May 2005

Vader Chokes Up Lex Luthor:
Episode III Celebrity Reviews

-- StarWars.com


During a special edition of MTV's "Total Request Live" (TRL), band members of Good Charlotte and various film and television celebrities descended upon Skywalker Ranch to be treated for an exclusive viewing of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, which hits theaters worldwide today.

"It was really amazing experience to see Revenge of the Sith with George Lucas watching it with you in the audience." MTV VJ Damien Fahey says. "The whole visit to Skywalker Ranch was mind-blowing!"

For the Skywalker airing, TRL-favorites Good Charlotte performed in front of the Main House for a crowd before the screening. Guitarist and keyboard player Billy Martin was especially excited to see the film before the worldwide release.

"I collect comic books and action figures, so I'm a total geek and proud of it," Martin confesses. "I have a huge Star Wars toy collection and so I'm pretty fanatical. So the fact that I got to see this film already is huge for me."

"This movie is dark and it should be dark," Martin explains "I think it's cool that they pushed the boundaries a little bit. Hayden does such a good job holding back in the beginning of the film, that by the end of the movie your jaw is on the floor from how evil he becomes. I can't get the lava duel out of my head."

Many of the other celebrities, who are already die-hard fans of the Star Wars saga had plenty to say as well about the action-packed battle scenes, highly-anticipated appearances from beloved characters and the emotional impact of seeing the fall of Anakin Skywalker and the rise of Darth Vader.

"I never could figure out why Vader looked the way he did," says Fahey . "He was always this mysterious character in the previous films. But this film really does give you the impression that he was put together almost like Frankenstein's monster."

"I'm a big fan of the original trilogy, but I really found myself getting emotional as I was watching Anakin's fall in Revenge of the Sith," actor Topher Grace from "That '70s Show" admits. "I was wondering if the film would have too depressing of an ending, but it's actually a very hopeful last scene."

Thanks to his iconic role as Clark Kent's nemesis Lex Luthor on "Smallville," actor Michael Rosenbaum knows a thing or two about sympathizing with a misunderstood villain.

"I was torn for Anakin Skywalker because the Jedi put him in this position in a way, so you feel more for the villain," Rosenbaum explains. "I loved it because it was darker, action-packed and everything a Star Wars fan wants out of the final episode. It's so much more than I ever imagined. Right when the film finished I went from this overwhelming joy to this depression. I had to lie down."

"I came here with my friends on a road trip from Los Angeles in my conversion van," Rosenbaum continues. "We were playing the Star Wars DVDs in the van on the way here. I was walking around on the Ranch in my Lucas Ranch robe, and I was playing with the lightsabers like a kid. And then all of a sudden this movie ends and I became incredibly sad because part of my childhood lives on with these films. But deep down I know that Star Wars will always be around. That's one thing I always love about Star Wars is that it's a constant conversation piece. Star Wars characters are universal, like Superman or Mickey Mouse. It's iconic and there forever."

"When I went to the theater and I saw all these other actors just tear up while watching the film; it affected everyone," Rosenbaum adds. "Everything about this movie from the music to the CGI to the actors to the story is just overwhelming. I'm just blown away by the whole thing. This was the best day of my life. My friends and I are speechless. I recommend everyone go see this film."

Other celebrities in attendance for the special MTV TRL screening at Skywalker Ranch included Elijah Wood (Lord of the Rings), Seth Green (Italian Job), Danny Masterson ("That '70s Show"), Mila Kunis ("That '70s Show"), Josh Schwartz ("The O.C." creator), Peter Gallagher ("The O.C."), Donald Faison ("Scrubs"), Macaulay Culkin (Saved), among others.

Stay tuned to starwars.com for more celebrity interviews about their reactions and reviews of Revenge of the Sith.


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