Finding the Force in the Star Wars Franchise: Fans, Merchandise, and Critics
In 1977 a single film called Star Wars exploded on the consciousness of the world. Since then the franchise, created by George Lucas, has become a global entertainment corporation. The merchandise of the original trilogy was largely confined to toys and games, but those games have since become computerized, the toys more sophisticated, and Star Wars has moved into the multi-media environment of the twenty-first century in ways unimaginable in the long-ago world of 1977. Computer games and web...
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In 1977 a single film called Star Wars exploded on the consciousness of the world. Since then the franchise, created by George Lucas, has become a global entertainment corporation. The merchandise of the original trilogy was largely confined to toys and games, but those games have since become computerized, the toys more sophisticated, and Star Wars has moved into the multi-media environment of the twenty-first century in ways unimaginable in the long-ago world of 1977. Computer games and web sites, novels, animated television shows, as well as a new trilogy of films, have all placed Star Wars at the center of world popular culture.Finding the Force of the Star Wars Franchise brings together contributors who critically ana-lyze the Star Wars universe from many perspectives. Topics include war, foreign policy, gen-der roles, spirituality and religion, toy play and adult collecting, creative fandom, race, special effects, and mythology. Contributors: Jonathan L. Bowen , Lincoln Geraghty , Jess C. Horsley , Bruce Isaacs , Roger Kaufman, Michelle J. Kinnucan , Mark McDermott , Stephen P. McVeigh , John Panton, Jennifer E. Porter , Andrew Plemmons Pratt Philip L. Simpson, Rachel Wagner, Stephanie J. Wilhelm.
Guide : Star wars film references1Introduction : spectacle, merchandise, and influence12Joseph Campbell, George Lucas, and the monomyth213The galactic way of warfare354Pedagogy of (the) force : the myth of redemptive violence595"Hokey religions and ancient weapons" : the force of spirituality756"I am a Jedi" : Star wars fandom, religious belief, and the 2001 census957Thawing the ice princess1158How the Star wars saga evokes the creative promise of homosexual love : a gay-centered psychological perspective1319Eugenics, racism, and the Jedi gene pool15910Imperial plastic, republican fiber : speculating on the post-colonial other17511Growing up in a galaxy far, far away18712Two generations of boys and their Star wars toys19113Aging toys and players : fan identity and cultural capital20914Blowing stardust in our eyes : digital film theory and identification with imaginary cameras22715The menace of the fans to the franchise24316A survey of popular and scholarly receptions of the Star wars franchise26517Conclusion : finding myth in the history of your own time283AppStar wars filmography291
