COMMERCE TOWNSHIP, Mich. - "It's not about being first in line, it's about Star Wars," LSA sophomore Jon Serman said from his tent in front of United Artists' Commerce Township theater last Wednesday morning.
Serman and thousands of others who were lined up at Metro Detroit and Ann Arbor theaters were only a few hours away from purchasing tickets for "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace."
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| CHRIS CAMPERNEL/Daily So the all-mighty George Lucas put an embargo reviews of 'Phantom''s screening. But we still got to see 'Star Wars' a week before these die-hards and didn't have to wait in the rain for tickets. |
The two came prepared with a tent, lawn chairs, television, VCR and a full size barbecue grill, items commonly found with "Star Wars" fans lined up at theaters nationwide.
For Dearborn resident John Long, the first person in one of the two lines at Ann Arbor's Showcase Theater, being one of the first at the theater to purchase a ticket was worth tolerating the morning rain.
In 1977, Long had been one of the first in line to purchase tickets for the original "Star Wars."
Long began to countdown as the final moments of waiting were comin to a close.
Management at Showcase Ann Arbor told Long and others who arrived the night before that they would have to wait in their cars parked in the parking lot.
But at 4:00 a.m., two hours before they were supposed to begin lining up, Long and others ran up to the doors of the theater.
By the afternoon, more than 400 people were lined up around the theater.
For Serman, missing two days of spring term classes at the University to join Grant in line is not a major sacrifice. "Its something I've been waiting for all my life," he said.
The scene at Southfield's massive Star Theater complex had the atmosphere of a refugee camp where about 1,000 people squatted in the misting rain behind a barricade that wrapped around the side of the building. As television and radio crews swarmed in the parking lot, a cluster of fans broke out in a rendition of the Star Wars theme music.
Like at the Ann Arbor Showcase, the management of Star Southfield would not allow an official line to form until 6:00 a.m., but gave out number tags to those waiting in line to reduce confusion when tickets went on sale.
Roseville resident Gary Rock had arrived at the theater at 6:45 a.m. to hold his nephew's place in line while he was in school. He said he and his nephew are looking forward to "The Phantom Menace" with great anticipation.
"The way they put the 'Star Wars' films together is incredible," Rock said, adding that "it will be just as good (as the original trilogy) because there will be all new actors."
Substitue teacher Sharon Laing, a former Albion College student, said she is missing work to get tickets for twenty of her friends at the Star Southfield. Laing said she and her friends from college were always enamored with Harrison Ford's character, Han Solo from the original trilogy. "We used to have a life-size cardboard figure of Han Solo in our apartment," she said.
Many of those waiting in line said they trust Lucas to produce a stunning movie. "George Lucas has been a great influence on my life," said Josef Plosky, a student at the Motion Picture Institute of Michigan.
"The world of Star Wars sticks with you through your life," Plosky said.
Although he arrived at 3:30 a.m. at the theater, he was only able to get 358th place in line. "Its a kids movie, but all these people were a part of the original," Plosky said.
"The fans need to get it out of their system," he said. The crowd at Ann Arbor Showcase began to cheer as the management let the first 25 people in line into the theater at 3:00 p.m. to purchase tickets.
"We want everyone to be calm and orderley," a Showcase security officer announced over a public address system.
When Long exited the theater with12 tickets for the movie's first showing in hand, he held them up to those still in line, yelling and screaming. "Two days of waiting ... it was so worth it," he said.
Long said he and his friends would line up two hours before showing time to ensure they would get the best seats in the theater.
After the fans have satisfied their longings and had their full of "Episode I," they will return to work or school and will be able to get on with their lives in a peaceful state of mind - at least until "Episode II" is released.
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05-17-99
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