Lucasfilm Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) and Padme
Amidala (Natalie Portman) star in "Star Wars Episode II: Attack of
the Clones," opening May 16.
By Mayra Marquez
Daily Bruin Contributor
They’re not crazy. They just add more flavor to the
already colorful ambience of Hollywood Blvd.
Since April 4, “Star Wars” enthusiasts have been
lining up near Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in anticipation of
tickets for the May 16 release of “Episode II: Attack of the
Clones.”
“Just about anybody can do this,” said 28-year-old
Erik Murillo, one of the line organizers. “You obviously have
to love Star Wars, and waiting for this movie is half the fun
because you’re doing this party for like six weeks. You hang
out with people who have a common interest and then conversations
obviously go to other topics: politics, lifestyles, anything.
It’s great because we’ve never met each other and this
brought us together.”
Standing in line for “Star Wars” tickets turns out
to be quite an organized process. The group has an official website
at www.liningup.net, where they provide information on the
experience of waiting for tickets a month before they go on
sale.
 MICHAEL MANTEL Shane Utke receives a phone call from one
of the many Star Wars fans across the country.
Many of those waiting are veterans of the whole process and did
the same thing back in 1999 with the release of “Episode I:
The Phantom Menace,” and now they’re back to top that
off.
“I was here in ’99, and that was just a whole
different beast,” said Josh Cottingham. Cottingham, 21, also
active in the organization of the line, has logged in close to 300
hours of waiting.
“You come and you fly in and all of a sudden there’s
all these people you’ve never seen before,” Cottingham
said. “It was madness. All the hype was here and it was just
insane. This time it’s a little more low key. Still,
there’s a lot of media, but it’s fun. It’s
camping ““ camping where you can go buy pizza down the street.
It’s really noisy, but besides that it’s really
fun.”
Camping has been taken to a new level in the wilderness that is
Los Angeles. Fans recline in their lawn chairs, soak up a little
sun and answer the questions of curious passersby. Sometimes,
it’s not just questions that are hurled their way. Insults
also come in the dozens from hecklers.
“One group of them was driving by and called us
“˜losers,’ but they were driving what, a pinto? They had
four guys, no girls on a Friday night, so I think the score was
pretty much on our side in that case. You’ve got a cheap car,
no girls and you’re calling us “˜losers.’
Whatever. You just ignore them,” Murillo said as one of the
organizers of the lineup drove by, pretending to be on the other
side by shouting “geeks” their way.
 MICHAEL MANTEL Josh Carlson, Erik Murillo, Shane Utke,
and Joshua Cottingham line up for the next in the "Star Wars"
series, opening May 16.
Besides the usual activities of camping out on a busy,
tourist-riddled street, fans chew on fruit roll ups, and answer
calls from the official “Lining Up” pay phone. They
then mark the location on a world map from where the call was made,
and are also prospectively looking to set up a DSL connection in
order to webcast their wait.
In dedicating so much time, it seems that some of the
fans’ families would have problems with them just sitting out
and lining up. Apparently that is not always the case.
“My wife has mixed feelings about it,” said Shane
Utke, 29. “I’m trying to win her over to accepting it a
little bit better.”
While some may not fully accept the decision to do this, others
come right along, within acceptable limits of course.
“All my kids have perfect attendance,” said Stefanie
Vance, 46, a mother and “Star Wars” fan for 24 years.
“They all insisted on seeing “˜Star Wars’ like I
did, and last time they had to wait two days before so
they’re all going to the midnight showing with me, and then
going to school the next day. Hopefully they stay awake and
don’t have a test that day.”
Vance’s daughter Jessica, 15, joins in her mother’s
enthusiasm and sits along with her. Both have each spent about 30
hours in line.
“We camped out on Friday night, and that was really
cool,” Jessica said. “I’m really excited because
I get to tell all my friends about it. Of course they think
I’m crazy but it’s really awesome. I love
it.”
Initially starting out with 30 participants, the group now has
over 70 people who take turns and log in hours. The amount of hours
logged in translate into a respective place in line for
tickets.
Hours also equal dollars for the group’s charity, the
Starlight Children’s Foundation, which aims at bringing a
smile to the faces of seriously ill children. Either a one time or
hourly pledge can be made, with each member required to bring in at
least $50 and turn it in two days before tickets go on sale.
“I really love kids so anything I can do to help out a
kid,” Vance said. “I’m one of those that’s
registered with a children’s hospital to give blood and
platelets because kids are our future, and this helps give them a
future and it helps their families too. We provide opportunities
for them to relax, to have fun and that’s what “˜Star
Wars’ to me is all about ““ having fun.”
“Star Wars” is many things to many people, but in
front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and all throughout the
nation, it has brought people together. Waiting, according to most
of those in line, is the best part. Then, of course, there is the
movie.
“I think it will probably suck, honestly,”
Cottingham said. “I don’t have very high hopes. Lucas
was gone 25 years, from the time he started. He came back, did
“˜Phantom Menace’ and it was just a joke. It was really,
really bad. I think he’s probably lost his touch, honestly.
He’s become the sentimental father type, and I’m sure
it happens to everybody but he’s letting it affect the story
of the original films.”
“With the idea of rewriting the films that came out 20
years ago so they are more child-acceptable when they already are
something for all ages, you alienate your older fans who’ve
come to appreciate his older films,” Cottingham added.
Even with the skepticism surrounding “Attack of the
Clones,” fans are coming back for more.
“Each one has a redeeming quality about it,” said
“Star Wars” fan Josh Carlson, 21. “With the
original movies, I just kind of remember growing up with them and
so they’ve probably shaped my life in a way and made me want
to do what I want to do ““ be a director. I don’t think
this is so crazy. It’s just like a party here.”
For information on lining up with other Star Wars fans, visit
www.liningup.net. “Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the
Clones” opens May 16.