A long time ago...

I have three definitive film memories from my youth. The first was my Nan taking me to see Bambi. This was back in the day when films still had intervals, but no one seem to have told my Nan and so she took us home thinking the film was over. To this day, I have never actually seen what happened to Bambi’s mum and I DON’T WANT TO! Disney, you sick bastard.

The second was going to see ET (I think in Leicester Square) and getting an ET badge as a souvenir. Whilst an amazing film, seeing ET turn white is about as harrowing as it gets. Spielberg, you sick bastard.

The third was Star Wars. My first memory of it, was my dad saying “come and watch this, I think you’ll like it” and watching it on the telly with him. To my over-active imagination, Darth Vader was of course terrifying and clearly has been sent straight from hell. Lucas, you sick bastard. 

Reading that David Prowse; inhabitor-in-chief of the body if not the voice of the aforementioned Vader, had passed away today was very sad, but at 84 he’d clearly had a good innings. His physical performance as Darth Vader was truly terrifying, but having seen footage of his own voice emanating from behind that mask, I think it is fair to say that George Lucas did the right thing in bringing in James Earl Jones to voice the asthmatic sith lord.

I’m grateful for having the Star Wars experience in my life though, because a few years back, I was able to say to both The Eldest and M’boy (pictured here doing his homework): “come and watch this, I think you’ll like it.”