Friday 27 May 2016

What's the record number of times anyone has seen Star Wars? Anyone beat 102?

A 1977 audience waits in line to see Star Wars



Last time at Episode Nothing, we considered the case of Daniel Henning, a boy who saw Star Wars 102 times – and not on video, but in a cinema. Today, we give further consideration to the people who saw the film multiple times, and who became a key part of the Star Wars phenomenon.


Friday 20 May 2016

Did Alec Guinness really make a young fan burst into tears? The story of the boy who saw Star Wars 102 times

Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi



Today, Episode Nothing returns to the subject of Sir Alec Guinness and the contempt he came to show for Star Wars

It turns out there is a fascinating postscript to his story about the time he made a child promise never to see the film again. And it might just shed some light on the great actor’s complicated relationship to his most successful film.

Friday 13 May 2016

Star Wars Annual No. 1: The UK gets the Marvel comic in colour ... or color



The cover of Star Wars Annual no. 1 from 1978







Episode Nothing looks at the first Star Wars Annual, from 1978.  It was the book which gave UK fans behind the scenes features about the film, plus a taste of something Americans had already had – Marvel's Star Wars adaptation in colour. (Or, if you prefer, color.)





Friday 6 May 2016

The Force will be with you: Star Wars' own religion


Vader chokes Motti: Just one of the things
the Force can help you do in Star Wars


It was Star Wars Day this week – surely the only fan event which owes its date to a pun: "May the Fourth be with you."

What better time to examine the Force, the "energy field created by all living things"? Is it George Lucas's unique and personal take on religion and spirituality – or just a lot of New Age mumbo-jumbo?