Why do Sci-Fi/Fantasy fans owe so much to 1977???

[danlo]

1977 was a strange year--some important things happened historically; The famous NYC blackout, the overthrow of the 'Gang of Four in China', Elvis' death and the founding of Apple Computers but basically it was very sad (except for Sci-Fi and Fantasy). Indeed even the internet was starting to emerge from it's infancy from PLATO based online gaming to MUD1. Most of the movies sucked (except for two I'll talk about later) and the music was horrible with Striesand, Manilow and Boston topping the charts. About the only bright spots were Fleetwood Mac's Rumors and The Beatles' Live at the Hollywood Bowl. Oh yeah Laverne & Shirley was the most popular TV show in the US--**gag**. I was going to a college I couldn't stand and was at war with the world and my parents. So it was sorta a sad and miserable year in general...

I do have vivid memories of sports though: long haired, potsmoking, vegetarian, Greatful Dead loving Bill Walton winning the NBA title with the Blazers. The Yankees coming back from a 2-0 deficit to the Dodgers to win 4 in a row (which, btw, I predicted and which, btw, Peter Anderson still owes me $400 for ). And damm Dallas coming back in the 2nd half to win the Super Bowl over Denver which accounts for the scar on my upper lip where I went through a plate glass window (it's a long story )

Still the question begs: why do we owe so much to 1977 as Sci-Fi and Fantasy fans? Events in both genres rocketed Sci-Fi into general public exceptance and, probably, saved the Fantasy market in the US.

Sci-Fi 1st: Well, people were starting to get into Star Trek reruns more than the original run and in '77 two of the coolest episodes came out as stories released that year: The Trouble with Tribbles and Ellison's remarkable The City on the Edge of Forever. And then these two movies came out: Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Need I say more? . As far as literature is concerned The Berkely Press' major re-release of Dune catipulted it from cult classic to major masterpiece. Many other classics came out that year such as Pohl's Gateway, Dick's A Scanner Darkly and Priest's mindblowing Dream of Wessex.

Three factors that saved Fantasy were going on at the same tme: The height of Ballentine Books' US publication of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings' initial popularity, the release of some of the more important books in Moorcock's 'Elric' series (Black Bane and Stormbringer) and, oh yeah, the publication of three books you might be familiar with: Lord Foul's Bane, The Illearth War and The Power That Preserves by Stephen R. Donaldson!! Not to mention the intitial release of The Silmarillion, McKillip's Riddle Master of Hed triology, Brooks' The Sword of Shanarra, McCaffery's Dragonsinger and Bach's Illusions. Oh did I mention that prototype roleplaying games such as Dungeons and Dragons were beginning to gain immense popularity?

That's enough: I'm totally geeked out now!

[matrixman]

Yeah, in terms of science fiction, Star Wars pretty much sums up 1977 for me. (I think I saw Close Encounters in '78.) Being a kid at the time who was just learning English, you'll forgive me if I wasn't reading any scifi/fantasy literature at the time.

I was also absorbing everything on TV, and Star Trek was certainly one of those shows that stood out. Of course, little did I understand that I was watching re-runs of a series that had been cancelled a decade ago. I remember being alternately excited and scared by stuff I saw on the show. For me, each "new" weekly episode of Trek did indeed go boldly into the unknown.

So Star Wars and Star Trek were two things that opened my mind to the wonders and possibilities of science fiction. And hey, I learned English and some cool words along the way.

Didn't come across TCTC til 1983, which was a whole other significant year in pop culture for me.

[danlo]

Sorry, I originally wrote the Star Trek stuff the wrong way--it's since been corrected (guess I'm not a total geek, thank god )

[drew]

Musically, Queen was also big in '77.

(Also it was the year that I was born!)

[matrixman]

And on a scifi/fantasy related note, Queen did provide the music for that so-bad-it's-good 1980 version of Flash Gordon.

Yeah, danlo, that was a close call...

[Lambolt]

Er. I suggest you re-read your history books, go back almost 10 years and check out "2001" before giving Star Wars all the props!

[danlo]

I totally agree with you! 2001 deserves boatloads of props of props on it own--letal, self aware, computer, extremely cool handlings of gravity, very realistic ships and orbitals, truly ahead of it's time! Where you been guy?

[Lambolt]

hey Dan! back in action after a busy time working away. Apparently SRD has something new on the horizon hehe.

[Romeo]

Funny you should mention 1977! I found out another interesting thing about that year, but I won't spoil the surprise. Watch Episode 37 of Fantasy Bedtime Hour (January 2007, I think). <evil grin>

[matrixman]

I am an admirer of Kubrick. I revere 2001 and consider it the greatest science fiction film ever made. But with all due respect, we were talking about 1977 and 2001: A Space Odyssey most decidedly was not a '77 event. If people want to discuss 2001 and other significant pop cultural events of 1968, then let's do that. That was certainly a momentous year in modern history (and not just in the United States).

No argument that 2001 was ahead of its time, but that does not diminish the impact that Star Wars had in 1977.

[Wyldewode]

Ah. . . 1977, year of indoctrination. I turned 4 late in that year, and am know for a fact that I was taken to the Star Wars: A New Hope when it appeared at our local theatre (lived in Indiana then). That is where it all started.

I remember the next year (1978) putting up the Christmas tree, watching the Star Wars Holiday Special. It is one of my earliest memories, and still a very fond one. I had just turned 5, and had begun to read my older brother's books. As many second children are, I was a very early and advanced reader. My favorite thing to do was to play pretend, and invent new stories.

In 1980 came the Empire Strikes Back. I turned 7 that year, and remember being struck by Princess Leia. I recall her beauty, intelligence, and independence. I recall wanting to be like her. Of course, when we played with our toys (me, my brother and our friends) I always got to be Princess Leia. I wonder why I didn't want to be Mon Mothma?

Two years passed slowly. I read constantly, exhausting a great portion of the library of my school. When I found something I particularly liked, I read it again--sometimes over and over again. Often I would be scolded by my third grade teacher for daydreaming. . . drifting off into worlds of fantasy, inhabiting the stories I read, instead of doing the dull and boring work assigned. I found that if I finshed my work, I could have time to read in class. Then I began to get scolded for doing sloppy work. My teacher moved me up to sit right in front of her desk so she could make sure I stayed on task.

1983 arrived. I had a new teacher, one that recognized my need to be challenged more in my work, and one who recognized my thirst for reading. I was placed in the most advanced reading group, and allowed special priviledges at the library--something that continued throughout my school career. (Always, always befriend the librarians! Even now, I enjoy special privileges at the local library! ) Return of the Jedi was released, and the story was completed. This did nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for the story. Once again, I found myself admiring Leia, and desiring to emulate her. I always wanted to balance things as well as she did, be as brave as she was. . . and to have snappy comebacks!

In the fall of 1985 I was 12 going on thirteen. I was just starting my 7th grade year, and I had completely exhausted the fiction section at my junior high school. I drafted my older brother to bring home books from the high school library for me. That year I read extensively in fantasy and science fiction. . . including a little book known as Lord Foul's Bane.

Okay, enough of a trip down memory lane. . . you get the point . . . I was a total nerd. . a total bookworm. But I believe my life may have been entirely different without the movie Star Wars. . . I think it really did spark my imagination, and open my little 4 year old mind to greater possibilities. It should come as no surprise that episodes 4-6 are among my all-time favorite movies, with Return being my favorite.


~Lyr, championship rambler

[Warmark]

Just to make you all feel old:

I was negitive 11 years old in '77.

[Ard Rhys]

Danlo, you hit it all on the head. 1977 is the year of modern geekdom.

S.

[matrixman]

Well put, Ard. Well put!

I wonder why I didn't want to be Mon Mothma?

Because she was a mother figure and you wanted to rebel against that?
(Ooh I'm sooo clever.)

My teacher moved me up to sit right in front of her desk so she could make sure I stayed on task.

On a similar note, I remember a teacher confiscated my copy of The One Tree and said I couldn't touch it for the remainder of his class. Is it any wonder class reunions aren't on my list of things to do in life?

(Always, always befriend the librarians! Even now, I enjoy special privileges at the local library! )

Well, I didn't enjoy special privileges myself, but at school I did find the librarians to be the most sympathetic on staff.

[Trapper]

'77 is the year my memory kicked in (I was born Oct '71).

Two words: Logans Run

[Warden]

and what's wrong with Boston?

[jacob Raver, sinTempter]

'68: Planet of the Apes & 2001 (the birth of modern scifi films)

[Loredoctor]

'77 is the year my memory kicked in (I was born Oct '71).

Two words: Logans Run

Genius.

[jacob Raver, sinTempter]

I used to have nightmares from that film...the whole death at 30 *zap* thing just twisted my guts back when I was 13...I think it was a little too much for me yet.

[Kevin164]

Kentucky Fried Movie, Jaberwocky ( for all the Monty Python fans), The Hobbit ( the cartoon) and The Incredible Hulk series with Bill Bixbie.

77 rocked.