By KATHLEEN PARRISH
kathleen@du2.byu.edu
A certain excitement is in the air as 'Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace' makes its debut in select theaters around the country today. Die-hard 'Star Wars' fans have been waiting months, even years for this day to arrive.
This unwavering devotion of 'Star Wars' fanatics however, is not shared by all moviegoers. In fact, many movie connoisseurs are trying to understand the 'Star Wars' mania.
'I love movies. I always have, but I'm sick of all the 'Star Wars' hype,' said Angeli Mitchell, 20, a junior from Meridian, Idaho, majoring in psychology.
The hype began to burst when tickets for 'The Phantom Menace' became available. Some big-time 'Star Wars' buffs slept outside for the infamous tickets and have spent weeks preparing for today.
'I've already got a plan for seeing 'Star Wars',' Jeremy Hancock, a 'Star Wars' fan of Payson said. 'This way I can be 100 percent focused on the movie. I even have my clothes set out for it. I'm seeing it with a bunch of friends and part of our plan is not to sit by each other. Then we can concentrate more fully on the movie.'
Mitchell considers this extreme.
'It's just a movie,' she said. 'It's not going to change lives. Maybe it's just that people like getting excited about the latest fad. It was hip to be in love with 'Titanic', now it's hip to go crazy over 'Star Wars.' Plus, we are such slaves to the media. They spend millions playing up some movie, and we go right along with it.'
Fads and the media aren't the only explanations people have for the 'Star Wars' mania.
'I think people are all worked up about 'Star Wars' because they have waited 16 years or so for this,' said Gregg Simmons, 21, a sophomore from Fort Collins, Colo., majoring in civil engineering.
'The old story really grew on people over the years. I think people are expecting the same shock the first 'Star Wars' had on movie industry. It's supposed to be the best,' said Clint Boyle, 21, a sophomore from Victor, Idaho, majoring in construction management.
Not all 'Star Wars' fans are going to extremes for the latest galaxy film.
'I like 'Star Wars' and all. I think this new movie will be cool, but I think it's kind of silly that people are sleeping outside and doing crazy things just for the movie,' said Simons.
'I've been watching the old movies for 10 years and I like them. I think it will be fun to see another part of the story, but I'm not going to get obsessed over it,' Mitchell said.