Chefelf.com Night Life: "Using the Force" by Will Brooker - Chefelf.com Night Life

Jump to content

Star Wars Fan Convention

  • (2 Pages)
  • +
  • 1
  • 2

"Using the Force" by Will Brooker Recommended summer reading...

#1 User is offline   HK 47 Icon

  • Level Boss
  • PipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 487
  • Joined: 20-April 04

Posted 08 July 2004 - 04:57 PM

This may be old news to some of you, but if you ever considered yourself a Star Wars fan you should read "Using the Force" by Will Brooker. A really good analysis of Star Wars fandom and culture. And considering what people here like to discuss, I am happy to inform you that there's an entire chapter called "The Fan Betrayed", discussing indepth why so many fans hate TPM. (The book was written before AOTC.) Here's an excerpt:

----------------------

'What we see here is a preemting of the argument that fans were only disappointed by The Phantom Menace because they had grown older and expected the impossible - a film that thrilled them in the same way A New Hope did when they were seven years old. Pegg is of the same generation as most of my correspondents in this chapter - a group who saw the first film in the cinema as kids and are now in their early to mid-thirties - and in claiming that "it isn't just the historical, social context," he counters the notion that The Phantom Menace is as equally good a film as A New Hope if you view it afresh, unbiased by the nostalgic preferences for the original trilogy. This is what internet fan debates identify as the "eyes of a child" gambit: the defense offered for Lucas is that The Phantom Menace, like all the other Star Wars films, was intended for children and that critics need to give up their cynisism to enjoy its simple pleasures.

Second, Pegg makes a distinction between the "innocence,""naivety," and focus on character of the original trilogy and the "fireworks" of The Phantom Menace. This opposition is common to many fan critiques of the recent film - that Lucas favored CGI spectacle over emotion and relationships. It often goes hand in hand with a specific attack on Tim's nemesis Jar Jar Binks, the computer-generated co-star of The Phantom Menace who is used as a symbol of this mentality: slapstick over wit, infantile poo-poo jokes in olace of adult banter, slick graphic "synthespians" instead of endearingly eager human performance.

Spaced's discussion between two fans, Bilbo and Tim, picks up on another interesting aspect of The Phantom Menace backlash: the suspicion, in hindsight, that the rot set in with Return of the Jedi. This theory is particularly worrying in its implications that The Phantom Menace is merely symptomatic of Lucas's artistic progression over the last twenty years - the cute clownish antics of the Ewoks were followed by the addition of throwaway sight gags and Muppet Show musical numbers to the Special Editions - and that The Phantom Menace, far from being a blip, is suggestive of where Lucas will take the rest of the prequel trilogy.'

Here's another one, Simon Pegg quote:
'Twenty-three years down the line and Lucas clearly believes it was the fireworks that lined his bulging pockets. Or maybe he just doesn't give a shit. I believe the latter is more likely, which is why it does feel like somewhat of a slight. He did not make The Phantom Menace for himself, he made it for an assumed consumer ideal. When he made Star Wars, he was Luke, when he made TPM he was Jabba. Go figure.'

----------------------

There are many more interesting points being made, about the suspicion that it wasn't Lucas at all who made ANH and ESB the amazing creations they are, and about fans like us, and why we find a small degree of justice when we slam Lucas for what he has done. But this is, as I pointed out, only one chapter in the book. There are many other interesting parts about Star Wars as a cultural phenomenon. Highly recommended! biggrin.gif
0

#2 User is offline   barend Icon

  • Anchor Head Anchor Man
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Crappy News Team
  • Posts: 11,839
  • Joined: 12-November 03
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Nieuw Holland
  • Interests:The Beers of Western Europe, Cognac, and constantly claiming the world would have been a better place if Napoleon had won.
  • Country:Australia

Posted 08 July 2004 - 09:23 PM

shit, i hate that!!!

1000 Homo DJs did a song called 'Apathy' which lyrically covered every song i had ever written... in one beautiful concise track!

now, after thread after thread of debate...
QUOTE
When he made Star Wars, he was Luke, when he made TPM he was Jabba. Go figure.'


beautiful, just fucking beautiful.
from now that's all i'm going to say on the matter!!!
(except here of course smile.gif , I like to bitch!)
0

#3 User is offline   HK 47 Icon

  • Level Boss
  • PipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 487
  • Joined: 20-April 04

Posted 09 July 2004 - 02:11 AM

QUOTE
beautiful, just fucking beautiful.
from now that's all i'm going to say on the matter!!!
(except here of course, I like to bitch!)


He does hit the mark pretty well huh? Just wait til you read the rest... And don't forget, bitching will set you free. yell.gif yell.gif yell.gif biggrin.gif

(Thanx for fixing the title admin)
0

#4 User is offline   barend Icon

  • Anchor Head Anchor Man
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Crappy News Team
  • Posts: 11,839
  • Joined: 12-November 03
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Nieuw Holland
  • Interests:The Beers of Western Europe, Cognac, and constantly claiming the world would have been a better place if Napoleon had won.
  • Country:Australia

Posted 09 July 2004 - 10:32 AM

great av by the way!!!
0

#5 User is offline   Chefelf Icon

  • LittleHorse Fan
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Admin
  • Posts: 4,528
  • Joined: 30-October 03
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:New York, NY
  • Country:United States

Posted 09 July 2004 - 05:45 PM

QUOTE (HK 47 @ Jul 9 2004, 02:11 AM)
(Thanx for fixing the title admin)

No prob. smile.gif

That book seems like a really interesting analysis.

Here's a link to the book on Amazon.com if anyone should be interested: http://www.amazon.co...=books&n=507846

I am adding it to my wish list. smile.gif
See Chefelf in a Movie! -> The People vs. George Lucas

Buy the New LittleHorse CD, Strangers in the Valley!
CD Baby | iTunes | LittleHorse - Flight of the Bumblebee Video

Chefelf on: Twitter | friendfeed | Jaiku | Bitstrips | Muxtape | Mento | MySpace | Flickr | YouTube | LibraryThing
0

#6 User is offline   Commoner Icon

  • Henchman
  • Pip
  • Group: Junior Members
  • Posts: 78
  • Joined: 24-June 04

Posted 09 July 2004 - 11:44 PM

That's perfect, poignant, and to the point!

I've got to get this book, too, but only if Lucas doesn't see a single penny from it!
0

#7 User is offline   Despondent Icon

  • Think for yourself
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 4,684
  • Joined: 31-October 03
  • Location:a long time ago
  • Interests:Laughter. Louis pups. Percussion. What binds us. Bicycling, Tennis.
  • Country:United States

Posted 10 July 2004 - 01:41 PM

Did you see? Njamilla's book was on the also-bought List!
0

#8 User is offline   njamilla Icon

  • Level Boss
  • PipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 283
  • Joined: 02-November 03
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Washington, DC
  • Interests:Black belts: aikido, kendo, iaido, jodo. 1987 World Fencing Championships, World University Games participant. Writer: novelist, freelancer. Interestes: Renaissance, religious history, turtles.
  • Country:United States

Posted 16 July 2004 - 11:11 AM

I was actually interviewed for Will's book and made a couple of paragraphs. And I'm also the anonymous gay fan who says he never heard of slash SW fiction until the concept was explained to me.

I tried to pitch an idea for another non-fiction SW book, but the publisher said there wasn't enough interest in Using the Force to justify another SW related project. It's a shame really that the only SW fixes you can get these days are produced by LFL licensed companies. You don't get an outside perspective -- just the company line which can never -- as a matter of corporate policy -- "bad mouth" its own product.

Will took a very different approach to examining SW culture. It's not coffee table book, but an actual academic study on a peculiar world cultural phenomenon. He delves into unusual topics like slash fiction, looks at group interactions and individual fascination of SW, as well as the "Fan Betrayed" chapter.
Author: Sword Fighting in the Star Wars Universe.
0

#9 User is offline   Little Jerry Seinfeld Icon

  • New Cop
  • Group: Junior Members
  • Posts: 22
  • Joined: 02-September 04
  • Location:Kramer's Apartment
  • Interests:Speed Baggin'

Posted 09 September 2004 - 11:50 PM

what is slash fiction?
0

#10 User is offline   Just your average movie goer Icon

  • -
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 4,140
  • Joined: 10-April 04
  • Gender:Not Telling
  • Country:Nothing Selected

Posted 10 September 2004 - 12:14 AM

Slash fiction is some truly awful fan fiction obsession of which there seems to be far too much - it is basically making all the male characters sexually attracted to each other but it serves no purpose. Neither does it seem particularly funny -> just a waste of the author's and the reader's time.
0

#11 User is offline   civilian_number_two Icon

  • Canada's Next Top Model.
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Head Moderator
  • Posts: 3,382
  • Joined: 01-November 03
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:In Your Dreams
  • Interests:I like stuff.
  • Country:Canada

Posted 10 September 2004 - 05:19 AM

That's whay jyamg is not a regular contributor to the wikipedia.

here's waht you wanted, LJS (although since you got here, you should have been able to find this on your own ... =) )

http://en.wikipedia....i/Slash_fiction
"I had a lot of different ideas. At one point, Luke, Leia and Ben were all going to be little people, and we did screen tests to see if we could do that." -George Lucas, in STAR WARS: the Annotated Screenplays (p197).
0

#12 User is offline   Helena Icon

  • Basher Extraordinaire
  • PipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 1,327
  • Joined: 01-June 04
  • Location:UK
  • Interests:Current age: 22<br /><br />Current occupation: Auditor<br /><br />Interests: Reading, computer games, music, and Star Wars (obviously).<br /><br />Talents: Can't act, can't dance, can sing a little.<br /><br />Loves: Terry Pratchett's 'Discworld' series.<br /><br />Hates: Harry Potter. Surely I can't be the only one?
  • Country:United Kingdom

Posted 10 September 2004 - 06:01 AM

It can refer to lesbian pairings as well. Though apparently most M/M fiction - and most other fanfic, come to that - is written by straight women. unsure.gif
QUOTE
The sandpeople had women and children. We know this because Anakin killed them how could he tell? The children might be smaller but I never saw a sandperson with breasts. Did they hike their skirts and show him some leg or something?

QUOTE
Also, I can see the point of wanting to kidnap a human and use her as a slave, but they didn't. They tied her to a flimsy easel for a month. It's assumed they had to feed and give her water. What for? Was she purely ornamental? I can understand them wanting the droids, you can sell those for a lot of money, but a chick who's only skills are finding non-existand mushrooms and getting randomly pregnant, you're not going to get much.

- J m HofMarN on the Sand People
0

#13 User is offline   SimeSublime Icon

  • Monkey Proof
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Moderators
  • Posts: 6,619
  • Joined: 06-May 04
  • Gender:Male
  • Location:Perth, Western Australia
  • Country:Australia

Posted 11 September 2004 - 05:25 AM

Though I wouldn't count C-3PO and Han as 'fiction'. I mean, have you ever watched them together?

Taken from a Tripod song "Everone's in Love"

"...And not to mention the sexual tension between Han and C3P0.
Aside: Yeah, think about it. Why does C3P0 keep bumbling in when Han's about to get it on with Princess Leih?
Han: Threepio!
C3P0: Oh I'm terribly sorry! Were you two about to...oh dear! Do you want me to hold something?
Han: THREEPIO!
C3P0: Well, would you consider yourself an open minded smuggler? How about a C3P0some?
Han: THREEPIO!
C3p0: A Han job?
Han: Oh God!
C3P0: Oh R2, what am I going to do?
R2D2:*whistles*
C3P0: Oh R2, thats disgusting. Where do you learn these things? (singing)I don't know how to love Han!
R2D2:*wistles*
C3P0: Thank you R2, it was a rhetorical question.
The Green Knight, SimeSublime the Puffinesque, liker of chips and hunter of gnomes.
JM's official press secretary, scientific advisor, diplomat and apparent antagonist?
0

#14 User is offline   Paladin Icon

  • Soothsayer
  • PipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 780
  • Joined: 29-December 03

Posted 11 September 2004 - 07:59 AM

Oh that was terrible! :yuck:
0

#15 User is offline   Just your average movie goer Icon

  • -
  • PipPipPipPipPipPipPipPip
  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 4,140
  • Joined: 10-April 04
  • Gender:Not Telling
  • Country:Nothing Selected

Posted 11 September 2004 - 09:28 AM

That is why JYAMG (aka this forum member) believes that the wikipedia treats slash fiction with far more interest than it deserves. Its authors however, are a different matter... these people could provide some very interesting subject matter for psychological study.

This post has been edited by Just your average movie goer: 11 September 2004 - 09:29 AM

0

  • (2 Pages)
  • +
  • 1
  • 2


Fast Reply

  • Decrease editor size
  • Increase editor size