My Hollywood Star, Fans, Page 1

My Hollywood Star The Fans, Page 1

Fans Waiting for Star Wars Attack of the Clones

As real as it gets... fans in the trenches arriving a little bit early for the film. These people are waiting for Star Wars, Episode II, Attack of the Clones. The film opens May 16th. These pictures were taken on May 5th. The line started on April 4th. It was hot in the sun even with the awning providing shade but the one guy who is sweating more than these folks is George Lucas. Does he still have the magic or should I say the Force?

It will not be enough to just have a fifty or one hundred million dollar weekend when this movie opens. Not only does this adventure have to outpace his previous blockbusters, but it also has to knock off Spiderman and whatever else might arrive from left field.

The most important consideration for any show business venture is the fan, the audience... the little guy who spends one billion dollars on a movie... if he (or she) likes it. Look at the people waiting in line outside of Mann's Chinese Theatre above. They are the first indicator of what will be the trend for this summer at the box-office.

The fan has always been the most important factor in entertainment. Occasionally a big cultural change takes place. Whether it is the Berlin Wall falling down or Rock and Roll music arriving following the pregnancy that occured when blues got too friendly with country. The big entertainment conglomerates were the last to know. The fans knew it in their bones and were waiting for it before it happened.

Eons ago a cave man did his impression of a wild animal that he fought. Somebody laughed. Entertainment was born. It wasn't born with the impression but with the laugh. The first fan. Probably a family member. Maybe Mom. Still it was the first fan, the first audience.

Look again at these people who are waiting for a movie experience...

So, do you have to be crazy to wait in line?

No one waits in line happily at a post office or a bank or a K-Mart. But when you wait in line at a post office or a bank or a K-Mart it doesn't tell you anything about the future. It just tells you that the post office and the bank and the K-Mart are inefficient.

The people you see above represent millions of movie goers who will follow their footsteps into the darkened aisles of the theatre after they plunk down a picture of Alexander Hamilton. These people are the pioneers who can make George Lucas smile. Not smiling just because he makes a buck or two. He has money. This is culture. This is entertainment history. This is win or lose the hearts type of gambling that only the entertainer can fully appreciate. If these people are waiting for a month to see the movie... just imagine the days and nights and weeks and months the producers have been waiting to see them.