By the time that you get to ‘Revenge of the Sith’ and see the backdrop that is used for Anakin’s near demise before his rebirth as Darth Vader you can see an obvious depiction of a fiery hell. It is more like something created by Dante, than what you would expect to see in a batman or science fiction movie. If you think back to some of the scenes and characters in the series of six films then it will not be very long before you come across some sort of religious symbolism or reference. There have even been many people who, whilst filling out questionnaires, have named their religion as being ‘Jedi’. Perhaps this is taking things a bit too far but it is a very good example of how deeply Star Wars has touched some people.

The effect that the movies have had on the film industry should not be underestimated. The original ‘Star Wars’ made a good deal of its rival movies look laughable on its release. The special effects really were cutting-edge and many other films of that period just could not compete. The science fiction film world needed to catch up very quickly and it knew it.

When the first three films in the sequence are watched today they still sit quite comfortably alongside their contemporaries. They are not dated and are still highly enjoyable for all ages. Now they are being enjoyed by a new and younger generation. That this is possible is a true testimony of their quality and depth.

The impact that ‘Star Wars’ had on its release was far-reaching and not just restricted to the world of film. It has affected many things over the last thirty-two years since its first appearance in cinemas. Not only is just about everyone on earth familiar with such characters as Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, R2-D2, C3PO and Obi-Wan Kenobi but a huge amount of the population could give you actual facts and figures to do with the characters.

With the release of the original Star Wars film we were witness to a sort of mass hysteria. All of a sudden it was everywhere that you went. It was the first chain of movies to create a gigantic franchise in its wake. The excitement over this ground-breaking film was not just restricted to children; many adults were also caught up in it all as well. The film seemed to hit upon a nerve in many people. Essentially it is a fairy-tale set in space but it contains many other elements within it as well. Romance and adventure are present as you would expect them to be but there is more to it than just that.

There are very clear distinctions between good and evil, light and dark. It is full of religious references and influences. ‘The Force’ in itself is something that is clearly of a spiritual nature. The teachings of Yoda, a Jedi Master, in the later Star Wars films are obviously very Buddhist in their style and content.

Nowadays the genre has been encapsulated within the general
halloween fancy dress sector.

Aim:To find the pig squeaker while blindfolded.
Items: A number of people, a blindfold, chairs for each player less one. (If there are 8 players you need 7 chairs.)
Place the chairs in a circle, and have guests take a seat, blindfold one  person standing.

Directions: Turn the blindfolded person around until he is disoriented, then as him to walk around the circle and pick an occupied seat to sit in. He sits on the lap of the seated person and says, “Squeak, Piggy, Squeak” and the person must then squeak like a pig. He must guess who is the squeaker’s name is and if correct, the two switch rolls. Now the squeaker becomes the blindfolded player and the game continues. If the person guesses incorrectly then he/she is sent back around for another try.10 guest partake, with 9 are sitting in a circle of chairs, and the 10th player is blindfolded. He is spun around, then walks around the the circle before stopping and sitting down on someone’s lap.

The player says, “Squeak, Piggy, Squeak” and the sitter begins to squeak like a pig. The blindfolded person guesses the squeakers name is player number four, so he/she removes the blindfold and sits. The squeaker puts on the blindfold and is spun. Player four sits on the lap of player eight, who after hearing the piggy squeak guesses that it is player one. Because the blindfolded player four guessed wrong he/she is now spun again and sent around the circle to sit one someone else’s lap.

Jason Voorhees costume

When it comes to film themed Halloween costumes for men, you are spoilt for choice. One of the most original fancy dress costumes around has to be a Beetlejuice outfit. This comprises a black and white striped jacket and trousers, a huge spiky white wig and authentically scary mask. The film Beetlejuice is about a young couple who die in a car crash and become ghosts haunting their own house. When an unpleasant family move into the house, the couple enlist the help of a devious and malevolent “bio-exorcist” to scare away the new inhabitants. In equal measures scary and funny, Beetlejuice became something of a cult figure. He will certainly cause a stir at any Halloween party!

Another famous horror film character is Jason Voorhees, the serial killer of the Friday the 13th series of movies. Dressed in this Halloween costume, you can make a slashing entrance to any party – don’t forget to bring along some fake blood for extra scary effects! A Jason Voorhees costume consists of a green patterned shirt with a tattered effect, matching trousers and vinyl hockey face mask. You can purchase special latex Jason Voorhees hands to match your costume and these come complete with exposed bone. You can even buy a bloodstained fake chrome effect machete with haunting sound effects. The Friday the 13th horror franchise includes twelve films and revolves around the evil Jason Voorhees, who drowned in a lake and wreaks his revenge on the community that failed to save him, by returning from the dead to commit a series of horrific murders.