A long time ago...

Last week marked the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, the movie that became a cultural phenomenon and is still relevant today. I'm proud to say that my first movie theater experience was Star Wars, at the age of 6. It was everything you can imagine- the music and sound, the special effects, the characters- and of course, the story. I can think of no better movie for a first movie experience, save perhaps the Wizard of Oz or Harry Potter.

There is much about Star Wars that makes it relevant; George Lucas singlehandedly changed the movie-making business. But the thing I find most relavant was Lucas's decision to get into merchandising. The licensing of Star Wars merchandise created a multi-billion dollar brand and set the stage for ancilary activies that continue to be the norm for movie studios today. I'll confess, my birthday wish every year was that I'd open one of my presents and it would contain the entire Star Wars collection of toys. No such luck.

Blockbusters today become instant franchises. Studios anticipate multi-movie deals before the first installment starts shooting. Product tie-ins are negotiated well-ahead of opening weekend, with toys, video games and apparel only the tip of the iceberg.

I never did receive the entire Star Wars collection (if that's even possible), but have grown to see beyond the hype. The relevance of all that merchandise was driven by the substance of the movie itself. For Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, it's driven by concept and one classic character. Let's face it, a Spiderman nightlight or Shrek toothbrush is no match for a compelling story with great characters and dazzling effects set to a memorable score.

30 years later, I can share the thrill of my first movie experience with my little girls- at home on DVD- and they love it. After all, there's a princess in it!