'Star Wars: The Force Awakens': A recap of the world premiere from celebrity cosplay on the red carpet to the first reactions - Los Angeles Times
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‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’: A recap of the world premiere from celebrity cosplay on the red carpet to the first reactions

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The Los Angeles Times was inside the the world premiere of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens.' Now that our  "Star Wars" team members  have watched the movie and gotten their phones back, the first impressions are rolling in from all over. 

Earlier, we gave you a play-by-play of the red carpet, which included such highlights as J.J. Abrams embracing George Lucas, Joseph Gordon-Levitt dressed as Yoda, Rainn Wilson dressed up as a #ChubbyJedi, screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan’s hints about the movie, Peter "Chewbacca" Mayhew rocking a lightsaber cane, a very grateful Gwendoline Christie and a whole lot of Stormtroopers. 

'The Force Awakens' premiere looks backward with nostalgia — and forward with a new hope

J.J. Abrams acknowledges George Lucas as he continues down the carpet toward the Hollywood premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

J.J. Abrams acknowledges George Lucas as he continues down the carpet toward the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Onscreen and off, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" world premiere was a night of both nostalgia, looking back with reverence to the much-loved original Star Wars trilogy, and of looking forward, as the franchise shifts to a new generation.

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Cue the Cantina Band: It's post-party time

Wolfgang Puck knows from after parties — after all, he's the guy who caters the Oscars' annual Governors Ball. And tonight Wolfgang is telling people on the ground that he cooked for 3,500 "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" premiere guests.

The party is going on where the red carpet launched the event, out on Hollywood Boulevard. Some kids are building BB-8 toys and others are playing the Star Wars: Battlefront game. And it's time for dessert!

"Star Wars"-themed desserts by Wolfgang Puck.

“Star Wars”-themed desserts by Wolfgang Puck.

(Meredith Woerner)
For the fan who has everything, Wolfgang Puck offers Millennium Falcon macarons.

For the fan who has everything, Wolfgang Puck offers Millennium Falcon macarons.

(Meredith Woerner)

Of course, after the end credits rolled and before hitting the party, people had to reclaim their cellphones.

Cellphone pickup after the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" premiere screenings.

Cellphone pickup after the “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” premiere screenings.

(John Corrigan)

And it wasn't only kids who were making the droids ...

Wait, so was it good, or...?

And our first celeb endorsement...

The 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' livestream — a little bit later than 'live'

Missed watching the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" world premiere in real time? Here's the event in its entirety, thanks to the official Star Wars website .

Those who don't have an hour and 47 minutes to spend on the lead-up to "The Force Awakens," however, can keep reading here for the highlights ...

Uh oh, do we have a diva on our hands already?

Just OK?!?!?

And we have our first "meh":

Spoiler alert: The main players

The force is strong with this one

OK, so it's been only 15 minutes since the movie let out. But so far, the response out of the premiere has been unanimously positive.

They liked it! They really liked it!

ALERT: The movie has ended!

And women apparently represent in it.

Favorite scene?

 (Courtesy of John Dysktra)

(Courtesy of John Dysktra)

John Dykstra, considered one of the true forefathers of visual effects, won his first Oscar for the original "Star Wars." Dykstra worked on the film as the special photographic-effects supervisor. He spoke to Hero Complex in 2009 as part of a series on the 'Wizards of Hollywood.'

My most memorable scene was the opening shot in the first 'Star Wars' It was one of the first shots we finished and it proved that at least a large part of the new technology we were applying to the visual effects for the film was going to work.
John Dykstra

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Crack open a six-pack of 'Star Wars' movie reviews

Don't have time to watch the first six movies before stepping into the theater to see "Star Wars: The Force Awakens"? No worries.

We are pleased to present Every single L.A. Times 'Star Wars' movie review from 1977 to 2005 , starting off with a taste from our review of the original — which the late Charles Champlin called "the year’s most razzle-dazzling family movie, an exuberant and technically astonishing space adventure."

The sidekicks are salty squatty robots instead of leathery old cowpokes who scratch their whiskers and 'Aw, shucks' a lot, and the gunfighters square off with laser swords instead of Colt revolvers. But it is all and gloriously one, the mythic and simple world of the good guys vs. the bad guys (identifiable without a scorecard or footnotes), the rustlers and the land grabbers, the old generation saving the young with a last heroic gesture which drives home the messages of courage and conviction.
Charles Champlin, L.A. Times movie critic, reviewing "Star Wars" in 1977

Click the headline above or the link below to read more about what "The Force Awakens" has to live up to — or might find easy to surpass. (Hint: Critic Kenneth Turan dubbed one film's main relationship, "High School Confidential in Outer Space." We're looking at you, "Episode II— Attack of the Clones."

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Fox throws shade at Disney

Tell us how you really feel, 20th Century Fox!

Maybe the social media folks over on the Fox lot thought no one would catch this sassy tweet, since they put it out while thousands of industry elite were at the "Star Wars" premiere. But we did.

For non movie-biz types, here's the translation. Fox is the studio that released all six "Star Wars" movies made by George Lucas between 1977 and 2005. But in 2012, Walt Disney Co. acquired the filmmaker's Lucasfilm for $4.05 billion and decided to revive the franchise. That's why Disney is the studio releasing J.J. Abrams' "The Force Awakens" in theaters this weekend.

Clearly, however, breaking up is hard to do.

Remembering the 'Empire Strikes Back' director

Peter Mayhew, Carrie Fisher, Irvin Kershner and Billy Dee Williams on the set of

Peter Mayhew, Carrie Fisher, Irvin Kershner and Billy Dee Williams on the set of "The Empire Strikes Back" (LucasFilm)

Irvin Kershner directed the acclaimed 1980 sequel to George Lucas’ blockbuster “Star Wars." "The Empire Strikes Back" remains a favorite of many die-hard fans, but at the time Kershner was reluctant to take the job.

When George approached me, at first I wouldn’t agree. I didn’t want to follow a picture like ‘Star Wars,’ because what could I do that was different? But George said, ‘I want to make a picture that is better than the first one. Because if the second one is not successful, that kills the whole series.'
Irvin Kershner, in interview with the Commercial Appeal, a Memphis newspaper, in 1997.

Kershner died five years ago at 87.

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And now, a musical interlude ... the No. 1 hits awaken

The "Star Wars" saga and its premieres have spanned 38 years in real life, from May 1977 to December 2015. And just like special-effects technology, popular music has undergone a major overhaul over the decades.

So while we're waiting for more from the Hollywood premiere, send yourself back in the day to check out what was No. 1 on the Billboard 100 the week each of the "Star Wars" movies hit theaters.

"Star Wars," May 25, 1977: "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder

"The Empire Strikes Back," June 20, 1980: "Funkytown" by Lipps, Inc.

"Return of the Jedi," May 25, 1983: "Let's Dance" by David Bowie

"Attack of the Clones," May 16, 2002: "Foolish" by Ashanti

"Phantom Menace," May 19, 1999: "No Scrubs" by TLC

"Revenge of the Sith," May 19, 2005: "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani

"The Force Awakens," Dec. 14, 2015: "Hello" by Adele

But here's the thing: Back in 1977, there's one gem that didn't hit No. 1 until well after "Star Wars" opened.

Some of you know what we're talking about — it's "Star Wars Theme / Cantina Band," by MECO, which was No. 1 the weeks of Oct. 1 and Oct. 8 of that year. Because that is how big of a deal the orginal "Star Wars" was.

The official 'Star Wars' recipe blog says how to make Stormtrooper butter

A view of a flame trooper, a special Stormtrooper of the First Order in Launch Bay, in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. An entire section of the StarWars.com website is devoted to "Star Wars"-inspired recipes, including one for Stormtrooper butter.

A view of a flame trooper, a special Stormtrooper of the First Order in Launch Bay, in Tomorrowland at Disneyland. An entire section of the StarWars.com website is devoted to “Star Wars”-inspired recipes, including one for Stormtrooper butter.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Starwars.com has an entire recipes section devoted to food inspired by or shaped as "Star Wars" characters. Stormtrooper butter, for example, comes in pumpkin spice, cranberry orange, garlic herb and Sriracha lime.

If you're thinking of throwing a "Star Wars Rebels" party, there's a guide for that too.

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A long time ago ...

Left to right, Harrison Ford (Han Solo), David Prowse (Darth Vader), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and, in foreground, Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Kenny Baker (R2-D2) and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker). (Lucasfilm)

Left to right, Harrison Ford (Han Solo), David Prowse (Darth Vader), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) and, in foreground, Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Kenny Baker (R2-D2) and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker). (Lucasfilm)

In a 2009 interview with The Times' Hero Complex, Mark Hamill said that when this vintage shot was taken, cast members had no idea what was in store for them.

Of course none of us knew what this thing was going to become, there was no way of knowing, I never imagined that here, more than 30 years later, we’d still be talking about this movie.
Mark Hamill

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Is it Wookie or Wookiee?

Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, with Harrison Ford as Han Solo in "Star Wars," is reprising his Wookiee role in "Star Wars: Episode VII."
Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, with Harrison Ford as Han Solo in “Star Wars,” is reprising his Wookiee role in “Star Wars: Episode VII.”
(Lucasfilm Ltd.)

Times copy editor Blake Hennon put together a guide to "Star Wars" facts, names and terms to help everyone in the newsroom keep the details straight and the standards high. It's a fun read.

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Ah, the sweet sound of (temporary) silence...

Gwendoline Christie: Phasma's got skills, people

"I feel really privileged that I was cast in this role," Gwendoline Christie said on the red carpet. More than that, she said, she feels really encouraged that Lucasfilm and Disney listened to fans of the franchise and, she thinks, delivered what they wanted.

"Origins have been honored, but they've been brought up to date and provide a better mirror of our world today."

Remember, Christie plays Captain Phasma, the franchise's first female villain. And how is Phasma in battle, you ask?

"She is a captain," the "Game of Thrones" actress said in the livestreamed interview. "You ain't no captain for nothing."

Know your Imperial helmets

There are a dozen of these, each of them different. Check them out.

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Frank Oz — so experienced, so wise he is

Frank Oz credits a couple of buddies with starting him on the path that led to the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" red carpet in Hollywood.

"I look back, I have no idea how I got here," he said in an interview livestreamed from the event. "I just worked for Jim, and Jim gave me these opportunities, and then George gave me these opportunities...."

That'd be Jim Henson and George Lucas, natch, and Oz is, of course, known as the voice of Jedi master Yoda.

"I love these characters that are so experienced, so wise, yet they still want the last candy in the dish," Oz said. "Look at the Dalai Lama ... he giggles all the time."

(Frank, we hope you got a load of Joseph Gordon-Levitt tonight. Giggles incarnate.)

Less than two hours to go

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who are you wearing? Um, Yoda

Joseph Gordon-Levitt arrives at the Hollywood premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

Joseph Gordon-Levitt arrives at the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

(Christie D’Zurilla)

Looking back at the 1977 premiere

Alec Guinness and George Lucas on the set of “Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope” in 1977. (20th Century Fox)

Alec Guinness and George Lucas on the set of “Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope” in 1977. (20th Century Fox)

In a 2010 interview with Hero Complex , Gary Kurtz, the film's producer, explained how he first knew something special was going on:

On opening day I was on the East Coast and I did the morning-show circuit — ‘Good Morning America’ and ‘Today.' In the afternoon I did a radio call-in show in Washington and this guy, this caller, was really enthusiastic and talking about the movie in really deep detail. I said, ‘You know a lot about the film.’ He said, ‘Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen it four times already.’ And that was opening day. I knew something was happening.
Gary Kurtz
Gary Kurtz (Courtesy of Gary Kurtz)

Gary Kurtz (Courtesy of Gary Kurtz)

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If you need to kill time as the movie runs

Duh-duh-duh...

Stay with us for instant reaction from our reporters inside watching the film. Official running time of the film is 2 hours and 12 minutes.

Good to have friends in high places

Her love of "Star Wars" is well documented.

Rainn Wilson isn't alone anymore

How to get inside

Actually, nobody's seen Hayden Christensen yet

An arrival photo of the actor was tweeted around, but it's actually an image of him at a different event -- several years ago. He hasn't yet made an appearance on this red carpet. Maybe he's not excited about how "Star Wars" fans feel about the prequels.

Lawrence Kasdan leaks: The new film is 'really goofy'

"The Force Awakens" is screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan's third "Star Wars" effort, and he seems to find the third time quite charming.

"I'm really happy with it, and I think it's full of surprises, and really goofy," he said in a livestreamed interview from the red carpet.

"When we started out, J.J. [Abrams] and I said, 'Let 's see if we can make it delightful.' And I said to him, 'We've got to like it when we're with it.' And I think we did that."

The two of them hiked in places all over the world and recorded their conversations. But they weren't quite hush-hush all through the process.

"We were reckless," Kasdan said. "We were in restaurants and cafes and we were yelling things like, 'Han should do this!' We were not careful."

L.A. represents

And he'd probably be pleased to know this:

J.J. Abrams has his eye on one moon in particular

J.J. Abrams knows which "Star Wars" planet he'd like to inhabit, but he has a condition.

"I think Endor is beautiful," he said in a red carpet interview, "and if there was a little ewok-free zone — I'm not saying I hate ewoks, but you want to choose when you see ewoks.

"If it was all ewoks all the time, it might get a little grating."

He was also concerned about the premiere being grating for the neighbors.

"It's very surreal," Abrams said of the massive event. "I've never seen this kind of thing ... it's insane. I feel very guilty for this community — this neighborhood must hate us."

Perhaps a few free tickets left under local doormats? Just sayin' ...

Welcome (kind of)

Gustavo Dudamel = surprise 'Star Wars' star

Composer John Williams, left, confers with conductor Gustavo Dudamel about the score for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," on Oct. 12 at Sony Picture Studios in Culver City.

Composer John Williams, left, confers with conductor Gustavo Dudamel about the score for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” on Oct. 12 at Sony Picture Studios in Culver City.

(Lucasfilm )
I remember thinking, ‘He’s joking.' John has such a wonderful sense of humor, and I somehow thought that there must be a catch. It turns out there was: I couldn’t tell anyone!
Gustavo Dudamel, on being asked by composer John Williams to conduct the opening and end titles of the new film

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Look who decided to show up

Someone get Leia a coffee

But no rush, apparently.

Photos from the red carpet

Stormtroopers drink in the spotlight on the red carpet -- while keeping order, of course.

Stormtroopers drink in the spotlight on the red carpet -- while keeping order, of course.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Stormtroopers drink in the spotlight on the red carpet -- while keeping order, of course. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Los Angeles Times photographer Jay L. Clendenin is on the scene snapping pics on the "Star Wars" red carpet. Stormtroopers, Peter Mayhew's lightsaber cane and new droid favorite BB-8 are just part of the fun. See the full photo gallery >

You could say that

Will Gary Fisher grace the red carpet?

Sure, everyone’s wondering what’s up with Luke Skywalker, but the pressing question on most “Star Wars” fans’ minds today is: Will Gary Fisher attend “The Force Awakens” premiere?

If you’ve been living in a hole, Gary Fisher is actress Carrie Fisher’s French bulldog. He is little, black and has a tongue that will not stay inside his mouth. And he has also been a frequent guest on the “Star Wars” publicity tour alongside his mama. Last week, during a stop at “Good Morning America,” Gary even received his own chair. Carrie told “GMA’s” Amy Robach that the pup has already seen the film, though she wasn’t sure of his review: “He panted all the way through it. I think it was too loud.”

OK, so maybe Gary won’t watch the movie again tonight. He does have to rest up for the British publicity tour later this week. But that doesn’t mean he might not trot down the red carpet. And if he does, what will he be wearing? A Petco tux? A bedazzled collar from Petco? Perhaps something more high-end from a luxury boutique like Fifi & Romeo or Pussy & Pooch?

Josh Gad has a golden ticket

That's lucky, because here's what he gets to avoid:

Cheer up, George!

Harrison Ford, a voice of experience

Harrison Ford has 38 years of "Star Wars" experience, but he said on the red carpet Monday that he didn't give the newbie cast members any tips on working in the franchise. "They wouldn't believe me anyway," he said in an interview livestreamed from the premiere.

Anyway, it's a different game these days.

"In the '70s nobody knew what to anticipate, nobody had ever seen anything like it," he said. "Now we have to live up to what the first films delivered."

Rainn Wilson gets into character

The princess is getting close

And her daughter is ready to hit the red carpet.

Cold night, hot ticket

The premiere is livestreaming online

StarWars.com has four camera angles on the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" Hollywood premiere: arrivals, fashion, a tower view and the show that can be seen via Verizon. Check it out at StarWars.com.

OK, not everyone is at the premiere

Traffic in Hollywood: It's the work of the dark side

Luke ... she was your foster mother ...

The man who would be — and has been — C-3PO

Anthony Daniels, the human inside the C-3PO suit, arrives at the world premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

Anthony Daniels, the human inside the C-3PO suit, arrives at the world premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

Peter Mayhew rocks a lightsaber cane

Darren Criss of 'Glee' gets in X-wing fighting form

Kill time by adding a lightsaber to your Facebook pic

This photo provided by Disney shows, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren with his Lightsaber in a scene from the new film, "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." The movie releases in the U.S. on Dec. 18, 2015. (Film Frame/Disney/Copyright Lucasfilm 2015 via AP)

This photo provided by Disney shows, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren with his Lightsaber in a scene from the new film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The movie releases in the U.S. on Dec. 18, 2015. (Film Frame/Disney/Copyright Lucasfilm 2015 via AP)

(Amy Kaufman)

Bored while waiting for the big stars to turn up at the "Star Wars" premiere? Why not add a lightsaber to your Facebook picture?

Apparently the social media site today added a function allowing users to temporarily filter their profile pictures with "Star Wars" fun. Yeah, you won't look as cool as Adam Driver. But at least all your friends will know the force is with you.

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Chewbacca in da house

Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew arrives in Hollywood. "WMR" on the tweet means it comes from Webmaster Rick, not the 7-foot-2 Mayhew himself.

We've got you in our sights, BB-8

New droid favorite BB-8 takes his time in the spotlight of the red carpet.

New droid favorite BB-8 takes his time in the spotlight of the red carpet.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

There's no place like ... the 'Force Awakens' premiere?

Darth Vader and Stormtroopers decorate a dress at the premiere.

Darth Vader and Stormtroopers decorate a dress at the premiere.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Off the red carpet, a red Stormtrooper

A cosplay staple at "Star Wars" events, the Hip-Hop Stormtrooper arrives for the premiere.

A cosplay staple at “Star Wars” events, the Hip-Hop Stormtrooper arrives for the premiere.

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Billie Lourd and Carrie Fisher, the 'before' shot

And so it begins ...

Sorry, dog, this is not the bag you're looking for

Prepare to enter the newest 'Star Wars' red carpet

The red carpet for the Hollywood premiere of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

The red carpet for the Hollywood premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”

(Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Serious fandom at the start of the red carpet

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