Myth, Media, and Culture in Star Wars
Myth, Media, and Culture in Star Wars

Author: Douglas Brode

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2012-06-14

Total Pages: 207

ISBN-13: 0810885123

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In 1977, Star Wars blazed across the screen to become one of the highest grossing and most beloved movies of all time. It was followed by two sequels and three prequels, all of which became blockbusters. Comic books, novels, graphic novels, and magazines devoted to the films have added to the mythology of George Lucas’s creation. Despite the impact of the franchise on popular culture, however, discussion of the films from a scholarly perspective has not kept pace with the films. In Myth, Media, and Culture in Star Wars: An Anthology, Douglas Brode and Leah Deyneka have assembled an intriguing collection of essays addressing the influences that shaped the films, as well as the impact the franchise has had on popular culture. Contributors to this volume discuss the Star Wars universe and what its connection to various cultural touchstones—from fairy tales and Joseph Campbell to Disneyland and Marvel comics—mean to viewers. Essays examine the films in the franchise as well as incarnations of the Star Wars universe in video games, comic books, and television programs, including the films’ influence on new generations of filmmakers. A companion volume to Sex, Politics, and Culture in Star Wars, Myth, Media, and Culture in Star Wars is a diverse collection of criticism that investigates the dynamic force that Star Wars has become in popular culture, from every imaginable angle.

Sex, Politics, and Religion in Star Wars
Sex, Politics, and Religion in Star Wars

Author: Douglas Brode

Publisher: Scarecrow Press

Published: 2012-07-02

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 081088514X

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In 1977, Star Wars blazed across the screen to become one of the highest grossing and most beloved movies of all time. In Sex, Politics, and Religion in Star Wars: An Anthology, Douglas Brode and Leah Deyneka have assembled a provocative collection of essays that explore such hot topics as race and racism in the Star Wars galaxy, Judeo-Christian and Eastern religious themes, homosexual romance, and philosophical and political implications—earthbound and otherworldly. The wide range of essays collected here will engross readers, both fans and scholars alike.

Star Wars
Star Wars

Author: Mary S. Henderson

Publisher: Spectra

Published: 1997

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 0553378104

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The companion to the Star wars exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum explores the mythology used as the basis for the Star wars movie trilogy

Ambiguity in »Star Wars« and »Harry Potter«
Ambiguity in »Star Wars« and »Harry Potter«

Author: Christina Flotmann

Publisher: transcript Verlag

Published: 2014-03-31

Total Pages: 395

ISBN-13: 3839421489

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The study combines theories of myth, popular culture, structuralism and poststructuralism to explain the enormous appeal of »Star Wars« and »Harry Potter«. Although much research already exists on both stories individually, this book is the first to explicitly bring them together in order to explore their set-up and the ways in which their structures help produce ideologies on gender and ethnicity. Hereby, the comparison yields central insights into the workings of modern myth and uncovers structure as integral to the success of the popular genre. It addresses academic audiences and all those wishing to approach the tales from a fresh angle.

The Myth Awakens
The Myth Awakens

Author: Ken Derry

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2018-09-13

Total Pages: 183

ISBN-13: 1498246265

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The trailers for Star Wars: The Force Awakens made a strong impression on fans. Many were excited by what they saw as a return to the spirit of George Lucas's 1977 creation. Others--including several white supremacy groups--were upset and offended by key differences, most notably the shift away from a blond, blue-eyed, male protagonist. When the film was finally released, reactions similarly seemed to hinge on whether or not The Force Awakens renewed the "mythic" aspects of the original trilogy in ways that fans approved of. The Myth Awakens examines the religious implications of this phenomenon, considering the ways in which myth can function to reinforce "traditional" social and political values. In their analyses the authors of this book reflect on fan responses in relation to various elements of (and changes to) the Star Wars canon--including toys, video games, and novels, as well as several of the films. They do so using a variety of critical tools, drawing from studies of gender, race, psychology, politics, authority, music, ritual, and memory.

Culture, Identities and Technology in the Star Wars Films
Culture, Identities and Technology in the Star Wars Films

Author: Carl Silvio

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2014-11-26

Total Pages: 245

ISBN-13: 1476611068

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Released in May 1977, the original Star Wars movie inaugurated the age of the movie blockbuster. It also redefined the use of cinematic special effects, creating a new textual universe that now stretches through three decades, two trilogies and generations of fascinated viewers. The body of critical analysis that has developed from this epic focuses primarily on the Star Wars universe as a contemporary myth. However, like any fiction, it must also be viewed--and consequently analyzed--as a product of the culture which created it. The essays in this book analyze the Star Wars trilogies as a culturally and historically specific phenomenon. Moving away from the traditional myth-based criticism of the films, the essayists employ a cultural studies model to examine how this phenomenon intersects with social formations such as economics, technology, race and gender. Critical approaches are varied and include political and economic analysis informed by feminism, contemporary race theory, Marxism, new media studies and post-humanism. Among the topics covered are the connections between the trilogies and our own cultural landscape; the problematic issues of race and gender; and the thematic implications of Lucas' presentation of technology. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.

100 Things Star Wars Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die
100 Things Star Wars Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die

Author: Dan Casey

Publisher: Triumph Books

Published: 2018-05-01

Total Pages: 463

ISBN-13: 1633199835

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As a Star Wars fan, you've seen the movies, from A New Hope to The Last Jedi, and beyond. And of course you've probably had a faux lightsaber battle or two, pretending to be Luke Skywalker, Rey, or maybe Kylo Ren. But can you name the seven actors who have portrayed Darth Vader? Do you know how Ralph McQuarrie helped shape the world of Star Wars? Are you familiar with Deak Starkiller, Darth Plagueis, or Drew Struzan? Have you seen the infamous Star Wars Holiday Special? 100 Things Star Wars Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die is the ultimate resource for true fans of the galaxy far, far away. In this revised and updated edition, Dan Casey has collected every essential piece of Star Wars knowledge and trivia, as well as must-do activites, and ranks them all from 1 to 100, providing an entertaining and easy-to-follow checklist for viewers old and new to progress on their way to fan superstardom.

Transmedia/Genre
Transmedia/Genre

Author: Matthew Freeman

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-02-05

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 3031155831

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This book brings genre back to the forefront of the current transmedia trend. Genres are perhaps the most innately transmedial of media constructs, formed as they are from all kinds of industrial, technological and discursive phenomena. Yet, few have considered how genre works in a multiplatform context. This book does precisely that, making a uniquely transmedial contribution to the study of genre in the age of media convergence. The book interrogates how industrial, technological and participatory transformations of digital platforms and emerging technologies reshape workings of genre. The authors consider franchises such as Star Wars, streaming platforms such as Netflix, catch-up services such as ITV Hub, creative technologies such as virtual reality, and beyond. In setting the stage for the revival of genre theory in contemporary transmedia scholarship, this book pushes forward understandings of multiplatform media and the emerging form and function of genre across contemporary culture.

The Gospel according to Star Wars, Second Edition
The Gospel according to Star Wars, Second Edition

Author: John C. McDowell

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

Published: 2017-09-07

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1611648149

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In a new and updated version of this best-selling book, John McDowell explores the many spiritual themes that weave throughout the Star Wars films. From the Force to the dark side, the issues discussed in the films have a moral and spiritual complexity that, if paid attention to, can help us better understand our place in the world and our relation to others and to God. George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, did not intend for his films to be mere entertainment, McDowell argues. Rather, he hoped his films would be used as a vehicle for moral education. This new version has been thoroughly revised to include discussion of The Force Awakens and other new developments in the Star Wars universe.

Resist and Persist
Resist and Persist

Author: Amanda Firestone

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2020-05-05

Total Pages: 213

ISBN-13: 1476639825

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To many, the world appears to be in a state of dangerous change. News and fictional media alike report that these are dark times, and narratives of social resistance imbue many facets of Western culture. The new essays making up this collection examine different events and themes of the 2010s that readily acknowledge the struggling state of things. Crucially, these essays look to the resistance and political activism of communities that seek to make long-reaching and institutional changes in the world through a diverse group of media texts. They scrutinize how a society relates to injustices and how individuals enact a desire for change. The authors analyze a broad range of works such as texts as Awake: A Dream from Standing Rock, Black Panther, The Death of Stalin, Get Out, Jessica Jones, Hamilton, The Shape of Water, and Star Wars: The Last Jedi. By digging into these and other works, as well as historic events, the contributors explicate the soul-deep necessity of pushing back against injustice, whether personal or cultural.