A Galaxy Here and Now: Historical and Cultural Readings of Star Wars - Paperback

by Peter W. Lee (Editor)

Star Wars begins with its famous title sequence, setting the story in the ancient past of a remote galaxy. Yet the phenomenal success of the film, the franchise, and its "expanded universe" is based upon its reflection of historical and cultural milieus here on modern-day Earth. This collection of new essays examine various ways in which George Lucas's saga touches upon contemporary social and political issues. Topics include the impact of the film's score on musical genres, feminism and NASA, the epic mimicry of Western-African and Bedouin cultural motifs, gender identity construction, Cold War narratives in radio and national mythology, and fan interpretations of authorship and authenticity.

Author Biography

Peter W. Lee has written many articles on film and comic books. He lives in Simi Valley, California.