- Title: UNITED KINGDOM / FRANCE: STAR WARS MARATHON / GEORGE LUCAS INTERVIEW
- Date: 16th May 2005
- Summary: LONDON, UK (MAY 16, 2005)(REUTERS) WIDE OF LEICESTER SQUARE PAN OF STAR WARS MOVIE POSTERS CLOSE-UP OF STAR WARS III CELEBRATION DAY SIGN CLOSE-UP OF SIGN READING "A LONG TIME AGO IN A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY..." CANNES, FRANCE (MAY 16, 2005)(REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE)(English) GEORGE LUCAS, DIRECTOR OF STAR WARS, SAYING: "It's all the same movie, it was all written at the same time. It's that some of the emphasis, by the nature that it grew big and over such a long period of time, is what inspired me to go back and do the back story so you understand the whole story is really a tragedy about Darth Vader." LONDON, UK (MAY 16, 2005) (REUTERS) CLOSE-UP OF DARTH VADER ON MOVIE POSTER CANNES, FRANCE (MAY 16, 2005)(REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE)(English) LUCAS, SAYING: "I like starting in the middle so I like the idea in the first film which turned into three films that Darth Vader comes into the beginning of the movie and he's this monster and he throws everybody around. Then half way through the movie, you find out he's the father of the hero. And in the end, it's the monster who's the hero. He's the one who's been redeemed by the example of his son." LONDON, UK (MAY 16, 2005)(REUTERS) PAN FROM STAR WARS MOVIE POSTER TO FANS CAMPED OUTSIDE VARIOUS OF FANS CAMPED OUTSIDE (3 SHOTS) WIDE OF EMPIRE CINEMA WHERE PREMIERE IS BEING HELD FANS QUEUING (SOUNDBITE) (English) STAR WARS FAN, SAYING: "Ever since I heard the new three episodes were coming out, I just dreamt of seeing all six episodes all together so to be one of the first thousand people in the world to see that is brilliant." STAR WARS POSTERS (2 SHOTS) CHEWBACCA LOOK-A-LIKE IN QUEUE (2 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) STAR WARS FAN DRESSED UP AS DARTH VADER, SAYING: "I thought I'd come and all my minions and make sure my Storm Troopers are doing a good job." STORM TROOPER DIRECTING QUEUE STORM TROOPERS AND BOBBA FETT COMING OUT OF THEATRE STORM TROOPERS LINED UP (2 SHOTS) STORM TROOPER HAVING PICTURE TAKEN WITH FAN WOMAN KNEELING BEFORE STORM TROOPERS TICKET OF MARATHON SHOWING £50 PRICE (2 SHOTS) WIDE OF CINEMA FANS ENTERING PAN FROM STAR WARS SIGN TO FANS ENTERING WIDE OF STORM TROOPERS STANDING OUTSIDE CINEMA MORE OF STORM TROOPER DIRECTING QUEUE STAR WARS FANS
- Embargoed: 31st May 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM / CANNES, FRANCE
- City:
- Country: United Kingdom France
- Topics: Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA1A9VDWQ5MLDJ3V6DZEPWWIOEH
- Story Text: Star Wars fans in the UK will be treated to the
last jigsaw in the Star Wars puzzle with Revenge of the
Sith premiering in London's Leicester Square in what's
billed as the biggest movie event of the year. Devoted Star Wars
fans in London boldly went where no
one has gone before - watching all six episodes of the saga
continuously in a marathon movie session in the run-up to
the premiere of the last installment, Revenge of the Sith.
Dozens of people camped outside in Leicester Square in
the predawn hours on Monday (May 16) to watch cinematic
history unfold. The most avid fans dressed as their
favourite characters including Chewbacca, Obi-Wan Kenobi
and Darth Vader.
Star Wars Episode III is director George Lucas' final
installment to the highly successful Star Wars saga and
which opened in Cannes on Sunday (May 15) to both critical
and commercial acclaim.
Lucas said he wanted to go back to the story's roots so
audiences could better understand what Star Wars in depth.
"It's all the same movie, it was all written at the
same time. It's that some of the emphasis, by the nature
that it grew big and over such a long period of time, is
what inspired me to go back and do the back story so you
understand the whole story is really a tragedy about Darth
Vader," he said.
"I like starting in the middle so I like the idea in
the first film which turned into three films that Darth
Vader comes into the beginning of the movie and he's this
monster and he throws everybody around. Then half way
through the movie, you find out he's the father of the
hero. And in the end, it's the monster who's the hero. He's
the one who's been redeemed by the example of his son," he added.
Lucas and actors Hayden Christen who plays Anakin
Skywalker and Ewan MacGregor who plays Obi-Wan Kinobe are
expected to attend Monday night's premiere.
But showing up twelve hours before the premiere was
pleasure, not pain, said fans.
"Ever since I heard the new three episodes were coming
out, I just dreamt of seeing all six episodes all together
so to be one of the first thousand people in the world to
see that is brilliant," said one devotee.
Die-hard fans paid up to 250 pounds ($450) per seat to
attend the all-day showing of the series after tickets sold
out within minutes of going on sale.
Fans, many of them dressed in costumes from the movies,
arrived early to watch celebrations start with a parade by
the 501st UK Garrison of Storm Troopers at 6 a.m.
Huge screens have been erected to show clips from Sith,
which cost $115 million to make.
As well as the movie marathon, cinemas around Leicester
Square will be showing individual episodes, with capacity
for 10,000 people.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will stage two free
public performances of the Star Wars score, organisers said.
The film, one of the most eagerly awaited and widely
hyped releases in years, had its red carpet premiere in
Cannes on Sunday.
Early reviews have been generally positive, arguing
that director George Lucas has redeemed himself after the
two previous episodes which were critical, although not
commercial, flops.
Sith goes on general release in the UK on May 19. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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