“Star Wars in Concert” Impressions, Review, Video, Photos of Original Movie Props & Costumes Exhibit

As has been widely publicized, “Star Wars in Concert” is currently touring the United States, and I was fortunate to have attended one of the shows in California.  I thought I would share my impressions of the attraction along with some photos of the original (and replica) movie props on display in conjunction with the concert. 

The concert features a full orchestra playing the famous music composed by John Williams, with Anthony Daniels (who portrayed See-Threepio) serving as Narrator to the video clips from all six films played on a giant screen.

Full details about the event and ticket information can be found at www.StarWarsInConcert.com:

As a preface, the original Star Wars trilogy are far and away my favorite films, so that obviously colors my impression of the event.

Having said that, I’ve long felt that the music of Star Wars is a huge foundational element to the film franchise, and its success.  The original Star Wars film was a rare phenomenon in that all of the critical elements exhibited originality, vision, and excellence.  Concept, direction, casting, acting, wardrobe, set decoration, prop design, special effects… and music.  If any of those failed, the film would not be the classic that it has proven to be over decades.  And the music of John Williams contributed so much to the film, in terms of conveying drama, branding it as something unique, and giving the science fiction fantasy gravitas.

So this was truly a brilliant idea to bring fans of the film together to celebrate and appreciate such a fundamental element of the works:  the music.

The orchestra was amazing and flawless. I know that is the foal point of the review, but there is really not much more to say.  If the event was simply the orchestra playing the music, sans and “show”, it would still be a must see (and hear) event.

However, accompanying the music were images and clips from all six films, blended together and superbly edited to serve as a showcase for and reflection of the musical themes.

In between each segment, narrator and host, Anthony Daniels (who played See Threepio in all six films) told the story of Star Wars in broad strokes, in a very entertaining and engaging way.  It was really an added bonus to experience his unique personality up on stage, and he appeared to be having a wonderful time in his role.

Another real treat was the audience.  I’ve seen all six films in their original theatrical releases, but it is really something to experience Star Wars in an actual arena packed with enthusiastic fans of all ages.

The show started promptly and lasted two hours, with a 20 minute intermission.  While the presentation was a mix of old and new, the framing narrative of the first half was more geared toward the Prequel Trilogy while the second half was more focused on the Original Trilogy.

Below are a few short clips which give an idea of what the experience was like:

Below are some still images of the concert as well (click on each image for higher resolution):

The official program is very nice and well worth the $30 charge, with great content – highly recommended.  Below are a few sample spreads (click images for higher resolution):

There was also an exhibit of original props and costumes – along with what I expect are a few replicas (See Threepio, Boba Fett, Han in Carbonite, Yoda… and I believe the Ewoks may be from the Rose Parade).  I took a few photos of the props on display – click each image for a larger resolution example.

In closing, it was a fantastic event and highly, highly recommended.

Jason DeBord