The Force will be with you, always

A long time ago (38 years) in a galaxy far, far away (San Jose) I was introduced to the movie that changed my life:  Star Wars.

Never before had I seen a movie that I wanted to live in.  I wanted to hang out with these people.  Have adventures with them. Our heroes were funny, charming, caring, noble.  I didn't want to BE Princess Leia, I wanted to go on adventures with her.  With all of them.

Naturally, I was a self absorbed kid when the film came out in May 1977, so I'm sure I thought I was the only person (besides Norm, who was all in with me) who felt this way.   I didn't realize how far reaching the impact and influence of this film would be.  That it would seep into other people's psyches as well and become a "cultural unifier".  This film's influence is so far-reaching it's mind boggling.  It changed pop culture (phrases like "evil empire"  and "May the Force be with you" incorporating themselves into our daily speech), it pulled 20th Century Fox out of near bankruptcy to become one of the largest media conglomerates and it spawned a shit ton of parodies/homages and spin offs.  It's a movie that stitches people together.  

Naturally there is a lot of differing opinions on how this film was revolutionary.  Many say that it's the first major studio blockbuster (apparently Gone With the Wind was, still holding the record for highest grossing film), the first serialized movie (nope, Bond, James Bond) or the first "event" movie (Jaws or Godfather could hold that distinction).  What no one can argue with, however, is it was the first film to highlight special effects, causing monumental growth in the industry.  George Lucas needed to create ILM because Fox's special effects department had been scrapped.  They pushed the envelope for special effects and I think we can all agree: YAY!!  And the other thing no one can dispute?  George was a merchandising genius.  Lucas gave up $500,000 of his directing fee to keep the merch rights and WHOA did that make George a rich man.

What this film also did, though, was brought back action, adventure and romanticism to the big screen.  The 70's were big on taut dramas and realism.  The stuff a 13 year old girl wasn't much interested in when given the option.  So this became the movie that made me want to work in the movie industry.  It was the closest I could get to hanging out with these guys.

I'm sure none of you are surprised that I'm ridiculously excited to see The Force Awakens.  And it's not because it's a new installment of this universe (I've been let down before).  It's because I get to see my old friends again.  I've missed them, I missed watching them band together to fight the Evil Empire.  I watch the trailers and commercials and when I glimpse Han or Leia or Luke I get butterflies in my stomach and start grinning like an idiot. So I thought, for this post, I'd look into what my pals have been doing for the last 38 years.  Should be interesting, eh?

R2D2 

Kenny Baker (R2) is 81 years old!  Looks like he'd been on a BBC TV show for years (1992 - 2007).  It also looks like he may have come out of retirement to be in The Force Awakens. My Star Wars aficionado friend Dave tells me that Kenny has been in ailing heath for many years.  It does my heart good to know that he's reprising his role.  R2 can't be played by anyone else!!

C3PO

Anthony Daniels (3PO) is 69 years old.  He got married to a woman last year who's 84.  Wow.  You go, Cougar!  Get your droid!!  I can tell you from experience that he does the Presentation Circuit because he spoke at Dreamworks when I was there.  He's riding on 3PO's metal coattails (and not unlike 3PO, he seems to think extremely highly of himself), but who can blame him?  Unsurprisingly, he also does the voice work for all the Star Wars offshoots (TV shows, video games).

Chewbacca

Chewie has always been my favorite character (as much as I love all the others he's the only one I imitate!).  He's the most adorable big walking carpet ever (and really Leia, it's not his fault he's in your way, he's just really big and the hallway is tiny! Chill!).  Peter Mayhew is 71 years old.   He's also ridden on Chewie's  furry coattails but really what other jobs do you get when you're 7'2"?  The best thing I discovered is that he played Chewie on an episode of Glee.  I need to find that, STAT.

Luke Skywalker

When Star Wars first came out, I was 100% a Luke fan.  I was young and he was adorable.  I had the book before the movie came out so I obsessed on the insert with the pictures and Luke just looked so...blond.  And cute.  My mom was like "Nope.  I like the bad boys.  Who's the other guy?" (she always liked Rhett more than Ashley)  Anyway, the film came out and I couldn't argue with her. I mean, Luke is just so. fucking. whiny.  And that hasn't become more charming with time.  Mark Hamill has done almost exclusively voice work (film and video games) for many years.  He was in Kingsmen a couple years ago, which I enjoyed quite a bit.  He has a rather small part, as I recall, so this wasn't like it was the film that ushered him back into the limelight.  It really seems like he works non stop, though, so that's awesome!  And I'm sure I knew this when I was 13 and obsessed, but he was born in Oakland!  Hella cool!

Princess Leia Organa

I really, really loved Carrie Fisher in Star Wars.  She just seemed like the most amazing woman.  I knew she was fairly young, her mother was in one of my all time favorite films (Singin' in the Rain....in the early days of Star Wars I remember that the talk shows, etc, kept talking about how Carrie's breakout role had her playing off of two men, just like Debbie's.  I felt pretty mature because I knew what they were talking about), and she was so clever and witty in interviews.  I wore gold hoop earrings for like a year because I saw Carrie Fisher wear them.

Star Wars isn't the only iconic film Carrie has been in (When Harry Met Sally..."I want you to know, I'll never want that wagon wheel coffee table."  Classic!).  She works a ton.  She's been in movies and TV shows, has done some voice work, is a great writer and created an amazing one-woman show called Wishful Drinking which I was lucky enough to see in Berkeley when it came around.  And her dog's name is Gary.  Gary Fisher.  So good.

I've always (and still do) wanted to be friends with Carrie Fisher.  When I was young I wanted to be just like her.  In retrospect, I'm sure my family is pretty glad i'm NOT just like her.  I don't think I have enough in savings to go to a really good rehab.

Han Solo

Oh Harrison Ford.  We all love you.  Even though you are like 73 and broke your ankle on the Millennium Falcon.  I mean, it could happen to anyone, right?

I was a bit bummed that he left his cool wife (screenwriter Melissa Mathison) of over 20 years to be with Calista "Toothpick" Flockhart.  But he's clearly a serial monogamist because he's been with her for a long time now too.

This guy soared right to the top.  It's not like he wasn't charming and handsome and funny enough in Star Wars, then he had to go play Indiana Jones?!  How can a girl choose???  Han or Indy?  Gah.  Then he creates Blade Runner's Rick Deckard, The Fugitive's Dr Richard Kimble and Tom Clancy's character Jack Ryan to name only a few.  Dude!  Nicely done.

I wrote about Working Girl (which he was in) a few months ago.  I said that Harrison Ford kind of has this specific "style" of acting where he often (almost always) looks" perplexed".  But whatever, right?  Because it works for him!  A lot.  And he also sprinkles in "adorable smirky smile" which puts him right over the top.  Harrison Ford made me "get" what my mom meant about liking the bad boys.  They tend to be way more interesting, nuanced and, let's face it, sexy.  I may have taken her words TOO much to heart judging by my track record...but I'm getting off topic.  Back to Harrison!  According to IMDb he's done over 40 films SINCE Star Wars.  That doesn't count what he did before.  

Harrison Ford is a total movie star. Also, he's just the right height to be a stormtrooper.

(my drink pairing suggestion for this post would probably be a can or two of Tab. Or blue milk if you're a purist.)

My takeaways:

#1 - Have I mentioned that I'm SUPER excited for The Force Awakens?  I am!

#2 - I have a lot of faith in JJ Abrams.  I really enjoyed his reboot of Star Trek.  JJ, I'm counting on you.  Just be cool with the lens flares, okay? A little goes a long way.

#3 - I 've also been reading about another Indiana Jones film (5th) and a Blade Runner sequel.  Honestly, my jury is out on both of these, so I'm just gonna pretend I didn't hear about either yet.  One thing at a time.

xoxo...hashtagSueslife