‘Last Jedi’ aims for that old Star Wars feeling
By Pamela Dillon Contributing Writer
Ronald Gary Levi of Springboro doesn’t necessarily love to get up early in the morning … unless there is some scenery he is planning on capturing with his Pentax mediumformat digital camera.
Twenty of those naturally lit scenes are on display at the Centerville Art Gallery this month. One of them, “The Towers of Virgin,” at Zion National Park in Utah, took quite a bit of patience.
“There were five or six photographers there; it was overcast and now and then we’d get a little glimmer of light. Most of the photographers left,” said Levi, who just one of the new pairings ha dshownupe arly for the promised for the film, which third straight day. “Then finds every character out of it happened. The entire LOS ANGELES — Han Solo their comfort zone and facexpanse of rock-face lit up is dead. Luke Skywalker is ing new challenges as the with the sun, and I was so back, but changed. And Leia Resistance organizes to go happy.”
Organa’s story will soon be up against the First Order. There are two gorgeous coming to an end. In addition to Luke and sce nes from M aine in this
The Star Wars that inspired Rey, the film brings back grouping. One appears to four decades of passionate Carrie Fisher as Leia in her be just in time for Christfandom appears to be slowly last film role (Fisher died mas. The brilliant green but surely fading as “Star after filming had wrapped), and red ground cover conWars: The Last Jedi” pre- Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren, trasts with the gray rocks pares to descend on Friday fresh off murdering his and tree trunks. “Low Bush (or Thursday evening), givfather Han Solo, the mysteriBlueberries and Reindeer ing way to a newer gener- ous Supreme Leader Snoke Moss” was captured in Acaation of intergalactic reb(Andy Serkis), Domnhall dia National Park. Also a hare ls and t h eir foes, like Rey Gleeson’s General Hux, the bor scene at Deer Isle, Stonand Kylo Ren, and a fresh ace pilot Poe (Oscar Isaac), ington, features sunlit homes voice behind the endeavor the ex-Stormtrooper Finn dotting the hilly landscape in writer-director Rian John(J ohn Boyega) and his old behind two boats with colorson (“Looper”). boss Captain P hasma(Gw enful reflections in the water.
J.J. Abrams’ “The Force doline Christie), Chewbacca, “Myl ate wife, Mary, passed Awakens” set the stage for the droids and a host of newaway in 2010; we usedtogo this new era of the franchise, comers, like Laura Dern’s to Maine a lot. I’ve been all but “The Last Jedi” has to purple-haired Vice Admiral over the state , alm ost 30 move it forward and keep Holdo, a maintenance tech, times,” said Levi. audiences interested for the Rose (Kelly Marie Tran), a He now travels with his next one too. hacker (Benicio Del Toro) current wife, Becky, whom
After all these years and and some cute little crea- he married this past January. billions of dollars, Star tures called Porgs. They were traveling out west Wars isn’t exactly a scrappy “It’s got so much going in their RV where he took the underdog anymore, but the on,” Hamill adds. “You can image for “Rainbow at Sunfranchise is in somewhat cut from the more somber rise.” The scene highlights uncharted territory. The prescenes I have to the action/ the variables in the sky. A quels did their own damage, adventure, the suspense, portion of the rainbow can but at least no one had to the humor … I’ve only seen be seen coming down from say goodbye to their origi- it o ncebutIthought,‘This peachy cloud cover. nal heroes. is too much information to “This was in the Badlands.
And then there’s the seemprocess.’” There was a terrible storm ingly impossible standard The marketing campaign, that night,” said Levi. “You set by that other Star Wars no doubt playing into the always hope for a stormsequel, “The Empire Strikes tone set by “Empire,” has front coming in for dramatic Back.” focused on the darkness and effect.”
Besides the main cast, filmintensity of “The Last Jedi,” “First Light at Rialto makers and some Lucasfilm but Johnson says that’s only Beach”wastakenatO lym- and Walt Disney Co. brass, one element. He stresses pic National Park. Levi set up no one will see “The Last that it is, first and foremost, hi sshotlowt o the ground for Jedi” until t heLosAngeles a Star Wars movie. To him, an interesting perspective. premiere on Dec. 9. And that means capturing that “Some of my favorite light determining what exactly thing that makes you want is in Washington. See ho wthe audiences should expect is to “run out of the theater a bit like trying to assemble and into your backyard” to a puzzle with no picture and play with your spaceship most of the pieces missing. toys — even without the curThe cast has left some adjecmudgeonly wit of Harrison tive breadcrumbs (“intense,” Ford’s Han Solo. ”emotional,” ”intimate,” “That’s what everyone was ”cinematic”) but for the most concerned about going in: part, it’s a mystery. How do you do it without
“For me, ‘The Last Jedi’ is him?” Johnson, 43, says. “I not a particularly happy story saw so much potential for to tell, but it’s just my part,” humor in it. I was looking at Mark Hamill says cryptically. every single character and Hamill, 66, returns to play trying to find opportunities Luke Skywalker after being to break the tension. I think seen in only a few frames of people are going to be sur“The Force Awakens,” which prised by how fun and light ends on a wind-swept cliff as on its feet it is.” the young protege Rey (Daisy Ridley) approaches him look- ing for training from the missing Jedi. Luke and Rey are light plays on this driftwood on this black volcanic beach. And I had the dramatic fog coming in,” said Levi.
The photographer also is featuring images from the G reat Smoky Mountains, Upper Antelope Canyon in Arizona, Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Canyon, Alberta in the Canadian Rockies, and Collier County in Florida, among others. He’s been known to photograph frozen waterfalls in West Virginia in frigid belowzero weather.
“Photographers need to be patient, and persevere in all types of inclement weather,” said Levi.
This exhibit is sponsored by the Centerville Arts Commis sion.Levi’si mages have appeared in Audubon, Down East Books, Country Mag- WANT TO GO?
What: “Light on the Landscape,”Works by Ronald G. Levi Where: Centerville Art Gallery, 155 W. Spring Valley Road When: Through Dec. 29
Hours: Open 24 hours daily
More Info: 937-428-4713, ronaldgleviphotography.com azine, Indiana PBS television and many other outlets. His fine giclee’ prints are in museums and pri- vate and corporate collections throughout the U.S. and Canada. His photog- raphy also appears in the books “A Place Called Home” and “Seasons Along the Lit- tle Miami.”
“I personally feel that whate verIca n do to inspire people to go and see these places. Help them realize the importance of taking care of our en vironment,” said Levi, who was a photographer for the Miami Valley Conservancy for many years.