A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

...The film was independently made by a local director but got shown at the recent Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. It's been bought up by Sony Pictures for a worldwide release at the start of June. [Much of the post-production was done at Skywalker - hence the screening there.] Considering it was shot on a less-than-zero budget with local non-actors, it's a phenomenal effort, and really gives you a good feel for the underground warehouse party scene (and top trance DJ John Digweed has a cameo role as himself). It captures that indefinable element of raving that's usually so hard to display on celluloid. I'd highly reccommend it when it reaches Britain later this year.

...Of course what you're dying to know all about is Skywalker Ranch. If I'm to do an official review of "Groove", I'm not actually allowed to say where I saw it - Skywalker are dead strict on security. But seeing as this is just an email going out to a few select friends and family, it's okay...;)

...The Ranch is about an hour's drive north of San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge. Once you get off the freeway, you go down a road called the Lucas Valley Road (figures) which turns into a twisting, winding, tortuous path - think of end segment of "The Italian Job" and you're halfway there. You reach an entrance on the right which has all these security guards and checkpoints. It's once you get through there that you can really see where all the profits went from those bendy plastic toys you used to buy in the Seventies...

...Lucas's ranch must be thousands and thousands of acres. I didn't see them all but there's at least a dozen buildings spread out over the site which is basically lush rolling hills and wooded valleys. It wouldn't surprised me if the huge battle scenes from "The Phantom Menace" were shot here. The building that housed the preview theatre was an old red brick thing, probably turn-of-the-century and sort of old colonial style. The 300-capacity theatre we watched the movie in was one of *seven* in that building alone. Each theatre has a massive mixing desk in the middle of the seats where the sound for various films are mixed - that way the sound mixers know how the audience will hear the sound/music as they mix it.

...There were also two huge atrium/indoor garden rooms with huge medieval style balconies and glass roofs where the after party took place. The structure was a maze of corridors (much like the Death Star) with every room seemingly housing millions of pounds worth of post-production and animation equipment (hey, I had a snoop around). Even though the preview audience consisted of some high-powered film and music execs (plus blagging liggers like myself) everyone was acting like they were seven years old again. "This is George Lucas' place! George Lucas! Star Wars!" Visiting Skywalker Ranch should be considered for Regression Therapy for stressed-out movie execs.

..And did I get to meet the man himself? Well, there I was, exiting the toilet cubicle after having just answered a call of nature, when who should I bump into in the line but the bearded one himself. "I'd give it ten minutes if I were you George," I said. "Sure thing, man," he replied. "By the way, I like your bone structure - you'd be perfect for Episode Two." "Cheers George. Here's my email address - drop me line."

Remember - it will be with you, always.

Kieran

He was born with a gift of laughter
and a sense that the world was mad.

Rafael Sabatini