The End of an Era

I finally got around to seeing Star Wars Episode III tonight. It took me a long time but I vowed to see it in a theater, and not wait till it came on DVD. I almost lost the chance, waiting this long.

Good or bad, well or poorly made, one thing hit me like a ton of bricks when the credits started rolling at the end: this is truly the end. There's no more to anticipate. It's all over. The final chapter is closed and there aren't going to be any more. And that's a very hard thing to swallow.

No, I don't worship the ground Lucas walks on, but you have to give him some credit for a few things over the years. Not the least of which is grabbing the imaginations and hearts of millions of guys like me who simply drank up his movies like sweet, sweet wine.

It was hard not to be caught up in the whole Star Wars frenzy. I was the ripe age of six when I saw the original Star Wars. In an actual theater, no less. Yes, first run. The imagery, story, and imagination had me by the throat for these past 28 years. Oh, I was never a "geek" about it, I never went to a convention nor did I become so involved that I learned how to speak Wookie. But still, I was thrilled when each new movie came out, and I found it hard to bash Lucas even when others did.

So tonight when the house lights came up, I actually shed a tear. In a way this signals the end of my childhood. The story that began when I was six has now completed. I can't tap into that feeling anymore, in anticipation of the next movie. There are none to anticipate.

Time to grow up.

I think it's hard for all the younger folks in the audience to feel what I am feeling tonight. There were a few other moviegoers, several of them teens or people in their early twenties. Not having seen all six, in theaters, first run ... I think they miss out on something. I can recall my father telling me when he saw The Wizard of Oz in the theater, and when Dorothy walked out of the house after it landed in Oz, the literal blast of color on the screen was dazzling. That was a distinct "you gotta be there" experience, and I think that I have one of those now, one that just cannot be put into words.

Notice I didn't say how good the movie was. Or whether it was accurate, or well acted. And I don't think I will. It doesn't matter anyway. I won't change anyone's opinion on the matter. And besides, it truly doesn't even matter to me. It's like an elegant meal with six courses well chosen to go with each other. Consider them as a whole, not as seperate parts. There are strong and weak points, but as a whole, they stand proud.

And now that the dessert has been savored, it is time to bid adieu to the restaurant, thank the chef, tip the waiter, and move on. As I push back from the table that was the Star Wars universe ... I am satisfied.