risk Business pertaining to The Empire Strikes Back. Seeing the Death Star trench run gave me goose bumps; it was almost like a recollection of something that actually happened. I eventually got over all of this after the disappointment of TPM in 1999.

[@garrybaldy327]

Wow! A two hundred million dollar box office in 1977. That's almost a billion dollars in 2022 money.

[@moonface978]

It’s always annoys me when they say a film has broken all box office records these days when a ticket is ten times that of of one in the 70,s they should go on ticket sales

[@markfox1545]

@@moonface978 - they adjust for inflation, simpleton.

[@moonface978]

@@markfox1545 no they don’t numnuts

[@nzguy9336]

@@moonface978 Fight fight fight ;-)

[@chatteyj]

Can't they just say ticket sales? then we wouldn't need to adjust for inflation, deflation, stagflation or anything.

[@kjamison5951]

I never disliked a movie that Barry Norman recommended. And on the movies he cast a shadow, he was right. For me, Barry Norman will always be FILM ‘XX - where XX is the year. My only gripe? The show was on too late at night and we didn’t have a video-recorder

[@FreeBrunoPowroznik]

Are you parodying a star-struck sychophant?

[@Rebelscum264]

Love this post so much mate x

[@FreeBrunoPowroznik]

@@Rebelscum264 I love ALL your posts. Even when you cast a shadow you are right. You will always be Rebelscum264. Write soon xxx

[@Fee-Nix]

I think this is a later review of Star Wars with Barry Norman. I remember Film 77 (Barry Norman) showing the first clip of Star Wars in the Uk. (‘Star Wars’ opened in USA theatres May 25 1977). He used to end his programmes with a ‘Goodnight’, and then show either an exciting classic movie clip (from King Kong) or a upcoming movie clip before the credits. Then one show he said something like “I leave you with a clip from the new upcoming George Lucas directed sci fantasy, Star Wars.... Goodnight”. It was the “Great shot kid. Don’t get cocky” clip. Nobody knew how big it would be. To most it was just another Sci Fi Star Trek rip off movie/TV show, which there were many at the time.

[@sensimania]

Just seeing his face and hearing his voice makes me feel relaxed from nostalgia

[@IainGalli]

I got that too! With just a twinge of wistfulness for a youth long passed.

[@I_Don_t_want_a_handle]

My sister went to see this with her boyfriend when it was first released in the UK. They queued for hours to get in. She hated it and he thought it was 'a kids film''. Consequently, I didn't bother with it and did not see it until the 1990s by which time it had become a phenomenon. Just shows, never trust your sister's opinion.

[@MaryBrownIsTheBlairWitch]

Your insight serves you well 😎

[@jdb47games]

She was right.

[@alanbeaumont4848]

I'm guessing her boyfriend actually preferred watching the film!

[@sandal_thong8631]

@@alanbeaumont4848 More likely it was too crowded to make out, or snog as they say in the U.K.? Or they went to see the movie because it was popular and just had bad taste.

[@moos5221]

that's so funny xD

[@chrisrobson8540]

most of my love of cinema comes from barry's reviews.......although i never did get his lack of respect for horror films......ah well RIP

[@lordprotector3367]

Agree. He used to like rubbish westerns IIRC.

[@jackjude]

tbh, I don't think he was alone in that at time, certarily in the 80's.

[@mellowfellow4755]

He couldnt disguise his utter hatred of Val Kilmer either 😂

[@73reider]

I was born in 1973 so in my formative years watching film reviews on TV there was only Barry Norman, A master, I feel privileged and lucky..

[@TH33QUALIZ3R]

And to think 45 years later, that "industry" as the Fox executive called it, is stronger than imagined. A film with a pathetic £6m budget has gone on to generate billions. Incredible stuff when you sit and think about it.

[@hotrodd29]

6 million adjusted for inflation is about 32 million in todays money.

[@DayTripperrr]

@@hotrodd29 still you paid 32 million and brought home 3,700,000,000 billion dollars

[@mytimetravellingdog]

it also has created an absurd stranglehold on cinema and Star Wars (through no fault of it's own, at least originally) is a big part of why so many films are so mediocre and repetitive today. Everything wants to be Star Wars in commercial terms but not creative terms. Even older Lucas fell foul of that one.

[@reginaldforthright805]

Star Wars is quite dead, madame. The corpse is beginning to reek in fact.

[@FoobsTon]

Yep.... And yet the "industry" is also of a much weaker quality.

[@raypurchase801]

I remember watching this live when it was first broadcast.

[@gaycha6589]

Best film reviewer and program ever.

[@andrewhillis9544]

I Remember Barry Norman And His Film Programme! He Was Really Good!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@Deeplycloseted435]

I love the brown look of the 1970’s. Everything was earthy tones for about 5 years.

[@rhymeandreasoning]

That Star Wars poster 0:06 is stunning. Love the artwork. This poster should be released, but as a lenticular holographic poster.

[@TheGiantRobot]

It is gorgeous!

[@rhymeandreasoning]

@@TheGiantRobot 👍👍

[@jonathanwalker8730]

I loved that poster as a kid. Is it wrong that at the age of seven I wanted to be Darth Vader?

[@rikk319]

Hildebrandt Brothers did that poster--they're more famous for their fantasy art, especially Lord of the Rings calendar paintings from the 70s and 80s.

[@AJM01]

I remember watching Film (eighty something) as a child. I loved his presenting style and demeanour. Barry Norman was a legend!

[@bhamacuk]

So glad I was there at the beginning in 77. Was 10 and got caught up in the fever of it all. This takes me back, so nostalgic.

[@archvaldor]

For those who missed Norman..might be worth giving a look at Anna Smith who started doing film reviews on BBC news recently. She's refreshingly free of BS and very direct, in my opinion Norman's best qualities.

[@JD-cd3kb]

Thanks! I’ll take a look

[@AlexDad]

@@JD-cd3kb +1

[@TheTruthKiwi]

This was broadcast a year before I was born and I'm 43 this year. I feel like Star Wars was the first really good kids movie for adults as well. Hard to believe now that studios turned it down and were apprehensive about making it

[@sandal_thong8631]

I just read that _Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)_ went way over budget for a total $19.4 million compared to the original pitch of $2.7 million, so they had to scramble to find the millions to complete it. Considering it made $300 million, half of which the theaters kept, it turned out to be a good investment. I think businessmen don't know how to handle risk. They want a sure-thing, and that's really difficult when it comes to the theater arts. I imagine they look at past success in deciding whether to fund the next project, so there were a lot of sci-fi movies after these two movies and _Superman: The Movie_ succeeded. If we don't have some success with superhero movies this year (we're 0/2), but instead go 0/9, then it could signal the end of superhero movies for some years, as who would be willing to fund a $100-$300 million movie, without a good chance of making $600-$1 billion?

[@jameslaird9924]

One of the great TV theme tunes

[@MrStateofplay]

I remember like it was yesterday queuing up with my Dad and sister in 1977 to see Star Wars at the Odeon in Watford High Street. It was a long queue but turned out to be well worth the wait. The film was a sensation, every kid at school was talking about it for years to come. And as a kid I fell in love with R2D2.

[@Fester_]

We had 3 tv stations. Film ?? with Barry Norman was a must watch. Likely i watched that with my parents on our single screen in the living room in front of the coal fire.

[@martinstent5339]

“Hollywood, a place where nothing succeeds like excess”. Still true!

[@simonhodgetts6530]

As soon as that intergalactic war ship passed overhead during the opening sequence, as a 5 year old, I knew I was seeing something that would change the face of popular culture forever. Apart from Saving Private Ryan, no other film has had quite the same effect on me within minutes of it beginning!

[@MarkMcVann]

Same feeling i was 7 went to see it with my dad. One other film which gave me a similar feeling was Peter Jacksons Fellowship of the Rigs with Sauron decimating the elven/men armies

[@MarkMcVann]

Oh and the first Matrix

[@marblesthecat3861]

I was 5 years old that summer as well( I turned 6 in Aug of 77) and I thoroughly agree with you!

[@Dark_Fusion19]

Intergalactic warship? You mean a Star Destroyer?.

[@darania1]

@@MarkMcVann I had a similiar feeling watching FOTR in the cinema & after leaving felt I'd just seen a film whose fantasy worldbuilding was so convincing that it replaced Star Wars as my favourite movie that day...

[@justmaximumpublicity664]

What an utterly brilliant TV presenter and film reviewer was Barry Norman; sadly missed; R.I.P.

[@LurgsHowToGuides]

I remember when it came out, amazing. That opening scene just jaw dropping at the cinema. Then all the action figures came out. O man I wish I’d bought 10 of each and every one and stuck them in the loft for 40 years in original boxes untouched, I probably wouldn’t have to work again! Hindsight is wonderful. Still a great film. Now all these Disney+ spin offs I can’t keep up anymore, so I don’t. But had a great childhood with it. Remember having mates round when all 3 were released on VHS and we’d watch all 3 and munch on snacks. Almost knew Star Wars script off by heart. Great memories

[@sandal_thong8631]

I still think it's a pretty sick "Grinchy" thing to want to buy up kids toys and hide them in the attic or somewhere so kids can't play with them.

[@LurgsHowToGuides]

@@sandal_thong8631 That’s why I didn’t do it, but had I have done it I would have been a 9yr old Grinch when the toys came out!

[@danglisson7265]

I remember when Star Wars came out, my friend had seen it like 3 times and wouldn't shut up about it. I was really not interested in seeing the movie, it sounded kind of childish and dumb. He finally talked me into seeing it. I was hooked, it wasn't the acting really, it was the sounds, the visuals, the models blowing up, and then Darth Dude! Glad I saw it when I did.

[@rikk319]

I suppose that is when you learned the difference between "childish" and "childlike". KZbin comments on older films, music, and television shows are filled with people nostalgic for their childhoods, and Star Wars encapsulated an entire generation's yearning for Errol Flynn and Buster Crabbe adventure films.

[@redlioness6627]

Film 77, my first memories of that whole show was from 1977, I was only 8 to 9 years old back then.

[@H76Pro]

This was less than 3 minutes? This is how you be short, precise and informative!

[@manofbeard]

I would love Barry’s take on Disney Star Wars. Because when he didn’t like a film he didn’t mince his words! And back in the day, guys like Barry Norman and their reviews could make or break a movie.

[@martingibb517]

Nice to hear an intelligent person with a good grasp of the English language delivering a well informed and common sense piece to camera. 99% of everything you see on a screen now, any screen, is delivered by morons, reading scripts written by morons in language strangled and badly phrased. Got things used to be so much better a few decades ago !!

[@JeffJefferyUK]

Agreed (but I think you have a typo in your last sentence).

[@archvaldor]

Yes he was those things. He was also smug, irritating, tended to shove his political views into things and very greedy-he went off to Sky and essentially disappeared. The past was not better, it is just you were younger and can't remember all the negatives.

[@BrendanDCox]

This is such a bad take.. lol Martin just tell us you’re a Tory

[@hastekulvaati9681]

You are so very old.

[@davidr.6357]

@@BrendanDCox Lol yes you can sense that, especially in "good grasp of the English language"

[@fifthof1795]

Great as was, it heralded a change when fx began to take the lead over scripts and as a result , look what we have today.

[@jimmydonnycosgrove2639]

They’re nice to watch critics be actually really positive about something. Feels like a genuine review this rather than the modern click bait

[@MarkStevens8899]

I remember this from 77,followed by Buck Rogers In The 25th Century and Battlestar Galactica on tv,it seemed to me as kid it was only a matter of time before we would all be living on another planet or something lol.Heady days x

[@willielarsson9651]

When the release of a movie was an actual life event. ET was the same, and Grease!

[@tesserat2]

ET was so special it didn't go to Video tape sale for years.

[@MaryBrownIsTheBlairWitch]

Speaking of E.T., look out for three of his kind during the 'vote of no confidence' scene in Episode I. Really.

[@muchasgracias6976]

Hard to believe watching this review all these years later that Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill were relatively unknown and considered 'juvenile'.

[@thejmeister]

Can you imagine having to wait that long to watch a film in the UK after it has already screened in the US? There are still some smaller movies that get released here months later, but for the most part, we often get our blockbusters a day earlier here now.

[@johnbull1568]

It wasn't a big deal at the time, because you didn't know what you were missing in most cases. It was more annoying to hear about a good movie and your parents not being willing to take you to see it, and then you'd have to wait 2-3 years for it to be shown on TV lol.

[@johnmacdonald1878]

Barry Norman was allways one best film reviews. He nailed this one.

[@bicbot]

My grandad took me to see the film in 1978 when I was four. I've been obsessed with sci-fi since :)

[@AdamsBrew78]

My first theatre film was 4 years later, when I was taken to E.T. at the age of four ;) Both were excellent introductions to Sci-Fi :)

[@buffplums]

AND WHY NOT?

[@jamlemon]

Crazy how this came out in December but was released in May in the US, that would never happen now.

[@julianaylor4351]

Barry Normal understood Star Wars because his father was in the film business. It should be noted that although the profits didn't help our film business directly, the second film The Empire Strikes Back, used British studio space and technicians, leading to many studio shoots for famous blockbusters, filmed in the UK.

[@Alice.59]

1:37 "it's not so much a film it's more an industry" Never been so true.... I think someone at disney saw this video and they decided to buy it at this exact moment

[@Shauma_llama]

Don't believe the stories of "reviewers hated Star Wars when it came out." They LOVED IT. I was in the library one day and opened up this old reference book "Contemporary Reviews", reviews from when whatever-it-was had just come out. Books, plays, movies. I checked the reviews for Star Wars, well reviewed by almost everyone. Even Rex Reed, who didn't like anything (it seemed) liked Star Wars. The closest I saw to a truly negative review was along the lines of "Well, it's certainly not the greatest movie ever, but it's really good." 😄

[@MrDaiseymay]

I've never seen any of it. I left fantasy Comic stuff behind as a 9 yr old. ''"2001, a Space Odessy'' now thats more like it.

[@Ruylopez778]

@@MrDaiseymay Beyond the surface level, there's a lot of mythology and psychology in Star Wars. Not to mention some very clever editing that means the audience is never lost, never dwelling on the world, and never stuck in exposition. That explains the popularity even though most people can't articulate that. Kubrick enjoyed Star Wars. As did Nolan who is also a huge Kubrick fan. What Lucas actually made with his saga is a very sophisticated experimental film, paying homage to the history of cinema (Ben Hur, Metropolis, Frankenstein etc) with flashy story on top to get the studio to finance it.

[@spaceknight793]

There were negative reviews, mostly from movie snobs and some sci-fi purists who worried Star Wars was fairy tale rubbish that might replace future "quality" sci-fi movies.

[@heene]

I smiled when he said the among those playing the juvenile roles was Harrison Ford!

[@richarddye9170]

I managed to get an invite to a press preview a few days before it went on general release. When I raved to my colleagues the next day about how great it was the general response was "Science fiction is a bit old hat".

[@Surv1ve_Thrive]

This is how to calmly and intelligently review a film. What a film it was too. 🇬🇧👍

[@sisulart]

Interesting that Barry talks about the success of Star Wars taking everybody by surprise, and we would have been inundated with merchandise immediately had they been prepared. Well they've certainly made up for that since haven't they? lol

[@chriswilkinson7636]

I thought that George Lucas was trying to set up merchandising deals before the film was released. He must have half expected it to be a hit.

[@jasonsheath3294]

@@chriswilkinson7636 As the story goes - the movie studio had little interest in the merchandising rights and Lucas got them without a fight - as, at this time, movie merchandising was a small time fledgling sideline to the distribution rights and ticket sales. Star Wars merchandising changed that entire side of the industry forever and Lucas became a billionaire at least in part, because of that miscalculation by the studio.

[@HagbardCeline23]

The days when a film critic was so well known by the public he could appear on the Morecambe & Wise show and nobody batted an eyelid! Barry, you were one of the greatest critics.

[@thewanderingfool4435]

Good old Barry Norman, he was a great critic of film and fun to watch & a great interviewer too!! Man this was a blast from the past, the nostalgia hit i got from this has left me both happy and sad for an era long gone now. RIP Barry.

[@mikefriend1514]

Star Wars really was a rehashing of all those good versus evil storylines. But at the time it felt very fresh and very different. And remained that way until the ewoks arrived.

[@Tao_Tology]

Plus being literally inspired by stories like Dune.

[@MarcoSpeaksNadsat]

It's virtually a remake of the Kurosawa film The Hidden Fortress. Lucas even admitted it.

[@TheGiantRobot]

@@Tao_Tology You mean the book, right? Dune wasn't a movie until the eighties.

[@Tao_Tology]

@@TheGiantRobot I don't know what you mean, TGR. I clearly said 'stories'. 🙄

[@TheGiantRobot]

@@Tao_Tology Uh, you know we can all see that you edited your comment, right? Lying is like killing part of your soul. Don't do it lightly.

[@karlmarx71]

In this absurd world we live in, I take solace that I lived during a time when this was the norm.

[@symbiat0]

I loved Barry’s reviews back in the day, miss that.

[@L8rCloud]

I saw Star Wars when I was 12 because all my friends had seen it and I didn't want to be left out of peer group conversation - I didn't have a SINGLE clue what it was about. The opening scene 'blew my face off' - I didn't know what I was seeing but I can tell you my eyes were as big as the screen - The world had suddenly changed forever and could never be the same. There was life before Star Wars and then there was life after Star Wars...I get the feeling now that that has been happening almost every decade up to now. When I think about it it seems a pretty vacuous existence when your life is MOSTLY defined by consumer milestones. Star Wars Back To The Future Macintosh/Apple/iMac/iPod/iPhone/iPad The Matrix Google Facebook ....and now there are people who believe that their whole life is a conspiracy, the Earth is Flat and we all exist in a Simulation The whole World's collective brain/consciousness is transforming into mush. In 2006 IDIOCRACY WAS A MOVIE, NOW IT'S A DOCUMENTARY.