Written Analysis 4

The formula for “Star Wars” seems very fitting for the science fiction genre.  It also appears that George Lucas invented the formula since even though science fiction films have been around since the beginning of film, there was nothing quite like “Star Wars,” and ever since “Star Wars” first came onto the scene in 1977, there have been copycat type films, but nothing quite as good as “Star Wars” was, of course.

            In “Star Wars,” you have people who visit planets in different galaxies and solar systems.  You also have people who meet different beings on these different planets, and sometimes these people even fight these different beings and even befriend these beings.  They are also on the hunt for different worlds, and politicizing these worlds and bringing them together in peace and harmony.  Hmm… This kind of sounds like “Star Trek,” “The Last Starfighter,” or “Battlestar Galactica.”  However, none of them were as great as “Star Wars,” nor will they ever be.  All these films came out to cash in on the formula George Lucas created with “Star Wars.”  Even though “Star Trek” was a television show for a couple of years in the 1960s, it wasn’t until “Star Wars” came out in 1977 that they decided to make a movie version.

            Movies like these continue to be made, but none has truly seen the success that the “Star Wars” franchise has seen.  They are still popular though because of the fantasies they bring out in us.

            In looking back at the formula for “Star Wars,” it makes me think about how funny formulas are in pop culture.  They lead people to think about obvious thoughts when they go to watch movies, and they just make you want to make fun of the formulas.  How often have we watched a movie and we thought “don’t do it” because we knew what was about to happen?  There have been several movies made that make fun of the formulas.  “Spaceballs” comes to mind when thinking about films that made fun of the “Star Wars” formula.

References

Brooks, M. (Director), & Brooks, M. (Producer). (1987). Spaceballs [BluRay]. United States: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Castle, N. (Director), & Adelson, G. & Denault, E.O. (Producer). (1984). The Last Starfighter [BluRay]. United States: Universal Pictures.

Larson, G.A. (Creator). (1978). Battlestar Galactica [Television Series]. United States: British Sky Broadcasting.

Lucas, G. (Director), & Kurtz, G. (Producer). (1977). Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope [BluRay]. United States: 20^th Century Fox.

Wise R. (Director), & Roddenberry, G. (Producer). (1979). Star Trek: The Motion Picture [BluRay]. United States: Paramount Pictures.