Description
Book SynopsisA Galaxy of Things explores the ways in which all puppets, masks, makeup-prosthetic figures are material characters, using iconic Star Wars characters like Yoda and R2-D2 to illustrate what makes them so compelling.
As an epic franchise, Star Wars has been defined by creatures, droids, and masked figures since the original 1977 movie. Author Colette Searls, a theatre director and expert in puppetry studies, uncovers how non-humans like Chewbacca, semi-humans like Darth Maul, and even concealed humans like Boba Fett tell meaningful stories that conventional human characters cannot. Searls defines three powers that puppets, masked figures, and other material characters wielddistance, distillation, and dualityand analyzes Star Wars' most iconic robots and aliens to demonstrate how they work across nearly a half-century of live-action films. Yoda and Baby Yodatwo of popular culture's greatest puppetsuse these qualities to transform their human companions. Similarly
Table of Contents
1. The Things in the Galaxy 2. Distance, Distillation, and Duality 3. Powerful, Puppetry is: How two Yodas make meaning 4. I Find Your Lack of Face Disturbing: The mask performance of Darth Vader (and friends) 5. Climbing Out of the Sarlacc Pitt: The problematic side of material character powers
