Apparently, it rained in the Bay Area on Saturday. But that would have been news to hundreds of “Star Wars” fans — including me and my 12-year-old son, Alex — who spent all night Friday and most of Saturday inside the Alamo Drafthouse theater in San Francisco for a 22-hour, nine-movie marathon.
Sitting in a movie theater for almost an entire day watching the Skywalker Saga might not be on your bucket list, but for me it was the perfect way to observe May the Fourth, the annual Star Wars holiday.
Longtime readers may recall that this isn’t my first ride on the Millennium Falcon. I sat through a seven-movie marathon back in 2015 at San Jose’s Century 20 Oakridge when “The Force Awakens” was released. Some people buy flashy cars or expensive watches to handle mid-life crises; apparently, I indulge in pop culture nostalgia.
The bonus this time was the chance to share the experience with my son, a fan who built the Lego Death Star over a three-day stretch when he was 5. He’s watched George Lucas’ creations over and over on Disney+, but this was the first time he was seeing most of these movies on a big screen with an audience.
So how did we do? We dozed off at some expected times — I’m looking at you, “Attack of the Clones” — and survived on gallons of caffeinated beverages (including a Dark Side milk shake that included cold brew), enough popcorn to fill a sarlacc pit and my secret weapon, a full tin of Altoids that was almost empty when the credits rolled on the last movie, “The Rise of Skywalker” at about 6 p.m. Saturday.
The Alamo Drafthouse at the gorgeously renovated New Mission theater was a great venue, one of just 10 in the country showing the marathon. Moviegoers perused a display of toys, games and other items from Rancho Obi-Wan, the private nonprofit museum in Petaluma that is home to the world’s biggest collection of “Star Wars” memorabilia.
Ten-year-old Lola Antor — dressed as a twi’lek (if you know, you know) — got the most applause during a pre-show costume contest, though I thought one guy dressed as Mr. Spock from “Star Trek” would have done well had he entered. Breaks between some of the movies were filled with trivia competitions and celebratory toasts, including a couple rounds of “May the Fourth Be With You.”
It was truly a crowd of fans, who cheered when the “Star Wars” logo appeared on the screen before every movie accompanied by John Williams’ famous theme. More cheers came whenever cherished characters first appeared or iconic lines were uttered. (Based on applause, Obi-Wan Kenobi’s “Hello there” seemed as beloved as “No, I am your father.”)
By the way, our tin of Altoids weren’t the only thing that emptied out over the 22-hour span. The 300-plus seats in the Alamo Drafthouse’s main theater were packed when “The Phantom Menace” started just before 8:30 p.m. but the guy sitting on our left checked out after “A New Hope,” four movies in. The guys on our right bailed when “The Empire Strikes Back” wrapped up.
Less than a third of the crowd made it to the end, picking up souvenir posters on their way out to soak up sunlight for the first time in 24 hours.
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Alex speculated another marathon would probably happen in 2027 when the original “Star Wars” — now known as “A New Hope” — turns 50. Would I be up for giving it a try? Well, Yoda would say “Do or do not, there is no try.” I’ll give it some thought after my butt stops being sore.
And as much as I enjoyed the experience at the Alamo Drafthouse, I couldn’t help but think how great this would have been in a restored Century 21 theater. I still haven’t given up hope that an entertainment/tech company could return that mid-century gem to its former glory, as Netflix did with the Egyptian theater in Los Angeles.
Now, that would get me back in 2027 — and I bet a lot of Silicon Valley fans would be feeling the Force right along with me.
