On May 25, 1977, Memorial Day weekend opens with an
intergalactic bang as the first of George Lucas’ blockbuster
Star Wars movies hit  American theaters.

The incredible success of Star Wars–it received seven Oscars,
and earned $461 million in U.S. ticket sales and a gross of
close to $800 million worldwide–began with an extensive,
coordinated marketing push by Lucas and his studio, 20th
Century Fox, months before the movie’s release date. “It
wasn’t like a movie opening,” actress Carrie Fisher, who
played rebel leader Princess Leia, later told Time magazine.
“It was like an earthquake.” Beginning with–in Fisher’s words–
“a new order of geeks, enthusiastic young people with sleeping
bags,” the anticipation of a revolutionary movie-watching
experience spread like wildfire, causing long lines in front of
movie theaters across the country and around the world.

George Raymond Stevenson  (25 May 1964 – 21 May 2023 )

(FOX NEWS) – Ray Stevenson, a veteran actor of movies like
“Punisher: War Zone,” “Thor,” “RRR” and major TV shows
like “Vikings” and a Star Wars spinoff, has died. 

A rep for Stevenson confirmed that he died on Sunday.

No other details have been shared at this time.

CAMILLE BOHANNON

Peter (Pete) Dennis Blandford Townshend is 78 years
old today.

Pete Townshend is co-founder, leader, guitarist, second lead
vocalist and principal songwriter of the Who, one of the most
influential rock bands of the 1960s and 1970s.

Due to his aggressive playing style and innovative songwriting
techniques, Townshend’s works with the Who and in other
projects have earned him critical acclaim.

Townshend has written more than 100 songs for 12 of the
Who’s studio albums.

A Man Called Otto is a 2022 American comedy-drama
film directed by Marc Forster from a screenplay by
David Magee. It is the second film adaptation of the
2012 novel A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
after the 2015 Swedish film of the same name.

The film stars Tom Hanks in the title role, with Mariana
Treviño, Rachel Keller, and Manuel Garcia–Rulfo.
(PG-13)

The young Otto is played by Truman Hanks, Tom’s son,
who was 26 years old during principal photography.

Director Marc Forster

Tom Hanks and his son Truman Hanks.

Tom’s own cat has a part in the movie.

It was released for Blu-ray and DVD on March 14, 2023 and
placed on the Netflix menu May 6, 2023. It is currently one
of their top movies.

THIS IS ONE OF TOM’S BEST WORKS!

"Top Gun," a triumphant all-American pre-"woke" Hollywood
movie classic, was released on this day in history, May 16,
1986.

MovieWeb.com wrote in a 2022 retrospective of the silver-
screen sensation … "When ‘Top Gun’ hit the box office in
1986, it quickly rose to the top of the charts, drawing a
great deal of attention to the film and the cast."

"The film became an instant classic thanks to the award-
winning soundtrack and some of the best aerial scenes
to ever hit the big screen."