FILM ME IN

Coming to terms with a new instalment of STAR WARS.

A new Star Wars saga comes but once every bi-decade or so and as a Star Wars kid, a fully-fledged disciple of George Lucas’ imagination, it takes a lot of will power when in public to suppress my insatiable and audible appetite for the impending release of The Force Awakens. Being born at the very end of the ‘70s doesn’t make this feeling particularly exclusive either as I sometimes suspected it would, for the entire western world seems to have passively caught Jedi fever and the exhilaration and all-encompassing, reeling sensation on the eve of this new instalment is being felt at each turn, and it’s just shy of killing me! But this time around I have to admit, I’ve been very wary, treading lightly and with utmost caution making this anxious waiting period bitter sweet. It took me a touch longer than expected to finally allow myself to submit to the excitement of a new Star Wars film. I just couldn’t help but think that all this anticipation is most likely to fade after I lay my eager, and slightly sceptical eyes upon the screen on December 17^th 2015.

As Han Solo once said ‘this whole party will be for nothing if they see us’ and I’m afraid that given the rapid pace at which I consume films these days, that if The Force Awakens doesn’t happen to be the monolithically exceptional saviour of the franchise that we entrust it will be, or at very least find itself to be a faithful counterpart to the original predecessors then it is unlikely I’ll ever be as revved up for this new era of Star Wars as I am right now. Let’s face it, we’ve encountered this  precise situation once before, in the months leading up to The Phantom Menace which sadly by the third instalment of that era I didn’t even have the motivation nor the justification to visit the cinema at midnight as I had absolutely insisted on doing with the two films prior. The bigger shock was that after the first disappointment, even the latest Austin Powers film was overshadowing the success of Star Wars upon its release, which in hindsight seems ludicrous but perfectly plausible at the time. If only I had Jedi powers to foresee potential descending darkness.

In an effort to cast my fears aside, I will endeavour to soak up this moment and bask in gleeful anticipation. Since the fantastical world so creatively committed to celluloid from the mystic mind of one George Lucas is once again earth-shatteringly topical, I’ll try to make sense of what Star Wars means to me, whilst in this happy state of delirium. Although I can only limit this to myself, I strongly encourage fanatics to do the same, for it seems everyone who shares an affinity for these films has their own often life-altering Star Wars story to tell. Ask any fan about their first encounter with the franchise, or what they think about restorations or later instalments and I’ll guarantee you’ll rarely be met by a shrug of indifference. But as a loyalist and a purist (a fact that’s becoming more apparent the older I get) I’d like to take some time to examine how I manage to get to this point of hyperactive hysteria once again. Previous Star Wars announcements have taken little persuasion to thrust me into a giddy childlike state of wonder, but I’ve found this time it took a little bit more coaxing and I need to look deeply inward to try to understand why.

Part 1: A New-ish Hope.

Born in 1979, I have had the good fortune of never knowing a time without Star Wars. Audiences must have still  been recuperating from the acclaimed first film by then. A sensational achievement which unbeknownst to the director would not only delight the movie-going punters but pulverise their very minds with its story of adventure and melt their faces with its crafty special effects! Prior to its release there wasn’t even talk of sequels let alone prequels and part of me wishes I had been alive or at least old enough to witness this wholesome revolution as it pulled the rug from under those Easy Riding, Raging Bull-ish Mavericks. An original and vibrant space saga and old-fashioned escapism would prove just what the masses were yearning for after a steady stream of films metaphorically showcasing the horrors of the Vietnam War. It would also see the studios find their feet once again with the advent of the action blockbuster, a bona fide method for attaining wealth that’s still prevalent to this day. It may be a vague recollection at best but I have the ever so slight memory of seeing Star Wars for the first time.

Forgive me, but specific names, places and external details outside of a small television set at some stranger’s house have totally escaped me. I know my sister hadn’t been born yet, hence making me under three years old. My parents ushered me to a dinner party at their friends place and in an effort to keep me occupied, the hosts revealed that they had obtained a (possibly pirated) copy of the much heralded Star Wars. I can almost hear my parents making condescending ‘oooh-aaah’ noises to ensure my curiosity had been piqued even if realistically this was a subtle attempt at keeping me quiet for a while. I was placed before a TV in these nameless folks kitchen and compliantly sat, transfixed for the next two hours. This scheme succeeded beyond anyone’s expectations for once the film concluded I casually asked if I could watch it again. It was dutifully rewound and I was content to start over once more. Too young to fully appreciate what I’d just seen, the wheels of a lifelong love affair were in motion.

I now watch that very first addition to a soon-to-be empire known as A New Hope completely uninterrupted and pay strict attention to each line of dialogue with militant accuracy hoping to learn more of Darth Vader’s elusive past or at very least find some discrepancy with the later prequels. When our protagonists blow up the Death Star I often forget to breathe whilst left reminded as to why this is the single greatest cinematic enterprise known to man. I then saw Return Of The Jedi at the cinema. I have absolutely no memory of it, but can safely say that it sent me into a frenzy. For the next ten years I would site Return Of The Jedi as my all-time-favourite despite a lack of trips to the cinema. I remember the wait for it to be released on VHS seemed like an excruciating eternity, and as a Catholic Primary School student my nightly prayers or wants rather, consisted of just two things. The internal dialogue went something like this:

‘Dear God, please let me win the Casio Hand-held Colour TV’. This was a runners-up prize from I competition I had seen advertised on television, and there were a total of five up for grabs. Whatever the product was that held the competition I dubbed mandatory to our weekly shop to enhance my chances. Whilst watching a quiz show one evening around this time, when asked about himself, a contestant happened to mention that he had been keenly entering the same competition with hopes to win the Casio Hand-Held Colour TV. It wasn’t even the main prize! Mum made light of the man on TVs wishes with the assumption that I would be excited about this coincidence, but she was oblivious to how gutted I was. How many others were gunning for this prize? It was the closest I’d ever come to experiencing a Wonka-esque golden ticket scenario. Needless to say I didn’t win the Casio Hand-Held Colour TV and my dreams of aimlessly wondering around, or perhaps purposefully wondering around near my envious friends, holding what looked on the advertisements like a hand-held radio with a tiny, and most likely grainy screen, had been shattered. Funny that now I have a slew of App’s on the smart phone practically begging me to watch TV and how many programs do you think I’ve actually viewed on there? Why zero of course!

The second half of my prayers regarded a more pressing issue: ‘Dear God please bring out Return Of The Jedi on video so I can watch it again ‘cause it’s my favourite movie God and it’s been ages since I saw it at the pictures… PLEASE!’ Just as the torture of the cinema to VHS wait had almost gotten the better of me, as my memory of the film faded leaving me wondering as to whether this was the greatest film I had ever seen, I entered the video shop with my mum and my sister and there it was! A full shelf dedicated to Return Of The Jedi. It caught me totally off guard and in disbelief I even asked the store manager if the film was really available while clenching a copy in my little hands.

This time I didn’t even need assistance with the VCR for I was older and tech-savvy enough to master that machine, from adjusting the static-y tracking to ensuring the heads stayed clean. After getting reacquainted I was relived to discover that Return Of The Jedi was still the greatest and I immediately and impatiently rewound the sucker so that I could relive the magic all over again. Mum sternly reminded me that my sister Jordana had also rented a film and although mum would always have the final word, I wasn’t going down without a fight. I reminded her of the endless wait of this films release to Home Video and implored her to consider the dwindling man hours left before this Overnight release would need to be returned to the video store.

You know how we all have certain attributes about ourselves that deep down we like but probably find it hard to admit? I know it’s probably easier to list the ones we don’t but I think I’m at my best when I’m excitable. For example, I notice it when in the company of friends and were on a topic that I can truly sink my teeth into. Like a friendly debate as to which is the better Metallica album Master Of Puppets or Ride The Lightning? Or making a compelling argument for Scorsese’s Casino knowing that Goodfellas is widely considered the better film. I come alive, I get wide-eyed, silly and loud, and I dare say it can be infectious. This excitable nature began with Star Wars, it was a topic that when discussed with a total stranger in the school yard could help snare you a new best friend. Discussions started early as to which was the better film or who was the greatest character. For instance one day when I had no one to play with at recess, Rita Montagliano who was in a similar predicament proposed we race to the end of the playground which was lined with plants and trees, to pretend we were Ewoks (small bear-like creatures from the forest planet Endor). My arm needed no further twisting, I played Ewoks with absolute gusto and more importantly, I really appreciated the offer. It was moments like that Ewok frolic that repeat throughout life. Connecting with people that are also interested in your thing, whatever it may be at any given time. I have found life-long friends from a shared enthusiasm for a thing and therefore have a very sentimental relationship with my very first thing, Star Wars.

Part 2: The Empire Most Definitely Struck Back.

Was there a resurgence of Star Wars mania in the early nineties? I can’t put my finger on why I had this sudden revamped love of the films, I mean they never went away. Perhaps I was prematurely nostalgic as a teen, but I most certainly felt it became suddenly fashionable to hold Star Wars in the highest praise once again. I started rummaging through my old cubby house that was littered with abandoned toys to uncover what Star Wars figures lay hidden amidst the mess. Not to play with them, just to line them up in a neat display in my bedroom so I could simply stand back and marvel. I fantasised about going back in time and buying more, keeping them safe in their original packaging only to watch their value rise and eventually profiteer when I no longer felt any love for Star Wars. I would scour comic book stores to see what was available behind glass cabinets to see how much they fetched these days and felt comfort in knowing if there was a figure I truly desired it could still  be obtained at an exorbitant price.

My other theory was that as we grow into adults, the movies grow with us. As we look beyond creatures, masks and costumes and start to become fascinated with the history of this world, its politics and conjure images of the back story of its key players, the Star Wars world begins to expand. Given this revelation, as a teenager The Empire Strikes Back became the clear favourite. Previously this film seemed like a somewhat arduous task one had to endure to get to Return Of The Jedi. There was no payoff, I’d seen Return Of The Jedi so many times that the ‘father’ twist was already implied and made little impact. How many times could I sit through the Jedi training, as Luke Skywalker masters a few skills at a snail’s pace, while the others sit in a slugs belly only to be defeated in the end! Seamlessly my appreciation for this film began to heighten and transform into the aesthetically beautiful, necessarily tragic second act I have come to love today. It’s a coming of age story that made its predecessor seem like a life lesson learned on Sesame Street, and it even featured a Muppet!

Was twenty years the perfect amount of time away for Star Wars fans to reflect on what we have, and unknowingly require more? Perhaps, for around this time we were suddenly treated to new, restored, cinematic versions with bonus scenes, new colourful characters, sharper images and errr… different songs? Now I’m not going to say I walked out of the cinema like some purist vilifying camp Lucas for tampering with my memories, I didn’t, in fact I thought the movies crisp and clean restoration was magnificent compared to my worn down VHS copies. I could finally distinguish C-3PO from the desert sand and picked out snakes surrounding Yoda that never caught my attention on my blurry VHS copy. Besides, it was simply cool to see new stuff, I was also eighteen and the CGI-violation hadn’t quite sunk in yet.

Before I even had time to digest the new modifications, I was completely bowled over and utterly poleaxed by a trailer for Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace. For years it had been rumoured that George Lucas would be making a trilogy of films centring on the implied Star wars back-story to assist in leading us to the original films. We would be treated to a young Darth Vader’s turn to the dark-side, experience whatever those clone wars were that received a minuscule mention, and garner a greater understanding as to the origins of the Jedi religion and its power source, the force! It was all too much to comprehend! I camped out at the cinema at midnight with countless others. My friend brought a dicta-phone so we could record our every thoughts and conduct a running audio commentary on the atmosphere. People were in cosplay before we even knew what that word meant! Star Wars energy erupted like a charge of electricity protruding from the emperor’s fingers.

On the television news that same evening, this phenomenon was reported and we caught glimpses of the A-listers leaving an exclusive Hollywood screening. I distinctly remember Danny Devito making his way out of the Chinese Theatre and when pressed for a response, he yelled ‘The special effects were fantastic!’ I was hoping he’d say the movie was too, but I couldn’t sum it up better if I tried. The next day after seeing The Phantom Menace, rather than come to grips with the lack of a central character, or the universally reviled Jar-Jar Binx to replace the comic relief of Han Solo, not to mention the unnecessarily tedious length and convoluted plot, I found myself quoting Danny Devito. It would be years before I realised the magnitude of how sub-par this film was and the reason why I didn’t acknowledge it at the time was because the special effects were fantastic! They were the exact words I reiterated to a friend who was yet to experience The Menace for himself.

What kept me hopeful was the final scenes cleverly alluded to what we could look forward to in the next instalment, and the same thing happened again in The Clone Wars. Nothing in the film was overly enthralling, if anything the films were confusing, but by the end I was itching manically for the next one thanks a few hints which suggested we were edging closer to the original films. When the final one came there was nothing left to be excited about and the realisation that I had been fleeced hit like a ton of bricks. This beautiful Star Wars legacy had been awfully tampered with. I even remember hearing that the new generation of kids were turning their back on Star Wars and pinning their dreams on other franchises like The Mummy. Help me Ob-Wan Kenobi!

I can recall working my way through hours of Phantom Menace bonus disc footage, watching the crew virtually collapse in excitement as C3PO walks on set for the first time. Even more enthralling was seeing Lucas shut down examples of what Tattooine characters should look like, crushing the designers months of hard work, or gloating to Steven Spielberg who arrived on set one day as he showed off his set pieces. Other features included fans in the ticket line waiting to see The Phantom Menace at a midnight screening. One fan said something along the lines of ‘I don’t care what the movie is like, George Lucas has already proven himself, he could be sitting in his bath towel and I’d still love it.’ Aside from finding the mental image hilarious I understood exactly what this guy was implying – we already have three beloved films and if the prequels don’t deliver then so be it. In some cases they were barely OK and so we’re faced with the same predicament once again. In very recent times we have seen Star Wars change hands to the Disney Corporation and a film locked in the can in record time, by a director known for his work on reigniting interest in Star Trek of all things! I’m sure we’ve all learned from the mistakes of Jar Jar Binx, but seriously, if we do happen to have another Phantom Menace on our hands then this time it will be inexcusable. Hate may lead me well and truly to the dark side never to return.

Part 3: Return Or Revenge Of The Jedi?

Return or Revenge that is the question! Whatever the outcome, box office records have reportedly already been smashed so the Star Wars we were handed at the turn of the century has become water under the bridge. I spent an entire day aggressively hitting refresh on my computer at work for tickets to a session at the southern hemisphere’s largest screen at IMAX on the official Star Wars release date. The whole world had gone mad, entire ticketing websites could not handle the traffic, the need to see this film upon its release date quite literally almost broke the internet, and made the six o’clock news around the globe. It was tremendously stressful coordinating with friends to see which session we could secure and where, while simultaneously being shut out of the ticketing website time and time again. I assure you it was no easy feat.

Despite impatience I still persisted, this was Star Wars after all, but at the time I still hadn’t fully accepted the idea of a new film. My unshakable fears that this all appeared like a rushed money-spinner for Disney and that another bad instalment would be utterly unforgivable, stayed at the forefront of my mind. What scared me even more was the precious legacy and how I would delicately approach matters with my own daughter once she’s old enough. It’s no secret that people my age in that 30-something bracket are once again the target audience for Star Wars merchandise. The ‘new hope’ for the corporation is our offspring. Fully aware that our entire generation were obsessed, they’re marketing the latest (or classic) toys with the safe assumption that we will want our own children to experience the same magic that we felt as kids. It’s true, the triumph of scoring Star Wars paraphernalia for Christmas has always been far more prevalent than any other Christmas memory. Its marketing genius, and although my daughter was born barely a month ago, if she were to approach me in five years and say ‘daddy will Santa bring me a Millennium Falcon for Christmas?’ the answer will be a resounding yes! Truly devastating would be the words ‘Daddy, Star Wars is stupid.’

This is where it becomes my responsibility to introduce my daughter to Star Wars responsibly. How to tackle this one, do I just keep a healthy stream of Star Wars films constantly playing in the home with hopes that she will eventually take the bait, I mean ownership and claim discovery for herself? How could I possibly introduce her to The Phantom Menace and expect her to feel compelled to continue through another two movies just to get to the prized originals, which although timeless, undeniably have an air of the 1970s, hence confusing the poor girl to no end. Do I wait until she’s three and put A New Hope on repeat, as was done to me? Do I start her off with Return Of The Jedi and hope it has the same appeal given the fluffy little Ewoks?

There’s something else to consider here too, at my age Star Wars was an absolute revelation as there was nothing else quite like it. The first movie to take Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey technology and kick it into light speed. Now decades later, countless aspiring film makers have attempted to tread on similar terrain, respectfully paying homage to the great space pioneer. There’s too many respectable options these days and the adventure seeker need not be limited to Star Wars alone. Daddy can only try his best to get it right despite overwhelming adversity in his attempt to impart his love of a film onto someone else, and these new movies are certainly not helping. I have to consider that surrender may be futile and accept that she may even hate Star Wars.

I was beginning to feel down on the whole franchise myself. Friends keep telling me how good the latest video game is but with a new daughter I can’t afford the game let alone the console. Then I went to the shopping centre and I swear one in ten people had a Star Wars t-shirt on. Awful novelty statement shirts, bad reprints of original poster t-shirts. No one’s going against the grain on this one. We’re all happily back on board. Have you all forgotten when we were jinxed by Binx? My critical mind snubbed Star Wars fever. The franchise is alive and well, it doesn’t need me and my cynicism.

With some time off to share in my daughter’s arrival I had the very time on my hands that one can only dream of at work, to revisit the holy trinity, I mean trilogy. It’s that comment you make but once a year but rarely see through, ‘I should watch them again’. Something wonderful happened while watching the trilogy for the first time in a long time, which felt like the very first time again but for the millionth time. I felt that surge of adrenalin once more! My wife even agreed to watch the first film with me, one exchange consisted of, ‘should we have lunch after they leave Tattooine?’ to which she replied ‘whatever’. A New Hope left me in that blissful, all-familiar daze. It took everything not to cheer for Luke as he destroys the Death Star, and I’ve never felt more proud of Han Solo for neglecting his prize money to help his friend. I was gushing, ‘yes, they did it!’ as though I never saw it coming.

Straight onto The Empire Strikes Back, I watched in absolute terror, perplexed as to how Darth Vader could be so cruel. I felt defeated as our hero’s cop an absolute shake-down both physically and emotionally, I reached a scathing low until the very last scenes where our protagonists agree to meet on Tattooine to rescue their friend and hope (although shaky) is restored. Darth Vader even appears visibly depressed as he makes telepathic contact with his son then storms away in disappointment. With barely time to breathe I returned to Return Of The Jedi, my initial thoughts were that it looked cartoonish compared to Empire, however it wasn’t long before the uber-gothic Emperor made me swallow those thoughts and make sure they never met my lips for when our hero’s all meet up on Endor after an epic victory in the final scenes I was close to tears, in fact one may have secretly found its way down my cheek. I later felt a strange impulsion to celebrate for no good reason.

Wired and restless any poor excuse to return to a shopping complex was insisted upon. Once there I found myself smiling at anyone wearing a Star Wars t-shirt coupled with creepy nods of kinship. I was awed by the mixed ages of people wearing them too, adults I could understand, but young kids filled me with hopes for a bright Star Wars future and they each received a nod of encouragement that could have inadvertently alerted me to police. Evil yet successful marketing Disney moguls be damned, these films were worth every bit of attention they received and if they made squillions of dollars for some fat cat, then kudos to the wealthy feline. I was purely delighted that the world was coloured Star Wars once more. I couldn’t wait to hit the big department stores and revel in my beloved, familiar toys. I shoved Primary school aged children aside and poked inside the plastic of action figures where it says ‘Press Me.’ Chewbacca roared, Stormtroopers fired, Darth Vader made threats – I was in heaven! Like a kid at Christmas I carried around a large box containing the Millennium Falcon, in a quest for a price check, ‘just to see’ of course!

In conclusion, when in doubt revisit the original films. It’s that simple. I’m not going to take it personally if I can’t influence my child to share in this passion, I should feel grateful that I have these films to reignite my sense of wonder whenever I need it, to reflect on my youth and to appreciate the joyful memories that I associate with it. Whether The Force Awakens is an incredible return to form, just OK, or an abomination at the end of the day, what does it really matter? I can easily turn once again to the original films when my faith needs to be restored and ignore anything that’s threatened the legacy or bothered me since. But after watching the original films again, one thing is for certain, right at this very moment I’m damn excited and this excitement for a new film doesn’t happen often, so I vow to hold onto this moment however fleeting. I will embrace this new chapter in Star Wars history, and rejoice in the mania while it’s here. I don’t want to get my hopes up too high, but who knows, The Force Awakens could very well be brilliant.