Instructor: Hennessey MWF 12:20PM-1:15PM
In 1977, the film Star Wars (subtitled as A New Hope) changed the film industry and the structure of film narrative. Before Star Wars, science fiction films were known for cheesy costumes and terrible special effects. Star Wars changed all that, and has since built an empire (not THE Empire!) that includes not just the nine base narrative films, but also stand alone films (Rogue One, Solo), animated series (The Clone Wars), and the live action series Madalorian among other things. In this class, students will explore the basics of George Lucas’ narrative vision for Star Wars as well as the ground-breaking film making that changed the way the public viewed science fiction and action movies in general. The class will also explore how the world of Star Wars has created a modern fairy tale, and what that means in relation to cultural impact and the influence on other media.
Please note: Students will be expected to have access to the films for viewing on their own. There are no required books for this course, but a subscription to the Disney+ and Netflix will be needed.