Starwoids

Starring:Cecil Castellucci, Peter Genovese, Guy Klender, R.E. Asbury, Robert Meyer Burnett, Brandon Kleyla, Ofer Nave, Kevin Smith
Director: Dennis Przywara
Studio: Indie DVD
Product Type: DVD

Description

On April 7th, 1999, lines formed at the Mann's Village and Chinese theaters to see the first Star Wars film in 16 years. Filmmaker Dennis Przywara actually stood in line for 42 days to capture the frenzy caused by the release of Star Wars Episode I! True fans clashed over those dramatic weeks as a rivalry ignited between the lines. Meet the fans behind the phenomenon from a Bob Fett musician, a woman who drives an X-Wing automobile, fans crashing Skywalker Ranch, to a high school production of Star Wars the Musical. Starwoids goes beyond the hype to reveal the fandom, the frenzy, and the pursuit to see the most anticipated film in cinema history.

Customer Reviews:

Starwoids does precisely what it sets out to do.......2003-10-06

This portrait of Star Wars fans awaiting the opening of Episode One is entertaining, often hilarious, strangely endearing, and just generally a very well done documentary. The slice of life quality is only enhanced by the sometimes rough shooting conditions. While I like Star Wars, I'm not quite a "Starwoid," yet I still found the film emminently watchable and a great deal of fun.

For DVD viewers, the extras section is far better than I have seen in many high-budget releases. Although subtitles might have been a useful feature that is missing, make sure you catch the Kevin Smith interview, the out-takes from the Star Wars musical, not to mention the delightful and often side-splitting bantering during the director's commentary.

Overall, this documentary is more than worth its price.

Great fan doc that will stand the test of time.......2003-05-17

Holy cow, this movie is the most hilarious doc I've seen in years (And believe me, I see a lot of docs). It's almost like watching "Waiting For Guffman" or "Best In Show," but these people are not actors, they're all REAL!

The best way to describe "Starwoids" is either a "Hands On A Hardbody" for geeks or a Star Wars version of "Survivor." These people standing in line for six weeks to see a movie are out of they're freaking mind, yet you have to give them credit for being so dedicated to a movie (The Phantom Menace) that didn't really live up to it's expectations (As a matter of fact, this movie had more heart and soul than "The Phantom Menace.") Some of the better moments:

A musical Version of Star Wars with a singing, dancing Han Solo!

A rapping/DJ in a Boba Fett outfit.

A woman who designed her car like an X Wing. All weird, all funny, but most importantly entertaining.

Very well executed, directed, and edited, "Starwoids" is definitely a great documentary find that will only get better with age. Like "Woodstock," it is cultural time capsule of pure Americana. Great flick!

Good fun, kind hearted doc.......2002-05-29

I thought all fan boys (and girls) were kind of nuts and a story on Star Wars fanatics waiting to see a movie would be a great laugh. It was extremely funny, but for completely different reasons. I walked away from this doc actually caring about these people in line. Yes, they are extreme, but they create a certain bond with an each other, a bond created by all things, a piece of commercial filmmaking. The pieces between the line waiting are also a laugh riot! The guy who goes from store to store to collect figures was worth the price of the DVD alone. A well made doc, I must say. Hats off to all that were involved in making a documentary that was better than the movie it was actually MADE ABOUT!

Not Just For Star Wars Fans.......2002-05-08

I loved this documentary, and so did my wife who's not a Star Wars fan. We were both cracking up at the scene with the Jawa who couldn't keep his eye on, and the raid on Skywalker Ranch. Super Genius was awesome. He's a Hip Hop/Breakbeat DJ that wears a Boba Fett costume (complete with a turntable on his back instead of a rocket pack). His short film (available as an extra on the DVD) is wonderful. Breakdancing Stormtroopers, brought to life through stop-motion animation. I want to get his Star Wars Breakbeats CD, that he mentions on the documentary. There's a nice piece on the Star Wars Musical, that was produced by high school students in Northern California. You get an interview with one of the original Jawas from Episode IV (A New Hope), and an interview from Phil Brown (Uncle Owen). Plus all the fun and drama of waiting in line for 42 days to see the most anticipated movie of all time. The commentary is also very informative, giving you more background on the filmmakers and the people in line. Extras include an interview with Kevin Smith, deleted scenes (including more from Star Wars the Musical, the Super Genius short film and other stuff). If you're a Star Wars fan you'll want this DVD. Even if you're not a Star Wars fan you'll still enjoy it.

I can't believe I bought this movie.......2002-04-21

DO NOT BELIEVE THE REVIEWS!!! I BOUGHT THIS MOVIE STRICTLY OFF THE REVIEWS, AND I TRULY WISH I HAD NOT.

I am a Star Wars nut. I now realize that I'm not a nut of watching Star Wars lunatics. I thought this would be an interesting glimpse into another aspect of the Star Wars realm, one that's not heavily documented elsewhere. However I was unbelievably disappointed to find out that this was nothing more than a documentary of several people in the months, weeks, and days ahead of Episode 1, with 90% of it devoted to the people waiting in line. If you think standing in line is boring, you should see how agonizing it is to watch people waiting in line, especially over a period of months. This movie has no spark, no inspiration, and no appeal whatsoever...and I'll watch anything Star Wars. This film was basically the equivalent of a news program, where they stand outside a movie theater and ask people as they're waiting or as they're leaving what they think.

Description

George Lucas' STAR WARS trilogy became an cultural phenomenon almost immediately upon the first film's release in 1977. However, after the third film, RETURN OF THE JEDI, was released in 1983, fans were forced to wait 16 years for more STAR WARS action. It is no wonder then, that these die-hard "Starwoids" waited in line for weeks to get into the very first screening of Lucas' prequel, THE PHANTOM MENACE. This hilarious and fascinating documentary films these hardcore fans for the 6 weeks that they waited in line for this viewing opportunity. Entertaining and illuminating, STARWOIDS takes an in-depth look at a cultural phenomenon that many people are baffled by.

DVD:

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