‘Star Wars’ fans feeling the Force

Expect Wookie wannabes at midnight showings

For $100 or more, Kyle Billings can help you dress exactly like Darth Vader for tonight’s premiere of the sixth and last “Star Wars” movie.

Or, if you prefer, you can go costumed as a Wookie.

What Billings cannot do, however, is make you look like Harrison Ford. Only the Force can do that.

“I just had somebody five minutes ago who wanted to dress up for the premiere,” said Billings, the owner of Fun and Games in downtown Lawrence. “He was looking for a Han Solo costume — I couldn’t help him. He’ll try to piece something together.”

Southwind 12 movie theater on South Iowa Street reported Tuesday it had sold out all 800 tickets for tonight’s midnight showings of “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith.” And by early Tuesday afternoon, the first fan was already camping out in anticipation of the movie.

In classic Lawrence fashion, Jack Musick was mixing politics with his fun, setting up a tent and making signs asserting that 9-11 was an “inside job” by the government.

“I think ‘Star Wars’ is a good metaphor for America,” Musick said. “A once-great republic marching into empire.”

The original “Star Wars” trilogy was released from 1977 to 1983, telling how Luke Skywalker and his friends in the Rebel Alliance defeated Darth Vader and his evil Empire.

The new trilogy, which started in 1999 with “The Phantom Menace,” tells the earlier story of how Skywalker’s father, Anakin, grew up to become a Jedi, then succumbed to the temptations of the dark side of The Force.

Kyle Billings, owner of Fun and Games, 816 Mass., has received some of the latest, complete Star

Jason Ptaszek loves the movies. The 19-year-old Kansas University freshman won’t go see the movie tonight — he’ll wait until this weekend, when he’s back home in Minnesota, to go see “Star Wars” with his childhood friends.

“I’m going to make it a huge event,” Ptaszek said.

He plans to watch the two most recent movies — “The Phantom Menace” and “Attack of the Clones” — before heading to the theater to see “Revenge of the Sith.” After that, he’ll watch the original trilogy, which take place chronologically after the newest movie.

“You think about The Force and stuff,” he said, “and you’re like: ‘Wow. I wish I had that.'”

James Gunn, a KU professor emeritus in English, is a science fiction expert. He’ll wait for “Revenge of the Sith” to come out on video.

“I don’t mind missing the mobs,” Gunn said.

‘Fairy tale’

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Strictly speaking, Gunn said, “Star Wars” isn’t science fiction. “I think it’s a fairy tale dressed up in science fiction furniture,” he said.

But the movies did help make science fiction more acceptable — even popular — in popular culture.

“When I was growing up, science fiction films were on a smaller scale,” Gunn said, “made quickly and cheaply, and they were the second feature, not the main feature.”

Things have changed. Billings said he has received more than two dozen calls in the last week from “Star Wars” fans who want to see the movie dressed as a black-robed villain or green-skinned alien.

“If they’re spending any money, they don’t want it to look cheesy,” Billings said. “But some people don’t care — they just want to have fun with it.”

Even Musick, the political activist, isn’t completely serious about the event.

“I’m here to raise awareness, certainly, but also to have fun,” he said. “It’ll be a good movie.”

It’ll also be good business. John Ratzlaff, manager at Southwind 12, expects the theater will be busy selling tickets throughout the weekend.

“It’s expected,” Ratzlaff said, “to be huge.”

Here’s a beginner’s guide to the “Star Wars” saga. (Warning: If you haven’t seen the films, these could be considered spoilers.)”Episode IV: A New Hope” (1977) Luke Skywalker joins Ben Kenobi and Han Solo to rescue Princess Leia from the Death Star. Skywalker then leads a successful attack to destroy the Death Star. Total box office receipts: $460 million.”Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” (1980) While Luke Skywalker trains to become a Jedi, Leia and Han elude the Empire’s pursuit. They’re caught, and Luke faces Darth Vader in a climactic lightsaber battle. Total box office receipts: $290 million.”Episode VI: Return of the Jedi” (1983) Luke Skywalker faces down Darth Vader and turns him back to the good side of The Force. Vader kills the emperor. The Rebel Alliance gains a final victory over the Empire. Total box office receipts: $309 million.”Episode I: The Phantom Menace” (1999) Anakin Skywalker, a plucky slave from Tatooine, is rescued by Jedi, then helps turn back an attempt by the Trade Federation to assert control over Naboo. Total box office receipts: $431 million.”Episode II: Attack of the Clones” (2002) Anakin Skywalker, now an apprentice to Obi-Wan Kenobi, seeks out the would-be assassin of his secret love, Padme. Total box office receipts: $310 million.”Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” (2005) Anakin Skywalker succumbs to the dark side of The Force and becomes Darth Vader.Regular tickets are $7.75 at Southwind 12 theater in Lawrence. Tickets can be purchased online at fandango.com, though tonight’s midnight showings at Southwind 12 are sold out.