The last installation of “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith,” is finally in movie theaters.
Thank God.
Even if you’re ambivalent about “Star Wars,” you must have noticed Yoda hawking Pepsi (enjoy the flavor, you will) or Darth Dew Slurpees.
Or perhaps you were clued in after tripping over that 40-something, beer-gutted Han Solo in line for tickets last week.
Now, if you had told me “Revenge of the Sith” would be a movie back in 1977, I might have had a heart attack on the spot.
But it’s 2005, folks. Even I, with rigorous support from the wife, can at least feign adulthood.
At the very least, I keep my infantile behavior off the streets. I said goodbye to my Obi-wan Kenobi action figure many years ago (well, 1999). And though I did see the first two stilted and convoluted “Star Wars” prequels – “The Phantom Menace” (four times) and “The Clone Wars” (five times) – it was only for old times’ sake.
As a professional columnist, I follow two simple rules: I rarely make stuff up, and I never bring my light saber to work.
Why any sane adult would use disposable capital on a replica of the Millennium Falcon or dress up as Queen Amidala – exempted, of course, bedroom role- playing (which is none of your business) – is beyond my comprehension.
Jennifer, 35, works as a system manager and is a bright and articulate woman. Jennifer is a moderator at Rocky Mountain Fan Forces – a local “Star Wars” fan group of about 60 active members – and often dresses up as a Rebel Commando or X-Wing pilot.
She, I assumed, would be the ideal person to unfurl the mystery surrounding the cult of “Star Wars.”
“Being involved in this group has been fantastic. It’s like holding onto a piece of your childhood,” says Jennifer, who is the proud owner of an extensive “Star Wars” doll collection. “And that’s what has kept me going all the way through. It’s being with other people who enjoy the same things you do. You don’t have to be embarrassed about dressing up as a Stormtrooper or whatever else. We have other interests in common besides. It’s a very supporting environment to be in.”
Actually, some may contend that dressing up as a Stormtrooper is, in fact, embarrassing. Listen, there is nothing wrong with holding on to your childhood, unless, of course, you’re simultaneously holding on to a toy laser blaster in public.
In fact, you get the feeling that many of the “Star Wars” fanatics may know the name of the senator from Naboo but couldn’t name their congressman.
Does a distant bell of reality ever chime for these people?
Jennifer says “Star Wars” is about much more than believing in The Force (essentially, Buddhism with violence).
“RMFF started out on the Force.net – they have a group they try to connect people up with in their own communities,” she says. “So they can have real-world connections with people as opposed to just cyberspace, which is where most of the ‘Star Wars’ fandom has been living the past 10 years.”
Real world is, I suppose, a matter of perspective. But to her credit, Jennifer has used her love of “Star Wars” to help the community. She participated in the Colorado Children’s Campaign charity prescreening of “Sith.”
“They sold over 600 tickets and collected $140,000 after all expenses were taken care of,” she says.
There is also the three-quarter-scale X-Wing at Wings Over the Rockies.
Lucasfilm left it on permanent loan in Denver.
“Last year, we found out they were going to be moving it, and we wanted to make sure it came back, so we volunteered to do some refurbishing to it and get it ready before they took it on a promotional tour,” explains Jennifer.
Jennifer maintains she has built enduring friendships through her hobby. She planned on meeting about 50 people in Highlands Ranch to catch the opening of “Revenge of the Sith” at 12:01 a.m. today.
I can safely say I was sleeping. And like a normal curmudgeonly adult, I’ll catch it in three weeks, sans Jar Jar Binks gear.
David Harsanyi’s column appears Monday and Thursday. He can be reached at dharsanyi@denverpost.com or 303-820-1255.
