TMT: Movie at the Turn
This is the next entry in a Theatre… a Movie… and a Time, a series that was begun here. Credit for this one goes to my NoCal brethren blogger mummbles, of the Rantings site. He very kindly wrote the following in a comment to my last TMT post concerning a certain film (and series):
“Like I said before I am very envious of anyone alive who enjoyed movies at this time. I am not without a similar experience, in 1999 I went to LA and saw Episode I at the exact same theater…”
Thank you for sharing that, my friend. This one is for you.
Theatre
The AMC Covina 30:
Movie
Time
May 22, 1999: twenty-two years is a lifetime for some of us. When that same stretch covers the time in-between trilogy debuts in George Lucas’ space saga, it certainly can be that. Gone was the concept of slowly releasing a film to a limited set of theaters to build it up among moviegoers in the country. That’s especially true when its blockbuster status was a virtual certainty. The movie credo by the century’s turn: open it up big and wide, nationwide. To twist a quote from another trilogy:
“Lines? Where we’re going, we don’t need lines.”
Again, more than two decades later during another Memorial Day three-day, a Star Wars film was the talk. Even among oldsters, it was. My initial scheme was to go see it sometime during that holiday weekend. Not an easy thing given that I’d have to find time away from my wonderful, and pregnant with our second, wife and our three-a-half year old son, that is. Such was the conversation my long-time golf partner and I had, be it very early this Saturday morning while on a Pasadena course.
You see, he too wanted to watch Episode I – The Phantom Menace, and had a similar domestic situation. So, instead of playing eighteen holes as planned, we both skipped the back nine. Quickly scanning a newspaper (smartphones or movies apps were yet to be invented, folks), he and I discovered the AMC Covina 30 had it on multiple screens and times. So the L.A. pastime of racing down freeways and off-ramps delivered us with minutes to spare for their 8:30 AM showing.
It was a fine last-minute plan. Of course, my buddy got in trouble for this impromptu as his spouse also wanted to see the movie. Uh-oh. Me? Nah, he says sheepishly. Mine already knew I’d figure some way to do just this. I told you she was wonderful, didn’t I?
“You can’t stop change any more than you can stop the suns from setting.”
The entire series can be found here. If you’re interested how it’s put together, click here.
It Rains... You Get Wet 
11 Responses to “TMT: Movie at the Turn”
Haha, good stuff, Michael! I love impromptu plans to hit the theater. Sounds like a really fun day.
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Yeah, it did turn out to be quite fun. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment, Eric.
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Thank you very much for the shout out! I love the story about how you skipped out on the golf in favor of this movie, great story. Looking back on it would you have rather played the golf instead?
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You’re surely welcome, m. While it’s far from the best in either of the two trilogies, the hoopla and buzz surrounding it, plus the fact that it returned everyone interested back to ‘long ago in a galaxy far, far away’, made up for it all.
BTW, if you’ve read any of the Star Wars novels in its expanded universe, I recommend Star Wars: Darth Plagueis by James Luceno. It lends backstory of the Sith, Sideous, what happens in Episode I. Enough so that it’s a more interesting story and movie afterward.
Thanks.
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Thanks for the recommendation and the cool blog!
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That’s really nice! Sounds great! Did you revisit it when it got a 3D release earlier this year?
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Yes, I did. I only wish I’d have read Star Wars: Darth Plagueis by James Luceno right before I went to see it. As I mentioned, some aspects become clearer after one has read that book. Well, all but Jar-Jar, that is ;-). Thanks GWT.
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Nice TMT story, Michael. I think this is the only Star Wars I saw on the big screen and I quite enjoyed it, my hubby had to explain a lot of the things about the SW universe as I wasn’t familiar w/ it 🙂
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That is interesting, Ruth. The only one? Wow. You weren’t then interested in seeing Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith on the big screen, I take it? Thanks for the comment.
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Reblogged this on organicgenerationteam and commented:
Love your Blog, come check us out!! If you don’t like us recommend us please!! 🙂
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Thank you very kindly. I’ll stop by and check it out.
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