Marathon Man

As my friends know, I am a lifelong Star Wars fan. Last September, with a golden opportunity to make a charming first impression in a class, I answered an ice-breaker activity, with steely resolve and no hint of hesitation, "My name is Francis, and my favorite movie is The Empire Strikes Back". I should have known that any hope of making friends was doomed.

Well, in December, I found myself with a sudden urge to undertake a Star Wars marathon, going from Episode I, The Phantom Menace, straight through to Episode VI, Return of the Jedi. Needless to say, I never even started because finals got in the way. One can only wonder what the experience would have been like (though I did get a taste in 1997 when I saw all three Special Edition films in a theater, back-to-back-to-back).

So, I'm checking out some websites that I frequent, and what do I find but this. Looks like someone beat me to the punch, on no less of a day than New Years Eve. I've come to the conclusion that I will indeed attempt this feat at some point, hopefully with good versions of all six films, fully aware that the endeavor will surely be better in theory than in practice. But, what's a fan to do? If anything, it will be an attempt to either finally appreciate the prequel trilogy or to renounce it forever within the context of the Star Wars pantheon.

Other marathons I've considered recently include Lord of the Rings Extended Edition and The Rocky Quadrilogy (I refuse to watch Rocky V again and cease to accept it as a member of the Rocky saga. Don't even get me started on the upcoming Rocky VI).