Well, dear readers, in the end I went. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, in the end I went. Not to the morning screening, but to the final screening of the evening at eight-thirty. Yes, I’m talkin’ about Star Wars: The Force Awakens. So I arrived at the DGA ninety minutes ahead of time and there was already a line of about thirty people – I couldn’t believe it really. But, I also knew that thirty people fills up two rows at the DGA so I knew I’d get the seat I wanted. Whilst in line I heard that none of the three previous screenings had more than half a house, which was surprising, but then again they’ve never done four screenings in one day for any film EVER. And while our line did get longer and longer, once they let us in the entire line only filled about sixty seats of a seven hundred seat theater. Between then and the start of the film it filled up to, yes, half a house. The fact is I could have gotten there at 8:25 and gotten my favorite seats. Go know.
I love seeing movies at the DGA because the audiences are professionals, they don’t look at their phones, they don’t text, they don’t talk to each other – it’s completely respectful. Plus the DGA has incredible projection and sound, so that’s always a big plus and the fact is I really must start going there more often. I also love that they have curtains. And no advertisements. And no trailers.
So, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away a motion picture came out. It was entitled Star Wars (not Star Wars: A New Hope). There wasn’t a huge amount of publicity prior to its opening. It didn’t open in 4,300 theaters with an extra evening of shows so that they could boast of the biggest opening in film history, because in 1977 it wasn’t about that. It wasn’t a game. There was no Internet. There were no multiplexes. The movie opened at one theater in Los Angeles – the Chinese Theater – on a Wednesday – and you know what? It took everyone by surprise. I don’t think anyone – not the creators, not the studio – had any idea of what exactly they had or how it would be received. In fact, it opened in under forty theaters countrywide because no more theaters wanted to book it. Yes, you heard that right. But it was simply the right movie at the right time and it was an instant phenomenon. Audiences just took to it and ate it up and the rest is history. You simply could not get anywhere near the Chinese during the first few weeks of its run there (a handful of other LA theaters ran it a week or two later, but the Chinese was THE place to see it). You don’t believe me? Here’s a photo of a typical weekday at the Chinese during the first week of the run there.
Exactly. People saw it over and over again. Since I’d actually auditioned for the role of Luke Starkiller (as he was then known), and I knew Mark Hamill and because Harrison Ford and I had the same manager, I knew I needed to see it. The buzz was unbelievable once it opened. It was the must-see film and overshadowed every other film released that year. Happily, a friend of mine was an executive at Mann Theaters (then owners of the Chinese), so he called during that first week and asked if I wanted to go see it and I said of course. So my then-wife and I and Gary Burkhart (the guy from Mann Theaters) arrived. The crowds were unbelievable, just jammed right into the street really. Gary just walked us in and we sat right down in special seats in the back of the theater. Then the rest of the audience came in and every single seat was taken. And then the movie began and as soon as that fanfare hit the audience screamed with glee – they laughed, they were hushed, they cheered, they were enthralled. That was the most amazing part of that experience, watching and listening to that audience. As to the film, I found it very entertaining, but I never thought it was a brilliant film and I don’t know that it was ever intended to be that. It was fun and fast, but I just never became obsessed by it in any way. I wasn’t waiting on pins and needles for the sequels, although I saw both of them during their opening few days at the Egyptian Theater. By then, it was a cultural phenomenon the likes of which no movie had ever experienced. I liked each subsequent film less and kind of admired the original more for its simplicity and good humor. The two sequels had their moments and were okay, I thought.
Then came the prequels, which most folks simply did not like, although they all did well. I guess I wasn’t expecting much because I thought they were about on par with Return of the Jedi – not great, not terrible, just there. I didn’t hate any of them, nor did they get me jazzed at all.
And now we have The Force Awakens, the hype of which has been going on for a year. Relentlessly, thanks to the way films are marketed these days, and more importantly thanks to the Internet. The franchise is now owned by Disney. J.J. Abrams was handed the directorial reigns and since I’m not much of a fan of Mr. Abrams, that didn’t make me want to run out and see the thing, because I really didn’t like either of his Star Trek films. So, what do we have here?
Well, we have what looks like both an old friend and a new friend, with the new friend not looking as good as the old friend. What they’ve done is basically use elements (not an insignificant amount either) of stuff from the first movie. Lawrence Kasdan is the first credited writer, but I can just about guarantee you that all the risible lines in the script are directly from Mr. Abrams. They basically are like “today-isms” that Mr. Kasdan would never write. You’ll know ‘em when you hear ‘em, believe me. I like the gal who’s the lead – fun and feisty. The lead fellow is okay. The new robot is a little too cutesy for my taste, but it’s fine. The film starts out with big action, as you’d expect, and then moseys along at a steady clip until Harrison Ford shows up. Once that occurs, the film finally takes on a life and some magic. He and Chewy are so welcome and so much fun that it just becomes a very pleasurable thing to watch. Then Carrie Fisher shows up and that’s fun, too. Then we get lots more action, some dark side stuff, and I don’t really want to say more than that. I don’t find Mr. Abrams a very pleasing visual director, so while the film looks good and moves along, it never feels special. Whatever one thinks of Mr. Lucas, in 1977 he was a very good director – not an actor’s director, but a really good visual storyteller. And the way this film hip-hops from thing to thing is at times very awkward dramatically. Mr. Hamill also appears.
One of the real pleasures here is the score by John Williams. In his eighties, he is still someone who will not play the game of what film directors and producers want these days from a score, i.e. they just want noise and pad and wallpaper and NOTHING that actually serves a dramatic function, because, in their misguided stupidity, they think that detracts from the performances and their storytelling. Not to misguided idiots – good film composers left to their own devices HELP your damn movie. That’s what film scoring is all about. That’s what every great films score does and why almost no great scores are being written today in terms of them actually supporting the storytelling and characters. Ironically, the two that kind of do the job this year were both written by composers in their eighties – Mr. Williams and Mr. Morricone. Whether you love or don’t love The Force Awakens music is irrelevant – what it does is support the storytelling and the performances. It doesn’t rob the film of anything to have a proper score, and it’s just the opposite – the music gives the film its emotional core. Every one of these sickening directors and producers and studios today should just watch and listen and understand what a film score is supposed to do. And Mr. Williams has always understood that and let me tell you that Mr. Abrams nor anyone else connected with the film, including its studio and producers, was going to be telling John Williams to write pad, thumping and wallpaper. It’s a real film score – not his best, but it does its job really well.
The audience seemed to think it was okay and not great. A smattering of applause greeted all the familiar characters, which was fun. And despite the reported and purported 500 million dollar worldwide gross in just five days, friends are telling me that at their performance there were many empty seats. I’m sure it will end up being reported that it’s one of the highest grossing films of all time. I’ll be interested to hear you dear readers’ reactions.
Prior to that, I hadn’t fallen asleep until after three, so I slept till noon, getting nine hours of sleep. Once up, it was a bit of work at the piano, I figured out how many songs are left to choose and who I want as our guest star, and then I made myself to cheeseburgers – very good and under eight hundred calories. Then I sat on my couch like so much fish.
Yesterday, I began watching Kings Go Forth on a new Twilight Time Blu and Ray – beautiful transfer, I must say. I’ll finish it this evening. I also watched the first two episodes of a ten-episode new documentary series called Making a Murderer, about the Steven Avery case. He was arrested and convicted for a rape and spent eighteen years behind bars, maintaining his innocence at every turn. As is shown, the police, prosecutors and the judge all mishandled the case in a major way – disgusting, really – and in 2003 Mr. Avery was found innocent when DNA proved he could not have done it and in fact identified the man who did do it – a man the prosecution and police KNEW could have done it – but instead they put an innocent man in jail and the jerk who did do it went free and committed two other sexual assaults. But that’s all in the first episode. Things take a really astonishing turn in the second episode and it becomes like a real-life thriller. This is riveting stuff, compelling stuff, and you’ll find yourself yelling at the TV frequently. That police are allowed to interrogate the way they do, that they keep attorneys from their clients, just shows you how corrupt and wrong our justice system is. I’m looking forward to the rest of the episodes.
After that, I did some work on the computer, and then it was time for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Today is kind of busy. We do our big Christmas Eve Do Costco run today, plus I’ll eat, hopefully pick up packages, do some writing, finish choosing the songs and getting music to everyone, work at the piano, and then relax.
Tomorrow, I have two meetings and then a dinner and show. Wednesday will finally begin my no more work until the New Year week-and-a-half – oh, there’ll be a little work to do, but really I just want to relax. There’s a chance the Darling Daughter won’t make it here for Christmas this year – her husband’s boss is out of town and unless he gets back before Christmas, they have to stay put. Thursday is, of course, our annual Christmas Eve Do – as always, I have no idea who is and isn’t coming. Christmas Day I go to Cissy Wechter’s party. And then we look forward to our Rockin’ New Year’s Eve Bash.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a Costco run, finish choosing songs, eat, hopefully pick up packages, and then relax. Today’s topic of discussion: What were your favorite performances this year – in movies, TV and theater? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, after which the force and I will awaken.