That title came out of the blue but I think it pretty well describes my thoughts on what audiences can expect come episodes VII, VII and IX of the Star Wars franchise. At least, I hope I could be wrong…

What those of us who grew up with the first three films (that is episodes IV, V and VI) hope for is a story that takes a cue from those stories and does not attempt to retell or change the past. For example, no time travel or deus ex machina easy outs. No cheap rehash of the previous stories.

For example, just because the Emperor and Darth Vader are dead, and another Death Star blown to bits, does it mean that the Empire is toast. Some one would likely fill the void and continue to try and hold it all together. There are still plenty of other Star Destroyers and Imperial troops still waiting to be dealt with.  And assuming Luke, Leia and Han (along with Chewie) have managed to stay alive some 30 odd years later, odds are that the Rebellion is still fighting to win more star systems over to join their cause.

Where does that leave us as the audience? Well, I don’t think we need a story that tries to tell us what happened during the last 30 years. A few hints or a tease perhaps, but we don’t need or deserve a moment by moment tale that wastes valuable screen time. In all that time, likely the Rebellion and the Empire have seen gains and losses.

But maybe we can learn of a character who is sincere in his desire for peace. Think Rudolph Hess in galactic terms. Someone of high enough value who is willing to give him or her self up in order to set things right. Only to be betrayed by others who see a victory to be won. Creating a new threat to be dealt with.

Perhaps here is the time to have the way with the audience. To make up for those all too easy moments when Darth Vader was revealed as Luke’s father. When the simple path out was taken. Instead of the plot twists and turns the story could have shown us. Played with us, toying with our emotions, only to dash them on the rocks.

The audience needs to remember. The story arc all through these films is not meant to follow any of the organic characters. George Lucas, on a number of occasions, has said that this is the story of the droids – Artoo and Threepio.

As nice as it will be to see old favorites on the screen, they need to play their parts and step aside. Cut down or simply retired. With new characters to tell us new tales. Getting in and out of trouble. Having the kind of adventures we hope for from a Star Wars film. With a nice touch of mythos thrown in for good measure.

In the end, do we hope for peace to be restored through out the Galaxy? Sure. A new order of Jedi as the guardians of justice? Perhaps. Maybe all we get is a few more good steps along the way. Never really seeing the goal realized.

Life is uncertain. Telling new tales should take that point and use it. But to be fair to audiences? Don’t go for the easy out. Give us a story that makes us look for something new. Not just a rehash of what came before. ’cause we’ve seen it and done it already.

The item is not news. More nostalgia.

What had been the Century Theater in Pleasant Hill, CA is no more. The large dome gave way to demolition.

Call me lucky enough to have enjoyed more than a good number of films there over the years. Some moments in the dark that stand out include the full cannon barrage from “Gettysburg”, the revival of the HAL 9000 computer in “2010″ and the classic model porn of “Star Trek: The Motion Picture.”

Looking back, when I lived in central Contra Costa County, there were so many theaters where one could enjoy film. Long before cable tv and home video made their dents into how we view motion pictures. So, pardon me if I list them as I recall the years of flickering images on screens.

Walnut Creek was where I moved with my family in the summer of 1970. At that time, the city had one theater, the El Rey. It had definitely seen better days and better films, but it still had good times ahead. Especially as it became an art house and discovered late night films, in particular “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. A memorable double bill in the early 80′s offered “The Wicker Man” and “The Last Wave”. The El Rey gave way to just another office building, valuable real estate at a major intersection in downtown.

The Festival Cinemas came to town in the guise of a cinder block multiplex in the early 70′s, taking first run films away from the El Rey. It had one large theater and a collection of smaller rooms – five, if I recall correctly. As theaters go, not particularly memorable. But it was where I saw a number of memorable films for the first time including Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Alien and more. Festival was the upstart theater chain. Taking on the older and more established Syufy theaters. Both were family owned at one time.

Syufy had it’s Century Theaters with many having the unique dome theaters offering a big screen experience. Pleasant Hill had one (as noted to start today’s effort). I know that I saw at least one film in 70mm there in the dome, but can’t recall a name. Yet in the smaller theaters of the multiplex, there was “Deliverance”, “American Graffitti” and “Papillion” to name a few.

Pleasant Hill had a several other theaters of note. Where once had been Sherman Field (a World War II Army Air Corp training field) was what formed the core of downtown as this city grew. The Century Theater was part of a shopping mall that was anchored by Montgomery Wards. Across the Interstate 680 freeway once was the base theater. But it was also the home to the Pleasant Hill Motor Movies. And later on, another cinderblock multiplex from Festival, the Regency Theater was further up Contra Costa Blvd. It also had a video game arcade in a adjacent strip mall and did a good business until Festival was swallowed up by a larger chain of theaters.

I had friends who worked for both chains. And yes, I can admit to having enjoyed more than a few freebies along the way. Oddly enough, with the passing of the dome, all of these theaters are now gone.  Today’s Century Theater in the new downtown Pleasant Hill took the name and the dome complex became CineArts. Festival Cinemas gave way to a variety of shops and restaurants. The Motor Movies became a shopping center with a Safeway as it’s anchor. The Regency became a Lamps Plus store.

Pleasant Hill also has the movie theater at Diablo Valley College. While attending the school, there were plenty of great films shown on 16mm prints, all for free. I took in as many of those as time and work allowed.

Other theaters in the area included Concord’s collection – The Capri Theater, a large one screen house (eventually multiplexed and showing second and third run films for reduced prices) on the second floor of a former department store; The Enea, where I saw “The Hot Rock” before it became a porn theater eventually purchased by an adjoining church (and yes, the church did make money from porn until the buildings lease ran out); The Fox, another cinder block big screen house, now a 24 hour fitness location; The Sun Valley Cinema, part of the shopping mall with the same name that featured one large screen, eventually broken into two, where Saturday matinees of Disney films like “Snowball Express”, “The Boatniks’ and “The Black Hole” held kids during Mom’s shopping expeditions, now a sporting goods store; The Concord Motor Movies, right across a flood control channel, where one could watch the film for free, especially good for date nights when you really were not paying attention to the soundtrack anyway; The Solano Drive In, part of the Syufy chain, still with us and more known for it’s weekend flea markets under the flight path of nearby Buchanan Field (another WW II training base, now the major airport for general aviation in the county). Today, Concord has a new theater complex downtown, the Brenden 14.

Others included the Orinda Theater, which had “Casablanca” shown when it was revived/restored to it’s art deco glory; the Park Theater in Lafayette and the Rheem Theater in Moraga. The Park tried to hold on but closed it’s doors. The Rheem became more of a performing arts venue with an occasional film shown. Danville had likewise with the Village theater, now with a similar fate. It has been home to a Children’s Film Festival from time to time. San Ramon saw it’s first theater with an expansion from Festival in another cinder block wonder, and is still in business today. Blackhawk has a multiplex there by the same name. Martinez has another one of the Festival cinder block structures, The Contra Costa Cinema’s. At one time, that city was home to the State Theater, but that was before my time.

Overall, I would have to say I was extremely lucky to have so many theaters to chose from over the years. None of them were movie palaces such as the Oakland Paramount, but they all were great times. Places where flickering images in the dark brought enjoyment.