Galaxies Far Away

Any casual Star Wars fan can tell you that the Force has a light side and a dark side. This weekend, the Denver Film Society is illustrating that split with two very different Star Wars films. Tonight, see the light side in 5-25-77, a film about a young fan who...

By Cory Casciato

December 19, 2013

Audio By Carbonatix

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Any casual Star Wars fan can tell you that the Force has a light side and a dark side. This weekend, the Denver Film Society is illustrating that split with two very different Star Wars films. Tonight, see the light side in 5-25-77, a film about a young fan who gets a sneak preview of the original movie and makes it his mission to ensure that all his friends and family are there to see the premiere. Director Patrick Read Johnson, whose real-life experience inspired the film, will be in person to talk about it. “He was a kid when it came out, and it inspired him to become a filmmaker,” explains Ernie Quiroz, programming manager for the Denver Film Society. “It’s kind of a memoir.”

When you’re ready for your trip to the dark side, the DFS has a special treat: the infamous 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. This cheap and sleazy cash-in features such atrocities as Bea Arthur singing and a squicky suggestion of Wookiee-on-human sexy times, proving that long before the prequels, Star Wars was already shitting all over its own legacy. “I kind of consider it a rite of passage,” Quiroz says. “You can’t really consider yourself a Star Wars fan until you’ve seen it.”

See 5-25-77 tonight at 7 p.m., and the Holiday Special at 9 p.m. on Saturday night, at the Sie FilmCenter, 2510 East Colfax Avenue. Tickets for 5-25-77 are $12, or $10 for DFS members; Holiday Special tickets are $10, or $7 for DFS members. For tickets and information, visit denverfilm.org.
Fri., Dec. 20, 7 p.m., 2013

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