A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day....05-19-05...Star Wars

DollyCali | May 19. 2005 | DollyCali

[DollyCali]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

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We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dutchess, Aquamarine, DollyCali ~

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Ah, Star Wars – where to begin?


Words & phrases were born: “The Dark Side”, “May the Force be with you”,”Ewoks”, “lightsabers”, droids”, "hyperspace”. The stellar career of Harrison Ford (Hans Solo) was launched, while Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) remained relatively obscure and Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia) went to rehab & both Mark & Carrie have experienced a modest comeback.

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R2D2 & 3CPO were resurrected in 1999 for episodes 1-3 all the while George Lucas, a household word, became famous, rich, & has input with many films of all sorts with his companies Lucas Industrial Light and another firm Skywalker Sound. These two firms combined have won 40 Oscars ! If you sit through the “credits” at end of movies, as I always to, you see the names often. Lucas also had directed &/or produced movies such as Willow; Indiana Jones series; and American Graffiti. The genius of Lucas is undisputable.

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We learned a little about tolerance, respect, cooperation, and even LOVE ? among humans not just a different color, race or nationality.. but between human and robots and humans & intelligent creatures of every imaginable appearance and disposition. Hans Solo & Chewy; Leia & C3PO; Luke and R2D2 - a few examples. We waited for the first kiss between Leia & Hans; we cheered when the Death Star exploded and cried when we found out Luke was Darth Vader’s son

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We also learned that no longer were the credits at the end a one minute affair. I didn’t think there were that many people in Hollywood, yet alone part of one movie!

A generation that was raised (or raised their children) on the first three episodes – actually the middle of the trilogy - beginning in 1977 looked forward with anticipation as the opening of the next series at the end of millenium, to let us know “how it all started”. Current gossip has it that Lucas may be bold and go where no other human has gone – No wait that is another series - and do the last three of the trilogy. Hmm.. a trilogy of trilogies. Works for me.

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Please join us with your stories of your childhood experiences, your children’s experiences, your Star Wars favorite characters; Star Wars Trivia; your favorite Star Wars Pictures/graphics.. And hey, invite your friends, who are Star Wars fans to join us.

And yes, it is Thursday and JohnHuang2 is not able to be with us today. My guess is he has bought an all day pass and is going to sit through the movie half a dozen times He should be back with us next week.



DollyCali Does Star Wars


Always having been a movie fan & a Sci Fi fan for decades, I looked forward to this movie with all the hype that preceded it.. 1977. My son was 4 when husband and I decided to take him to the first theater movie. It has been playing for weeks with great reviews & crowds still heavy, but not sold out.

Son Jeff had been talking about it for weeks – much promo on TV. As we stood in line for the movie and he asked what we were going to see we asked him what was the movie he really wanted to see.. We just about fell over when he said “Pete’s Dragon” (the most recent advertised flick) .

Well we did NOT have to worry about him being disappointed. Jeff like his mom is typical ADDH… little sleep, always bouncy, active and talkative. I had worried about him also disturbing other movie fans. Well, we didn’t have to worry about this either. HE NEVER MOVED. He sat transfixed from beginning to end.

Jeff and I saw this at theater several more times together and I alone many more times (for the sake of you all not thinking I am a complete Movie Maniac, I plead the 5th to exactly HOW MANY TIMES.)

Jeff and I together saw the next two episodes over the years. Between the first movie & the opening of The Empire Strikes Back we found our home became a haven of star wars figures, aircraft, monsters, fighting vehicles & light sabers…and as of now..well, yes I own all the VHS & DVDs.



When Episode 1 opened in 1999 here in NE Ohio, I had much nostalgia as I went the first day & wished I could be sharing this with Jeff.. Alas he lives 500 miles away & now has his own family.

When that wonderful blast of music & the Opening Scroll of “A long time ago, in a galaxy etc” burst onto the sceen....I...I...

I began sobbing.

I freely confess. . I never realized how powerfully this would affect me. A couple folks my age sitting near by patted me & nodded, understanding. At the end of the movie, everyone jumped up & clapped. The critics didn’t give it top reviews.. but we fans did.

I may not be around a whole lot for next ??? hours.. depends on how many showings I am able to get tickets for today. I will be there after midnight for the initial public showing.

And I hope that all visiting will realize this is NOT the thread for flaming & critical political commentary on the stars & crew.

Now please pass the popcorn...

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Awe, thanks Kassie - we had a blast last night too! Our sons think so much alike, and have such fun together, that I would have gladly stood in line the entire time!

I will never recover from that waif like creature beside you bawling her eyes out though.......... maybe she was in love with Anni! lol

[tame]

Dolly, your the of movies on you profile page is so interesting. i get's a mix reaction out of me :o)

you list some of my favorite movies, but you also list some of the movies i can't STAND, lol.

[dutchess]

Hi dolly. (and fellow sistahs) GREAT job. But...like the rest of the sistahs...have never followed Star Wars. Have never seen any of them (ofcourse I finally just got around to renting Lord of the Rings thanks to Pippin :o) !) But like the others, you definately have caught my interest. Enjoy the movie. I look forward to your review! ((((dolly)))))

[Billie]

Oh, Billie....I'm so glad you said it first. Now I can slip in with a faint "me too". LOL. My movie tastes run more along the line of "The English Patient" (I know, very stuffy, LOL), or the classics.

YIKES! Hope we don't lose our newest sistah!

I like romantic comedies, and war movies, and even TV movies like Lonesome Dove. I don't like slapstick, horror, or sci-fi. :(

[DollyCali]

My friend has been delayed. I have a few more minutes..

Darth Vader in the first series of movies(starting in 77) was the ultimate BAD guy.. you saw some softening as he died in last flick

In the current series you see Darth Vader (BEFORE HE BECAME NAUGHTY) as a wonderful little boy, son of a slave.. we follow him in the last two movies growing up & falling in love with royalty & secretly marrying her.

This last movie (wont say much) shows how he goes from a hero, Jedi knight, and makes the transformation to the "dark Side"

This movie has many themes interwoven but Darth Vader's transformation was the biggest issue for most of the die heart fans

BTW.. I loved English Patient & the dramas & especially movies that are based on fact (so many out these past few years) am a movie fan consummate..The clue if I really like a movie is if I see it again on big screen & /or buy the DVD. I go to movies many times a week. I have a lot of male friends who are movie fans & don't like to go alone.. It's a tough job, but someone has to help them out :-)

[Billie]

Hey, dutchess! et tu? But I did get caught up in the way Dolly *reviewed* it!

[DollyCali]

I cried also last night - several times (but few would call me a waif) haha..

Glad you & Kassie have "found each other".. so nice to have nearby FReeper Buddies to hang with..

[DollyCali]

you wont lose me for differences in desires/likes.. but you might fire me for incompetence. :-)

I really feel I have so many friends because I have so many interests & varying folks offer varying opportunities to participate with a friend.

I think each of us brings varying interests and backgrounds which make a good balance for ideas on threads/people/presentations.

Even with a thread like this where NONE of you have a "draw".. I am sure you have impressions (hopefully not too negative) of those who are avid enthusiasts & why... or funny stories you heard etc.

For me these movies have a lot to show but ultimately the bottom line is Good over Evil.. Period

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Haha - well, the background on this "waif" was that she didn't say a word to the girls she was sitting with - we had decided her group was scarier looking than the grown men dressed up - one girl was "goth" and the one next to Kassie needed a blood transfusion, at least..........

It was an interesting night........

[DollyCali]

There were many hundred in costume at our theater. When I pulled up there were lots of "Jedi's" fighting with their light sabers. Heavy media coverage.

It was a `16 plex & they had 6 showings in the 6 LARGEST theaters first just after midnight scheduled about 10 minute interval starts. The parking lot was mobbed.. just like prime time Sat night.

Everyone had fun and was upbeat.. at some times in theater you could hear a pin drop, other times you could hear uproarious laughter, other times sobs/crying...It was a graphic delight

and the MUSIC... I have the sound tracts & simply love the themes all the way back from 1977. John Williams does good work in movies.

[Pippin]

Hey! Save some popcorn for me!!!

[Pippin]

I was a big Harrisn Ford fan

I still am! :o)

[Pippin]

CP3O was a mutated dalek! LOL!

A little Dr. Who/Star Wars humor

[Mama_Bear]

Mornin' tame.

Here is a partial list of some of my favorit movies: "The English Patient", "The Graduate", "Empire of the Sun", "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", "The Game", "The In-Laws" (with Peter Falk and Alan Arkin), "Amadeus", "The Shawshank Redemption", "Braveheart", "The Thomas Crown Affair". See, there is no rhyme or reason to what I like, I guess it depends on my mood at the time. Oh, and I also like some of the classic westerns like "High Noon". :-)

[kassie]

LOL, I don't know what her problem was, but she sure had one. She sobbed the entire last part of the movie. Not just crying, but sobbing.

I wanted to make sure you knew it was coming from HER and not ME.

Still I would rather sit by her than Jabba...

:)

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Or the bug eyed mouth breather near your son!

[kassie]

All our movie times were the same. 12:01. So that made a grid lock getting out of the place. WhyisaTexasgirlinPA drove.

It was a blast though. I would do it all again.

It never occured to me to cry. The girl beside me did enough for me, her and probably everyone else in our row.

[kassie]

Our boys like to do the same things so they get along great.

WhyisaTexasgirlinPA and her hubby have done a great job raising their two kids.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Ok Kassie - your comments were great - you played me up nicely so I'll pay you the twenty bucks I promised........ ;^)

[jwfiv]

A fine thread, long ago and far away ... thank you, Miss Dolly.

I'm definitely a movie fan, and a Star Wars fan ... Episode III will get me into the theatre next week sometime ... I usually wait for the DVD, but will make the extra effort for this one.

I was disappointed in I and II ... visually just beautiful, but I thought the story line and character development a bit weak, and was really irritated at the the long awaited explanation of the Force being those metachlorian thingies.

As a Jedi, I know that the Force is God Himself, resident in our psyches ... for Lucas to define it as tiny organisms in the bloodstream of the lucky few is typically materialistic spirituality.

The reference to Nute Gunray I thought was loathesomely childish, and would have thought the same thing if that unseen bad guy had been name Clint Hillaray.

But, I thought the biggest flaw to be Annakin's lack of passion as he slipped over to the dark side ... he showed more enerygy when whining about his Jedi Master pushing him around then he did over the death of his mother and the revenge he took for it. I'm hoping that what happens in Sith will make amends.

However, I revere the whole epic so much that I can overlook its weaknesses.

I sat down and watched I and II last week, to prep for III, and enjoyed them both much more than my first viewing of them ... and was even more blown away by the beauty. I even like Jar Jar this time.

And, it must be said, young Padme is quite a dish.

I especially liked the way that C3PO and R2D2 were woven into the stories.

All in all, the Star Wars films are history ... they are the Gone With The Wind of our time.

Though Lucas says that this will be the finish of it, I have a hunch we'll eventually see the final trilogy ... eventually, along in the future, far, far away.