Where were you in 99’?

I was at the NYC Comic Con on Saturday February 7th 2009.  As soon as I found out I was going I knew that the whole venue would not be for me.  So I scoped out some of the forums online before I went and wanted to see what they were offering.

It was fate!  There was a panel getting together to talk about Star Wars.  The title of the forum was “Where were you in 99?”  It was basically about the release of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace.

So I will ask you, where were you in 99’?  I know where I was!  My father owns a chain of movie theatres in NJ & NY.  He had told me that there would be running a preview of the movie at one of his locations in Sparta NJ.  This was not the midnight show that you normally you would have before these films.  This was the cooler!!!  It was friends, families, and strangers, all who knew someone from somewhere.

Free Pepsi hats where being handed out with the Pepsi and Star Wars logo on it (which I still have) and everyone was hovering in front of the doors just waiting to hear those wonderful words “come on in folks!”  (As my dad normally yells out)

You look around you, and I had a group of friends and co-workers from one of the theatres that I worked at with me.  But, then you look around and the place is mobbed!!!  There are a couple of hundred people there, and they were of all ages.  Some people knew what they were in for, and some people did not.

My father says a little something before the film (as he always does also) and it begins…

Lights go down, sounds comes up, and greatness begins.  To see what people had seen 22 years prior was amazing!  Whether you like the film or not, it is an experience that all, young and old will remember, especially the next generation.  To see those bright yellow letters read, “A long time ago, in a galaxy far away…” sent chills up my spine.

So, that’s where I was in 99’.  But now it’s 10 years later.  A whole new out look on Star Wars is about to begin, The Clone Wars, actually has begun.

It was really cool.  They were also promoting a new movie in theatres called “Fanboys”.

Here is some of the story:

It’s the Halloween party they’ve all been waiting for, to have fun with friends and hang out with fellow Star Wars fans and partners in crime. However, events take a turn when one of their bunch who long ago outgrew his old gang and took on adult responsibilities is suddenly in their midst again. Reconnecting is not easy. But soon, Eric, Windows, Hutch and Zoe realize that Linus will not live long enough to experience what’s been on their minds for ages: The long-awaited theatrical release of Star Wars – Episode I, which is still several months away. Linus once again suggests to his friends what he’s been scheming since fifth grade: Breaking into Skywalker Ranch, this time to steal a print of the movie. Crazy, right? But it might be the only way for Linus to see the movie before he dies. So as insane as it sounds, they take Hutch’s van and embark on a mission to drive across half the country to the Ranch.

I am very much looking forward to seeing it, and it’s in limited theatres now.

So, that concluded my dorkness for the day.  But can you picture it… people dressed up in full Storm Trooper garb, Darth Vader gear, Princess Leia slave wear, & Jedi’s everywhere.  Holding up posters for the film “Fanboys”, is a sight to be seen, that is why I took lots of pictures.

At the end of all this, it makes you proud to be a Star Wars geek!  Whether you are in the theatre, or at a forum in NYC, you will always remember where you were when you heard the sweet sounds of the Imperial March or the Throne Room scene.  Or better yet, this is the only time it public it’s ok to practice heavy breathing like Darth Vader with out looking like a pervert!

May the force be with you!

This entry was posted by Mrs. James on Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 8:45 pm and is filed under Community, Events. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.