Review: Defending America and the Galaxy: Star Wars and SDI exhibit at the Reagan Library
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas introduced us to what would ultimately become the Star Wars saga, and a long time ago, in a galaxy a little less far away, President Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative, which was immediately dubbed “Star Wars.” The Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., is currently presenting Defending America and the Galaxy: Star Wars and SDI, an exhibit that juxtaposes the two.
In 1977, “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” (at the time known simply as “Star Wars”) depicted an epic battle between the Empire and the Jedi, representing the dark and light sides of “the force.” On March 23, 1983, President Reagan announced a plan for a national defense system, which included a space-based missile program that could protect the United States from a large-scale nuclear attack. The media called the program “Star Wars” because its laser systems were similar to what Americans saw on movie screens; however, neither George Lucas nor President Reagan was happy about the comparison.
Defending America and the Galaxy: Star Wars and SDI
The entrance to the exhibition features photo ops with models of R2-D2, a stormtrooper, a one-third-scale TIE Fighter, and an Imperial Starfighter pilot.
The collection of props, costumes, and concept artwork from the Star Wars franchise includes an original cast of Luke Skywalkers’s lightsaber from “Return of the Jedi,” an original “A New Hope” script signed by Dave Prowse (Darth Vader in the original trilogy), and Luke Skywalker’s X-34 Landspeeder from “A New Hope.”
Fun Fact: The Landspeeder was designed by John Stears who had also designed James Bond’s cars, so the X-34 was built over a three-wheeled “Bond Bug” car.
A generator-powered vibrating ax (AKA a Vibro-Ax) wielded by Jabba’s guards in “Return of the Jedi” is displayed above posters for the movie.
The exhibit also includes a helmet worn by one of the Stormtroopers who guarded Princess Leia as she was brought to Darth Vader at the beginning of “A New Hope,” a Snowspeeder pilot helmet from “Empire Strikes back,” a Scout Trooper helmet from “Return of the Jedi,” and a Darth Vader helmet from “Empire Strikes Back,” which was inspired by a skull, samurai armor, and WWI-era German helmets.
The costume Carrie Fisher wore as Princess Leia in the final scene of “A New Hope” is prominently featured, befitting her royal role.
Prequal fans can see the desk and chair where young Anakin Skywalker rebuilt C-3PO and constructed his pod racer in “The Phantom Menace.”
And movie buffs definitely won’t want to miss the Technirama camera used to film the Death Star explosion in the original movie and the Vista-Cruiser special effects camera used for motion control shots in Return of the Jedi.
The second half of the exhibit provides information about the Strategic Defense Initiative’s history along with artifacts, such as an authentic Command Launch Equipment Console and concept artwork depicting of the interception and destruction of nuclear-armed re-entry vehicles by a space-based electromagnetic railgun.
Though the exhibit explains that President Reagan tried to separate SDI from “Star Wars,” original copies of the President’s 1983 speech famously referred to the Soviet Union as an “evil empire” – dubbed the “Darth Vader speech” by the press – and 1985 remarks about SDI in which he said, “The Force is With Us” illustrate he eventually embraced the comparison.
Plan a Visit
The Reagan Library is open 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. every day of the week. Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for seniors (ages 62+), $18 for youth (ages 11-17), and $15 for kids (3-11). Active Military with ID and kids two and under receive free admission and do not require a reservation.
The Defending America and the Galaxy: Star Wars and SDI exhibit will continue through Sept. 8, 2024. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.
The exhibition and artifacts displayed are not affiliated with Disney or Lucasfilm Ltd.
