45 Years of Star Wars Nostalgia: A Psychologist Remembers

I recently watched a Star Wars marathon for probably the 100th time. It never gets old. One of the reasons I watch the original film so many times is almost exclusively about nostalgia. The film reminds me a really special time in my life and the first PG film of my life. I was 8 years old.

Seeing the original trilogy films is essentially my childhood. And so, here is a psychologist’s 40 most nostalgic moments from 1977-ish.

40. Not the Christmas Special!

39. Mark Hamill on the Muppet Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxWuacDLc9U

38. Waiting for the preorder of the Kenner action figures based on paper cutouts.

37. Famous Monsters of Filmland highlighting behind the scenes of Star Wars (pre-internet)

36. My first R2-D2 stuffed animal

35. Luke vs. Vader racetrack. I would kill to still have this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa4m1LtZqiI

34. The Sears Christmas Wish book and circling all the Star Wars toys from the movie

33. The release of the Kenner “sound effect” Millenium Falcon

32. Going to Episode IV with someone who never saw it

31. The news that there would be a sequel to An New Hope

30. Braided buns and Leia as a killer female character

29. X-Wing and Tie Fighter and the action figures fit!

28. May the Force Be With You

27. The first X-wing lunch box

26. Han saving Luke and the destruction of the Death Star

25. The original comic books with a green Darth Vader

24. The Burger King “actual glass,” glasses (don’t put in dishwasher)

23. Trading cards with behind the scenes images, gum, and if you collect them all, a puzzle

22. Jawas and the capture of R2-D2

21. The first time we see the Death Star Fire, “You may fire when ready.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0qLzsIhUMk

20. Being a child of the 70’s, World War II movies made Star Wars feel like a real war movie.

19. The Cantina Music and Han shot first!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6PDcBhODqo

18. My first Tusken Raider puzzle. And I never opened it.

17. Plastic models by MPG and the sweet smell of plastic glue

16. Light sabers slid out of the toy Vader and Kenobi arms

15. Watching Star Wars again the following summer (1978) because...no VHS.

14. The Opening Crawl

13. The original Star Wars trailer that blew my mind

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vP_1T4ilm8M

12. Presented without comment.

11. Who colored in this?

10. The death of Ben Kenobi

9. Turning every lego set into a star wars vehicle.

8. My original Star Wars album I got opening night

7. Miniature die cast metal vehicles which I still have, and the Tie which would fly apart

6. Telling everyone, “May the Force be with you…”

5. The very first scene with a star destroyer chasing down Leia’s ship.

4. The Attack on the Death Star

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WBG2rJZGW8

3. John Williams theme music, is the most famous of all.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rQSJDLM8ZE

2. The phrase, “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

1. Darth Vader!