i still remember walking down regents street the night i first saw star wars. i was with my mate monty, he was uttering his, soon to be immortal, catch phrase “brainblast”, i was quoting lines from the film and we were both wielding the movie posters we bought as if they were lightsabres.
a large chunk of the following years was spent making the noises of the lightsabre flaring into life and then humming.
ewan mcgregor tells a tale of how george lucas insisted that no one on set mimicked the sounds of the lightsabre (and so proving that he might have made the most popular movie series in history but he missed out on the fun of it!)
in short the lightsabre has become iconic. well not that it would have been hard for that to happen when you consider the fascination for swords that kids have.
but i suspect that kids would have more sense than these potential winners of the darwin award
imagine the scene if you will. three people go into the woodlands, one has a video camera the other two want to re-enact scenes from one of their favourite movies. perhaps this film will be the break they need, perhaps it will get them noticed and have them planting their first steps on the road to stardom?
they are going to film a mock duel and because. it is going to be based on star wars they are using fluorescent light tubes!!
say what!! yeah you read that right fluorescent light tubes – you know fragile glass tubes that are used to light rooms.
ok so swinging one of those things around is going to be a bit dangerous – you know they hit each other, they smash and shatter. ouch ouch and big ouch.
but hold on a minute – we’re making a movie here – so just swinging glass tubes isn’t going to cut it we want them to be like lightsabres.
no electricity in the woodlands. what’s a filmmaker to do?
solution?
you fill the fluorescent light tubes with petrol.
pardon – you heard - you fill the fluorescent light tubes with petrol. and that is how you make a lightsabre.
er... actually it’s how you end up in hospital because (and this should come as no surprise) as one of the tubes exploded. a 17 year old woman and 20 year old man are now currently in a specialist burns unit. meanwhile their movie making friend is helping the police.
those of you who have followed the myth of star wars will know that anakin is burnt horribly before he eventually becomes darth vader. so is this a case of life following art? or just stupid people doing stupid things and suffering the consequences?
you decide.
a pat public warning – if you want to have a lightsabre duel buy one of the hasbro toy versions, trying to make anything with fluorescent light tubes if you are not dan flavin is not cool and is going to end up with someone crying.
5 comments:
As you well know I have never watched any of the Star Wars films but I do feel sadly disappointed that I know how whats-his-name? becomes Darth Vader - I've spent all week trying to get kids who have seen it to keep quiet for those who haven't. Some task.
And I used to sell this stuff!?
Let's not forget that Pauly Too-Tall-y (the comic shop owner) has 2 Star Wars claims to fame...
1. Got to wear Stormtrooper uniform to promote Episode IV when it came out.
2. Once worked with Dave 'Darth Vader' Prowse in Harrods.
According to legend Prowse was deeply upset that his voice would never be used for the character. I personally think his broad Westcountry accent could only be an improvement over James Earl Jones...
there can be no one in the civilised world who didn't know that anakin turns into darth....
(it reminds me of the story from the time titanic was setting box office records when some one came out of the cinema extolling the special effects of the ship sinking only for a couple to leave the line because the ending had been spoilt for them..... it is such a good story it can't be true).
as for prowse i think you are right it would have scared me....
i like the fact that jeremy bulloch spends time explaining his motivation and imspiration for his portrayal of boba fett, or that anthony daniels will not appear on the same convention tables with peter mayhew and kenny baker becase as c-3po he got to have lines while meyhew (chewie) and baker (r2d2) just wore costumes. you just have to admire their egos.
i have yet to watch the new film. I am torn between 'can't be bothered' and 'froth' - story of my life really. Anyway, is the way that whats-his-name becomes darth vader different than has always beeen expected? Emms comments about trying to keep knowledge from others implies that its not as obvious as expected.
Emms - i am not allowed to reply to your bloggs because i am not registered. Seems like the tory (blimey i mean new labour) ID card is needed!!!
richard - nope it's how star wars historians (geeks) expected him to become darth. though the whole thing is played out very well.
as for registering - you should. imagine your own budha blog.
oddly i am beginning to feel that way about sin city the only thing that will drive me to the movie is brooooooooooooooooooooooooooooce.
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