Star Wars keeps sailors out past curfew

It was midnight on the Navy base in Bahrain, but curfew was the last thing on the minds of those who lined up to see the latest Star Wars movie, “The Force Awakens.”

Donald Wells, head of community activities for Morale, Welfare and Recreation at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, said he came up with the idea of the base’s first-ever midnight premiere because of the interest in the new film. He started getting phone queries about two months ago, he said.

Normally, service members in Bahrain must be back in a residence by 1 a.m., whether or not they live on base. 

The premiere was open only to junior service members living on base.

“We wanted to do something special just for those who live on base,” Wells said. “If we opened it up to the entire base population, it would have been harder for those guys to get tickets.”

Seaman William Cruz, a mineman aboard mine countermeasures ship USS Gladiator, was one of 102 sailors who attended the show at the MWR Theaters.

He said he had been eagerly awaiting the movie all day while he was at work. 

He had to start his next day’s shift about an hour after the end of the midnight premiere.

“I took a nap before the show and will take another one before work,” Cruz said. “I will still get more sleep than underway.”

The premiere was sold out, as is every Friday showing, Wells said. He added that commands had booked private, 8:00 a.m. showings all the way through Christmas as a gift to their personnel.

The audience at the midnight showing was in high spirits, cheering at certain points in the movie.

Several audience members said the movie was everything they’d hope it was going to be and more. Petty Officer 3rd Class Christopher Henzerling rated it the best Stars Wars movie since “The Empire Strikes Back.”

”The movie broke barriers with new characters,” Henzerling said. “Nothing made you feel bland about it. I cannot wait until the next one.”

(www.stripes.com)