Tuesday, April 12, 2005

Waiting in Line for Revenge of the Sith...for Weeks?!

I just read an article about fans already lining up to see Revenge of the Sith in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Now I am a huge Star Wars fan. Growing up I had a ton of Star Wars parphenalia: the comic books, paperbacks, models, et. al. That having been said, I cannot picture lining up to see a movie that won't be released for another six weeks!

What is worse is that the fans lining up at Grauman's cannot be aboslutely certain that Revenge of the Sith will even play there. The theatre has not booked the movie as of yet. It will definitely play at the Arclight Theater, which is apparently a few blocks away. Despite this, Star Wars fans are refusing to move the line to the Arclight. From what I gather, they simply prefer Grauman's Chinese Theatre to the Arclight. I have to admit I can understand why. I never heard of the Arclight until I read the article. I've known of Grauman's Chinese Theatre since childhood. It is perhaps the most famous movie theatre in the world besides Radio City Music Hall.

I suppose a lot of mundanes would call these fans "crazy," but as for myself I see little harm in lining up for a movie six weeks before it even opens. Of course, as I said, I cannot picture doing it myself. For one thing, I do not think it would be comfortable camping out on the sidewalks of Los Angeles for literally weeks, at the mercy of the weather and who knows what else.

For another thing I cannot see how anyone who is not independently wealthy could afford to do so. Like most Americans, I only get two weeks paid vacation from my job. I assume then that, unless all of these fans are indendently wealthy, most of them are making no money while standing in line to see Revenge of the Sith. I have to wonder how they can afford to eat or keep a roof over their heads. Anyhow, I can think of better things to do with my own time than to wait in line for a movie. Besides which, there are other things I would rather do with my vacation than wait in line for a movie for six weeks.

Anyhow, as a Star Wars fan myself I do have to sympathise with them. I wish them luck and I do wish the fans luck and I hope Grauman's does wind up showing Revenge of the Sith. Otherwise, I imagine there will be a lot of irate people...

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