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"Attack of the Clones" is a step forward for both the Star Wars saga flim making history.
The Plot
In "Episode II," of an eventual six-part series, creator George Lucas continues to unfold the story behind his original "Star Wars" trilogy. Important familiar characters return, such as Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman), Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), and the central Anakin Skywalker, now played by Hayden Christensen.
Other familiar characters from all of the previously released episodes appear, such as the Jedi Master Yoda, Chancellor Palpatine, as well as a budding Boba Fett.
The story is centered around Anakin's continuing journey toward the dark side. In this episode the audience starts to see the transition from the sweet, innocent and good Anakin of "The Phantom Menace," to the eventual Darth Vader of the original trilogy.
Anakin has been in training for 10 years with Obi-Wan to become a great Jedi Knight. His extraordinary abilities make him proud and headstrong, and the first signs of anger appear in Anakin, which will eventually lead him to the dark side.
The Republic is still in a tumultuous state, and Chancellor Palpatine is granted even more emergency power to hold it together. He creates a great army to defend the Republic's citizens, and the great Clone Wars ensue.-á
An attempt on Padme Amidala's life places Anakin as her personal guard, and a forbidden romance blooms between the pair, a relationship which will eventually produce Luke and Leia, the Skywalkers whose adventures are relayed in the original trilogy.
The Process
Lucas has often put himself on the leading edge of filmmaking technology; from computer-aided editing processes in the '70s, to the 95 percent digitally enhanced "The Phantom Menace." The Star Wars series has always been characterized by exceptional special effects, and Lucas tries with each successive film to trump the previous one.-á
One of the most remarkable attributes of "Attack of the Clones" is that it is one of the first films to be shot completely digital. No celluloid film was used in the making. Lucas wanted to shoot "The Phantom Menace" digitally, but the technology wasn't yet refined. Sony eventually produced the high-definition video cameras required for such an undertaking, and a final working camera was delivered to the crew only weeks before filming began.-á
According to Boeing Digital Cinema, the benefits of producing films in digital format include less distinction between production and post-production. Sequence editing can begin as soon as a take is finished.
Another advantage is that digital film will look exactly the same on the thousandth showing as it did on the first, unlike celluloid, which fades and gets scratched, etc.-á Another advantage is the cost. A digital film can be distributed virtually for free, unlike the multi-millions it costs now to produce thousands of copies of celluloid film. The one big hitch is theater owners are hesitant to pay the upwards of $150,000 per theater for an upgrade that will not immediately have a great direct benefit for them, BDC said.
Lucas predicted back when "Episode I" was released that there would be 2000 such digitally equipped theaters by the release of "Episode II."-á There are currently 23 theaters across the country which will be showing "Attack of the Clones" in all its digital glory.-á
Boeing Digital Cinema, which produces the digital theatres, is scheduled to have 40 opened by the end of summer, and perhaps 100 by the end of the year.
The desire of Lucas and other filmmakers is that eventually all movies will be shot digitally. The industry, however, is slow to respond.
The nearest digital theaters to Muncie are near Detroit and Chicago. Showtimes for Thursday are as follows:-á -á
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Birch Run, MI
Cinema Hollywood
12:15 a.m., 3:05 p.m., 5:55 p.m., 8:45 p.m. & 11:30 p.m.
Southfield, MI
Star Theatres
12:02 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 1:40 p.m., 5:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m.
Chicago, IL
McClurg -áCourt
9:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 7:00 p.m. & 10:15 p.m.
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Sources:-á Official Episode 2 press pack, official star wars website, Boeing Digital Cinema website.
The Reasoning
Originally, Lucas wrote a series of nine films, and then divided those films into three categories.-á "Episode 4," the original "Star Wars" film, is the first in the middle trilogy. According to the official The reason Lucas chose the middle trilogy was he believed they were the most important in the saga, and would be the best on film. "Episodes 1, 2, and 3," which Lucas is working on now, are the first trilogy in the series, which Lucas chose to produce as prequels to the original series. These episodes, while providing important background story for the original series, are also meant to be a series on their own. Lucas has stated that he will not make "Episodes 7, 8, or 9," and little is known about what those episodes may be about.
Muncie Movie Theater info:
ShowPlace 7
3401 W. Community Drive
Muncie, IN
According to ShowPlace 7 manager Brad Hochstedler, two of three midnight shows were sold out. The theater sold 1,185 tickets in advance.
Matinee tickets are $5.50. Regular showtime tickets are $7 adults and $5.50 students. Showtimes are as follows:
11 a.m.
12 noon
1 p.m.
2:30 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
6:05 p.m.
7 p.m.
8 p.m.
9:45 p.m.
10:20 p.m.
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