A NEW HOPE?
Local Star Wars fans — like Rob Folk, who is dressed up as Darth Maul — are excited for the debut of The Force Awakens. Many believe the new film by J.J. Abrams will re-energize the franchise.
Star Wars fandom runs skin deep for Chris Knoppert — and he has the tattoo to prove it.
It only requires a cursory look at Knoppert, who has some of the great villains of the series adorning his leg, to figure out that he’s a Star Wars fanatic. His new business establishment will also make apparent his love of all things from a galaxy far, far away. Much of the memorabilia he’s collected over the years, including personal favourites such as a life-size Darth Vader and a four-foot stormtrooper, will be on display when he opens Mana Bar — dedicated to video games, e-sports, cosplay and more — in 2016.
In advance of The Force Awakens hitting theatres this weekend, we chatted with a few nerf herders ...
Knoppert, on choosing villains for his tattoo:
“The dark side and the bounty hunters were always a lot cooler for me. (Darth) Malgus and Vader, those guys were just badass. Luke was always a bit whiny.”
Knoppert, on his plans to see The Force Awakens:
“With the bar, I’ ve been really busy. I bought out a whole row in the VIP theatre (for a Monday screening) and I’m taking the people who’ve helped me most with the bar.”
Some people build additions to their home to accommodate newborns or perhaps to serve as a den or home office. Ryan Johnson built an addition to accommodate thousands of Star Wars collectibles.
The Moose Jaw native has around 24,000 unique Star Wars items, along with several thousand duplicates. He’s collected everything from the rarest action figures to popular novels to nearly impossible-to-find vehicles, spaceships and sets.
Johnson has been a fan since he was 5. His collection efforts started in the mid-1990s. He displays items that are important to him but keeps high-value ones off-site. His collection leaves jaws on the floor but is still less than the world’s largest — the owner of that trove has around 300,000 items “and still growing.”
Johnson’s favourite items include a limited-release stormtrooper helmet which held his newborn daughter for a picture. There’s also a custom-made, 24-carat gold-plated stormtrooper. In 2010, the collection was appraised at approximately US $300,000. Add in five years worth of new items, plus inflation, and his collection could safely be valued at half a million dollars.
“I only have about a quarter to a third of (items) actually on display. Most of it’s in storage just because I do not physically have the space.”
Go to any random elementary school. Find a Grade 4 student who could not be more excited for the debut of The Force Awakens. Then, tell them they can’t see it for six months ... and make sure you’re recording the reaction to replay at that child’s wedding.
Six months was how long Tony Antonuk had to wait until he could finally see Episode IV: A New Hope, after its May 1977 premiere.
He learned a lesson about patience at a young age. Antonuk, who works now at Amazing Stories comic book store, on having to wait ... and wait ... and wait to see Star Wars:
“I was living in Prince Albert. It came out in Saskatoon first. We didn’t actually get to see it until 1978 or the end of ’77. I remember my teacher reading us the novel, in Grade 4, in class.
“My dad travelled to Saskatoon on business and he saw and was very excited about it. I was hooked right away.”
Antonuk, who has tickets to a Thursday night screening, on Star Wars collectibles, including his personal favourite — Darth Vader’s 1978 TIE fighter:
“The movie was amazing but the toys really pushed through for me. Those were the best Christmas gifts of my life.”
During his 28 years in the theatre business, including a decade as GM of Scotiabank Theatre in Saskatoon, Mike Melnyk has seen his share of “biggest-ever” releases. He’s expecting The Force Awakens to blow those away.
“Avatar kind of snuck up on us. Titanic was a huge following. This is the same. There’s so much history built in with it. You can’t stay away from it.”