ISSUE #141
BEAM FROM THE BOOTH | GRAND RAPIDS FILM SOCIETY
[EDITED BY: SPENCER EVERHART & GRIFFIN SHERIDAN]
Welcome back to BEAM FROM THE BOOTH, the official newsletter of the GRAND RAPIDS FILM SOCIETY!
While we may be taking this week off from programming, we will be back with a vengeance next week with three events! We are kicking it all off NEXT MONDAY (5/18) at 8:00pm with our COMMUNITY PICK SCREENING of DAVID CRONENBERG’S VIDEODROME (1983).
As the winner of our Movie March Madness bracket, we couldn’t let this be our average screening. We’re pulling out all the stops to bring you an extensive PRE-SHOW EXPERIENCE featuring behind-the-scenes of the film itself, as well as a peek behind the curtain on the results of the bracket. The pre-show will begin promptly at 7:30pm, so be sure to arrive close to when doors open at 6:30pm so you may say hi, grab your snacks, and get your seats before the fun begins.
Likewise, this screening will serve as the kick-off to a week long fundraiser for Wealthy Theater. So, even if you were really pushing for The Hunger Games to take the top spot, we highly encourage you to join us for what will be a memorable evening in support of this cherished church of cinema!
Once again, a big thank you to all of you helped sell out all three screenings in our Star Wars original trilogy series. What a tremendous time at the movies! While those films are bedrock classics for many, some experienced these iconic films for the first time at these screenings — including our very own Breana Malloy. Now, she has composed some thoughts on her first viewing to share with all of us...
STAR WARS: A FIRST TIMER’S REVIEW
[BY: BREANA MALLOY]
Foreword (of sorts)
It took me almost three decades, but I finally did it: I watched the original Star Wars trilogy.
I attribute a significant portion of this excessive wait to the influence the story and characters have had on the cultural zeitgeist. This level of significance adds a feeling of pressure for a new viewer to immediately understand and appreciate its importance. I have put off something for far less, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for my first viewing to be in a theater that I love.
Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
I often hear people say they were “blown away” by Star Wars, so of course as I hear those first few starting notes of the score, I prepare myself to be amazed to see something I never have before; however, at the end of the film, I was left wanting more. I attribute this partially to not having much understanding of the galaxy and worlds the characters occupy but also with the characters.
Throughout the movie I had this feeling of deja vu, not because I had seen it before and simply forgotten, but because of the movie’s cultural significance and multi-generational impact on filmmaking. I realized that I had seen many elements of this film scattered throughout the years: between TV shows, movies, clips in my film classes, and other media sources. I had been exposed to Star Wars hundreds — maybe even thousands — of times, ultimately causing me to lose that sense of amazement during my first viewing that others may have felt. However, I still felt the sheer grandeur and magnitude of a movie made in the 1970s with such a high concept and (relatively) low budget.
I wish I could go back in time to watch it without the impact of outside factors, either at the time of its original release or when I was still a kid.
Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
This movie gave me more of the aforementioned amazement I was looking for. It felt bigger, has more world-building, and of course, action. My favorite part of this film had to be Luke’s training with Yoda. The way that the film doesn’t stage a loud, intense, and action-packed montage but instead shows his struggle and learning through focus, trust, and patience was impressive. I feel like this film is where we see Luke grow and change as a person, whereas in the first movie he was just beginning this process and coming into his true self.
Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
So much happens in this movie. SO. MUCH. Lucas and his team took no time before throwing us right into the action, which I actually enjoyed. However, there were so many characters and new landscapes introduced that, by the end of the film, I couldn’t keep it all straight. Yet, I am unsure if I would take any of it out. Each element served it’s purpose.
The only element of this film that bothered me was the clearly-altered CGI characters, specifically in Jabba the Hut’s palace. I love the PFX puppets and animatronic characters they created, so seeing CGI in a 1980s film that built out such a beautiful and practical world was disappointing. I know that the first two had some CGI alterations, but this was the most noticeable and the change that took away some of the film’s eclectic charm.
Final Thoughts
Although Lucas’ writing is at times a little clunky, he makes up for it with his ability to dream, imagine, and innovate as a filmmaker. The massive and ever-expanding world he created is remarkable. Lucas’ ability to see past one or even three films to create an expansive tale instead of attempting to pack everything into two hours is a significant contributor to his success. Immediately following the final screening, I found myself feeling like I needed more in the movies, unsure if I liked them...but after a few hours I found myself thinking more and more about it all: Luke and his training, Han and Leia’s budding romance, and my favorite duo, R2-D2 and C-3PO. This is when I understood the true impact and adoration for the series.
Now I feel like I must give you all a definitive answer to the question, “Did you like Star Wars?” and the answer is absolutely, yes, I loved it.
Bonus Thoughts:
They would be screwed without R2-D2. He deserves far more praise.
Luke NEEDS to start letting his friends know when he is planning to disappear after a huge battle.
Are Han and Leia going to acknowledge the whole, “she kissed her brother” thing or...?
We need to put C-3PO on wheels or something, because he runs so freaking slow. It stresses me out.
I loved that the movie was action-packed without being filled with excessive gore.
Do we ever get a translator for Chewbacca?
If you’d like to nominate someone else in the community for a future spotlight, please fill out this form. If you’d like to explore the archive of past Community Spotlights, click this link.
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Look for ISSUE #142 in your inbox NEXT WEEK!
Until then, friends...
