Description
Book SynopsisIn 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 touchstonesfrom fairy tales and Joseph Campbell to Disneyland and Marvel comicsmean to viewers. Essays examine the films in the franchise as well as incarnatio
Trade ReviewThese titles will be of interest to Star Wars fans and popular culture scholars alike. They provide and interesting and scholarly view of the series and insight into our culture's feelings on politics, religion, media, and gender issues. * American Reference Books Annual *
Because it [Star Wars] combines so many aspects of various legends, fairy tales, adventures and even religions, it connects so easily with huge audiences. Myth, Media, and Culture in Star Wars introduces a good samples of that discussion. * Popcultureshelf.com *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction Douglas Brode Chapter 1: “Cowboys in Space“: Star Wars and the Western Film Douglas Brode Chapter 2: Is Star Wars a Modernized Fairy Tale? Arthur Berger Chapter 3: From Disneyland to Modesto: George Lucas and Walt Disney Craig Svonkin Chapter 4: May the Myth Be with You, Always: Archetypes, Mythic Elements and Aspects of Joseph Campbell’s Heroic Monomyth in the Original Star Wars Trilogy Leah Deyneka Chapter 5: Not so long ago, not so far away: New Variations on Old Themes; Questioning Star Wars' Revival of Heroic Archetypes Dan Rubey Chapter 6: From Sky-Walking to Dark Knight of the Soul: George Lucas’ Star Wars Turns to Tragic Drama John C. McDowell Chapter 7: Under the Influence of Akira Kurosawa: The Visual Style of George Lucas Michael Kaminski Chapter 8: Balancing the Force: How Media Created by Star Wars Now Defines the Franchise Crystal Renee White Chapter 9: “A Long Time Ago on a Newsstand Far, Far Away: The Mythic Comic Book Hero in Marvel Comics’ Star Wars” Jon Hogan Chapter 10: The Jedi Network: Star Wars’ Portrayal and Inspirations on the Small Screen Eric Charles Chapter 11: Gaming in a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Expanded Worlds, Canon Conflicts, and Simplified Morality of Star Wars Video Games Seth Sommerfeld Chapter 12: "Quentin Tarantino's Star Wars?: Digital Cinema, Media Convergence, and Participatory Culture" Henry Jenkins Chapter 13: Star Wars and the Technophobic Imagination Cyrus R. K. Patell Index About the Contributors About the Editors
