Peer-to-Peer

Brian James Kirk Geeks Out

by Brian James Kirk

Let it be known that I will not be donating my muscle and bone to Gunther von Hagens' "Body Worlds" exhibit. The traveling show displays more than 9,000 deceased human bodies — organs, blood vessels and all — preserved by plastination, a process that hardens cells. And unlike your run-of-the-mill classroom skeleton, the "Body Worlds" specimens are neither stoic nor limp: One is caught in a lunge, swinging a bat; another in mid-pirouette. It's an awe-inspiring, if challenging, lesson in anatomy.

So why can't I commit? NPR has reported no clear paper trail linking the show's bodies to donors. Speculation says it's to hide black market remains, but von Hagens promises it's to assure anonymity. If I am to trust the latter, 10,000 people have promised their vessels to the program — almost enough to sway my burial rite in favor of science.

"It's more wondrous and fascinating than eerie," says Frederic Bertley, vice president of the Franklin Institute's Center of Innovation in Science. "Whether you're a scientist or humanitarian, it speaks to the curiosity and power of life."

He's right. The exhibit is a testament to the beauty of human life. And to its insensitivity. A friend who accompanied me put my decision to rest. "I'm hungry," he said, chuckling in front of a specimen. "Doesn't that muscle look like bacon?" Pass the casket, please. Through Feb. 21, $18-$27, Franklin Institute, 222 N. 20th St., 215-448-1200, fi.edu.

You hum "The Imperial March" when your boss walks past. "Cantina Band" plays at your cocktail parties. Now hear John Williams' iconic Star Wars scores performed live by an 86-piece orchestra, synced with montages cut for a three-story LED screen. C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels narrates.

Don't miss an archive of Lucasfilm props like original Jedi robes, Coruscant blasters and conceptual artwork. Tour producer Spencer Churchill says it helps even the most hardcore fan better understand the story. "You get a sense of the detail and craftsmanship involved before a single foot of film was shot," he says. Cue anthemic brass. Sun., Nov. 15, 6 p.m., $32-$72, Wachovia Center, 3601 S. Broad St., 800-298-4200, comcasttix.com.

(editorial@citypaper.net)