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HOLLYWOOD, Calif., May 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The stamp character you picked, the power and wisdom of the mail reflects.
As the highly anticipated Star Wars stamps -- 15 images from the movie -- went on sale today at Post Offices nationwide, the U.S. Postal Service announced Yoda as the top pick of Americans who voted to determine which Star Wars character would be featured on a single stamp to be issued later this summer.
The Star Wars stamps were dedicated at Star Wars Celebration IV -- the biggest Star Wars event in the galaxy -- at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event, where the Postal Service is the exclusive shipper, coincides with the 30th anniversary of Star Wars, produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. In recent weeks, the Postal Service transformed collection boxes across the country into R2-D2 look-alikes and encouraged customers to log on to usps.com to vote for the Star Wars character they wanted to see featured on a single stamp.
"We can only describe the excitement created by the Star Wars stamps as 'out of this galaxy,'" said Anita Bizzotto, chief marketing officer of the Postal Service. Joining Bizzotto was Steve Sansweet, director of content management and head of fan relations, Lucasfilm Ltd; Howard Roffman, president of Lucas Licensing, and sweepstakes winner Jeffrey Adam Walker of Jacksonville, NC. As winner of the Jedi Shipping and Mailing Master Sweepstakes, Walker won a trip to Star Wars Celebration IV to see the stamp dedication ceremony.
The Star Wars stamp sheet is available for purchase in Post Offices, on usps.com, and by calling 1-800-STAMP-24.
Press note: Broadcast television and radio, print media and Internet news sites can download press materials; including PATHFIRE (TM) broadcast quality video, high resolution still photo images, high resolution stamp images and web media files at http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom. Select the icon for Broadcast TV and Multimedia.
A Brief History of the Star Wars Saga
On Wednesday, May 25, 1977, audiences got their first look at Star Wars at 32 theaters in the United States. Written and directed by George Lucas, it quickly became an international phenomenon, making the phrase "May the Force be with you" and characters such as Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader a part of American culture. A deceptively simple morality tale of good versus evil set across a fantastic galaxy of exotic planets and bizarre creatures, the box office sensation earned seven Academy Awards. The story of Luke Skywalker and a band of rebels battling Darth Vader and the forces of the Galactic Empire (which later added "Episode IV A New Hope" to its title) continued in Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, released in May 1980, and Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, released in May 1983.
In May 1999, Star Wars returned after a 16-year absence with the release of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. A box office smash, it was also the first of a new trilogy of Star Wars episodes that charted the origins of Darth Vader. Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, the first major live-action movie to be shot entirely digitally, was released in 2002, and the climactic Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith was released in 2005. Completing the sprawling Star Wars saga, the most recent movies have attracted a new generation of fans to the vast universe created by George Lucas.
Stamp Sheet Design
The commemorative stamps feature images from all six movies in the Star Wars saga: Luke Skywalker; Han Solo and Chewbacca; Princess Leia Organa with R2-D2; C-3PO; Yoda; Queen Padme Amidala; Obi-Wan Kenobi as seen in Episodes IV through VI; Anakin Skywalker battling Obi-Wan Kenobi; Darth Vader; Emperor Palpatine; Darth Maul; Imperial Stormtroopers; Boba Fett; the Millennium Falcon; and an X-wing fighter.
The design of the sheet of 15 stamps includes the Star Wars logo and background images of a space battle, including a Star Destroyer, TIE fighters, X-wing fighters, and the second Death Star under construction, as seen in Return of the Jedi. The background also includes the lightsaber-wielding form of Darth Vader, whose helmet comprises the largest of the 15 stamps. The back of the stamp sheet includes extensive text describing the dramatic roles that each featured character or vehicle plays in the Star Wars saga.
The individual stamps were created and painted by Drew Struzan, who also created posters for all six Star Wars movies. The overall design of the pane was finalized by Terry McCaffrey and Bill Gicker of the U.S. Postal Stamp Development team.
Stamp Collecting Products:
There are eight stamp products available for this stamp issue:
-- Item 570162, First-Day Cover Full Pane Black Cancellation, $8.65.
-- Item 570163, First-Day Cover (set of 15 Black Cancellations), $11.85.
-- Item 570164, Full Pane Black Cancellation, $8.65.
-- Item 570168, Digital Color Postmark, (set of 15), $22.50.
-- Item 570184, Uncut Press Sheets (3 panes of 15), $18.45.
-- Item 570191, Ceremony Program, $6.95.
-- Item 570199, Cancellation Keepsake (pane w/15 Digital Color Postmark
Set), $28.65.
-- Item 886500, Stamped Postal Card Booklet of 15, $12.95.
How to Order the First-Day-of-Issue Postmark
Customers have 60 days to obtain the first-day-of-issue postmark by mail. They may purchase new stamps at their local Post Office, by telephone at 1-800-STAMP-24, or at the Postal Store website at http://www.usps.com/shop. They should affix the stamps to envelopes of their choice, address the envelopes (to themselves or others), and place them in a larger envelope addressed to:
STAR WARS COMMEMORATIVE SHEET POSTMASTER 7001 S. CENTRAL AVE LOS ANGELES CA 90052-9998
After applying the first-day-of-issue postmark, the Postal Service will return the envelopes through the mail. There is no charge for the postmark. All orders must be postmarked by July 24, 2007.
How to Order First-Day Covers
Stamp Fulfillment Services also offers first-day covers for new stamp issues and Postal Service stationery items postmarked with the official first-day-of-issue cancellation. Each item has an individual catalog number and is offered in the quarterly USA Philatelic catalog. Customers may request a free catalog by calling 1-800-STAMP-24 or writing to:
INFORMATION FULFILLMENT DEPT 6270 US POSTAL SERVICE PO BOX 219014 KANSAS CITY MO 64121-9014
An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits 146 million homes and businesses, six days a week. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products, and services to cover its operating expenses. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers nearly half the world's mail.
STAR WARS and related character names and properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & (C) Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.
Source: U.S. Postal Service
CONTACT: Melissa Dodge, +1-202-268-5188, melissa.l.dodge@usps.gov, or
Larry Dozier, +1-323-586-1211, larry.h.dozier@usps.gov, both of the U.S.
Postal Service; or John Singh of Lucasfilm Ltd., +1-415-623-1962,
john.singh@lucasfilm.com, for the U.S. Postal Service
Web site: http://www.usps.com/
Newt Gingrich, Nancy Pelosi, Dan Rather, Peter Jackson, Camille Paglia and Other Thought Leaders Discuss the Charm, Enduring Impact and Mythic Underpinnings in Two-Hour Special
Star Wars(TM): The Legacy Revealed on The History Channel(R)
World Premiere Monday, May 28, at 9pm ET/PT
NEW YORK, MAY 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Thirty years ago, an unheralded film known as Star Wars opened in theaters and took audiences on a groundbreaking journey to a galaxy far, far away. It instantly seized the public's imagination, and three decades later still claims that grasp.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20051031/HISTORYLOGO )
Now, a new special from The History Channel seeks to understand why the emotional impact of the Star Wars Saga remains as relevant as ever. The two- hour special, STAR WARS: THE LEGACY REVEALED, is a World Premiere on The History Channel on Monday, May 28 at 9pm ET/PT.
Through interviews with politicians, academics, journalists and critics - all of whom weigh in on the enduring appeal of George Lucas's creations - the special demonstrates that Star Wars isn't just a high-action adventure in space. It's a remarkably complex and sophisticated story about power, politics, sin, spirituality and redemption-almost Shakespearean in its power, humor, presentation and influence.
The special makes the argument that Star Wars' intensely compelling stories-borrowed from diverse traditions, from Greek mythology and American westerns to the Bible and even Vaudeville-compel us to explore some of the biggest questions of our time. STAR WARS: THE LEGACY REVEALED explores that view through interviews with politicians, academics, journalists and critics, who all weigh in on the creations of George Lucas. The special shows how seldom a movie can make us laugh and think about our role in the universe- which may be why it has stood the test of time.
"The enduring appeal of Star Wars," says Tom Brokaw, "is that it's this vastly entertaining piece of cinema that also leaves you ... with the idea that there are some real issues out there that we ought to be thinking about- good and evil, and right and wrong, and heroism. Generations of people a long time from now will be enthralled by it, just as we are enthralled by the story of Robin Hood or King Arthur's Court or any of the Shakespearean tales."
The special unites a diverse group of high-profile Star Wars fans, from filmmakers to politicians to journalists. Their comments punctuate the still jaw-dropping footage from all six episodes of the Star Wars Saga.
"The idea of the underdog who's on the right side defeating the overdog who's on the wrong side is a deeply American mythology," says former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who climbed a high political fence to agree with current Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the movies' impact. Says Pelosi: "The legacy of George Lucas fits very comfortably among the classics of all time, whether ancient or modern."
Adds Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson: "You don't even have to ask, 'Will it stand the test of time?' It has and it will."
This action-adventure film with lighthearted moments and touching purity, demands that we focus on current fundamental themes, including environmentalism, racism and the temptations of power and greed. As author Carl Silvio notes, at times the movies seem prophetic: "In Revenge of the Sith, when we hear Anakin say, 'You're either with me or against me,' it's almost impossible not to hear that quote and think of another very famous quote," a point the special underscores with a clip of President George W. Bush's November 2001 news-conference quote: "You are either with us or you are against us in the fight against terror."
The dichotomies of good vs. evil and mechanism vs. humanity is apparent throughout the movies, which carry themes of politics and power. In the Star Wars universe, dictators are ruthless yet charismatic, and while some politicians are well-meaning, as Princess Leia Organa demonstrates, leaders are born from courage and conviction, not from gender.
With regard to other kinds of power, C-3PO and R2-D2 demonstrate that machines can be beneficial, while the feared Death Star shows us their danger. The Ewoks, instrumental in the eventual defeat of the Empire, remind us that natural, environmental solutions have as much as (or more) power than man-made ones. That the movies are fun only gives their central questions and observations more credence
How long will that endure? "A hundred years from now," says Joan Breton Connelly, an associate professor of fine arts at New York University, "someone will be sitting here discussing the impact of Star Wars and they will be seeing different things in it than we are seeing today, just as today we have classes in the university on Homer."
Filmmaker Kevin Smith: "It is bad guys versus good guys and everyone wants to see that story. That story will never grow tired, never grow old."
STAR WARS: THE LEGACY REVEALED is produced by Prometheus Entertainment in association with Lucasfilm Ltd. Executive Producer is Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Kevin Burns (Empire of Dreams, Look, Up in the Sky!). Executive Producer for The History Channel is Beth Dietrich Segarra.
On History.com, STAR WARS: THE LEGACY REVEALED will be front and center with short-form including footage of what technology can actually be implemented today as well as articles on myths and literary influences from the show. There will also be discussion boards, show descriptions, tune-in information, and more.
The History Channel(R) is a leading cable television network featuring compelling original, non-fiction specials and series that bring history to life in a powerful and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. The network provides an inviting place where people experience history in new and exciting ways enabling them to connect their lives today to the great lives and events of the past that provide a blueprint for the future. The History Channel has earned four Peabody Awards, three Primetime Emmy(R) Awards, 10 News & Documentary Emmy(R) Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History(R) campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. The History Channel reaches more than 91 million Nielsen subscribers. The website is located at www.History.com.
Web site: http://www.history.com/
Directed by George Lucas, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones will star Golden Globe nominee Hayden Christensen, who will play Anakin. Other leading performances include Natalie Portman and Ewan McGregor with supporting casting by Samuel L. Jackson, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee, Kenny Baker, Ian McDiarmid, and Temuera Morrison. Characters include Anakin Skywalker, Jar Jar Binks, Yoda, C-3PO, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and R2-D2. This franchise, written by George Lucas and Jonathan Hales and produced by Lucasflim, consists of a trilogy and a prequel that have made over $1 billion in the U.S. This action/adventure/sci-fi epic movie is set to release May 16, 2002 and is distributed by 20th Century Fox Film Corporation. Sequels include Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace which was released in 1999 and Star Wars: Episode III, scheduled for release in 2005.
Before Episode I, George Lucas had not directed a film in twenty-plus years (1977). "There's only one issue for a filmmaker," Lucas says. "Will this make its money back so I can make the next one? With Phantom Menace, we didn't know. It didn't have Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher. It was not a slam dunk."
In Attack of the Clones, Anakin is 20, a young man of superior skills and even higher ambitions, chafing under the stern tutelage of his mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and daring to risk his status in the Jedi Order, which forbids romantic attachments, by pursuing a reckless passion for Senator Padme Amidala. They fight with Senator Palpatine and battle the Jedi rebel Dooku and his droids with an army cloned from scurvy bounty hunter Jango Fett.
On April 24, Star Wars: Episode II - The Attack of the Clones merchandise hit the stores in Time Square and 120 Toys "R" Us stores across the U.S. Highlights of the latest Star Wars toy line include Jango Fett and his spacecraft and Jedi warriors (Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker).
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