As the Episode VII trailer set the interwebs abuzz with excitement last week and Wookiees are converging upon Kashyyyk to commemorate Life Day, I'm reminded of my 2010 review of Fanboys on Blu-ray, and its message: there's no better time than the present to rekindle our love for Star Wars. Thankfully the good folks at Lucasfilm agree, and recent months have brought us no shortage of cool new products to indulge our passion for the films.
So let's dig in and let The Force awaken our dormant inner geek. Our day in the suns has come, and it's time to open our presents.
STAR WARS Storyboards: The Original Trilogy ($40)
Foreword by Joe Johnston, Introduction by Nilo Rodis-Jamero, Edited by J.W. Rinzler (Abrams)
While it's an admitted "best of" and not quite complete (I was looking for the drawing of Han shooting first to further refute claims to the contrary), this dense, exquisitely laid-out volume collects a smattering of the deceptively simple hand-rendered panels used in the production of Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. For those not familiar with storyboards, these illustrations--often reminiscent of comic book panels--are carefully created by talented artists to help guide the filmmakers in composing and orchestrating the many shots in a movie.
The storyboards have been reproduced in full color, such as it is: The off-white of the originals or a single red arrow are preserved, or in some cases multiple hues were applied to give an even better sense of what he final scene might look like. We can see that the illustrators did a terrific job, in that a great many iconic shots seem to have been faithfully adapted by the directors and cinematographers from these sketches. Plenty of these have never been seen by the fans before, and certainly never in such a lavish collection. So many come from the pen of the great Joe Johnston (now a successful director of such films as The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park III and Captain America: The First Avenger), who adds extensive comments here, but now we also have the chance to appreciate unsung heroes such as Ivor Beddoes, Alex Tavoularis and Roy Carnon.
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SMS Audio Star Wars First Edition STREET by 50 On-Ear Headphones ($199.95)
Generously sized for on-ears, SMS Audio/50 Cent's foray into the world of Star Wars really lets us flaunt those snazzy Rebel Alliance insignia and pilot colors... we just need to watch ourselves in Imperial neighborhoods. And, y'know, in Mos Eisley. (Star Wars STREET is also available in Stormtrooper, Galactic Empire and Boba Fett styles.) Their Oval-Fit leather-covered memory foam cushions are the key to what SMS touts as their "quiescent passive noise cancellation," blocking out a fair amount of real-world noise that would otherwise intrude upon our endless shuffle of John Williams' soundtrack music. (Just kidding: You really shouldn't shuffle movie scores.)
Construction is largely of a durable plastic, they tell me that the flexible headband is shatterproof and I can't argue, but they do fold in on themselves on sturdy hinges for travel/storage. The custom 40mm drivers deliver ample, well-balanced sound, running the gamut from the London Symphony Orchestra's finest hour on "The Imperial March" to the vocals of "Lapti Nek." I suppose we can listen to other demo material... but why? Lots of little tchotchkes are bundled inside this first release, all keenly coordinated around the style you choose: a raised logo-embossed carry case, SW-branded cable (removable) with in-line microphone and controls, branded soft touch cleaning cloth, poster, a sheet of stickers and a certificate of authenticity. (I'm thinking of framing mine.) Even the owner's manual is Star Wars-specific!
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STAR WARS Art: Posters ($40)
Foreword by Drew Struzan, Introduction by Roger Kastel (Abrams)
Whether to help sell a new movie or to adorn the walls of generations of proud fans, clearly Star Wars has inspired enough posters to fill quite a hefty tome! Yes, a lot of these indelible images have been feted and shared countless times before, but perhaps never in such detail and presented in such a bold new way, with two-page spreads providing close-ups, in addition to foldouts focusing on the extraordinary work of Drew Struzan, Olly Moss and Tyler Stout. All have been scanned in gorgeous quality, and the particular selections have been "curated" by Jedi Master George Lucas himself as the latest in Lucas Books' Art series.
The theatrical one-sheets for The Original Trilogy have lost none of their charm--who can forget Tom Jung's immortal "Style ‘A'" or Roger Kastel's Gone with the Wind homage for The Empire Strikes Back?--while vintage promotional efforts will surely inspire nostalgia and some newer high-end collector prints reveal how far we've come. This menagerie casts a big net, including posters I'd never even heard of, from unused concept art that shows the evolution of now-classic images to various in-store advertisements for tie-in videogames.
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iHome Death Star Bluetooth Speaker ($89)
That's no moon, it's a fully armed and operational Bluetooth speaker. In an ever-growing market for wireless speakers, iHome has found a way to stand out from the black bricks, even trumping their previously released (but still fun!) wired and wireless little can-shaped or cube portables created in honor of R2, Vader, and cohorts.
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Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide ($99.99)
By Daniel Wallace et. al. (becker&mayer!)
The only book on this list that takes batteries (the custom case has lights and authentic sounds), the Imperial Handbook also comes with a backstory: This instruction manual of sorts was written by the Emperor Palpatine's best and brightest, as their power was mounting. But after The Battler of Endor (Return of the Jedi), this artifact was snagged by the victorious Rebels, who passed it around and jotted down their own remarks throughout.
This companion volume to the similarly deluxe The Jedi Path and Book of Sith is chock full of wonderfully in-character pronouncements from the likes of Grand Moff Tarkin (what a bunch of lying bullies: it's brilliant!) and later deflated by the more down-to-Alderaan Luke, Leia and Han.
No, I doubt that George had much involvement here, but it's a testament to his universe that such a richly realized accomplishment would arrive all these years later, painting a fascinating picture of unchecked power and the often-subtle mistakes that would bring about their undoing. In addition to all of the tactics, propaganda and discussion of The Empire's technology, there's a Rebel "artifact registration" card (think "D2 Decimal System") and a removable Imperial medal. Wear it... if you dare.
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