Observations
from my weekly wanderings, usually in Northern Virginia (NOVA).
So I
saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the first possible opportunity in my area;
one of those special premiere showings. I don’t really understand it. It
officially opened on the 18th, but I saw it on the 17th.
I’m
not usually in that crowd – the gotta see it the first possible showing crowd –
but a colleague who is a complete fanatic planned this months ago, asked if I
wanted to go, and he ordered the tickets.
It did
all make me feel pretty aloof, and rather snobbish towards the 99 percenters,
who couldn’t see it that first moment.
I am
inclined to boast further that I was one of the original Star Wars moviegoers,
that is I attended the original in the summer of 77, and each subsequent film
in theater. This makes me special as I was smart enough to be born prior to the
first studio release. There are millions of fans who cannot make the same
claim. I am certain they are quite devoted fans; just not as special as me.
I’m
poking fun at my own vanity in case you can’t tell. I’ve learned that my sense
of humor does not always come through in flat words on a computer screen. I am
amused by my own foibles, which are not at all unique in humanity.
So I
saw the film; I liked it. I’ll even say I liked it a lot. It’s a film. It isn’t
War and Peace or To Kill a Mockingbird, but it was pretty good and a lot of
fun.
But it
was more than just fun. The Star Wars franchise is a Pop Icon, second to none
in my opinion. I don’t have quantifiable evidence, but in my observation, and
in my lifetime, there is no other film franchise like it. I know there are
higher grossing films, and some with more viewers, and probably some other
measures to dispute my assertion, but again…I’ve never seen anything with such
a following.
Why?
I’m
willing to bet there have been Master’s Theses written on the subject, probably
even a Doctoral Dissertation. So what could I add?
This
will be my first two-part NOVA. I need to give the subject some thought, and do
a little research, that is…ask for your opinions. Why do you think Star Wars is
such a phenomenon?
Watch
for part two in the new year. NOVA next week will probably have a Christmas theme.
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