Nor do we need another comic con documentary. The story of being a geek has become the story of being a geek, and that doesn't have legs.
Because I lived it. I was there. I remember waking up at 5am on a Saturday morning to stand outside at Toys "R" Us in the mere hopes of finding a new Star Wars figure at 9am. I remember drinking White Castle coffee, which I'm still convinced was only heated wood varnish, in order to stay awake and warm. I remember fighting other grown men for a Ree-Yees figure and failing. And I remember the day it all came crashing down, and I realized I had no money, no girlfriend, and several Princess Leia figures hung on my wall. Would you make a former heroin addict watch Trainspotting? Because don't think I haven't fished through a filthy toilet for a Snowtrooper. Metaphorically speaking. As far as you know. (Via /Film)
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I totally hear you. I was once there myself. I'm now completely healed of my addiction and feel happier.
My low point was (besides having a bunch of "junk" lying around and all that money spent) when I grabbed a few of a specific Star Wars figure (I think it was one of the clone troopers) when there was a kid besides me who wanted the same ones. He looked at me in slight astonishment/disappointment, and so I walked away with the figures in my hands so I could get a better look at them.
He kept on following me and he even told his mother that I had taken the figure he wanted. I felt guilty for a moment but was able to compartmentalize and push aside any feelings of guilt. "Who knew if I'd ever see this figure again?" I told myself.
So brazenly, coldheartedly even... I didn't give it much more thought, quickly went to the cashier and bought each unit of that figure. It was only a little bit later, that I felt like an adult who had snatched candy from a kid.
While I didn't literally take the figures from the kid's hands, it felt like I had since I knew the kid wanted just one of the figures I had. I could have given him one or just put one back on the shelf for him to take. But I didn't. And I look back in shame at that moment. I turned away from that pathetic existence and haven't looked back.
I don't want to rub it in and make you feel worse, but I have to know. I read this and pictured it happening when you were a kid? Were you?
I was an adult when this happened, which makes it all the more shameful. Probably even would have been shameful if I were a high school teen at the time. I'm probably exaggerating a little for melodramatic effect. :)
If I was a kid when that happened, I most likely wouldn't feel guilty (it's first come, first serve! Ha).
The kid was just standing there, just looking at the wall of figures, not grabbing for anything at all, when I took the figures off the pegs. So I had no clue what he wanted until later on when he was following me and then telling his mother that I had taken up the ones he wanted.
His mother just told him that that's life (but in a more polite way).
Another reason why I didn't give him one (despite my being addicted with collecting), was that, in society, it is tough for adult males to interact with kids they don't know, even if the parent is around. I think all men get saddled with that stigma; women don't.
When I'm at stores in general, if a young kid is roaming around, unattended/unwatched by their parents, and that kid ends up by me, I first wonder "Where IS their parent?" and then I go elsewhere just so there's not even the slightest chance of misunderstanding or false accusation.
Anyway. I think I've gone on long enough about this. Looking back, I both chuckle and cringe when I think of how much time and money I spent on getting figures.
Agreed! No need for this.
Another delusional film maker that wants to cling to the idea that toy design peaked in 1978, George Lucas has still 'got it', and Greedo shot first....
This documentary is about a year too late for me. I haven't bought a new Star Wars figure since picking up the Don Rickles Cantina alien last summer. After 30 years, I feel like the honeymoon is finally over. It was a good run, I suppose.
I just know I'll be joining you on the Throne of (Collective) Shame soon, since I'm pretty sure they've already made a documentary about the "Wapanese" people and an otaku who refinanced his/her home to get the newest life-sized Gundam model by now. The normals would do anything to keep feeling normal, after all, and if it comes at the embarrassment of the nerds, well, so much the better. -sigh-
Eh, for better or worse, it seems there are sufficient number of people who really want to share their passion-obsessions with the world, and a greater number of people who want to snigger about it. That said, I'd love to see a documentary that focuses on the long-suffering of nerds' wives, because the "what?!" stories seem just as interesting.
Currently trolling ebay for Star Wars action fleet ships. Trying to find a B-wing on the cheap. Its an addiction.
I wish I could go back in time and buy just one more Star Wars figure. The owner of the local toy store would keep one of each figure for me and I'd go and choose one new figure from a big box every Saturday morning. It was always the highlight of my week. Wow, I was spoiled.
Weird thing is, I can still remember how sweet the new Tie-Fighter Pilot figure smelled. It almost smelled like Strawberries to me *sigh*
I just go this image of a 1st grade Lord Porkington explainint the tuff of red hair comming out of the top of his tie fighter, and the smooshed oversized face in the cockpit window. " no, my mommy said its the tie pilot!...Waaaa"
ABRAXAS , THE DIE HAS BEEN CAST.. THE CHALLENGE ISSUED
we demand a FFF the likes of which your expertise excells at ROB AND THE NEW JARJAR FIGURE ?, the case of the MOIST DEWBACK/EWOK ??
or the day that He got DUUKU'S DILDO-SHAPED sabre XD
>>>> I remember drinking White Castle coffee, which I'm still convinced was only heated wood varnish, in order to stay awake and warm. I remember fighting other grown men for a Ree-Yees figure and failing. And I remember the day it all came crashing down, and I realized I had no money, no girlfriend, and several Princess Leia figures hung on my wall <<<
This looks like a cash-in-concept along the lines of the many many Wars documentaries out there right now. Does it cover the Rancho Obi-Wan collection? No? It's a pile of poop then is what it is.
Actually, I was very lucky back in the late 1970s. My Grandmother hooked me up. She was friends with the guy that owned a independant toy store and he put all of the original Star Wars figures on hold for me in his store and my Grandmother would buy 2 each week for me as long as I did good in school and behaved.
Then being the typical boy of that time I eventually destroyed all of the figures using a soldering iron to simulate light saber damage.
Why would you tell a man who fought other Star Wars fans for a figure of an obscure character that you intentionally damaged the original set of figures for next to no reason other then for the amusement of a child?
Well, other to hear his anguished screams, of course.
I know, my bad. Clicked the wrong reply button. I was aiming for MikeTen.
Not that it matters any more, for either of our minds.
LOOK BACK AT THE MAIN PAGE RIGHT NOW.DO YOU SEE IT?DO YOU?
WHY WOULD YOU ANTAGONIZE A MAN WHO READS LEMONS EVERY FRIDAY FOR HIS JOB, ONCE WROTE AN ARTICAL ABOUT A GAME CONTROLLER YOU OPERATE WITH YOUR DICK, AND WAS THE ONE WHO FOUND AN ABOMINATION OF A RUSSIAN PORNO BASED ON E.T?
YOU DO NOT FUCK WITH A MAN LIKE THAT.THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DO.
