Using the Force: Creativity, Community and "Star Wars" Fans - Softcover

Brooker, Will

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0826452884 ISBN 13: 9780826452887

Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd., 2003

Synopsis

In this study of fandom at its most intense, Will Brooker examines the "Star Wars" phenomenon from the audience's perspective, and discovers that the saga exerts a powerful influence over the social, cultural and spiritual lives of those drawn into its myth. From a Boba Fett-loving police officer in Indiana to the webmistress of the "Star Wars chicks" site; from an 11-year-old boy in south London to a Baptist Church in South Carolina; from the director of "George Lucas in Love" to the custodians of the Jedi Hurtaholics Archive - Brooker unearths a seemingly endless array of fans who use and interpret the saga in a number of creative ways. This book explores what it means to be a fan, examining the role of gender and generation in creating sub-communities within the larger group of Star Wars devotees. It discusses the films and stories created by thousands of fans around the world, and asks whether this apparently unstoppable creativity can be controlled by an organization that has - completely unintentionally - positioned itself in the role of the Empire and turned loyal fans into Rebels. Ultimately, the book serves as a testament to the extraordinary power of the "Star Wars" films and the expanded universe that surrounds them. The book features a lengthy interview with Simon Pegg, co-creator of the sitcom "Spaced".

About this title

About the Author

Will Brooker Professor of Film and Television at Kingston University, UK. He is the author of several books, including studies of Batman, Star Wars, Blade Runner, and Lewis Carroll.

Edition details

• Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0826452884
• ISBN 13: 9780826452887
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 288