DaRK PaRTY: Why have the "Star Wars" films become so popular?

Mike: When you strip away all the special effects, Star Wars is a genuine story of good verses evil. A story of right verses wrong told in a way that is pleasing and fun to all ages. It is rather timeless. You had an original group of fans that were created by the Original Trilogy (of Star Wars movies). Then came the Expanded Universe in the early 90s that spawned many novels and comics. From there, around 1997, the Original Trilogy was re-released in theaters giving us a chance to see the films on the big screen again and gave a younger audience a chance to see them in theaters for the first time.

The prequels helped usher in more fans. Sure you have your segment of the fandom that did not get into the prequels, but many a young fan did. For every fan that was turned off, there were three more that were newly excited with the franchise. With books, comics, TV shows, video games, and collectables, there is no end in sight and a little something for every type of fan. Every piece of the Star Wars universe is someone's favorite, whether it be Boba Fett or even Jar Jar Binks.

DP: Some rabid fans have listed "Jedi" as their religion on census forms. What does being a "Jedi" mean in the "Star Wars" universe?

Mike: To live a good and honest life. To be true to yourself and those around you.

DP: Which of the six "Star Wars" films is your favorite and why? What film do you like the least?

Mike: As an adult, I love "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) mainly for the story and relationship between the characters. Everyone is much more dynamic than in "A New Hope" (1977) and I love the way the whole story plays out. On the other hand, "Return of the Jedi" (1983) was my favorite as a kid... and still is some days. I loved Lando piloting the Millennium Falcon and the space battles in
general, took things to a level not seen in "Hope" or "Empire."

DP: There are hundreds of characters in the films. What are your three favorites and why?

Mike: Lando Calrissian: Coolest cat in the galaxy. Really comes into his own in the novels (I am just as big a fan of the novels).

Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi: Loved the sarcasm in Alec Guinness' portrayal and found Ewan McGregor to be the highlight of the prequels in every way.

Luke Skywalker: He started as a simply farm boy, so he was the easiest to identify with. If something spectacular could happen to him... what about me?

DP: TheForce.net is one of the largest "Star Wars" fan sites in the world. Can you tell DaRK PaRTY readers about the site and what it wants to accomplish?

Mike: TheForce.net is run by fans for the fans. We want to get all the Star Wars news and articles out there to feed the fans hunger for more Star Wars information. It could be news on an upcoming project, news on cast appearances, or links to Star Wars related articles that people might otherwise not see.

We cover news, collecting, TV, video games, books, comics, you name it. If it has to do with Star Wars, we will cover it. We also have a very active message board and Fan Force section that allows fans all over the world to connect, share ideas and even post their fan films and art.

In a lot of ways we are like a big community center online for Star Wars fans. Regardless of what area of the Star Wars universe peaks your interest, you should be able to get your fix here. Regardless of your vice, we are all united with our general love of Star Wars.

Labels: 5 Questions, interview, Mike Barrick, Star Wars

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