Tickets for the final installment of Star Wars had all but sold out on the Peninsula by Tuesday night, though the movie opens at the stroke of midnight.
On Craigslist, some were scalping tickets for prices up to $50 a pair, a 250 percent markup on the original cost. Others dangled their extra ticket as a lure, hoping to get a date.
"I got my date from my Craigslist posting - [she is] also a big Star Wars fan" said Prem Veeramani, a recent college graduate from Mountain View.
Veeramani said he's excited to get to the theater.
"It's difficult for me to wait; I just hope that the force is with me and I don't turn to the dark side," he joked.
Veeramani said some of his friends are planning a big event for the opening, including dressing up in Star Wars costumes at the theater.
Many decked-out fans made an appearance at the premiere and at previous Star Wars releases. Century Theatres, one of the largest area chains carrying the movie, has posted guidelines on its Web site to minimize the mayhem. Some theater locations allowed camping in line for seats beginning Monday at 9 a.m. and provided portable toilets.
Early reviews of Episode III suggest it may be better than the two earlier prequels, which both received mixed feedback. The two-hour, 26-minute long film is said to be the most violent and disturbing of the Star Wars series and is the first to earn a PG-13 rating. Merchandise and promotions for the movie hit stores as early as April 2; the video game was released May 4.
"The marketing for Star Wars has been huge," said Richard Garcia, an employee of Lee Comics in San Mateo.
Darth Vader, whose descent into evil is chronicled in Episode III, has already appeared in ad campaigns by Burger King. Jedi Master Yoda has been spotted stealing soft drinks in Pepsi's television spots.
Other promotional partners include Cingular Wireless; Kellogg; AOL and M&M/Mars, making the release of the last Star Wars movie into an event rather than just a film.
Experts wager that much of the Episode III merchandise will have little collectible value over the years as so much has been made. However, the movie's official title, Revenge of the Sith, has made collectibles out of some items from the 1983 movie Return of the Jedi.
"The original working title was Revenge of the Jedi, but it was changed - Jedi aren't supposed to be vengeful," said Garcia.
Some early pre-production posters were made bearing the Revenge title that now sell for up to several hundred dollars for items in mint condition, Garcia said.
Ken Mahar, of San Mateo, has hung on to a Revenge of the Jedi T-shirt for over 20 years.
"The shirt was given to me by an employee of Lucas films, a set painter and good friend. I thought at the time it was given to me it would be a collectible," Mahar said.
When Mahar found out the last Star Wars movie would finally use "revenge" in the title, he decided it was time to sell and posted the shirt on eBay.
So far, he hasn't gotten any bites. Like many Star Wars fans anxiously awaiting tonight's unveiling, however, he remains optimistic.
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