These days it is not unusual to see a tornado through the windshield or a dinosaur in the rear-view mirror. On the big screen, we hardly give it a second thought, we have become so used to computer generated images in movies.
But in 1977, when rebel lasers first blew up Imperial Fighters and lit up space with explosions, the spectacle stunned children and adults alike. As a Death Star was destroyed, a Jedi culture was born.
Today marks the 30th anniversary of the release of the first “Star Wars” movie, and many of those young American Jedi are now in their late 30s and 40s.
Cris Macht of Gilberts, Ill., has a new “Star Wars” documentary out titled “The Force Among Us.” (DVD available at theforceamongus.com.) In it, he introduces several fans, including:
– A man who said he fulfilled a childhood dream by joining an organization where everyone dresses as Darth Vader’s stormtroopers.
– A woman who talked about making the revealing chain-link Princess Leia slave costume to wear for her husband on their anniversary: “It’d be hard to hide making it for him. It might backfire. He might want me to wear it all the time.”
But while fans like these are many, Macht’s goal is to break the stereotype that all “Star Wars” fans are geeks and go to premiers dressed as Darth Vader.
The film is intensely personal to Macht. His dad passed away in 1982, and at age 7, Cris became the head of the household, which included a younger brother and sister. He says he had to grow up fast, and he felt like he missed much of his childhood. Then he rediscovered “Star Wars” and started watching it differently.
“I wanted to go back to a better time — to childhood. [Star Wars] was like a time machine. I started watching the movie deeper,” Macht said.
He particularly identified with the story line about Luke trying to know his father.
“These films can be used as a tool to get through the hard times that life throws you,” Macht said. “They show you that there is a new hope for tomorrow.”
One parent in the documentary explains how “Star Wars” films and action figures finally got his autistic son to “come out of his shell.” Finally, father and son had something fun they could do together.
John Tenuto, professor of Sociology of the College of Lake County, conducted a study on “Star Wars” stereotypes and is featured in the film. He says part of the movies’ popularity was the timing.
“They came out after Vietnam and Watergate, when there was a lot of confusion about heroes. The first three [movies] were basic: Good was good; bad was bad. People needed that,” Tenuto said.
Tenuto says, like any art, the movies fulfill a need. One fan in the documentary said the “Star Wars” story line fulfilled a need for ethical guidance.
“I grew up in a rough family situation. ‘Star Wars’ gave me values as a kid that I didn’t get from my parents. I learned about good and evil from ‘Star Wars.'”
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lpotash@tribune.com
