Like Lewis Carroll’s mouse with his ‘long and sad tale’, the clever pun, 'May the fourth be with you’ amusingly corrupts Obi-Wan Kenobi’s oft-quoted line from the Star Wars films.
Regardless of whether you prefer Star Wars or Star Trek, or if you are even a sci-fi aficionado at all, the influence of George Lucas’ Star Wars on pop culture is undeniable.
The truth is, Star Wars Day represents more than just a quote in a film, the day itself is internationally recognised and is now as much a part of life as some of the most popular holidays you can name, we just have to ask ourselves why this is.
A long time ago...
Star Wars premiered in 1977 and became an almost instant cult classic. Even today, almost 45 years later, Star Wars remains one of the most financially successful films of all time. The franchise it began remains the most successful one of all time, earning over $50 billion since the release of the first film. However, the money it’s earned over the years is hardly the most impressive aspect of Star Wars.
As famous film critic, Roger Ebert put it: “Like The Birth of a Nation and Citizen Kane, Star Wars was a technical watershed that influenced many of the movies that came after.”
A global phenomenon
Star Wars was a real game-changer, beginning a new era of special effect-packed motion pictures bursting with excitement, adventure, and imagination that appealed enormously to younger audiences as well as older ones.
Many of today’s most acclaimed film directors, such as Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan and James Cameron, cite Star Wars as a great influence on their careers.
Star Wars has also had an enormous cultural impact on other areas besides filmmaking, including politics–the Reagan Administration’s Strategic Defense Program was mockingly nicknamed 'Star Wars.'
Who said it?
“May the Fourth be with you” was first used by Margaret Thatcher’s political party to congratulate her on her election on May 4th, 1979, and the saying quickly caught on.
However, the first celebration of May 4th took place much later, at the Toronto Underground Cinema in 2011. This first official Star Wars Day’s festivities included a costume contest and a movie marathon. Fans’ favourite parodies of the franchise were also enjoyed, as were some of the most popular mash-ups and remixes.
In 2015, Star Wars saw a new saga come and with all the charm, class and lens flares that Disney could throw at it, and wow did it reignite a fire in Star Wars fans, and we know that lighting that fire again was tough after what JarJar Binks did to it.
It seems that over the last eight years, Star Wars has reached millions of new soon-to-be Jedi warriors, and if we know anything about Disney, we know they are going to make sure that this franchise is never left to rest again.
Number plates offer a perfect opportunity for you to show your interest in any subject. Here are some great Star Wars-themed ideas:
Find your Star Wars-themed number plate
You can also use our general search to find your perfect plate, whether it be a name, word, initials, or something else really special.
If you need any help, call one of our sales team on 01582 967777. Despite the attraction of a day off, our telephone staff will be available to take your call all over the coronation bank holiday weekend!
