George Lucas loves it when history repeats itself in the Star Wars universe, whether it’s father and son losing the same hand, or generations of characters “having a bad feeling about this.”

Thirty-two years ago, the day after I had my tonsils removed, my dad took me to see Return of the Jedi. My throat was on fire the entire time. When we got to the theater, people were lined up outside all the way around it. Many were dressed in costumes and carrying toy lightsabers. When the film began, the theater erupted in applause, and each time something great happened in the film, they cheered wildly.

I’ve never had another theater experience like it. Until last night.

Those same fans were out in force (har) last night at the El Capitan theater in L.A. For nearly an hour we stood on street with other fans (and their kids) dressed in costume, waving their (much more high tech) lightsabers in the air. Around us, conversations drifted from Star Wars video games to trivia about those horrible made for television Ewok movies from the 1980s.

Oh, and Morgan has a sore throat, and has given it to me. Kudos, Mr. Lucas.

I’ve never heard of El Capitan and didn’t know what to expect, but once inside the theater we found a man playing the pipe organ on stage. For 10-15 minutes, while people found their seats, he piped out the classic movie themes t E.T., Superman, and many other classic films from John Williams. After we heard (and sang along to) the theme from Star Wars we knew it was almost showtime.

When the lights went out we were then treated to a laser light show, the likes of which I’ve never seen. Lasers filled the theater all around us. A rigging lowered, with motorized lightsabers swinging and twirling from it. X-Wing fighters screamed across the movie screen as lasers lit up the theater. Fog rolled out as blasts went off all around us. It was an incredible surprise.

Then the theater went dark. The words “A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…” appeared on screen. The audience erupted more loudly than I’ve ever heard people cheer before in a theater before.

It was showtime.