"I sense something.......a presence I've not felt since....."
Never a truer quote has been written. That behind the scenes glimpse gave me such a huge rush of pure nostalgia and hope, the intensity of which I can only remember feeling back in 1980 after seeing "The Empire Strikes Back."
And the "why?" of that ?
Because way back then they managed to create a sequel that so expanded a universe and a story of a film I so worshipped with such incredible flair ,daring and startling imagination that I was even more captivated and amazed by that cinematic experience than ever . And that took some doing set against the impact of the first.
That simple sense of wonder I felt from just watching it, all the open ended conflicting fates that arose from the stunning twists and revelations of a storyline that I could never have guessed ,the wondrous "Battle on Hoth" and the" Asteriod " sequences that took my breath away. Never had a movie left me so appreciative of what I had seen and shared that also so left me so desperate to know what would happen to those characters next.
Until now.
That glimpse behind the scenes just absolutely confirmed everything that I had hoped for this film. It contained so many of the essential truths that make a "Star Wars" OT film. The convincing reality of its enviroments as illustrated by the brief but beautiful shots of landscapes ,smoking wreckage and iconic designs. The visual honesty that can only be generated from using physical sets, familiar props and real stunts. Those clear ,clean, happy reactions that could only come from actors working in a world they can actually see and touch and get lost in. And all those older familiar faces in all those quaint beloved places. Where they truely belonged and where I so longed to see them again!!!!
And then there was that panel.
I think Harrisons recent trauma has brought him closer to "Star Wars" than he's ever been. The crowds respounce to him, the way he was with Mark and Carrie and they with him, what he said and the way he said it, he looked more visible moved by it all than I can ever recall seeing him. And Mark. I am so pleased for him. He perhaps more than any of them understands the relationship between the fans and SW and has been such a nice guy about it, now reprising his role as Luke again with such obvious appreciation for everyone it was really touching. And Carrie was delightfully funny, seeing her gently rib everything and everybody was so great. I've got to admit seeing them all together like that made me feel like old Darth had me in a bit of a force choke hold.It reminded me so much of the moment in ANH when they meet immediately after the DeathStar is destroyed. Life imitating art perhaps.
And I've just got to admire how its been all done (yet again). We didn't learn alot more that really hadn't been out there for ages, it just really confirmed the rumours. The coverage over in the UK was very strong, more so than for anything usually happening at the SDCC. They've made The Friday the Fourth September after all the holidays a date of key interest and the way they are continually lifting the awareness of wats happening then is so clever. Having looked ahead to the release date and after, there is nothing that could compete with this film. Unless we have a mini ice age that stops people getting to the cinemas in the Northern Hemisphere this is going to stay top of the box office for weeks if not months. I can certainly see it threatenning Avatar and potentially being the first feature film across a three billion worldwide total. If Jurassic World can do 1.5 billion then this????!!!! With nothing else to see or do at a cold miserable time of the year?
But beyond the potential of the financial rewards what has come across continually is the huge amount of pure affection that people hold for those Star Wars films and that original cast. Both simply as the fans who watched them way back then and now the "fans" who are recreating those worlds and characters for us today. Never have I felt so relieved to see this acknowledged time and time again by JJ , Kathleen and the entire team working in front of and behind the camera as shown in that clip and on that panel.
Damn it, it makes me feel so proud about being a SW fan for some forty odd years now!!!