"Now witness the firepower of this fully ARMED and OPERATIONAL battle station!"
The last bit of my birthday present...
This coming Friday, “Star Wars - Episdode VI: Return of the Jedi” is being re-released in theaters on its 40th anniversary. We’re going on Saturday. This will be the third time in my life that I’ve seen this movie in the theater. The first being 1983, when the movie first released, the second was when they released the Special Editions with all the updated special effects in 1997.
Han shot first. Actually, Han shot. Greedo never had a chance.
Anyway, in preparation for our family outing, beginning last night, we’re screening the following films in the following order:
Rogue One - A natural starting place as it flows into “A New Hope” perfectly, and is a better prequel.
Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope - Screened “Rogue One” and “A New Hope” yesterday. Intro, Vader is the worst possible person in the galaxy, Luke Skywalker is our plucky hero. Han Solo our adventurous rogue (see what I did there?) with a walking carpet for a bodyguard. Leia is our Not-Really-Damsel-In-Distress.
Star Wars - Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back - The whole Hoth scene, the training on Dagobah, the asteroid belt, the Cloud City fight, and revelation of Luke’s parentage. I believe this to be the best of the original trilogy.
Star Wars - Episode III: Revenge of the Sith - Flashback to the fall of Anakin. The fight over Coruscant. You see him at the heights of his heroism. The fall of the Jedi Order, Order 66, the fight with Obi-Wan on Mustafar. The depths of his descent into evil, in the same film.
Star Wars - Episode VI: Return of the Jedi - Flash-forward to the redemption of Anakin. Sacrifices himself to save his son (and daughter, indirectly), turns back to the light side of the Force, is reunited with his mentors.
Oh, and back when we first got together, the first gift she ever got me was a Darth Vader lightsaber. One of the really nice ones. I can either have the blade assembled, or just hang the hilt on my belt. Which is what I’ll be doing on Saturday. I’ll also be wearing all black.
Good evening from Western Wishes. May the Force be with you. Always.
Kilgore