Sci-Fi Storm

Did you ever want to decorate a wall, like Han Solo did in Jabba the Hutt’s palace, but don’t want to deal with hibernation sickness? Well now you can…this year at Star Wars Weekends at Walt Disney World, which starts a week from Friday on May 18th and takes place for four weekends, they will be offering “Carbon-Freeze Me”.

Guests will step into a “carbon freezing chamber”, where multiple cameras will be used to scan the guest’s face in 3D. That scan will be used to create an 8-inch figurine of the famous carbon freeze pose, with the guest’s face instead of Han’s (which will be shipped to the guest in about 4 weeks). A light-up wristband is also included, and the process costs $99.95. Additional figurines can be ordered for $74.95 each.

You must book ahead by calling 407-WDW-TECH and a credit card is required to guarantee the reservation with a $25 cancellation fee if canceling within 48 hours. Theme park admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios is also required.

It is a bit on the expensive side, but it’s the closest thing to an actual lightsaber yet…the folks at Wicked Lasers, who have crafted a number of powerful but handheld lasers, including one that looked remarkably like a lightsaber hilt that for a while got them in the sights of the Lucasfilm stormtroopers, has taken the next step at Epic Geek Toy – turning it into an actual saber! It takes the form of an attachment to one of their standard S3 laser units, and creates the blade effect – including the on and off “growing” effect. However, I wouldn’t plan on doing any sort of fighting, or even slicing cheese with it – it doesn’t look like it is meant for striking anything, and at $400+, I wouldn’t risk it – but it sure looks cool…it’s still an actual laser which can be dangerous, so it is not meant for kids. But check out the video below (note: the two guys fighting are not demonstrating…)
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Disney has long had a Star Wars-based attraction at 4 of it’s current theme park locations, with Star Tours at Disneyland in Anaheim, Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World, Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Paris, and recently updating the attraction at WDW with all new technology. And the recently “expansionist” moves by the company, with the new Cars Land at the California Adventure park and additions at WDW like the Fantasyland expansion at the Magic Kingdom and the announced “Avatar-land” for Animal Kingdom, a lot of Disney and Star Wars fans have felt that a larger Star Wars presence was warranted, and could easily be accommodated at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It could even be the answer to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter over at nearby Universal Studios, which is already getting an expansion.

Star Wars Weekends are already very popular at WDW.

So it was no surprise to start hearing through the Disney rumor mill that a Star Wars land is actually being considered. What was surprising is that it appears to be aimed for Disneyland Paris, leaving U.S. fans throwing up their hands and wondering, “What about us?” They are even planning a Mos Eisley Cantina – how cool would that be? Of course, hopefully it will be more safer than the real thing…

It is uncertain just how real this is – certainly nothing is official at this point, and Disney is also known for announcing things at their parks that ultimately don’t happen. But even if Paris DOES get this, I think it is actually a GOOD sign – as it is not unknown to develop something at one park and then do it again at another park, hopefully with the kinks worked out.

You know, if you are going to take on the moniker of one of the most famous Jedi Knights, you probably should stay on the right side of the Force – and the law.

It seems a man who legally changed his name to “Obiwan Kenobi” back in 1999 as part of a radio stunt, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident after triggering a 5 car collision.

Now I wonder if the Lucasfilm lawyers might also want to punish him over his name…but no matter what, his record will be with him…always.

Fancy the idea of taking up arms against some of your favorite heroes from SF film and television? Or fancy a blaster fight with a squad of Stormtroopers led by General Motti? (Hey, at least that last one should be easy…we know how well Stormtroopers shoot!)

Well, you might have your chance at Comicpalooza, in Houston May 25-27!

“The next best thing to being a sci-fi or action hero has to be shooting a sci-fi or action hero with a gun. Or maybe being shot by one,” says John Simons, founder and Chairman of Comicpalooza, the Texas International Comic Con. At least that’s the premise that led to the Badass Celebrity Smackdown, in which fans attending Comicpalooza May 25-27 will get their chance to pit themselves against stars of some of the biggest sci-fi and action franchises in Hollywood while helping US veterans at the same time.
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Illustrator Ralph McQuarrie, best known for the artist who rendered images of Darth Vader (including giving him his iconic helmet) and other scenes in pre-production for the original Star Wars films, passed away Saturday at the age of 82.

He also provided the artwork for other major films like Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Cocoon.

The official Star Wars Facebook page put up a gallery of some of his images.

Here it is – the extended version of this year’s Volkswagen Super Bowl commercial…it may look like any other commercial, but keep watching – there’s something more than just a nod to last year’s ad, called “The Force”. The 60-econd version will air during the second quarter…

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I am hearing the sad news from the Star Wars: The Clone Wars cast: Actor Ian Ambercrombie, who was the voice of Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious, passed away yesterday at the age of 77.

Abercrombie was also most recently a recurring character in Disney Channel’s Wizards of Waverly Place as Professor Crumbs, and appeared in the final episode aired a couple of weeks ago. An accomplished stage actor, SF fans may also remember him for his role of Alfred in the short-lived Birds of Prey series, guesting as Correlilmurzon in some memorable comedy moments in the Babylon 5 episode “Acts of Sacrifice”, and the role of Wiseman in Army of Darkness, among other guest spots and smaller roles.

Our friends over at TheThunderChild have posted a new review by Damon Blalack on the latest Star Wars novel, Star Wars: Darth Plagueis by James Luceno: Damon Blalack, author of the Clone Wars Examiner column, has written an exhaustive study of the new novel by James Lucarno, Darth Plagueis. All fans of the book series will enjoy reading this insightful account. Read it here.

Like a quilt, sometimes you can take all the little pieces and stitch them together as a work of art…well, it may depend on your definition of art, but this is undeniably neat. In 2009 Casey Pugh took to the internet with an idea – take the entire movie of Star Wars: A New Hope, and remake it – in 15 second increments, crowd-source style. And now it’s available in its entirety online! Each piece was done by someone else, showing a wide range of ideas, from serious to tacky, from CGI to live action, from hand animation to puppets and dolls, from low budget to…well, I’m not sure it ever taxed someone’s wallet. But still, the result is entertaining…
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