Teacher touts lessons found in 'Star Wars'

For months, the math teacher at St. Mary's School in Clinton Heights has been reminding his students about the first installment of George Lucas' prequel to the "Star Wars" trilogy. He and some of the kids' parents will bring about 30 of them to a screening of the soon-to-be summer blockbuster.

"I started plastering up posters and had a countdown going and planned the field trip last year," he told The Evangelist. "I got a lot of kids excited about it. They didn't even know much about the original series."

Star warrior

"I enjoyed the trilogy and was interested to see the prequel come out and see this series revitalized after 15 years," he said.

Most of Mr. Styles' students are too young to have seen any parts of the "Star Wars" trilogy when they were shown in theaters originally, although some did see the movies when they were reissued in 1997. As the release date of "The Phantom Menace" neared, Mr. Styles showed his students the original "Star Wars" trilogy after school, along with videotaped commercials and trailers for the new movie. His students have responded in kind with "Star Wars" paraphernalia.

"One of the students brought me a figure. Another brought me a magazine; and another, tapes 'Entertainment Tonight' because they know I'm all wrapped up in it," he said.

Good vs. evil

George Lucas even said as much in this month's issue of "Premiere" magazine: "The struggle between good and evil within us has been around since the beginning of time. All mythology and all religions address it, and it's the most intimate struggle that we cope with -- trying to do the right thing and what's expected of us by society, by our peers, and in our hearts. The issues of falling from grace and being redeemed, and the strength of family and love -- they're all very primary issues."

With the recent high school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, and the continuing conflict in Kosovo, there may be some concern among parents about the violence that their children see in a movie such as "The Phantom Menace," but Mr. Styles isn't worried about the film's content.

"'Star Wars' is a science-fiction film. It goes above and beyond reality. There's a difference between light saber and laser duels, and a kid walking into a realistic setting with a shotgun," he said.

Art form

"I look at movie-making and film as a true art. There are definitely movies I wish more kids would see. If the kids have seen the original trilogy, they know how it ends, and in actuality, good does triumph over evil," he said.

Mr. Styles expects "The Phantom Menace" to be a hit, but he stopped short of saying that it would overtake another film that netted an astronomical profit.

"I don't doubt it will be a blockbuster. It will make millions, but I don't know if it will beat 'Titanic'" he said.

(05-20-99) [[In-content Ad]]