Topical Blog Post #2

It was ten years ago this month that George Lucas released the first Star Wars prequel movie, The Phantom Menace. Wow, it's hard to believe that it's been a decade already.

The fervor was unbelievable. A total blitzkrieg of marketing and cross-promotions unlike has been seen since was unleashed upon the public, who were admittedly hungry for new material in the Galaxy Far, Far Away and ate it up by the millions.

I recall eagerly awaiting the Second Coming. I've been a Star Wars nut my whole life- somewhere out there is a cassette tape (remember those?) with me interrupting a Sunday School class by humming the unforgettable John Williams score. I was never a collector of the stuff; rather I was a story-obsessed guy, and being so wrapped up in the story, I was waiting with bated breath for the next (previous) saga.

For years, people (me included) whiled away the time by speculating with vivid imaginations about What Came Before. Anakin Skywalker- what was he like, and how did he become Darth Vader? Obi Wan Kenobi- was he a clone? What was Luke and Leia's mother like, and what happened to her?

I happily waited in the very long line with my fellow compatriots, gabbing it up in full Geek Mode. Ah, the antici..............pation.

The movie didn't fail to deliver for me. I actually loved the film. I was riveted. There were so many iconic scenes in the film, from the pod race to the lightsaber duel finale.

I can see why others had issues with it (Jar Jar), but Liam Neeson and Ewan MacGregor were of the caliber of the other actors Alec Guiness and Harrison Ford. The tone was different, and how can ANY movie stand up to sixteen years' worth of speculation? Even the contemporary Matrix trilogy dealt with the same problem.

Ultimately, it did make history (and lots of money), and I eagerly await the high-definition release some day, where I will undoubtedly shell out money for the umpteenth time for the same film.

At least it gives me something to talk about, and isn't that part of the point?

May the Force be with you.