Today in Entertainment, we’re going along to a new exhibition that’s taking

the world by storm. It’s really exciting people. Yes, it’s Star Wars: The

Exhibition and it’s been making its way around Europe since the beginning of

this year.

In 1977, Star Wars first played to audiences when it opened in 32 cinemas in

the United States. Thirty years on and 6 films later, this exhibition

commemorates or celebrates the magic behind the movies.

The exhibition has been in Portugal and now it’s come to London. I met up

with Jonathan Sands, the man behind the exhibition, to take a tour and to find

out more about what there is to see.

Jonathan Sands

‘The exhibition is really an interactive event for all the family. It takes you through all the six

films in the Star Wars saga, including all the original archive set pieces – from the models, the

costumes, the full-size space ships and weapons and that type of thing – broken down into all

the planets in about 20 different exhibition rooms detailed with films that show the making of

and how certain items were made and used in the film against green screen or on set. So it

really shows the movie-making experience of Star Wars.’

Andrea: Jonathan says that the exhibition is very interactive – there are lots of things

you can play with or do there. You don’t simply look at things on display. He

also uses a lot of language to do with movie making. Did you catch some of the

words? He talks about set pieces – those are the pieces built for filming in the

studio. He also talks about models and costumes. He says that you can watch 

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things about the making of Star Wars. He also talks about the green screen –

that’s when people are filmed against a green screen and then the creatures or

backdrop are filled in later. It’s all very exciting. Let’s listen to that clip again.

Jonathan Sands

‘The exhibition is really an interactive event for all the family. It takes you through all the six

films in the Star Wars saga, including all the original archive set pieces – from the models, the

costumes, the full-size space ships and weapons and that type of thing – broken down into all

the planets in about 20 different exhibition rooms detailed with films that show the making of

and how certain items were made and used in the film against green screen or on set. So it

really shows the movie-making experience of Star Wars.’

SFX

Andrea: As you can hear, you really get the whole Star Wars experience at this exhibition -

even if like me, you’re not a huge fan. This year is the 30th birthday of the first

Star Wars film, so what is it about Princess Leia and Darth Vader that still

captures people’s imaginations 30 years on?

Jonathan Sands

‘I think as cultural phenomenons go, I certainly don’t know any other entertainment based

film, music, experience, education – there’s so many elements in Star Wars that make it what

it is for me, personally but at the end of the day it is a simple story and everybody gets it.

There’s lots of action, it looks so fantastic and it never dates.’

Andrea: Jonathan talks about Star Wars as a cultural phenomenon – it’s a huge cultural

event. The plural of phenomenon is phenomena. There are so many elements or

parts of Star Wars that make it memorable. For Jonathan it’s the action, the

story and that it looks fantastic. Jonathan uses the expression ‘at the end of the

day’ – that means in the final analysis. At the end of the day it’s all these things 

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that have made Star Wars last 30 years and everybody gets it. Everybody

understands it and loves it. Even Darth Vadar.

SFX

Ok, so Darth Vadar didn’t have a lot to say about the exhibition about it was so

exciting to come face to face with him! As you can hear, the exhibition is very

very lively. There’s lots to look at and listen to. But how about some of those

well known sayings from the films? I asked Jonathan for his favourite

quotation from Star Wars.

Jonathan Sands

‘I think it’s something that’s stood me in good stead, I think. Unfortunately it comes from the

Dark Side, but certainly in business it’s stood me in good stead, for people not quite believing

in you when you’re younger and stuff like that. But I live by “I find your lack of faith

disturbing”. And it’s stood me in good stead.’

Andrea: The quotation Jonathan lives his life by is a quote from the Dark Side. It’s “I

find your lack of faith disturbing”. He says that he’s followed this in business

and when he was younger when people didn’t believe in him. He says it’s

stood him in good stead – it’s been a good moral to follow in life. So there’s

lots to get from the Star Wars films – not just entertainment!