Now We're Just Lukewarm Fans

2015 Comic-con: Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, and Harrison Ford  (ew.com photo)

Of the three leads in the Star Wars original trilogy, Mark Hamill is perhaps the least well known. In a recent conversation with Rolling Stone, his perceptive observations suggest that he should be interviewed more often. Excerpts:

I call 'em UPFs: the Ultra Passionate Fan. 'Cause there's fans who like the movie and, go, "It was well done and I enjoyed myself. Now I wanna see the James Bond" — and then there are the UPFs. It's changed their lives: "I got into movies because of this," or "I met my wife online [because of Star Wars]"....And I understand obsessive-compulsive entertainment impulses. I have many, many, many, many of them.


On Harrison Ford playing Han Solo again: "Why wouldn't he? I mean, that's sort of like the archetype of the modern, cynical, skeptical leading man. To me, there's no way to overestimate his contribution to the success of those movies – because the idea of the Force and this clueless farm boy who's uneducated, it's too bland. You need a little spice, a little abrasiveness ... somebody who's only in it for the money. When Han Solo is cynical, it takes away that weapon from all the cynics in the audience and allows them to enjoy it the way it should be enjoyed."

On the disappointment of ending the tale just when Luke had become a Jedi: "I made the analogy it's like telling the story of how James Bond got his license to kill and then ending the story there. Because I just got to be what I wanted to be — and that's the end of the story? So yeah, there's that."

I'll tell you another thing you should never say in front of a crowd of Star Wars fans – which I heard from George first on the set. The phrase that I used in front of like 5000 fans pumped to the gills, ready to see the trailer was, "It's only a movie."

"I'm on the 'If it tastes good, don't eat it' diet." I mean, my trainer said you pick a day and you can cheat. And I don't like that; it just doesn't seem right. I was raised in such a strict upbringing. My father was in the military, he's staunch Roman Catholic, Nixon Republican ... you can picture it.

We stood in line for Star Wars on the day after it opened at the Coronet in 1977. For The Force Awakens we're waiting until after the New Year, when the crowds have died down. In 38 years, just like Luke Skywalker, we've changed a bit.

The Death of Spock

(Popular Mechanics photo)

Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played Spock, died today at the age of 83.

I missed Star Trek when it first came out but became an avid viewer of the reruns during the 1970's. We joined the legions that yearned for more tales (there were only 79 episodes in the original series) of the Starship Enterprise. Yes, we confess to watching the cartoons--excuse me, the animated series--on Saturday mornings.

The spectacular success of 1977's Star Wars caused the studios to green-light numerous science-fiction projects, Star Trek among them. By 1982, when Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan was released, Kirk, Spock, the Enterprise, and other members of the cast had become popular icons.

We saw the Wrath of Khan the first weekend (movie critics were diligent about not revealing spoilers), and watched in stunned silence as Spock died at the end to save the Enterprise. How dare they kill off a beloved character?

I confess to shedding a tear at the memorial service, in which William Shatner's short eulogy ranks with his best acting as Captain Kirk. The ceremony culminated with the release of Spock's casket into space, accompanied by the bagpipe strains of Amazing Grace, an instrument-music combination that has since become a cliché.

Spock's character was resurrected in Star Trek III two years later, an interval that we fans felt interminable, and Leonard Nimoy went on to more success not only playing Spock but directing, writing, hosting, producing, and acting. A life that brought many hours of enjoyment to millions of fans came to a close earlier today, but it was his character's movie death that I'll always remember. R.I.P.

At the Coronet in 1977

Occasional late night Star Trek reruns weren't enough to sate our science-fiction appetite in the1970's.

[Digression: kids, in that distant decade there was no way to record Star Trek or any other TV program for later viewing; there were no shows or movies on DVDs, "VHS" or "Betamax" tapes, or "laserdiscs" that you could rent from neighborhood stores; and there was certainly no cable TV or satellite TV with a science-fiction channel.]

We had seen a 1976 futuristic movie called Logan's Run that had pretty decent special effects, much better than Star Trek. Then I heard about a movie called "Star Wars" that was supposed to be even better.

Star Wars opened at San Francisco's Coronet theater on May 25, 1977, and we went to see it on the second day. Though we were an hour early, the line went around the block. The 1,350-seat theater was sold out, and we were lucky to get seats in the back. At least they were not in the front row.

The Coronet had a giant curtain that parted as the movie was about to start. Curtains were a feature found only in the old, classy theaters; they hardly exist anywhere today.

The 20th Century Fox logo appeared, the familiar trumpet fanfare sounded, then surprisingly continued a few extra bars, the notes rising in anticipation of the entrance of something grand. Text ("It is a period of civil war...") started scrolling through space, and we were transported to a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

From its opening scene I knew that we were watching something special. The Imperial star destroyer filled the screen. In close-up it didn't look cheesy, like 1950's flying saucers or, dare one say it, some of Star Trek's hastily put together vessels, weapons, and fake-looking aliens.

The special effects, John Williams' score, the distinctive characters, the rapid pacing, humor, and, most of all, the vivid details of George Lucas' world(s) all came together in a way that science fiction fans had never seen before.

It was only the second day of the movie, but I could hear people behind me reciting the lines before they were spoken. We were witnessing the birth of a phenomenon.

(This week the Chronicle ran some pictures of people standing in line at the Coronet and is hoping some would come forward for where-are-they-now stories.)

Star Wars, Day 4 (May 28, 1977) - Chron photo