From lightsaber battles to a “Star Wars” movie marathon straight out of “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?,” fans of the popular franchise will have lots of unusual ways to celebrate the return of the Skywalker clan this weekend.
The pent-up enthusiasm for all things “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is a boon for theater owners, who are expecting the seventh film in the popular fantasy series to be one of the biggest ticket-sellers in history.
“This is one of the few movies that hits so many generations,” said Brock Bagby, director of programming and business development at B&B Theatres. “Not only does dad want to take his son, I think grandpa wants to be involved too. ”
In order to fan the excitement, several theaters are offering “Star Wars” themed promotions. Alamo Drafthouse and CineBistro will serve special menu items tied to the films, such as Yoda Soba Salad, a mixture of soba noodles, spinach and shaved brussels sprouts, or Princess Leia Cinnamon Buns, baked goods that mirror General Organa’s famous hairdo. Others, such as B&B Theaters, are featuring specialty drinks such as the Han Solo, a combination of Angry Orchard Hard Cider and a Fireball Whiskey shot, or the BB-8, which mixes Peach Schnapps and Stoli.
“We are all huge ‘Star Wars’ nerds,” said Christian Parkes, Alamo’s chief brand officer. “Creating these menus has been all about how do we create something really delicious, but then how do we bring a level of madness and lunacy to the proceedings?”
In the case of the Alamo Drafthouse, getting into the “Star Wars” spirit involved a degree of outrageousness that rivals the Mos Eisley Cantina. The theater chain is sponsoring a special event at its Austin location that will give seven super-fans a chance to prove that the Force is strong with them by participating in a marathon event that requires watching the first six films in sequential order followed by an endless round-the-clock screening of “The Force Awakens.” The last fan standing wins seven years of free movies at any Alamo location and their name engraved on the seat where they proved their endurance.
Other theater chains, such as AMC, are engaging in far less punishing marathons that will find ticket buyers watching previous films in the series before segueing into the seventh and latest installment. It’s not just a case of showing the older films on the big screen. In the case of Cinepolis, to get audiences into the spirit the company will have costumed Storm Troopers patrolling their lobbies.
“We wanted to do something to set the tone and bring nostaliga back into the theaters,” said April Mendoza, marketing director of Cinepolis USA.
Exhibitors seem thrilled to be able to host the film and box office gurus are already predicting “The Force Awakens” will shatter records.
There’s a dark side to all the mania. Theater owners have privately said that they intend to increase their security presence this weekend, with Deadline reporting that some locations will wand patrons and have armed guards on hand. This week, the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) sent a note to exhibitors telling them to be aware of a series of alarming incidents in California and Arizona, where suspicious individuals prompted security concerns.
The wariness that theaters feel is reflected in their costume policies. Consequently, wielding a Storm Trooper’s blaster is a step too far for many exhibitors already on high-alert after shootings in cinemas in Aurora, Colo. and Lafayette, La. made the issue of theater safety into a national debate. Major chains such as Bow Tie Cinemas, AMC and Celebration!Cinema won’t allow patrons to wear masks or carry toy guns. Lightsabers are allowed, but can’t be ignited in the theater.
“We want people to dress up and have fun, but it’s important that our patrons feel safe,” said Bagby.
It’s not just movie theaters that are finding novel ways to celebrate the space creatures and warriors that populate the “Star Wars” universe. Urban arts collective Newmindspace is organizing lightsaber battles in cities like New York and San Francisco.
On its website the group invites participants to “pick a side of the force and use that venerable, ancient, glowing tool: the lightsaber, in the ultimate nocturnal showdown.”
 |
| Hollywood’s El Capitan Theatre was sold out for a 51-hour marathon starting at 1 a.m. on Thursday morning with the screening of Episode I, “Phantom Menace.” The marathon will conclude with a 7 p.m. showing of “The Force Awakens.” Michael Buckner/Variety/Rex Shutterstock |
it’s a remake of the first Star Wars movie from 1977!! It’s also very, very bad!! Stay away from it!! You have been warned!! 8(
I think I’ve had enough. The world has been taken over by Star Wars junk.