Thanks to the largest merchandising push ever to hit our collective cultural experience, my children have become absolutely infatuated with Star Wars. Now, since I have existed in the world since the early 80's I have, through some kind of osmosis, picked up on the general idea of what Star Wars is, who the characters are along with their major issues and what the big shocking reveals revealed. (But I will take this opportunity to quote the amazing Anna Kendrick who spoke these very true words: "But....vader in German means father....His name is literally Darth Father....".) C'mon guys. Though I never really understood why guys of my generation were enamored by a woman with such an unflattering hairdo....
Anyway, through this vague pop culture knowledge, I am able to have basic conversations about SW with my kiddos as they have worked their way through the movies (thankfully watching them when I wasn't in the room). I can't emphasize enough just how obsessed they have become. Case-in-point, my 5-year-old rejected his formerly much-loved Ninja Turtle sheets, saying that now only SW ones will do. (He lost that battle, FYI. Sheets ain't cheap). I have sat through long history lessons about fictional planets and their government systems, and endless arguments over the power of Siths versus Jedis. But when your kids are excited about something, it's cute and endearing and I let them have at it. Let's just say we had a very Yoda Christmas this year.
So along came the time when I could resist their insistence no more and I finally let myself be convinced that I should watch the first movie. Which, apparently, is actually the 4th movie... But I was informed that this was the place to start. And two hours of 70's era "special effects" and a whole lot of suspension-of-disbelief later, I had finally done what I have avoided since birth.
In the fear that my children will someday read this, small though that possibility may be, I will refrain from comment on the actual movie (though I will mention that the soundtrack is something pretty incredible as it does elicit a response even from a cold-hearted Star Wars avoidee like me). Clearly the rest of it's got something in there that continues to attract people across decades and cultures and languages. And it's lasted through the complete revolution of CG and every other cinematic technology that has been developed in the last 39 years, ending in the newest movie which, from the looks of the trailers, couldn't look any more different from the 1977 one if it tried.
So somehow this crazy movie franchise has struck a deep chord with my little loves (and my big love as well, as it happens) so it wasn't two hours wasted. Their laughter and their lit-up face and their insistence that "Mommy, mommy, watch this part, it's my favorite!!" is, of course, totally worth it. So cheers to it all and I'm glad for the happiness it brings my family, even if maybe it just isn't my thing. And hey, no one can complain about watching a 35-year-old Harrison Ford, am I right???
