Jasper may not have costume-clad super fans camped out in front of the Chaba Theatre this week, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t a swath of Star Wars fanatics champing at the bit to see the seventh flick in the long-standing fantasy franchise.
In fact, you might actually see some of them briefly lined up for pre-sale tickets on Dec. 18.
So, just in time for the premiere of “The Force Awakens,” the Fitzhugh caught up with a few of the community’s Star Wars enthusiasts to talk about the films, both old and new, and what’s kept them hooked all these years.
The collector
Jasper videographer Ryan Bray first watched the original Star Wars trilogy on VHS when he was seven years old, and was immediately hooked.
“I quickly fell in love with the universe and the characters. I watched the movies over and over and over again.
“To put it into perspective,” he said of his childhood obsession, “‘the Empire Strikes Back’ cassette actually squeaks now.”
That squeak was created by overuse—and, he admits, that isn’t even his favourite film; it’s “Return of the Jedi.”
“It squeaked probably the last 300 times I watched it, to the point where as a kid I actually stopped watching it because the cassette squeaked so loud it was louder than the audio out of the TV.”
Shortly after discovering the films, Bray’s father bought him a few Star Wars action figures, taking his fandom to a whole new level, as he saved every penny and tried to collect them all.
Still to this day he owns hundreds, all of them still perfectly preserved in their boxes and covered in protective plastic. There are so many that they take up upwards of 15 large Tupperware bins.
Some are even signed. His favourite is one signed by Warwick Davis, the Ewok Wicket in “Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi.” It was signed when Bray met Davis at a Star Wars convention in Edmonton.
Although they’re all just in storage, Bray said he doesn’t have any intention of selling them off.
“If I wanted to sell them, now would be the time.
“But the thing is that’s not what it is for me. It’s not for the money. For me, I’d way rather pass them down in the family when I’m older.”
Bray said he’d also love to display them again, like he did when he was young.
As for the new film, Bray said he’s excited, not just because it’s directed by J.J. Abrams, although that does play a role, but because it’s a story he’s always wanted to hear.
“I always wanted to know what happened to the characters—what happened to the storyline of the characters that I fell in love with and grew up with,” he said, joking that he’ll be the first in line at the Chaba Theatre on Friday, even if it means booking the day off work.
The new generation
Ten-year-old Dylan Skinner comes from a Star Wars family, so it’s no surprise he’s excited for “The Force Awakens.”
He first saw “The Phantom Menace” five years ago and became an immediate fan, watching the rest of the films as soon as he could get his hands on them, and collecting Star Wars Lego sets. He said they’re his favourites, even his “dishevelled X-wing,” which he accidentally broke while playing with it.
Skinner said his attraction to the movies started because the Star Wars universe “is a lot cooler than the modern world.”
For example, he said, “there’s no way we’d be able to go to lightspeed without our ship being completely destroyed.”
Skinner is going to see the latest film during the Christmas holidays with his cousins in Calgary.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “It’s been I don’t even know how many years since they put out a new movie.
“I’m kind of hoping that it’s a little different, but kind of the same, as well.”
Skinner said his favourite character is R2D2—because he has a great personality and he’s funny—and that if Yoda could teach him one Jedi mind trick, he’d choose levitation.
“Then I could get out of doing homework; I’d just fly out the window!”
The French connection
Jessy Dion has seen the Star Wars movies for the first time on two different occasions.
The first first time, the movies were dubbed in French. Growing up in Quebec, that’s how he experienced all English movies. But once he moved West, he saw the films as they were originally made, with the characters’ true voices.
“Often the voice actor for French always sound younger, like they’re kids. All of them, especially guys, they sound like little boys,” he said, imitating a high pitched voice for Luke Skywalker.
The Jasper artist said it was a totally different experience watching the films in English for the first time. So much so that, although he’ll be back in Quebec when “The Force Awakens” premieres, his plan is to first see it in English and then see it again in French with his nephews.
Dion became a Star Wars fan when he was a young boy, after his older brother introduced him to the trilogy. He said he’s looking forward to experiencing the new film with his brother’s children and to see if they are as enraptured by the storyline and characters as he was as a child.
“I’m excited to see the new generation and what they think of it.”
He said he’s also excited for the film’s visuals, the creatures and effects. He said, after watching a fantasy film, he often finds himself inspired to create new art.
“I know when I watch it, I’ll probably start drawing and drawing. I get very inspired after those kinds of movies.
“Sometimes even, you watch it and it’s good, but you wish they did it differently, so I do my own version of it.”
“The Force Awakens” premieres Friday, Dec. 18 at 6:50 p.m. and will play again at 9:30 p.m. Pre-sale tickets will be on sale that day from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Chaba Theatre.
Nicole Veerman
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