Star Wars’ devotees' last chance to worship

German Star Wars fans get out the costumes and the lightsabres for the final instalment. Picture / Reuters

Where will they go now that the story is about to end in a galaxy far, far away? With the final instalment of the Star Wars films out today, fans will have their last chance to see lightsabre duels, space battles and, perhaps more significantly, spend days and weeks in line with other kindred souls.

"There is a definite sense of loss," said Chris Bergoch, a fan who had been waiting in line for weeks at New York movie theatre.

"All my life, there has always been another Star Wars film somewhere on the horizon to daydream, wonder and speculate about."

"Thursday, May 19, will be the first day of the other side of life," Bergoch said. "It's a strange feeling to think that ... it will all be over."

The same collective nostalgia unites would-be Jedi from Singapore to Sweden who rely on the internet to swap tips on constructing realistic lightsabres at home and to joke about their shared obsession.

One popular topic: How to know when you have given in to the dark side of fandom? When "you bring your blaster" or "storm trooper armour to work", said JediJean, a Singapore-based secretary, in one online post.

The original Star Wars movie in 1977 was an unexpected hit. Its young director George Lucas was more versed in making art films and had only made one science fiction flick, which barely registered at the box office.

But with the two sequels released in the 1980s and two more prequels in the past five years, the lines became increasingly longer. During its nearly three-decade run, the phenomenon has grossed US$3.5 billion ($5 billion) in cumulative worldwide box office receipts and US$9 billion ($12.58 billion) in merchandise sales.

Bryan Lee, a graphic design college student in California, has spent nearly 1000 hours in line at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard and is at the head of the queue.

"I wanted to experience what this was like with other people," said Lee, 19, who admits that he's no longer in line to be first, but to spend time with others willing to give up their everyday lives to celebrate the showing of the last Star Wars movie.

Other fans in line, who were busy making Jedi costumes on two sewing machines set up under a tent, said they were going to miss their community of costume-clad fans.

Despite this being the last Star Wars film, industry watchers say that moviegoers will have plenty of other opportunities to congregate at movie theatres.

"The practice of film-going is a religious-like activity," said John Lyden, professor of religion at Dana College in Nebraska and author of Film as Religion: Myths, Morals, Rituals. Lucas relied heavily on the writings of Joseph Campbell, whose thoughts on mythology and religion are largely credited with inspiring the idea of the unifying "Force" that permeated the world of Star Wars.

Lyden also drew parallels between churchgoing and moviegoing, with people congregating in large halls and sharing an emotional experience. He compared the long lines outside US movie theatres to the queues in Rome last month to view the late Pope John Paul.

Other films have drawn fans in the same way, including The Lord of the Rings and The Matrix trilogies, not to mention the Star Trek TV series.

"Star Wars Kid", a teenager wielding his lightsabre in a home-made video, has become a cult hit on the internet, spawning different version of his antics, edited with sound effects and special effects shots.

Another group, however, may be glad the series is finally over.

Star Wars-induced absenteeism today and tomorrow is expected to cost US employers as much as US$627 million ($876 million) in lost productivity, according to a report by outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

- REUTERS

* Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith opens on general release in New Zealand cinemas today