I have just returned from seeing the latest Star Wars film “The Last Jedi” and very enjoyable it was too. Myself and Lady Ann took James our ten year old grandson and he was mesmerised by the sheer spectacle of it.
Lady Ann on the other hand took the opportunity to get comfortable, warm and kept nodding off. Now thats not a reflection of the film more a reflection she hasn’t been sleeping very well due to her back issues.
Its strange to think that the film franchise has been going for more than two-thirds of my lifetime and it must be one of the only franchises that most of the main character’s are still involved in a realtime storyline.
The iconic opening roller and fanfare still to this day still make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. It has to be one of the most iconic openings of all time.
This time though the film has had a more profound effect on me. It has made me more aware of my own advancing years. It was whilst watching these characters perform on the screen I realised I have known them for most of my adult life and that is very strange.
So with Luke and Princes Leia acting there grumpy old socks off on the big screen in my mind whilst watching them I can still remember vividly the younger versions of these characters in the first Star Wars movie back in 1978.
It got me thinking, I wonder when younger family members see me the person in front of them do they perhaps see a glimpse of me as my younger self.
I was trying to explain to James who Luke Skywalker was, I could see him trying to reconcile the young Luke Skywalker who he has seen on DVD and the one in the film, in his mind he thought the older Luke was the younger ones father. (because he has a friend who has the same name as his dad)!
According to James, age is an alien concept, he thinks his teacher is very old and she is only in her mid thirties, I haven’t been brave enough to ask him how old he thinks I am.
I suppose our culture is defined by the young for the young so I have now realised that maybe I have become a little more reflective and have started to look back just as much as I look forward.
Looking at the present do I see the panacea I was promised all those years ago?
Unfortunately not at all, all I am seeing is greater division in society and more and more social injustice.
I am sure most politicians enter office to make a difference and help everyone in our society. But I cant see that at the moment, all I see is self interest and people holding onto power at any cost.
I have realised however that if I was living in that Star Wars galaxy far far away I definitely would have been fighting the Empire.
As my mum once said I could get dirty in a field of snow so wearing a storm trooper’s uniform would be out of the question.
John D Eccles 