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Published on Thursday, April 21, 2005 - 9:54pm |
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Our first report from STAR WARS CELEBRATION 2005! Is this year the same mess as the last two or all too easy'
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with our first look at this year's CELEBRATION, the gathering of Star Wars geeks from around the world to celebrate the release of a new STAR WARS movie. This is a big one this year as it's (supposedly) the last time this event will be held to celebrate the release of a new STAR WARS movie. The man himself, George Lucas, will be popping up and blessing the fans. No word on if he'll be wearing a big hat, robes or if he'll be arriving in a pope-mobile.
For ATTACK OF THE CLONES, the very first footage of Yoda brandishing his lightsaber was shown at CELEBRATION, so who knows what's in store this year? I'm trying to think of what he can possibly show that isn't already out there, considering the script, making ofs, art ofs, novelization, etc are available to anybody who wants to give Lucas some money. Hell, I got a bit of a spoiler by reading a damn Pepsi bottle at the grocery store last week!
Anyway, as notorious as this event is for having exclusive material, it's even more notorious how much of a cluster-fuck it is. Is this year's event any different? Take a look below and find out!
Hey Harry and all:
My name is Keith, and I wrote to AICN three years ago about the
second Star Wars Celebration, so I thought I would give you some
preliminary thoughts on Star Wars Celebration III, now going on at the
Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis.
Six years ago the first Celebration was held in Denver, at a former
military base. Several thousand of us slogged through rain and sleet
and mud and endured leaky tents, but it was fun. Three years ago
Celebration moved to Indianapolis and was inside, but was still
incredibly disorganized.
This year, it's as if the organizers learned little from past experience.
Arriving more than two hours - two hours! - after admission was to
begin for Star Wars Fan Club members, thousands still stood in line.
When we left a couple of hours later, many still waited in the general
admission line. And these were people who already had badges!
Thankfully, the volunteers were friendly and helpful. The first
volunteer we spoke to directed us away from the longest line, around
the RCA Dome and to the fan club line. He also acknowleged that
attendees were already pissed off. And the convention had only just
opened.
The organizers did make a good decision in moving the opening
ceremony to Thursday evening, as thousands of us were still lined up
on the freakin' sidewalk during opening ceremonies three years ago.
Inside, lines were once again long but volunteers and attendees alike
were mostly cheerful.
The line for the Celebration Store - featuring the "exclusive" Darth
Vader figure - was insane, stretching halfway across the convention
center.
Other lines, like that for the Lucasfilm archive, were more reasonable.
Probably the most enjoyable aspect of Celebration so far was the
autograph hall. In past years, fans stood in line to buy coupons to
trade for autographs from actors and artists associated with the
movie. That's still the case, but at least this year you can tell who
is available in the autograph "corral" at any given time. In the past,
you bought your coupons and you took your chances, hoping that someone
whose signature you sought would be on hand that afternoon.
This year, you can walk freely between the line of autograph tables,
eyeing actors who filled such memorable roles as Jabba's green dancing
girl or the Rebellion leader who solemnly intoned, "Many Bothans died
to bring us this information." It was so cool!
The rest of the convention is pretty standard, enjoyable stuff - a
huge dealers room, interesting panel discussions and lots of fans in
costumes and one amazing young lady in a Leia slave girl outfit who
posed for hundreds of pictures with salivating fans.
David Prowse - long in the doghouse with Lucasfilm - must have mended
fences because the former Darth Vader is among those appearing at
Celebration, along with Kenny Baker and Lucas himself.
Lucas is scheduled to speak in three sessions early Saturday. Of
course, as my friend Andy pointed out, that will be the best time to
get in line for the Celebration store and Darth Vader figure.
If I see anything else relevant to report this weekend, I'll be back in touch.
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Reader Talkback
Long lines and Jabba's dancer
autographs by zacdilone | Apr 21st, 2005 10:02:11 PM | Well that's it for me, seeya
around folks, it's been
swell... by Agrajag | Apr 21st, 2005 10:04:01 PM | Shatner by Darth Busey | Apr 21st, 2005 10:14:16 PM | This should be a good TB by IAmLegolas | Apr 21st, 2005 10:14:21 PM | Woopedee Doo! by Frederika Bimmel | Apr 21st, 2005 10:16:20 PM | One more thing by Darth Busey | Apr 21st, 2005 10:17:12 PM | slave girl by supergenius | Apr 21st, 2005 10:17:23 PM | Star Wars Celebration Betting
Line by Darth Busey | Apr 21st, 2005 10:21:53 PM | I agree about the whole
location problem with this
"event"... by Doom II | Apr 21st, 2005 10:28:11 PM | I wish I was there by docfalken | Apr 21st, 2005 10:29:11 PM | Well Idunno by supergenius | Apr 21st, 2005 10:29:25 PM | yes way by supergenius | Apr 21st, 2005 10:30:19 PM | Did anyone tell the slave girl
actress by prevert | Apr 21st, 2005 10:32:29 PM | Don't believe what Lucas says
about this being the last
Star Wa by zer0cool2k2 | Apr 21st, 2005 10:38:42 PM | Don't Hate by Mr_Furious | Apr 21st, 2005 11:03:01 PM | Anyone know... by MimiRogers3rdNip | Apr 21st, 2005 11:06:41 PM | the actress who solemnly
intoned, "Many Bothans died to
bring us by DoctorWho? | Apr 21st, 2005 11:41:45 PM | These geeks would wait 10 hrs
in the rain for a glimpse of
Mark by DoctorWho? | Apr 21st, 2005 11:49:19 PM | The new M&M's commercial is
awesome by zer0cool2k2 | Apr 21st, 2005 11:49:37 PM | http://us.mms.com/us/mpire/mms
_480x270.mov by Grando | Apr 22nd, 2005 12:23:02 AM | Thank ya, Oswald by MimiRogers3rdNip | Apr 22nd, 2005 01:34:04 AM | PLEASE god no more star wars
talkbacks. No one gives a crap
but by krims0nknite | Apr 22nd, 2005 01:45:24 AM | Thanks Grando! by Darth Thoth | Apr 22nd, 2005 01:55:15 AM | You're right, GoldenShowerGirl by prevert | Apr 22nd, 2005 02:08:00 AM | ** SPOILER AHEAD ** by banthafodderUK | Apr 22nd, 2005 02:50:00 AM | Conventional Wisdom by Comsat_Angel | Apr 22nd, 2005 02:55:27 AM | See you there! by Comsat_Angel | Apr 22nd, 2005 03:09:04 AM | hobbits by whatyoufear | Apr 22nd, 2005 04:19:51 AM | ForeverTJ. by megtdog | Apr 22nd, 2005 05:10:39 AM | As it's a special occasion by proper | Apr 22nd, 2005 07:07:29 AM | "IQ tests shout be
mandatory..." by raw_bean | Apr 22nd, 2005 07:12:46 AM | Sorry by megtdog | Apr 22nd, 2005 07:46:27 AM | Sorry by megtdog | Apr 22nd, 2005 07:50:20 AM | "My name is Keith..." by Volta | Apr 22nd, 2005 08:00:15 AM | degress? by cockknocker | Apr 22nd, 2005 08:10:47 AM | DLP Digital = ROTS in Austin,
TX by GalaxyHighland10 | Apr 22nd, 2005 08:25:08 AM | DLP DIGITAL = ROTS in AUSTIN,
TX by GalaxyHighland10 | Apr 22nd, 2005 08:33:17 AM | "Losers" by Spamgelus | Apr 22nd, 2005 08:52:39 AM | YYAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNNNNNNN
N! by MinasTirithII | Apr 22nd, 2005 09:32:33 AM | you know, just hush it by MinasTirithII | Apr 22nd, 2005 09:34:05 AM | krims0nknite, you ignorant
slut by I Dunno | Apr 22nd, 2005 09:48:06 AM | MinasTirithII, you never fail
to disappoint by Atticus Finch | Apr 22nd, 2005 09:59:44 AM | MINAS PENIS by banthafodderUK | Apr 22nd, 2005 10:19:50 AM | Two shlongs WAY up !!! by Hugh G Rection | Apr 22nd, 2005 10:29:47 AM | slave girl pic by supergenius | Apr 22nd, 2005 10:32:30 AM | The Wookies are shit by indiephantom | Apr 22nd, 2005 10:39:54 AM | Jarv by Spamgelus | Apr 22nd, 2005 11:59:51 AM | Hey supergenius, just clicked
on the link.... by Doom II | Apr 22nd, 2005 12:00:42 PM | "Disrespectfull to the
extreme."? by rev_skarekroe | Apr 22nd, 2005 12:09:02 PM | 60 Million Voted for Bush by MinasTirithII | Apr 22nd, 2005 12:38:00 PM | Lucas self-finances his own
movies, so of course he rakes
it in by Lone Fox | Apr 22nd, 2005 01:57:16 PM | Dead on, "I Dunno"... by Hugh G Rection | Apr 22nd, 2005 03:34:43 PM | A buddy called me... by Childe Roland | Apr 22nd, 2005 04:13:34 PM | I live in Indianapolis by IndyCollector | Apr 22nd, 2005 04:20:50 PM | These are not the longest
Talkback by MinasTirithII | Apr 22nd, 2005 05:28:49 PM | LOTR Talkback by MinasTirithII | Apr 22nd, 2005 05:31:08 PM | More slave Leia pictures... by strider_is_hot | Apr 22nd, 2005 05:55:42 PM | If MinasTirithII says that SW
is dead then it must be so! by Hugh G Rection | Apr 22nd, 2005 06:02:29 PM | "...except for 34 year old
geeks trying to hang on to
their chil by SeanHarris | Apr 22nd, 2005 06:10:53 PM | I'll wait for ROTS: Super
Special Edition Mark VII by Malx | Apr 22nd, 2005 06:24:43 PM | dancemonster and the "confused
dorks" by Spamgelus | Apr 22nd, 2005 06:41:42 PM | I'm a Star Wars super geek... by PlzBGentle | Apr 22nd, 2005 07:08:20 PM | HHHH? by hellboydan | Apr 22nd, 2005 07:27:02 PM | I just don't understand all
the hate, by I Dunno | Apr 22nd, 2005 10:54:55 PM | Why is this called a
"celebration" anyways? by Robofag | Apr 22nd, 2005 11:29:51 PM | David Prowse did have some
good screen time in A
Clockwork Orang by Doom II | Apr 23rd, 2005 12:13:01 AM | Slave Leia pics by smamm | Apr 23rd, 2005 12:58:12 AM | Those Indianapolis lines are
pretty damn long... by Lezbo Milk | Apr 23rd, 2005 03:49:27 AM | Lucas is a fat greedy pig by Overgod | Apr 23rd, 2005 04:28:59 AM | You have to laugh... by Razorback | Apr 23rd, 2005 05:07:53 AM | Sorry......... by Mister Man | Apr 23rd, 2005 09:06:08 AM | WOW! If minas Tirith has been
coming here for 7 years...AND
has by DoctorWho? | Apr 23rd, 2005 08:03:09 PM |
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