February 2, 1995
Before Dec. 27, Star Wars fans could only see their favorite characters on the screen.
Now, thanks to "The Art of Star Wars," a 10,000 square-foot exhibit at the Center for the Arts at Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco, fans and nonfans of "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi" can admire characters such as the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO.
Visitors get to see close-up more than 400 models, costumes, props and paintings that were in the movie and used as prototypes for characters or ships.
Inside, the first two items visitors see are a life-size costume of the sinister Darth Vader, and Yoda, the wise Jedi master who taught Luke Skywalker about the Force in "The Empire Strikes Back."
Visitors observe, up-close, details that were put into the models for the movie. If visitors look closely in the Millennium Falcon's cock-pit, located in the ship model section of the exhibit, they can see a one-inch picture of Bo Derek pasted on the ceiling.
In addition to the detail, visitors are also told how some ships and weapons were made.
The escape pod used by R2-D2 and C-3PO in the beginning of "Star Wars," for example, is really two paint cans glued together. Darth Vader's light saber is a handle that was taken off of an old camera.
In a 1976 trailer, George Lucas introduced movie-goers to "...an adventure unlike anything on (their) planet. Star Wars, the story of a boy, a girl, and a universe. It's a big sprawling space saga of rebellion and romance. It's an epic of heros and villains, and aliens from a thousand worlds."
But what draws people to look at items from a movie more than 15 years old?
"Star Wars is something so fantastical," fan Kathryn Saussy said, "there is so much myth: The evil father, good verses evil, Yoda and the message of the Force. It's a real fairy tale.
"It's still real to me," she said. "Seeing C-3PO, I thought he was going to move."
The mystical power of the Force is what draws others to the "Star Wars" epic.
"The Star Wars movies give people a language to talk about supernatural energy though the Force," said visitor Darren Murtha. "(The movie) gives me the belief that there really is other life out there. The Force has given me hope in a troubled world."
Other fans are excited about the exhibit because it gives them an opportunity to tell how "Star Wars" is a part of their lives.
The exhibit has attracted people ranging from age eight to 80, said Communications Associate Matthew Garfein.
"I like the imagination that goes with it. The movies take you to a land that you've never seen before," said 80-year-old Vera Marcus.
Arthur Battaglia, who saw Star Wars three times on its opening day in May 1977, believes the films were successful because of their realism.
"The attention to detail is what makes this film so different," he said, pointing to Luke Skywalker's life-size landspeeder. "(The landspeeder) could have been shiny white or black, instead they used an old machine to make it look like it came out of someone's garage."
Even non-Star Wars fans can enjoy the exhibit.
"I liked 'Alien', but the concept art (at the exhibit) is pretty incredible," said Larry Prager, pointing to a prototype for Jabba the Hutt, not as the footless worm he turned out to be, but with six spider arms. "Were they (the creators) biologists? I'm sure that there is a creature somewhere out there. This to me is fascinating."
Before "The Art of Star Wars" opened, the Center for the Arts received about 100 to 300 visitors a day. Now, the center averages about 900 people during the week and 3,000 on weekends.
According to Gargein, more than 5,000 people attended the exhibit last Sunday, the centers' largest crowd.
"This is an important show because of the historical meaning to movies," Garfein said.
Today, paintings and models previously done by hand are done with computers.
After a long trip through the museum, visitors can get an extra treat if they stop in for a bite to eat at the centers' "Galaxy Cafe." Customers can order Jabba the Hutt Dogs, Wookiee Cookies, Obi-Wan Connolli and Yoda soda.
Star Wars books, t-shirts, posters and toys are also available for purchase in the Center's gift shop.
The Art of Star Wars will run through March 12. For more information call 978-2787.