Star Wars Celebration - Report #1
May 16th, 2005
Source: The Hollywood News
Posted by: Paul Heath

It's a little after 7am on Monday. Here's our first report from the Star Wars Celebration day in London. Look out for more coverage as the day progresses.

I awoke this morning a little after 5.30am. The day had arrived. Today is the day. The day that will never happen again, the day in which all six Star Wars movies will play, all day, in Leicester Square, just minutes away from where I lie.

The hangover from last night seems to be non existent. Hang on, maybe I'm still drunk. It's seems that last night the UK Garrison took over the whole my hotel, and the guys were all drinking in the bar downstairs long after I passed out.

Anticipation is high for this event, and as well as screening the six Star Wars movies (starting with A New Hope at 7am), the London Philharmonic Orchestra will play in the Square, an X-Wing fighter will be on display, the UK premiere of Revenge of the Sith takes place and Star Wars geeks of the World will unite. Me being one of them.

So it was out of the hotel after a quick shave and whore's bath, and down through Piccadilly (which was deserted, giving me a 28 Days Later moment), to Leicester Square, where seemingly, half of London's population were gathered. It seems I was late. Reporters, TV presenters, camera crew photographers, hundreds of fans and dozens of Stormtroopers lined the UCI Empire on the Square. Opposite, an X-Wing stood, pride of place, R2D2 wedged on the top, occasionally smoking from an orifice at the rear. Oh this is going to be a great day.

People lined up to have their photo taken with a Stormtrooper, or Boba Fett and photographers dashed around trying to get that perfect shot. I was in the centre of a media frenzy, Jenny Falconer from GMTV to my left, and Jason from E! to my right.

Okay, out with the camera!

* As we said, it's still just after 7am, and A New Hope has just started, so look for more coverage of the day later! Here's some pics from the kick-off!

UPDATED: Report #2 is now up here.

UPDATED: Here are a few more pics, taken before 9am in the Square, where fans are already starting to line up for tonight's premiere of Revenge of the Sith.

Images (c) The Hollywood News 2005

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