Heart of the Empire Premiere: Coverage LIVE!

Post by **Darth Spice** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:34 pm

I had an absolute blast with you all yesterday, I spoke to a very grateful Jay Thompson today and he couldn't say enough! THANKS GUYS!!! AND a very special thanks to Jen Loomis for spearheading the mission!

http://www.sandtroopers.com/events/hote_premiere/

Post by **psykojedi7956** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 1:46 pm

We should also thank Ryan (bankyscout) as without his "encouragement" of the Wisconsin Film Festival directors, the WFF may not have had the opportunity to showcase the film. He also made sure we had the support of the Union staff, and had a place to change and have our special showing.

Post by **TKvanB** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 4:45 pm

AWESOME article Chris!

Post by **bassclarinets** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 5:23 pm

psykojedi7956 wrote:We should also thank Ryan (bankyscout) as without his "encouragement" of the Wisconsin Film Festival directors, the WFF may not have had the opportunity to showcase the film. He also made sure we had the support of the Union staff, and had a place to change and have our special showing.

I will wholeheartedly 2nd this! Ryan did SO much work for getting this troop off the ground and for setting things up - I got to play secretary for Ryan a LOT for this troop because of his work hours, and without his contacts and knowledge of the WFF, a LOT of our stuff would not have turned out so well!

Jen

Post by **Darth Spice** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 8:45 pm

Then you get guys who write stuff like this:

http://www.dane101.com/arts/2007/04/13/ ... _an_empire

LIKE Washko said, people will always have their opinions.

Post by **TB 0101** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:17 pm

You can tell whoever it is feels guilty about not liking it...or you could if not for the bash in the first paragraph

Was "fanatic" really the right word?
I missed it so I can't comment on quality, but I know the people I've spoken with who went all loved it. That always says more to me than some random outsider's view...

Post by **bassclarinets** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 8:00 am

And then there are blogs like this .. (he sure got the morning show jackass part right!

)
http://www.madison.com/tct/blogs/thomas ... 99&ntpid=2

"Heart of an Empire," 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Wisconsin Union Theater.

There's a moment in the documentary "Heart of an Empire" in which a group of costumed "Star Wars" fans are being interviewed by some morning-show jackass. And the fans in stormtrooper outfits are trying to talk about their charitable activities, and the TV reporter all but cuts them off to ask them stuff like "Any of you not single?"

Will "Heart of an Empire" change hearts and minds about hardcore "Star Wars" fans? Doubtful -- there's always something inherently fascinating and funny about a grown man standing in a Darth Vader outfit. But "Empire," which screened Saturday, does do a lot to undercut the sneering "living in their parents' basement" stereotype, so much so that I have second thoughts about posting that YouTube clip where Triumph the Insult Comic Dog insults "Star Wars" fans. Plus, NBC pulled the clip over a copyright dispute.

The film does have its funny moments, whether its Vader giving away the bride at a wedding or a Stormtrooper in costume ordering popcorn at a movie theater. But the movie is mostly poignant, tremendously so at times, as it shows these costumed weekend warriors visiting very sick children in hospitals and raising money for good causes.

It's a first feature, and definitely has its problems -- there's a subplot about dissension within the ranks of that's hopelessly confusing, and writer-director Jay Thompson's decision to add a big "what-I've-learned" exclamation point at the end of the film is a mistake. But what I loved about the film is seeing how these excited kids and these committed adults bonded over their mutual love of the "Star Wars" movies.

On kind of a meta-journalism note, there were a bunch of members of the "Midwest Garrison" dressed in costume at Thursday's screening, and one of the ironclad rules of journalism is that if you see someone standing around in a "Star Wars" costume, you go interview them.

So after the screening, there was a Darth Vader and about six Stormtroopers standing around, and for some reason I made an instant beeline to the Darth Vader. As if he was actually their leader or something just because he was wearing the costume -- the idea of interviewing a lowly Stormtrooper never entered my head.

Sorry, guys. Call me when you can crush a guy's windpipe with your mind, okay?

jen

Post by **Darth Spice** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:21 am

Since when did you need a mind to crush a windpipe? A bat works just as good! It was difficult for me to watch the film as a parent, as that day I get a phone call out of the blue like Albin did could come. Could it have been better? Sure. Couldn't every thing be better in opinion? I think it's morally irresponsible to report it in this type of fashion. I don't know if I would feel this way if I wasn't such a fan but I do think it's kinda *bad.

Post by **bassclarinets** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 10:21 am

Here is my take on the movie (I loved it!)

HoaE is a great movie that I could show to family, friends, and others to explain WHY i spend so much time working on costumes. It shows others how children and their families look to us to be a beacon of light in a difficult and trying time. The movie also shows another thing that I find so great about the 501st - It shows how we are all friends, even though we may have differences from time to time. If something happens to one of our friends, we will all work together to try to help a friend out! We aren't just a small group of friends either, its a HUGE, international group of friends who will always be there for you, through thick and thin!

HoaE, although two of the stories are sad, shows how we will stick together and help out a friend when they need us. I have sat through chemo with my grandmother and know a lot of people who have fought though cancer, and although watching children go through putting poison into their systems to try to kill the cancer was incredibly difficult, it is good to see how seeing stormtroopers and Star Wars characters can bring a smile to their eyes (and lips and faces), and can give them something to talk about with medical staff, their families, and their friends. We don't do this to make ourselves seem to be bigger people than everyone else (look at the media lashings that we typically get and teasing that we get from the public), but when we can make JUST ONE PERSON's day better, that is precisely WHY we troop!

I LOVED HoaE and cannot wait to see it again or have it on DVD.

Jen

Post by **JKOutcast** » Wed Apr 18, 2007 2:56 pm

Darth Spice wrote:Since when did you need a mind to crush a windpipe? A bat works just as good!

I was thinking a boot heel or the butt of an E-11, but yeah a bat works too

.

bassclarinets wrote:Here is my take on the movie (I loved it!)

HoaE is a great movie that I could show to family, friends, and others to explain WHY i spend so much time working on costumes. It shows others how children and their families look to us to be a beacon of light in a difficult and trying time. The movie also shows another thing that I find so great about the 501st - It shows how we are all friends, even though we may have differences from time to time. If something happens to one of our friends, we will all work together to try to help a friend out! We aren't just a small group of friends either, its a HUGE, international group of friends who will always be there for you, through thick and thin!...

... but when we can make JUST ONE PERSON's day better, that is precisely WHY we troop!

I LOVED HoaE and cannot wait to see it again or have it on DVD.

Jen

Amen to that Sister!