Feeling the Force

Last night, I attended a Members preview for the upcoming San Francisco International Film Festival. Based on the presentation, there are many films worth seeing. If you are in the Bay Area at the end of April into early May, I recommend taking a look at the film listing and getting out and checking out a film or two.

Perhaps, the most memorable aspect of this event was that it took place in the Screening Room at the new LucasFilms/Industrial Light and Magic studio in the Presidio here in SF. For those non-SF natives, the Presidio is the former military base that sits on perhaps the most prime real estate in the City. It is located on the coast directly across from Alcatraz and just north of the Golden Gate Bridge. A few years back, the base at the Presidio shut down and opened up its doors to private industry. Currently, a number of non-profits are housed on the beautiful grounds and George Lucas purchased an enormous parcel of land near the Lombard Gate to set up his new studio space.

Entering the main building that contains the screening room, you are forced to walk past a sweet Yoda fountain sculpture just outside the main entrance. Once inside, the lobby has a life-size three dimensional representation of Boba Fett and Darth Vader and a number of other Star Wars memorabilia along the east wall. Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera, but now that I know where it is, I hope to take some pics someday soon. The hosts of the event ushered us into the screening room, which was a fully modern theater that sits about 100 people. In the entry hallway there, a number of classic movie posters lined the pathway further enhancing the sense that I was in some movie lovers mecca.

After the presentation, all of the attendees were again ushered out, but I was able to see what looked to be a preschool or daycare facility set up in an inner courtyard. (I wonder if they conduct Jedi training there.) This center suggests that Lucas has a place for parents to drop off their kids while they are creating the latest and greatest in CGI technology down a corridor. Impressive.

I was downright giddy as I walked through the grounds and reminisced about how much of an impact the first three Star Wars flicks had on my life. I am glad I got to see this new LucasFilms campus which re-affirmed how epic George Luca could be. Especially since the most recent three Star Wars flicks were so lame.