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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

‘Star Wars’ Attracts The Next Generation Spiffed-Up Space Saga Draws Hundreds Back To Theaters

Kevin Blocker And Eric Torbenson S Staff writer

Just like 20 years ago, Spokane theaters were mobbed by “Star Wars” fans Friday.

“The Force” wasn’t strong enough to squeeze them all inside, however.

Hundreds of devotees of the sci-fi trilogy were turned away on the opening day of the 1977 movie’s nationwide re-release.

By the time 18-year-old Phil Saraceno made it to the box office, the only “Star Wars” tickets available were for today’s showings.

Saraceno saw the last of the series, “Return of the Jedi,” in a theater, but was lusting for the chance to see “Star Wars” on the big screen.

“It’s supposed to be a lot better,” he said.

In Coeur d’Alene, they played hooky to see the Wookie Friday afternoon.

Showboat Cinema manager James Hansen put his crew into hyperdrive to accommodate the flood of fanatics who lined up out the door for tickets. “It takes a special kind of movie to get us in this mode,” he said. “I’ve got all my assistant managers in here to get ready.”

Back in the theater, 16-year-old Jonathan Christy sat several seats away from the rest of his family, who get annoyed because he knows the film word-for-word.

He couldn’t wait for his favorite moment, the climactic battle scene where small rebel space ships attack the moon-sized Death Star. The sequence has been slightly jazzed up in the 20th anniversary version.

Athena Christy admits she’s “insane” about the movies, having watched the space epics “hundreds of times.” She and her husband, Roger, of Hayden, Idaho, joined about a dozen friends vacationing from Portland to take in the juiced-up duel between the Rebel Alliance and the Evil Empire.

“She’s on her fourth video copy of the movie,” Roger Christy said. “She’s just nuts about the whole thing.”

While its visual effects dazzled the world in May 1977, “Star Wars”’ characters have endeared the stories to many longtime fans.

Despite wooden acting and cheesy dialogue, Luke, Princess Leia Organa and the Bigfoot-inspired Chewbacca (the aforementioned Wookie) have remained ensconced in the nation’s movie consciousness for two decades.

In an effort to boost interest in three upcoming prequels to the the “Star Wars” saga, the original movies are being re-released with spiffed-up digital effects and soundtracks.

Producers recognized that an entire generation of kids who play with “Boba-Fett” action figures (an evil bounty hunter in the movies) have never seen the movies on the big screen.

Studio executives predict the new “Star Wars,” which cost $10 million to soup-up, could gross another $100 million on top of the $323 million it has already earned.

Watching the long lines snaking outside the East Sprague Cinemas on Friday, employee Chris Graziano remembered when he was 9 and anxiously awaiting his first peek at “Star Wars” in Spokane.

“Boy, this sure brings back some memories. The lines were huge back then, like they are now,” he said.

“I can’t wait to see what things will be like this weekend when people are out of school and off from work.”

Getting first- or second-day tickets hasn’t been easy. But Mike Maxson of Spokane beat the odds.

After leaving the ticket line, Maxson whipped out his cellular phone to let his 13-year-old son know that he grabbed a half-dozen tickets for one of today’s shows.

“He got the ‘Star Wars’ trilogy for Christmas on video cassette,” Maxson said of his son. “But he hasn’t seen it on the big screen.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 photos (1 color)

MEMO: Changed from Idaho edition.

Changed from Idaho edition.