Star Wars: The Force Awakens will hit theaters in exactly ten days! While the fans impatiently count down the seconds, J.J. Abrams continues to reveal his thoughts on the film, while avoiding any major spoilers! Over the weekend, he spoke with the Associated Press, and the director had quite a bit to say about the upcoming Star Wars film! With that said, let’s get straight to it!
When asked about whether or not he stumped Lucasfilm's creative executive Pablo Hidalgo while making the film, he responded, “He was not only unstumpable but he was immediate. I would send him an email at almost any hour asking some arcane question and I'd hit send and I'd hear "ding" and he'd already have responded with an answer.” Abrams then added, “What you realize, by the way, in working on these movies is that even things that are canon, that are beloved and absolute to fans, are very much fluid and in flux. For example, the Millennium Falcon itself, the cockpit changed dramatically from the first to the second movie. It's much bigger in "The Empire Strikes Back." Even things that are even the most fundamental and beloved are changing before our eyes and we don't even notice it.”
When you head to the theater on December 18, how should you watch the film? Well, according to director J.J. Abrams, he thought things played better while watching it in 3D. “When I was watching the reels in 3-D, there were a number of shots — and I know this sounds insane — that I hadn't understood in the three-dimensional space quite the way I did when I saw them in 3-D. I actually felt that there were things that were playing better in 3-D. I had never felt that before. And if people have access to a theater that has laser projection, it is shockingly better.” When co-star Daisy Ridley was asked on Jimmy Kimmel about how we should view the film, she said we should see it regularly, then go back and watch the IMAX version. Either way, I’m sure no matter how you see it, it won't disappoint!
Later in the interview Abrams elaborated on his above thoughts, and revealed that he definitely thinks you should view this film with a crowd.
“Though I love that we all have access to movies on the devices in our pockets and I love that home screens are often better than theater 17 at the multiplex, I also feel like movies speak to a human desire, if not need, to congregate and to experience stories communally."
He then added, “They're experiences that allow us to feel that connectivity, which is truly what "Star Wars" is all about — the Force and the idea that we're all connected. In whatever format it is, whatever screening, whatever the best available version is, I would just argue that, if possible, to try to see it with a crowd.”
As you know, it is common for fans to go on forums and threads and post spoilers for a film. How does J.J. Abrams feel about that, and when does he think it’s appropriate for the fans to do so. His thoughts on the matter are as followed. “I think that as people do and as I'm sure that they will, after the first screening of this movie, that aspect will be over, the secrecy.” He then revealed how he’d prefer for the secrets to stay secret for as long as possible. “It's not so much that we feel like the movie doesn't work if you know what happens, but I do feel like part of the magic of a movie, and certainly "Star Wars," is to know as little as possible for as long as possible. But I know that people will start talking about what happens immediately.”
Starring original cast members Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker and franchise newcomers, John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o and Max von Sydow, Star Wars Episode VII is set to be released on December 18th, 2015. What do you think about the director's latest thoughts?