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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Chic, IL what is your favorite fan moment?

Discussion in 'MidWest Regional Discussion' started by darthgoat, Apr 22, 2004.

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  1. darthgoat

    darthgoat Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 6, 2001
    as a fan, we do lots of seemingly crazy things because we are fans! lining up for months for movies, midnight madness at toy stores, costumes, toys, dvds, etc etc. the list is literally endless. now outside of the amazing friendships that you've forged, because we all know that this is the single greatest thing to come out of being a fan; what is your absolute favorite moment of being a fan.

    i've got two.

    back in 1999, after the release of TPM i decided i wanted my own lightsaber. not just any saber, i wanted the first saber we ever see on screen, Luke's saber. my search began in june of 1999 and ended in september when i finally got a Graflex and finished the saber. i gave this to my father for his birthday that year. his only response when he saw it was, "Holy sh&^!"

    my second moment was also in 1999. specifically it was midnight madness at Toys R Us.

    i lined up at 7:00 pm at the Toys R Us on Rand Road. there were already people in line. i was like number 15 or so. everyone was hyped off the trailer for Ep1 and everyone was talking about the toys they'd found released early at a nearby Service Merchandise. much BS-ing about EU books and comics and of course the films.

    at about 10:00pm there were well over 200 people in line. two people had gotten the sabers from the Service Merchandise and were reenacting the saber duel from the trailer while the 200+ crowd cheered them on.

    finally 12:00 hit and we rushed into the store. it was an astonishing sight. i still haven't seen anything close. 200+ people scrambling in an almost berserker buying frenzy for these toys. amazing.

    i didnt buy much that night. i got a couple figures, the maul saber, and anakin's pod but it was the experience that i really remember. that was my first real brush with fandom and being a fan. i guess i didnt realize it till then. that probably is why this sticks out in my mind.

    whats your favorite fan moment.
     
  2. Bosh_Talk

    Bosh_Talk Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    Probably that time I killed a homeless guy that was sleeping next to a dumpster behind the theater after watching RotJ:SE in Nashville.
     
  3. ThomSolo

    ThomSolo Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 21, 2002
    I think my favorite fan moment, if I ever had to single one out, was dueling JediAutobot with plastic lightsabers in front of the Channel 7 cameras, back at the AOTC lineup.
     
  4. Le_Penguin

    Le_Penguin Jedi Youngling star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2000
    I always have a really nice time at the Christmas parties: lots of SW fans hanging out together and only sometimes discussing Star Wars. I think that's the best case to be made for fandom.

    As far as personal fan experience goes, it's gotta be the first screening of Episode I at good ol' McClurg Court. Sure the movie was a disappointemnt overall, but I loved hearing the audience (and myself) cheer when R2 repaired the queen's ship in mid-flight, and it was such a rush to see the Star Wars titles start to roll and relize that -for the first time in 16 years- I had no idea what was going to happen next.

    I also got a kick out of being in line for EpI on Sunday afternoon. The Chicago Force (whoever the hell they were) had just started to show up, and tentative introductions were being made as some loser in an Indy hat gave Chris and I the stink eye while he and his flunkies set up their camp. As an added bonus, Roger Ebert strolled by (apparently out shopping, judging by the bags he carried,) asked about what was going on, then returned an hour later (and a day earlier than any other reporters) to do some interviews and hang out with the fans.

    -Le Penguin,
    whose low point in fandom was that Saturday when Chris and I spent our first night on the street, with the temperature dropping into the low 40s/high 30s. Thankfully, that's the last time I've had to cuddle up to another man (it was for warmth, dammit!)
     
  5. Schph_Gochi

    Schph_Gochi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    I actually have 3...
    I guess I would have to say (since I missed a lot of other things)that it was just going to see Episode One on the big screen....I had a true knot in my stomach...and was glad to know that Star Wars was back...at least for 3 movies....

    the other two involve costuming...and they were both the same day....

    The morning "Children's Costume Parade" in my Jedi costume among all of the costumers that came downtown for the parade that was cancelled....it was something very special...and I guess the downtown visitors thought so too as all of us marched along the streets of downtown and actually caused an accident in front of the Art Institute.
    then later that same day at the "South Suburban Symphony" and being part of the "Imperial March" march....as much as I didn't really want to do it...I am glad that I did....it was amazing to be in costume and marching with other costumers to the sounds of John Williams music....



     
  6. DarthAstuart

    DarthAstuart Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 28, 2000
    lepengy, that freak in the Indy hat was superpissed that we got beat out for the front spots in line...

    god, those were insane days...i remember so many intense, obsessive confersations about how we were gonna be first...when to line up...and what started us off was a rumor that mancow was coming down monday morning to start the line. :)

    this is a great topic! but a tough question. i have so many great memories...i know we all do. i have several that come to mind quickly...in order of awesomeness to me.

    3) my friend steve and I went to mcclurg on opening night to see the craptacular independence day JUST so we could catch the trailer for the ANH SE. THAT was another electric moment...the theater went nuts. that tiny TV on that huge theater screen, and then the X-Wing flying straight out at you...awesome. great trailer.

    2) the opening crawl for Episode I. i teared up like a baby. it was such an exhausting couple of weeks, it was so much fun, and there was so much anticipation...and then it actually started. unreal.

    (i also cried after the movie, but for different reasons. ha!)

    (this is also why the hair on the back of my neck stands up when I even THINK about the end of that documentary, "the beginning," on the epI dvd...all those fans screaming their asses off as mccallum walks down the aisle...lightsabers flying everywhere...you can feel the electricity, and it always makes me think of our opening at mcclurg in chi-town.)

    1) just the whole CII experience. Chicago Force was there with a fan table, which felt like such a great vindication that we were doing good work and we had made it so far from our humble roots. as one of the leaders of the group and one of its founders, it just made me so happy and proud that we could pull that off. and the charge of being around so many happy star wars fans for such a long period of time...just amazing. i think i had a big dumb grin on my face every minute of the entire con.

    toy runs on the drive down, shooting that jango fett standee with the toy guns, boshtalk almost popping mccallum in the face, wandering around indy to find an open liquor store, running into luminaria unduli outside the con right after the show closed on sunday...best time ever.

    i effing love us.
     
  7. ThomSolo

    ThomSolo Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 21, 2002
    other favorite SW fan experiences....

    - going to see the last showing of AOTC at McClurg Ct... there were maybe a dozen people there, at most, and we didn't talk to each other, really, but it was still a unique experience

    - crashing the C2 hall early with Rex, and evading the security people by flashing our Chicago Force badges ;)

    - being there for "The Magic of Myth" opening at the Field Museum... my first big event as a CFer, really
     
  8. Le_Penguin

    Le_Penguin Jedi Youngling star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 26, 2000
    Thom, I could swear you were part of the EpI line.

    Oh well, I was probably just drunk and/or sleep deprived.

    I had a great time at the Magic of Myth opening, tho I was always disappointed in the way the museum handled the exhibit. They overcrowded the exhibit, lessening the experience for visitors; then they went and downplayed the overall attendece figures (dog forbid they admit that Star Wars outdrew the Dead Sea Scrolls.)

    Still, it was a beautiful show, and I'll never forget being able to see the world (or at least the exhibit) through the eyes of an Imperial Guardsman.

    How many others got to attend the entertaining-but-ill-concieved SUE/MOM seminar?

    -Le Penguin
    "Put an end to this farce."
     
  9. Bosh_Talk

    Bosh_Talk Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    OK, besides the homeless guy.......

    Well, I have to say that opening day for Return of the Jedi is my most fond memory. I was 12 and ditched school. The theater in my neighborhood was the ONLY theater in town that was going to play it, a single screen. Huge line & a media madhouse, I also met so many cool people who were hard-core fans. That certainly shaped my target for fandom being geared more towards the camradarie of Star Wars fandom than anything else.

    Like Dart Astuart....at the Episode One premiere when the Rebel Fanfare kicked in...the scroll started and, it was years of waiting, months of planning & days of sleeping on the streets....several hundred people who all felt the same way about this moment as myself all cheered at the top of their lungs. That was by far the coolest moment in all my Star Wars Fandom.

    Bob, I was at the MOM/SUE presentation. It was really cool, and I think that half the geek conventions around would benefit if they invited more behind the scenes movie guys to come do panels. They seem to have more cool stories than many of the actors. IE, Ben Burt's panel at CII was by far one of the coolest moments of the con, and his stories were a lot more interesting than most of the others (IMHO). If he gives another at CIII I'll stand in line for it.
     
  10. Sebulba-X

    Sebulba-X •X C2 C3 MW RSA• star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2000
    So, right after college I was wandering around the country and I had just finished seeing the special edition of ROTJ...the details are a little fuzzy, but I think I was in Nashville at the time...Anyway, I saw the theater manager throwing away some posters in the back dumpster and I went to go check it out. They ended up being old crappier movie posters from a few months before, like "Santa with Muscles" & "Lawnmower Man 2". After I finished I was pretty tired, so I sat down on an empty milk crate and shut my eyes. Next thing I know I'm in an ambulance, covered in blood. This really hot EMT was asking me questions, trying to keep me conscious, but I just kept mumbling something about "Yoda" and "Dagobah system". It may have been the drugs, but I was sure the hot EMT grabbed her partner, and deftly disemboweled him with a laser pointer, and then used his guts to keep me warm. I pretty much blanked out after that, but a year or so later, once I came out of the coma, the first movie I watched was the ROTJ SE. Good times, good times.
     
  11. Bosh_Talk

    Bosh_Talk Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    Dude, you don't have to lie to be our friend. There's no such thing as a "laser pointer".
     
  12. Sebulba-X

    Sebulba-X •X C2 C3 MW RSA• star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Mar 11, 2000
    lol...you should have known I was lying when I said a hot chick showed any interest in me.

    Seriously, my favorite fan moments are:
    - Recreating the Battle of Hoth in the snow as a kid
    - "to the death" light saber battles with empty gift wrapping paper rolls (mostly as a kid, but as an adult too)
    - C2 FF/501st/RL party, what I remember of it anyway.
     
  13. darthgoat

    darthgoat Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Sep 6, 2001
    i'm told i was at that party at C2. alledgely, i had fun.
     
  14. Bosh_Talk

    Bosh_Talk Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 29, 2000
    I remember a guy in an 8' tall Wookiee suit.
     
  15. Amber_eyes

    Amber_eyes Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 22, 2001
    No he's only 7' tall in the Wookie suit; 8' as the Wampa. He's part of one of my favorite memories: safest way to cross a street is walking next to a Wookie. Another crazy memory is Peter Mayhew wanting my CF t-shirt (well one like mine) at Wizardworld. Warwick Davis, Amy Allen, little Riley ("Mara Jade's" baby), too many to type during lunch at work!
     
  16. JodoKast74

    JodoKast74 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Mar 10, 2001
    My favorite fan moment was the first CF meeting I attended with my wife at Chesden's waaaay back in 2001. The first person I remembered talking to was Dave, who gave me such a hardy handshake that my hand still hurts. Then there was Phil, who I realized was the biggest Wierd Al fan in the known universe.
    Then we got to play Win-Lose-or Draw and I won an "expanded universe" speeder when I guessed Greedo correctly.

    On the way home, my wife turned to me and said,"Yep, you belong to them now."

    I love us!!!!!!!!!
     
  17. ThomSolo

    ThomSolo Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Apr 21, 2002
    We only want you for your BBQ, Mark, I hope you realize that....
     
  18. Schph_Gochi

    Schph_Gochi Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 17, 2002
    Hmmm.......

    new idea for a topic....

    :D
     
  19. Sithman

    Sithman Jedi Grand Master star 7

    Registered:
    Jul 6, 1999
    I saw AOTC at the opening midnight showing at the AMC 30 Barrington line up. I got there around 7PM with four of my best friends. I was dressed up as a Jedi, had brought a bunch of plastic lightsabers, and a boom box with the Star Wars soundtracks. It was freakin' cool. This was before I had gotten involved in my local fanforce, so meeting other fans face-to-face was just incredibly awesome. I can still remember lightsaber dueling in line with 500 other Star Wars fans on that warm summer evening in my Jedi outfit and Weird Al's "Yoda" playing on my boom box.

    Then, as it got closer to 10PM or so, one of my friends brought his Jar Jar mask out and I stuck in on my head-- essentially becoming a "Jar Jar Jedi". I started walking up and down the line with the horde of stormtroopers and tuskens and other costumed fans yelling, "Jar Jar lives forever!" Needless to say, I started to get heckled (in a joking, and good natured manner) from fans booing my Jar Jar mask. Finally, one brave fan stepped out of the line and challenged Jar Jar to a duel. He said he'd been wanting to kill Jar Jar for a long time. So we dueled it out right there in front of hundreds of cheering Star Wars fans-- Jar Jar Jedi vs. angered fanboy, plastic lightsabers glowing in the fading light. Then, he got in the killer blow and I did an exaggerated collapse to the pavement. The other fan raised his saber victoriously in in the air and the crowd went nuts. Ahhh, it was great.

    Once we got into the theater, we had an awesome time. The theater manager gave away posters and prizes to people who could answer Star Wars trivia questions, Stormtroopers patrolled the aisles and everyone was pumped just waiting for the movie to start. And when it did, I knew I was with the best crowd in all of Chicagoland. They cheered at the right parts, laughed at the right parts, and everything was just awesome!

    But what I truly could not anticipate was when Yoda hobbled in on his cane. As soon as you could see his shadow, people started to hoot and cheer. They quieted down for a moment as Dooku and Yoda minced words. It was the calm before the storm. Then it happened. Yoda pulled back his robe, yanked his saber out, and all hell broke loose. The theater went nuts. People stood on their feet and cheered at the top of their lungs. I still remember not being able to hear hardly any of the music or sound effects during the duel because we were cheering so loud. But I didn't care. I couldn't help myself-- I jumped up and screamed along with all of them. This was Star Wars at its best.


    And that, my friends, is my fondest memories of seeing Attack of the Clones in theaters.
     
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