A Certain Point of View: Writing, Film and Stuff

Promotional photo of Buena Vista Home Entertainment/Lucasfilm's S tar Wars: The Skywalker Saga  box set, a Best Buy exclusive. © 2020 Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) Hi, there, Dear Reader. I hope this post finds you safe, healthy, and adjusting to the new realities of living in the "dark times" of the novel coronavirus pandemic. I know that you must be feeling frustrated and scared about the effects of social distancing, working from home, and the effects of a "lockdown" on the economy. I, too, am fretting about the same things, and I am hoping that the pandemic will reach a peak and eventually peter out as a result of prudent self-quarantining and other preventive measures. If you know the history of how I became a Star Wars fan back in 1977, you doubtlessly understand that the franchise created nearly 45 years ago by George Lucas has helped me cope with sad and stressful situations. If you don't, all you have to know is that...

Slipcover art from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's Multi-Screen Edition Blu-ray. © 2019, 2020 Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) Well, it's Sunday, March 29, 2020, and it's the last weekend of a tumultuous month unlike any other since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against America. Once again, the entire country is facing a danger that's posed not just to human lives, but to the values that many of us hold dear - civility, decency, moral courage, and a belief that we as a nation can unite despite partisan divisions and persevere in the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, unlike those dark and scary times after the Twin Towers fell and part of the Pentagon was scarred by the impact of an American Airlines Boeing 757 hijacked by Al Qaeda terrorists, when a mediocre Republican President named George W. Bush managed to rally the nation and prepared to strike back at our enemies, the ship of state is rudderless,. Most of...

Hasbro Star Wars: The Black Series #91 contains Rey and the droid D-O from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2019 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) On October 4, 2019. 11 weeks before the premiere of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Hasbro released a "wave" of eight Star Wars: The Black Series action figures for the company's "Triple Force Friday" assortment of new  Star Wars collectibles and toys. This wave consisted of: Supreme Leader Kylo Ren Cal Kestis Rey & D-O Sith Trooper The Mandalorian Offworld Jawa Second Sister Inquisitor First Order Stormtrooper Although several of the Star Wars action figures in the October 4 wave are based on characters from video games (Cal Kestis is featured in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order ) and Lucasfilm TV shows ( The Mandalorian and Star Wars: Rebels ), four figures represent the then-unreleased final film of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker. ...

Jannah, a former First Order stormtrooper, is Hasbro's 98th Star Wars: The Black Series six-inch scale action figure. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2019 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) On December 20, 2019, Walt Disney Motion Pictures Studio released Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (aka Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker ), the ninth and final film of the Skywalker, in North American theaters. Co-written by Chris Terrio and J.J. Abrams and directed by the latter, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker grossed over $1.074 billion worldwide and was nominated for three Academy Awards (Best Original Score, Best Sound Editing, and Best Visual Effects). But even before the film premiered, Hasbro had already released a wave of action figures, vehicles, and other toys and collectibles based on The Rise of Skywalker. These included the 23rd wave of Star Wars: The Black Series six-inch scale action figures, which consists of: First Order Jet Trooper Luke Skywalker (Yavin Ce...

Hasbro's #102 Star Wars: The Black Series 6-inch-scale action figure features Wedge Antilles, veteran of the Battles of Yavin, Hoth, and Endor during the Galactic Civil War.  Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc.© 2019 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)  In 2019, in anticipation of the release of Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Hasbro (originally known as Hassenfeld Brothers) of Pawtucket, Rhode Island released several "waves" of Star Wars themed collectibles and toys. Some, like the Star Wars Vintage Collection's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Poe Dameron's X-Wing Fighter, were aimed at adult collectors (such as me!) with their retro late-970s/early 1980s-styled packaging and use of the old "Kenner" brand's logo. I received this beauty as part of my birthday gift during a two-day visit to Disney Hollywood Studios' Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attraction. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2019 Hasbro and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) Hasbr...

Hasbro Star Wars: The Black Series #90: Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. Photo Credit: Hasbro, Inc. © 2019 Hasbro, Inc. and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL)  On October 4, 2019, during the pre-premiere run-up to Star Wars - Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, Hasbro released the 90th figure in its successful Star Wars: The Black Series line of six-inch scale action figures, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren. This figure, which is actually a re-use of the body from 2017's #45 Kylo Ren figure, features a new helmet based on the one reforged by the former Ben Solo after the events of Star Wars - Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, as well as a new cape and two changeable hoods. This figure was one of a fall "wave" of Hasbro Star Wars: The Black Series figures based on characters not just from the final Skywalker Saga film but also from other Star Wars films and TV shows, including Star Wars; Rebels and The Mandalorian. In addition to Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, Hasbro also released the following six-inch sc...

The unsung hero of Ronnie and the Pursuit of the Elusive Bliss. Photo: Alex Diaz-Granados  Hello again, Constant Reader. Welcome to another edition of Bloggin' On, the no-reviews/no politics section of A Certain Point of View where I basically write about whatever topics cross my mind or just vent about everyday stuff that saddens or irritates me. Well, it's Monday afternoon in my corner of Florida; right now it's mostly sunny outside; the temperature is 79℉ (26℃) and the humidity is low at 48%. It's so nice out that I'm almost tempted to go and sit out on the front porch and read for a while. That's something that I always say I want to do; when I lived in East Wind Lake Village, I used to go with a book to the nearby pool, lie on one of the deck chairs, and read for an hour, maybe two, out in the sun and fresh air. Here, I'd be content if I went out on the porch with a book and my Amazon Fire tablet and read for a while...but for one reason or ...

© 2004 Sony Legacy Hi there! Welcome to another edition of Bloggin' On, the blog-within-a-blog section of A Certain Point of View where I step out of my usual roles of media reviewer and sometimes political commentator. It's almost noon in my corner of Florida as I sit here, and it's a relatively warm and humid day. Right now the temperature outside the house is 80℉ (26℃) under mostly sunny skies. Per the weather app on my PC, the forecast calls for a high of 86℉ (30℃) and more clouds, more humidity. These temperatures don't make the days feel like it's winter; rather, it feels almost as though summer was drawing nigh. Yesterday was a stay-home day for my significant other and me. She spent most of her Saturday doing chores and taking down Christmas decorations, while I spent most of my day either watching Great Voices Sing John Denver and John Denver: The Wildlife Concert  or doing prep work on my upcoming novel. I haven't started writing it yet, mind, bu...

More than 40 years ago, George Lucas introduced to the world his singular imagination, ingenuity, and creative genius. He also gave me an opportunity never before given to an operatic or film composer...the chance to work continually on a single project, and with each film, to add to a collection of musical themes which I hope will be seen as parts of a singular whole.  This experience has been one of the highlights of my professional life, bringing me so much joy in working with some of the world's greatest orchestras and musicians. I stand before the now completed nine Star Wars films with pride and gratitude for the gift of this extraordinary journey. - John Williams, in the liner notes for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack On December 20, 2019, Walt Disney Records published Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, a one-disc recording featuring the musical score for the ninth and final film of the Skywalker ...

Hi, there, Constant Reader. Today is Monday, December 23, 2019, and it's a cool but sunny winter morning in my corner of Florida. Right now the temperature is 65℉ (18℃) under mostly sunny skies; the forecast high is expected to reach 69℉ (21℃) and rain is expected to affect the area in the evening hours. I had hoped to report that I watched Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker on Opening Day (Friday), or at the least on Opening Weekend, but I've been confined to the house by the flu (or a very bad cold) since last Monday. My significant other caught a respiratory bug from a co-worker, and in turn two of us here have caught that bug from her. I'm over the worst of it and no longer have a headache or a low-grade fever, but I still have a nagging dry cough that comes and goes at random. This, of course, has put the kibosh on any plans related to going to public venues; I don't want to bother any other moviegoers with my hacking and wheezing, and I definitely do not want to...

The 2019 "Multi-Screen Edition" reissue sports new slipcover/jewel box art based on Drew Struzan's 2005 theatrical release poster. © 2019 Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) As part of the pre-release marketing blitz ahead of the December 20 premiere of J.J. Abrams' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Buena Vista Home Entertainment reissued all 10 of Lucasfilm Ltd.'s live-action Star Wars feature films, including the existing Skywalker Saga Episodes and the two A Star Wars anthology films ( Rogue One and Solo ) on DVD and Blu-ray in late September. Dubbed the "Multi-Screen Edition" because each disc comes with an insert that contains the code for a streamable/downloadable copy, this 2019 rerelease marks the first time that The Walt Disney Company's home media distributor offers the first six Star Wars movies made during the George Lucas era at Lucasfilm (another Disney subsidiary.) Publicity photo depicting eight of the 1...