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I
Volume 38, Issue 20
tar Wars III: Our Last
Exclusive^e-release review
the best 140 minutes of my life were spent
(Thursday at the Lloyd Center, where the
I Counsel headed by Master Lucas found
[thin their infinite wisdom to grant me an
[need screening of “Star Wars Episode III:
lenge of the Sith.”
The pacing was incredible. Every scene
| exactly the appropriate length, no lag-
L no dowptime. Parallel plotlines were
[lessly arranged so that each scene cut to
appropriate complementary point across
[galaxy.
Ewan McGregor’s General Kenobi seam-
ly bridged the gap between the wise, old
pit we meet in Episode IV (played by Alec
inness) and the younger, less experienced
j of Episodes I and II.
lies, the morale of the average Star Wars
fooy/girl has waned with the previous
eases (“Phantom Menace” and “Attack of
[Clones”), and more than one will consider
ting till “Revenge” is released on DVD,
I just like Mussolini, Lucas inspires his vast
nies of followers with this dark and omi-
|s missing link in the Star Wars chain.
This movie is essentially a standalone. If
prge Lucas had simply released this god-
d rather than the previous two inadequa-
s, the legions of Lucas/Vaderites would
[e absolutely no apprehension whatsoever
though it would create a strange paradox in
[space-time continuum.)
One of two moments in the film that this
jorter could have done without was Grand
Iff Tarkin’s appearance near the end of the
m in a cameo on the bridge of one of the
st Imperial ships as “Governor Tarkin,” but
lyne Pygram just doesn’t have the cheek
ones) of Peter Cushing.
The second, and infinitely more repulsive,
was a brief glimpse of the catalyst of the
Republic’s doom (Jar Jar Binks) appearing
rather somber on screen for about one second
... one second too many if you’ve been trying
to banish his awkward countenance from your
think apparatus since Episode I.
With those my only complaints, “Revenge
of the Sith” was virtually unblemished. In
fact, it was so moving a story that I quite
literally left the theater with a heavy heart
and a racing pulse. The rest of my day was
dismal, a point which I blame in some part
on the depressing fall into corruption of not
only Anakin Skywalker, but of the entire
Republic.
While I am the only one on campus, to
my knowledge, to have seen Lucas’ Magnum
Opus, I am not the only person on campus
who has been anticipating the release of the
final installment of the Star Wars saga.
“I’m really excited to see [‘Revenge of
the Sith’],” said Clackamas student Justin
Irvin. “I’m liking that they’re going really in-
depth. They give history and background on
each character. It sounds great from reviews;
it looks good from the trailers, but so did
Episodes I and II.”
His skepticism is echoed throughout the
campus.
“The last two were plagued with prob­
lems,” said another Clackamas student Joshua
Butler “I’m afraid it will be all about the action
and will take away from what [Episodes] IV,
V and VI accomplished with character devel­
opment.”
Fear leads to the dark side, Mr. Butler.
One of the most significant aspects of
“Revenge” is the character development.
Throughout the course of the movie, the
audience really gets to know the character
of Anakin; when (without giving too much
away) he becomes seduced by the dark side,
one can really connect with his plight. There
was actual acting, fer chrissakes!
One of the most common,
and relevant concerns is the
mood and rating of “Revenge.”
Episodes TV through VI all
had a different mood than did
Episodes I through HI, but
there is a perfectly legiti­
mate purpose for this. The
first three deal with the fall
of a republic into dark­
ness, while the later three
confront the oppression
of an empire.
Perhaps the most
eager on campus to
see “Revenge” is none
other than computer
lab assistant Ross
Maurer (the first ‘r ’ is
silent). Maurer is an
imperial guard with
the 501st Legion of
Storm Troopers.
The 501st, also
known as “Vader’s
Fist,” are an elite
group
of Star
Wars aficionados
who dress them­
selves in home­
made storm trooper
garb and endure quotes
such as “these aren’t the
droids you’re looking for”
while entertaining people in line
to see Episode III.
So if you’re waiting in line, at the
midnight showing or otherwise, and you
see an imperial guard (easily recognizable
with their bright red regalia), don’t try and
use a Jedi mind trick or you’re bound to hear,
“Move along, move along.”
ingo’s work screened in Seattle
len Maras
\ews Editor
[Two short films by Clackamas
iructor Andy Mingo were shown
the 2005 Seattle Poetry festival
week, highlighting what Mingo
s “a new possibility for express­
meaning,” which he will explore
li students in a one-credit series of
tkshops, WR-259 Narrative and
eography.
The two films, “Chronology
Water” and “Beatings,” were
¡ened in the Richard Hugo House
Seattle, Washington as part , of
rren Etheredge’s Video Poetry
n Festival. Both were originally
it stories my Mingo’s wife, Lidia
lavitch, which
e adapted to the
a medium as a
in of visual poetry.
“We had to fig-
: out exactly what
>uld these stories
)k like,” Mingo
d. “What we ended
doing, though,
we had to select
y sections ... and
D it down to some
ry potent lines of
liceover that would
[n fit with the over-
Imusic and image in
hit’s a condensed
pion of fiction, and
ends up sounding
orc like poetry.”
MINGO
A surprise faced Mingo when
he arrived at the festival; after send­
ing out a new DVD, another of his
films was screened, “Silence in 60
Seconds,” and is available for viewing
at www.chiasmamedia.com/product.
htm. The piece is an ancient Japanese
haiku, with text floating on various
images to portray the message Mingo
wanted.
“I put it in with a lot of contempo­
rary war footage that was furthermore
complicated by the introduction of old
soviet era footage to make it suggest
empires,” Mingo said.
One of the reasons that Mingo is
putting on the classes for students is
the future which he sees in the film
medium. He does not believe it will
ever replace more traditional medi­
ums, as others have predicted. He
claims that they are too different to
replace each other.
“There’s a power in [film] by pre­
senting what you mean to represent
through images. The power really
exists through the passive nature
of the viewer to film,” Mingo said.
“When you read, you can critically
stop at any time and it actually takes
a lot of brainworkto comprehend it
If you’re viewing something on a big
screen, you’re just a passive recipient
and it washes over you; you’re more
into the actual experience.”
The classes occur this Saturday
and next Saturday from 10 a.m. to
4:20 pan. and 10 a.m. to 2:20 pan.,
respectfully. Registration is still open
up until the first day of the class.
ASG election results in new
leadership, low turnout
Had there been no drop-outs, there
would have been another candi­
News Editor
date running for each position.
Caudle points out that historically,
The Friday election results for lack of choice has led to lack of
Associated Student Government motivation by the voter popula­
revealed an unusually low voter tion.
Department Chair of Student
turnout—less than 0.4 percentofall
Leadership and Outreach Mindy
enrolled students—but those who
voted elected Kristen Madden as Brown attributes the low turnout
President, and Tiffany Williamson to the lack of competition, as well
as Vice President. When adjusted as the decreased visibility of the
election due to the implementation
to only include full-time students,
die numbers indicated a higher of online voting. Brown says that
in the past, in which voting booths
percentage of approximately 2.1
were set up, the turnout was bet­
percent voter turnout.
Out of the 9,441 students ter, but she still remains optimistic
about the race.
enrolled as of the middle of spring
“Overall I’m veiy pleased that
term (approx 1,600 full-time stu­
dents) only 33 votes were received the group got their publicity out
for president, and 34 received for and followed through,” Brown
said.
vice president.
Although a small turnout is not
Not all of tiie votes who were
cast were for valid candidates
out of the ordinary, staff speculate
that a number of factors could either—vice presidential candidate
Williamson received 18 percent of
have led to it
“When there’s not a lot of the presidential vote due to write in
(compared to Madden’s 72 percent
conflict, people are comfortable
with the status quo,” said Advisor/ of presidential vote), and presiden­
tial candidate Madden received
Recruitment Specialist Mike
12 percent of the vice presidential
Caudle. ‘1 think that [it’s] a good
vote, compared to Williamson’s
sign that there’s not a lot of con­
73 percent.
flict on campus.”
Also receiving write-ins were
Another possibility is the lack
ASG member Nick Verducci,
of competition in the races, pos­
Jedi Knight Luke Sky walker, and
sibly ' due to students changing
their minds and dropping out of Corellian smuggler and pilot Han
Solo, all of which received 3 per­
the race, which is what led to the
cent of the total vote each.
unopposed candidates tins year.
Ben Maras