E-Mail This Article to a Friend A visit to Mecca A Star Wars geek watches Episode III with George Lucas at Skywalker Ranch BY BRAD MINDICH
	Postcards from Skywalker Ranch Click here to see photos from Skywalker Ranch.

SAN FRANCISCO — Traveling with Paul Driscoll, ’FNX music director and self-professed Star Wars geek. Landed at Oakland at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. Drove to our hotel. Dinner at a diner and then off to meet Paul’s friends — Mark (the bass player from Ash — check out their CD Meltdown), and Linda (Ash’s manager) who were the angels responsible for getting us invited to the screening.

After a few drinks it became clear that if I felt entitled to characterize myself as a Star Wars geek, then Mark was clearly a Star Wars–geek master — he has encyclopedic knowledge. Paul is a close second. It also made clear why one of the tracks on Meltdown is titled "Clones." In addition to meeting Mark and Linda, we were also introduced to Lisa from Warner Brothers, and Mike, Bonnie, and Kyle who work at the ranch for Lucasfilm.

Destination: Skywalker Ranch, Marin County, 45 minutes north of San Francisco. Once past the gate, you find yourself folding into the environment — as unreal as that is.

The life-size X-wing fighter sitting next to what has been dubbed Ewok Lake by Ranch employees. The legion of fully dressed Storm Troopers watching as we find a parking space. The fleet of golf carts named "Wookiee," "Darth Vader," "C-3PO," and "Yoda" that zip the crew and guests from one part of the ranch to the other. When we go to pick up our credentials, we’re told: "You can get them over there, but you don’t need them; once you’re in, you don’t need anything."

The screening took place near the set-up for MTV’s Total Request Live, featuring a performance by Good Charlotte in front of the ranch’s main house. So during the first couple of hours of our stay, we witnessed the filming and re-filming and re-filming of the same Good Charlotte song while a hundred young (and hired) fans responded predictably for the cameras.

This "main house" is home to Lucas’s personal office, as well as to a vast film-reference library, meeting rooms, and animation-staff offices. While the main house is, in fact, a house, it happens to be 15-to-20,000 square feet, so like everything at the ranch, it is subtly imposing. Since we were with Mike and Kyle from Lucasfilm, we were allowed to go in. Those without a Lucasfilm escort were blocked by Chewbacca and Darth Vader — yes, I’m serious.

The interior of the house doesn’t offer any immediate clues to its owner. That is, until you walk into the hallway. There, sitting on a bookshelf, are the original whip, hat, and amulet from Raiders of the Lost Ark; original models and lightsabers used in Episode IV; and Lucas’s old "THX" license plate.

Lucas’s office is perched on the top floor of the two-story reference library, and one can imagine him running up and down the curved oak staircase, searching for the right inspiration from the thousands of volumes in the collection. Subjects include classic motorcycle-jacket designs, Greek mythology, and biographies of World War II figures. You don’t have to be a Lucas connoisseur to see with a glance the signature themes and extraordinary detail he incorporates into his work.

Walking through the halls of the main house, I imagine the exchanges between Lucas and his creative team in the conference rooms.

"Grievous should have a red saber."

"No, his should be purple."

"How can you say that? Windu’s saber is purple, it doesn’t make any sense."

I won’t say what color Grievous’s saber is, but I will say that you’ll be blown away by the fight scene with Grievous.

We left the main house and walked the quarter-mile to the screening, where the party was starting. The street was lined with grapes Lucas sends to his friend Francis Ford Coppola, who has a vineyard nearby and where Coppola makes Skywalker wine — as well as his own brand of fine wines. We entered a gate leading to the outdoor patio where the "event" would take place. Sitting at only a few tables in a relatively small space, we found ourselves in close quarters with the likes of Macaulay Culkin and his girlfriend Mila Kunis (from That ’70s Show), Topher Grace (also from That ’70s Show), Peter Gallagher, Seth Green, Donald Faison, Elijah Wood, Lance Krall and Michael Sweeney from The Lance Krall Show, and a few others — you know, the ones you’re certain you’ve seen before but can’t remember who they are.

Although I am not much of a celebrity hound, I will admit that all this star power was kind of cool. That said, the crowd — both stars and us regular folks — stopped dead when the supreme Jedi Master himself walked onto the patio. Almost instantly, everyone realized that no matter how significant you thought you were — or maybe are in the case of someone like Elijah Wood — when it comes to power and respect, George is in command. This regular-looking guy — dressed in jeans, sneakers, a flannel shirt, and a worn Lucasfilm jacket and who probably stands no more than 5’7" — might as well have been the second coming descending from the heavens. Actors, musicians, and invited guests all clamored to have their picture taken with him (whose face also happens to be on this month’s Wired). Everyone offered a few pithy Star Wars observations to prove their worthiness.

I overheard Lucas discussing his next couple of projects with the That ’70s Show people — the live-action series of Star Wars, more Clone Wars cartoons, and a new Indiana Jones film. Topher asked him how the Jones film was coming along, and his response was, "I am going through the script and need to talk to Steve [Spielberg] about a few things."

At the end of the film the assembled guests gave George a standing ovation, and it was well-deserved. Truth be known, I’d had very low expectations. I found the last two films very frustrating, and I’m critical of many elements of the earlier films. But in this film, Lucas hits a home run. All the things I didn’t think he would be able to tie together, he tied together. You will not be disappointed.

The last stop on our tour was a visit to Big Rock, an enormous structure made of wood and glass, set on a beautiful man-made lake. A five-minute drive from the ranch, Big Rock houses many of the animators, designers, and Web producers. It also houses the "product room," where the newest Star Wars toys and gadgets are showcased along with earlier memorabilia. For anyone who collects Star Wars paraphernalia, this is as good as it gets. Large and small action figures. Obi-Wan throw pillows. Backpacks and special M&M’s. Full-size Yodas, Darth Vader voice changers, and replica lightsabers. It is overwhelming.

It is now 8 p.m. Kyle and Mike say they need to get back to work, and we are all exhausted. We say our goodbyes and drive back to the city.

And just like that, I am back in the office going about my day and waiting for the next opportunity to take my lightsaber to a meeting or invoke some Yoda-ism.

See the movie you must; enjoy you will. Star Wars geek may you become.