Cineplex holds first Star Wars fan event

By: Jordan Ferris

Dec. 15th, 2017

The first-ever Star Wars fan event at Cineplex Odeon Devonshire Mall has many Windsor fans excited for the opening weekend.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi was officially released on Dec. 15 but fans were rewarded with four early screenings on Dec.14. Fans were also offered bonuses such as collector cards and a video feature on the work John Williams has done composing the music of Star Wars.

Tickets for the event and regular showing went on pre-sale Oct. 9 and sold out quickly. John Marcarian, who has been the General Manager of  Devonshire Mall Cineplex since it opened in 2000, said it was hard to tell which showings did better because they were all extremely busy.

“People have been calling us constantly,” said Marcarian, who was unable to provide specific numbers. “Obviously looking at the ticket sales, they’re definitely up there. It’s pretty busy — a lot of sellouts,”

Some fans, like 34-year-old Daniel Cormier, were willing to show up early — at least an hour before the start of the screening — to make sure they got good seats.

“The prequels I’ve seen every movie opening night, The Force Awakens I’ve seen opening night, but the last two times I had to sit on the farthest left first row and my neck was killing me. So I’m not doing it on this one,” said Cormier. And he was not the only fan who arrived early.

Sixty-nine-year-old Richard Stanley Woofenden arrived two hours before his show time to save a spot for him and his wife. He had watched his first Star Wars movie when he was around 28.

“It was great, I saw it by myself because I was between wives,” said Woofenden a self-proclaimed movie buff.

Marcarian said that marketing for the movie plays a major role in bringing fans in to see the shows.

“Star Wars has always had a big hype behind it so the marketing behind it is pretty intense,” said Marcarian.

Aside from marketing fans are also attracted to the movies because of the childhood memories it brings back. Jason Major was first introduced to Star Wars when he was six and said his fondest childhood memory was watching the cult classic over and over again.

“It was amazing just seeing the lightsaber, you know, This whole Jedi thing I was just blown away by it,” said Cormier.

Some fans enjoy carrying on the Star Wars tradition with their children. Gord Oglan, is a long time Star Wars fan and has introduced his son, Sean, to the franchise.

“Sean is special needs so I mean it was great. I mean he loves movies, so it was fun just telling him about it,” said Oglan. “It was something special we can bond over.” Both were attending the Cineplex early day showings on Dec. 14.

According to Marcarian the showings were used as a way to give back to fans for the support they have given over the years.

“They’re always excited to come and support the theatres as well as the studio for their work in these things,” said Marcarian. “So it’s good to kinda reward the people that are passionate about the movie and story.”