Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back. In 60 seconds.
To quote Geekdad, where I first saw this: "Sheer brilliance."
If George had hired Saul
Opening credits of Star Wars, Saul Bass-style:
[Wave of the phin to Laughing Squid.]
Extreme Close-up!!!
A couple of weeks ago, I got in close on the little phisch for some camera shots.
Click on the photo to see the entire set.
Things you won't see in Star Tours at Disneyworld
As a Star Wars geek, I love one-offs and mashups of Star Wars-related stuff. Ceth Stifel, aka "Thumper-001" on deviantART, inspired by a recent trip to Disneyland and the Disney/Star Wars figurines one can purchase there, has created a unique set of mashup art combining my favorite movie franchise with the Disney characters millions have come to know and love.
Donald Duck as Boba Fett, Goofy as Darth Maul, Mickey as Lando Calrissian, as well as a host of other Star Wars characters, Chip and Dale as Wookies. Great, great stuff.
Proud geek dad moment
This past Saturday, the missus and I took the little phisch to see The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. The film was released by Universal, and had the studio's latest audio-visual intro at the beginning, as is the norm for motion pictures. The little phisch leaned over and whispered to me, "Daddy, what music is that?" I told him, and we settled in for a fun time. That little exchange immediately took my mind back a few weeks before, at the end of 2007, when the missus and I took the little phisch to see Alvin and the Chipmunks. That particular film was released by Twentieth-Century Fox, and its extremely recognizable audio-visual intro rolled at the beginning. Then, the little phisch leaned over and excitedly exclaimed, "Daddy, it's the Star Wars music!" I smiled broadly, and assured him, that yes, it was indeed "the Star Wars music." Amazing how those blaring trumpets and the monolithic wording have become synonymous with Star Wars for him, just as it did for me when I was a boy. To this day, whenever I see or hear that intro, I'm half-expecting the "Star Wars Main Theme" to follow shortly thereafter, or to see "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..." centered on the screen.
Sweetheart, if you still need an idea for a Father's Day gift for me...
The greatest, gutsiest Father’s Day gift set I have ever seen:
Stop and think: what does it say when you give your father a Darth Vader/Luke Skywalker set for Father’s Day?
- "Dad, you are the genocidal embodiment of evil, but I will eventually redeem you"?
- "Dad, you tortured my sister and cut my hand off"?
- "Dad, I’d rather throw myself down to certain destruction than acknowledge you as my father"?
- "Dad, cut back on the smoking"?
[...] Freud would have had a field day. I share Bruce's sentiment, or would, were I at Wallyworld: I, of course, bought one on the spot. So, honey, if you happen to make it to Wal-Mart this week before I do... (Via And Still I Persist.)
And you thought you were a real Star Wars fan...
Have you ever built your own Darth Vader hot air balloon? [Via Boing Boing via Twitter Vader.]
First words
Nearly three months since it was ordered, I received my Valentine's Day gift today. (Thanks again, sweetheart!) The original Star Wars trilogy on DVD; not just the Special Edition versions, mind you, but the original theatrical versions as well, something Star Wars purists have been clamoring for for well over a decade. In honor of my revisiting the film which made such an impact on me as a child, I decided to note the first words spoken by major characters in Star Wars: A New Hope, in the order in which they appear. Enjoy! First words of the movie, spoken by C3PO: "Did you hear that? They shut down the main reactor. We'll be destroyed for sure! This is madness!" R2-D2: (Responding to C3PO) Whistling chirps. Darth Vader: "Where are those transmissions you interecepted? What have you done with those plans?" Princess Leia: "Darth Vader. Only you could be so bold. The Imperial Senate will not sit still for this. When they hear you attacked a diplomatic..." Luke Skywalker: "Doesn't look like we have much of a choice but I'll remind him!" Obi-Wan Kenobi: "Hello there." Grand Mof Tarkin: "The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us. I've just received word the Emperor has dissolved the council, permanently. The last remnants of the old Republic have been swept away." Chewbacca: (soft grunts, responding to Kenobi) "Mmm. Mmm." Han Solo: "Han Solo. I'm captain of the Millenium Falcon. Chewie here tells me you're looking for passage to the Alderaan system."
The duel
Monday evening a promise was kept and shopping commenced for a lightsaber for the little phisch. We charted a course toward the Toys R Us system, arriving there just a few parsecs after dinner time. (It might've been faster if Solo had loaned us the Falcon, but whatever, he's too busy dodging Imperial cruisers or something.) The purchase was made of a blue lightsaber, because we figured this would juxtapose nicely with my own double-bladed, red lightsaber. (And, more importantly, it was the only color in stock.) Alas, by the time we arrived back home at Echo Base, it was bed time for the little phisch, so any dueling with Daddy would have to wait another day. The new lightsaber spent the night on the night stand next to the boy's bed. Last night, the promised duel was held. The missus insisted it take place outside, so on to the back deck we went. Daddy only used one of his saber's blades, to, you know, keep things "fair". Both of us had an awesome time. The little phisch held nothing back. Every swing of his blade was meant for limb severing, for disemboweling, for decapitation (if he could have reached my neck, that is). My knuckles held the proof of his relentless onslaught. I also learned a bit of how Count Dooku and Palpatine must've felt going up against Yoda: it's actually tough countering the attacks of someone half your size. That, and since I was seeking to have fun with my little guy without causing injury, played a part in my own defense and counterattack. (For the record, yes, I injured the boy, but it was a tap on the shoulder that didn't even leave a mark, and he was quickly over it.) The little phisch is also quite the drama king. He has a great fake death scene, acting it out more than once when I stabbed him in the tummy. We should get video of that.
It happened
Last night, the missus had a work-related dinner to attend, so it was a guy night in the phisch bowl. The little phisch consumed mixed veggies and fish sticks (the irony of this statement is not lost on me), whereas I consumed mixed veggies with leftover red beans & rice. And we watched Star Wars. The first attempt at the viewing with my son of the movie which made such a tremendous impression upon me when I was six was met with some...boredom. He knew who some of the characters were, after all. I don't think you can know me at all, or swim in this tank we call home, without encountering, in some random, non-deliberate fashion, characters from the Star Wars universe. But we never really made it through that first viewing of the movie. Not together, anyway. While he decided he was bored and went off to play with Thomas on the train table, or roll Lightning McQueen around the floor, I finished watching the movie. Because, c'mon, it's Star Wars. I'm not sure what changed between then and now. Perhaps it was my receiving the entire Star Wars Mr. Potato Head collection for my birthday this past December. Darth Tater, Storm Tater, and R2 Tater have all occupied a place of semi-honor in the formal dining room, and the little phisch has been allowed to play with them. We've read this Luke Skywalker children's book I picked up two years ago at the Friends of the Flower Mound Library fund raiser. But we haven't really talked about the movie all that much. So I was pleased when I was greeted with a enthusiastic response after suggesting Star Wars last night. After dinner, we enjoyed watching about an hour of it. He asked a lot of questions. A lot. I'm not sure I can begin to describe the totality of "a lot of questions" to those of you who do not have three year-old boys. Bed time was approaching, and we agreed to stop the movie after an upcoming scene. The missus arrived home just about that time, the movie was stopped, and the bedtime rituals commenced. The payoff came this morning. I stumbled downstairs, where the missus and little phisch were already eating breakfast, and on the TV I'm greeted by...Star Wars. Han and Luke are firing down the detention bay while Leia's already diving in to the garbage chute, and Chewie's complaining about the smell. I'm informed, "Daddy, those are stormtroopers!" I smiled, gave him a pat on the head, and turned so the missus wouldn't see the tears welling up. It's done. He's converted. Oh, I forgot to mention he wants his own lightsaber now. He told me last night. Where are the tissues?