|
May 18, 2005
Can't wait for The
Force
Final Star Wars film
attracts rabid fans
to midnight showing
By Emanuel Parker,
Staff Writer
PASADENA -- For
Martin Figueroa,
being one of the
first people in line
Wednesday at
Pasadena's Pacific
Hastings Theatres to
see the midnight
screening of the
last "Star Wars'
movie was a matter
of closure.
"I was born in 1972
and the first time I
saw 'Star Wars
Episode 4,' I was a
4-year-old back in
'76,' said the
32-year- old Los
Angeles resident.
"I've been waiting
28 years for closure
on this.'
"Star Wars: Episode
III Revenge of the
Sith' screened at
midnight across the
country and locally
at several theaters,
including the
Hastings, Paseo
Stadium 14, Monrovia
Cinema 12 and Santa
Anita 16.
Equipped with a
sleeping bag,
folding chair, food
and drinks, Figueroa
and a couple of
friends got in line
behind Janelle and
Genaro Cabrera, a
sister and brother
from Los Angeles,
who spread a blanket
on the ground and
claimed the first
spot shortly before
4 p.m.
"The last time we
came with three
hours to spare and
the line was down
the block and around
the corner already,'
said Janelle, 23.
"So we figured we're
out of school
already so why not
just come down and
hang out here?'
"We don't like
having bad seats so
the best way to get
the best seats is to
be first,' said
Genaro, 21. "The
best seats are right
in the middle, not
too far away and not
too close.'
The theater manager
said they'd sold
about 500 tickets
for the movie in the
big theater, which
seats more than
1,000 people. Both
Cabreras said they
came to the Hastings
because they like
seeing "Star Wars'
on its big screen.
"I'm anxious to see
how this one turns
out,' Janelle said.
"I hope it answers a
lot of the
questions.' She and
Genaro said "Return
of the Jedi' is
their favorite "Star
Wars' movie and both
of them have seen it
more than 50 times.
"I like all the
fantasy behind it,'
said Janelle, a
Pasadena City
College business
major.
"George Lucas is
ahead of his time,
obviously. He's so
creative and so
imaginative that it
pretty much pulls
you into his world
and lets you get
away from reality
for 2 1/2 hours,'
she said.
Figueroa said he
spoiled the movie's
surprises by reading
the script on the
Internet.
"The last two hours
of this movie are
going to be so
incredible when it
comes to editing and
the dialogue between
(Chancellor)
Palpatine and Anakin
(Skywalker),' he
said.
"This movie is
depressing. It's the
most tragic movie of
all time. I don't
plan on walking out
of here with my head
up high. I know what
to expect and I know
how it ends, and
that's all that
matters,' Figueroa
said. |