May the force be with us.
Aug 21
A few weeks ago, me and my old web buddy Swift, got some tickets to
the "Star Wars Exhibition" in Tour and Taxis in Brussels. This expo,
featuring sets and costumes from the Star Wars movies was heralded as "
The Ultimate Star Wars Experience !" (whatever that may be), So me and
"Tha SwiftMeister" decided to go for it. The train ride to Brussels
offered us some extra sightseeing as we got pretty close to the crash site where an African Boeing had broken up on the runway of the
Airport in Zaventem. Its pretty cool when you see the pictures on
Flickr. At the expo I thought that we would have the place to
ourselves, this being the last day of the exhibition and all that, but
the place was packed and because the T&T complex is mostly
underground .. it was hot as hell. Armed with my digital Camera I was
just WAITING for the next Star Wars nerd to appear at the exhibition
dressed like Jar Jar binks or something. Swift briefly recalls the
wonderful videoclip of Triumph at the Star Wars première a few years
ago , a viral video that had me shedding tears with laughter. But no
dressed up geek in sight. What was funny was the AGE Of the average
visitor. Fans of the "original" Star wars movie, had brought their
children who were fans of the "new" Star Wars movies. A kinda
Cross-generational thing that should set the scene for some cool
father-daughter bonding.
The expo was cool, Filmsets, costumes,
stuff like that, all ordered chronologically. (Beginning with episode
one). I’m not a fan of "the new Star Wars movies" so I was just waiting
to meet Jar Jar Binks and kick him in the Balls, but unfortunately he
was hiding. The costumes of Princess Armidalla where impressive to say
the least, and the fact they where mounted on a big wooden box pointed out
the fact that Nathalie Portman is not only CUTE , she is also very
tiny.
But the kicker for me were the expo items from the "old"
Star Wars movies. Boba Fetts costume, ( Ruined forever by the fact that
you find out who is actually inside in "attack of the clones") was
still very impressive to look at. And of course : Darth Vaders original
costume. Magnificent and horribly simple (watch for the details as you
see the clumsy buttons and control items) and.. A full size model of a
Speeder Bike (The Return of the Jedi.) That one piece was, for me, the
greatest thing of the whole expo. When no one was looking i put my hand
down on the cold metal of the Speeder Bikes Nosefin .. and for me ..All
those childhood times, pretending to be Han Solo, playing with Star
Wars toys, Watching the movies over and over again.. At that one moment
it became very real.. As i got a chance to physically touch a piece of
childhood nostalgia.
Of course there where some more costumed
clones, and people making a mockery of themselves swinging laserswords
in front of a green screen.. and there was lots and lots of overpriced
merchandise .. but for me ? Nothing could beat the Speederbike thing.
All in all ? great time (as always with Mr Swift) and .. the force was
with us. Enjoy the pictures
Credits : Pictures by Knightwise and Swift. Swifts website can be found at www.maisonswift.be (in dutch)
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
