With George having finally completed his six-part space opera (although I'm sure he promised us 9 or even 12 chapters back in 1977) and vowing to return to those experimental films he's been talking about in every interview since the age of Meco, it seems that "closure" on the "Star Wars" saga is looong overdue for those of us way-too-old to not remember our sister's birthday but can effortlessly recall that the Millenium Falcon's docking bay number at the Mois Eisley Spaceport is "94". The charming Anthony Daniels--the very voice and form of series mainstay C-3P0--hosted a special concert in which he narrated a "Reader's Digest" version of the saga while the brilliantly capable Toronto Symphony Orchestra performed rousing musical cues from John Williams' scores under the sure hand of conductor Erich Kunzel. Some cheesy lighting effects and questionable musical choices aside (Jar Jar's theme over Padme's funeral?) it made for a wonderful evening of warm memories and that rare communal experience that didn't have me threatening to call for the manager. To steal a quote from someone else, for many film buffs of my generation, John Williams is what the movies sound like. and tonight's performance (witnessed from Orchestra row "E", not bad) reminded me of why I've devoted so much of my life to this nonsense in the first place.
