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I've never really told anyone this, but TPM saved my life

Discussion in 'Archive: The Phantom Menace' started by Ardens_Furore, Jun 12, 2003.

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  1. StarDude

    StarDude Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2001
    Ardens_Furore, that is exactly how I feel about TPM. It is my favorite SW movie for that exact reason. It makes me forget. It washes away all my stress yet it can make me think. I have very sentimental feelings about seeing it with my friends back in 1999. That year is actually my favorite year.
     
  2. AdamBertocci

    AdamBertocci Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 3, 2002
    I'll say this for TPM.

    Aside from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", which is just something else altogether, my first showing of TPM is the best moviegoing experience I've ever had.

    The shouts, the screams, the cheering. The guys waving lightsabers. Everyone standing in the line together. The chant of "Star Wars! Star Wars! Star Wars!" as the lights dimmed.

    My AOTC screenings had their fun moments. Especially the first night. Big cheers, big applause, even three standing ovations (okay, one of them was just for the usher coming in to tell us "okay, we're gonna start")...

    There were bursts of polite applause at my LOTR screenings. Frankly, my audiences for them have sucked... (come on, someone has to be enjoying those flicks besides me! someone cheer, for God's sake! maybe I should switch theaters...)

    There were some nice cheers at my screening of the ANH SE, too.


    But not on the order of the energy and excitement and love for the film and the event that I experienced back in May '99 for that one movie about the space fights.


    Even if we're not willing to admit it sometimes, a lot of Star Wars' fun comes from the memories and experiences we build from it. I'll carry this screening of TPM with me for a looooong time.


    Nothing compares to Rocky Horror though. :D



    Rick McCallum loves you!
     
  3. Ekenobi

    Ekenobi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 4, 2002
    A lot of the fun theatre experiences have come from seeing the SW movies. No one was as excited about seeing LOTR, or TMR as they were for TPM or AOTC. Lots of cheers, lots appluading. No one even peeped at my 1 viewing of FOTR. Little bit of cheers and applause from TTT. And nothing at TMR. Thought there was only about 8 people in the theatre. But SW has always been a fun expericne to take part in. SW RULES!!!!!
     
  4. Darth-Walken

    Darth-Walken Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 27, 2001
    That's very touching. I have to admit, that many times in the past, when I have been feeling angry or upset, I have put on TPM ( or one of the other SW films ), and they have always managed to lift my spirits. They are truly great escapism :)
     
  5. AdamBertocci

    AdamBertocci Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 3, 2002
    Has anybody had a really fun LOTR screening? It really makes me mad -- perfectly good movie, and no one claps or cheers or comes in costume or gets excited.

    We had one bit of polite applause when the head orc gets decapitated in FOTR and another at the end of the film.

    We had a similar bit of polite applause when Helm's Deep got underway in T2T.

    Geez, there was more excitement for "Artoo-Detoo, your highness" at my first screening of TPM! I love Artoo as much as the next guy, but come on people, show LOTR some love!



    Rick McCallum loves you!
     
  6. DamonD

    DamonD Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Nov 22, 2002
    If you can cover my airfare to the US and a ticket to see ROTK with you, Adam, then I'll happily bring along a klaxon and tuba to make some noise with ;)
     
  7. YodaJeff

    YodaJeff Manager Emeritus star 7 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Oct 18, 2001
    For both AOTC and TPM, the theater was full of applause when the film started. When I saw X2 on opening day at a different theater, there was a little applause, but it wasn't comparable. The theater was twice as big, and there weren't even half as many people cheering.

    As for those LOTR and Matrix movies, I haven't seen any of them in the theater (heck, I haven't even seen TTT or Matrix Reloaded yet), so I have no idea what type of response they may have gotten.
     
  8. Darth-Walken

    Darth-Walken Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 27, 2001
    When I went to see TPM, everyone was cheering when the main roll up appeared, when Artoo first appeared, and when the hangar doors opened to reveal Darth Maul. There was a standing ovation at the end, and everyone in the cinema was clapping for about five minutes. The cinema I was in seated around 2000 people, and it was a full house, with lots of people dressed up as classic Star Wars characters, and lots of people waving toy lightsabres around.

    I've never been to see any other film, that got that kind of reaction.
     
  9. Green_Destiny_Sword

    Green_Destiny_Sword Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 20, 2001
    A lot of people were in costume at the Reloaded premier I went to. Including me. ;)

    even have a tattoo of the Rebel Alliance insignia.

    Wow. I have to respect that. That's love.

    The OT had a profound emotional impact on me as a child. Not nearly on the level of the original poster or Rocketgirl, but it certainly made me see things in new ways. Those are 2 good personal stories. I wish you both the best!
     
  10. BobaFrank

    BobaFrank Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 17, 2001
    I had a similiar experience back in 1999.

    My friend called me up one night about midnight and said he was going to committ suicide. I knew alot of his problems. He'd just lost his wife, apartment, job, and was on probation. I talked to him for about 2 hours and nothing seemed to be working and I ran out of things to say.

    I knew I had to keep him on the phone. Both of us grew up on the OT and TPM was only a couple of months away from being released. I finally said, "Mark, stay with us long enough to see The Phantom Menace."

    There was a scary silence on the line for a minute and I thought that was it, but he started coming around. I went over to his house after we stopped talking on the phone and convinced him to go to the hospital and talk to a professional.

    Mark is still with us today and has remarried and they have a child together. We don't talk anymore but I know TPM played some kind of part in saving my friends life that night.

    Thanks for the stories guys. :)
     
  11. Ardens_Furore

    Ardens_Furore Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 14, 2001
    I'm glad my story was interesting. But the objective of my posting has failed. I tried to only think positive thoughts but for every positive experience, there was an underlying negative experience and by dragging that out, I've come to realize that my good times were all derived from an illusion.
     
  12. Ekenobi

    Ekenobi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 4, 2002
    No Ardens you posting did not fail. We have all got something from SW. And many of these post are very positive. None of your good times were illusions. Your good times are signs that there is hope in life. That not everything is bad. And something as small as a SW film can pick things up for you. Make things feel a little better. For some, life changing. Just to feel a little flicker of some light on your life is a good start. Whether it is from a movie or from some life turning experience. Life is good. You just need to find that one thing that makes a difference.
     
  13. BobaFrank

    BobaFrank Jedi Youngling star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 17, 2001
    Well said Ekenobi. ;)

    Ardens,

    No matter what you'll always have friends here at the JC. :)
     
  14. Jedi_Learner

    Jedi_Learner Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 10, 2002
    Thanks for sharing with us. :)
     
  15. Ardens_Furore

    Ardens_Furore Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 14, 2001
    I watched TPM again and I was almost crying because it brought back old memories - things that I'll never have again. I don't know, maybe I'm biased but I can feel the emotion of the film that George Lucas intended and that everyone missed, especially the scenes on Tatooine. Maybe I just identify with it a bit too much?
     
  16. obaona

    obaona Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 18, 2002
    *hugs* :)

    It's possible to identify with Star Wars too much?! :eek: :p I think it's amazing that you really got everything that George Lucas intended - I think most of us miss at least something (having rewatched it, I find things I missed before, or emotions, or just a way of looking at it).

    And things that you'll never have again? Come on, what about Ep. III! :p Oh wait, isn't that the dark one? :p Seriously, there are many things to enjoy in life. Star Wars is simply one of them. You just have to go out and find the others.

    :)
     
  17. Geekiator

    Geekiator Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jul 2, 2003
    And it's the height of coolness to post that, isn't it?
     
  18. Darth-Mauls-Torso

    Darth-Mauls-Torso Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Feb 1, 2001
    Good God!

    Are you sure you used enough exclaimation points, chief?
     
  19. Bail-AnBillies

    Bail-AnBillies Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 21, 2002
    I understand where you are coming from Ardens_Furore. I was in grade 7 when TPM came out and it was the worst year of my life, I was horribly cynical and upset for a 12 year old (ha, I'm still cynical though) until TPM came out... and then I was happy again.

    It's odd, that was the worst school year of my life and yet the best summer of my life :D
     
  20. MELKOR-MORGOTH

    MELKOR-MORGOTH Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 7, 2003
    Ardens Furore, that was an interesting story. I can't say that Star Wars has saved my life, but I used to be like you before the ninth grade. I know where you're coming from. In 1999, TPM was the best thing of the year for me. Lucas is making big bucks, but he's created something people care about. It's a good myth. God once put something inside humankind that has vested itself in the from of myths, stories, art, music, and literature. Tolkien believed a Christian view of this. Lucas believes the same thing. The wisest thing that I've heard in Star Wars was this: "Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering." Star Wars isn't perfect, but I think it's one of the best stories the modern world has today.
     
  21. KrystalBlaze

    KrystalBlaze Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Aug 3, 2002
    I'm very happy for you, Ardens! That just goes to show everyone that movies make a difference in people's lives. *hugs*
     
  22. TheTester

    TheTester Jedi Youngling

    Registered:
    Jul 3, 2003
    My 50 cents:
    Suicide is something we will have to accept. Because todays there is no need in physical power as the animals do, the resorting goes around mental stability and self-control. Those who fail it... end theyr own life with suicide. Anyway you dont have to say that you had a time where you sought about the meaning of life and how nobody needs you. Its mental growing up and its called puberty. Nearly everyone has these thoughts.
    Im just more a fan jf self-control and I dont like the idea of living just to see a movie, may it even be an thought to survive. And I also think suicide is needed because it resorts the ones who are incapable of dealing with theyr own thoughts and life
     
  23. KosmicKnine

    KosmicKnine Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    May 31, 2002
    My 50 cents:
    Suicide is something we will have to accept. Because todays there is no need in physical power as the animals do, the resorting goes around mental stability and self-control. Those who fail it... end theyr own life with suicide. Anyway you dont have to say that you had a time where you sought about the meaning of life and how nobody needs you. Its mental growing up and its called puberty. Nearly everyone has these thoughts.
    Im just more a fan jf self-control and I dont like the idea of living just to see a movie, may it even be an thought to survive. And I also think suicide is needed because it resorts the ones who are incapable of dealing with theyr own thoughts and life


    Wow! Way to be kind and supportive there.

    [face_eyeroll]

    If this is the kind of counsel you usually give out, I seriously hope that few people come to you for advice.
     
  24. Quixotic-Sith

    Quixotic-Sith Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jun 22, 2001
    My 50 cents:
    Suicide is something we will have to accept. Because todays there is no need in physical power as the animals do, the resorting goes around mental stability and self-control. Those who fail it... end theyr own life with suicide. Anyway you dont have to say that you had a time where you sought about the meaning of life and how nobody needs you. Its mental growing up and its called puberty. Nearly everyone has these thoughts.
    Im just more a fan jf self-control and I dont like the idea of living just to see a movie, may it even be an thought to survive. And I also think suicide is needed because it resorts the ones who are incapable of dealing with theyr own thoughts and life


    As a mental health professional, I will tell you that this is the most asinine opinion I have *ever* read concerning suicide. I deal with suicidal patients - daily - and I cannot stress enough how uninformed your .50 are. I would encourage you to spend time in an in-patient setting with folks who have hit rock bottom and are incapable of seeing the means of getting back on their feet. With help and support from a caring staff, we have prevented suicide and helped folks turn their life around.

    In the context of this discussion, if I ever see you post that kind of "suicide is good" post again, I will permaban you. For many folks experiencing thoughts of self-harming behavior, your posts can and will have disastrous and irreversible effects. I am not saying that suicide is wrong - but that is a topic best served for abstract Senate discussion, and not for the particulars of one poster's life.

    On that note, Ardens, I must encourage you not to come to an internet message board for therapy. While there is an online community that welcomes your participation, it simply will not offer the kind of help you need to be happy and healthy in your life. Out-patient talk therapy, anti-depressant or mood-stabilizing medication, and/or encounter groups would be better for you by orders of magnitude. I encourage you to find the number for your local crisis line, and turn to them when you feel down. It is the policy of TF.N not to allow these kinds of threads, simply because this is absolutely the wrong therapeutic milieu.

    I am locking this thread.
     
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