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Genre Conventions: What is fantasy?
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<blockquote data-quote="Dannyalcatraz" data-source="post: 2267980" data-attributes="member: 19675"><p>We don't agree. What you call fantasy, in the case of Star Wars in particular, I call Space Opera, a subgenre of Sci-fi, which has commonalities with classic opera. However, where opera has its spirits and dragons and magic, Space Opera uses tech to leap the bounds of improbability.</p><p></p><p>Like classic opera, space opera is all about conventions. In both, there is no question that the good guy will win, whatever the odds. The bad side will ALWAYS lose. Evildoers actions will rebound upon them.</p><p></p><p>Where they differ is that opera invokes fate, the Norns, Divine Justice, etc., concepts based in human mythology, whereas space opera depends on speculative tech-usually moreso than hard sci-fi.</p><p></p><p>Yes- you're right that <em>Star Wars</em> has a fantasy feel to it- it was, after all, based on the Samurai movies of Akira Kurosawa. But the setting makes all the difference. It is a self evident truth that any tale can be told in any setting. I've seen most of Shakespeare's plays, ranging from straight up to cultural retellings (<em>Ran</em>), to modern (<em>West Side Story, Romeo Must Die, 10 things I hate about you, and Richard the 3rd in a Naziesque setting</em>). <em>Wrath of Khan</em> was a retelling of <em>Moby Dick</em>, as was <em>Of Unknown Origin</em>.</p><p></p><p>After all, there are only 5 major plots: Man against Man, Man against Self, Man against God, Man against Society, and Man against Nature. All the rest is details and backdrops.</p><p></p><p>Edit: <em>The Science of Star Wars</em> is airing RIGHT NOW (1AM CST, May22) on Discover. Unless it were a show about swords and trebuchets, I doubt you'd see "The Science of Lord of the Rings" on any channel.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Dannyalcatraz, post: 2267980, member: 19675"] We don't agree. What you call fantasy, in the case of Star Wars in particular, I call Space Opera, a subgenre of Sci-fi, which has commonalities with classic opera. However, where opera has its spirits and dragons and magic, Space Opera uses tech to leap the bounds of improbability. Like classic opera, space opera is all about conventions. In both, there is no question that the good guy will win, whatever the odds. The bad side will ALWAYS lose. Evildoers actions will rebound upon them. Where they differ is that opera invokes fate, the Norns, Divine Justice, etc., concepts based in human mythology, whereas space opera depends on speculative tech-usually moreso than hard sci-fi. Yes- you're right that [I]Star Wars[/I] has a fantasy feel to it- it was, after all, based on the Samurai movies of Akira Kurosawa. But the setting makes all the difference. It is a self evident truth that any tale can be told in any setting. I've seen most of Shakespeare's plays, ranging from straight up to cultural retellings ([I]Ran[/I]), to modern ([I]West Side Story, Romeo Must Die, 10 things I hate about you, and Richard the 3rd in a Naziesque setting[/I]). [I]Wrath of Khan[/I] was a retelling of [I]Moby Dick[/I], as was [I]Of Unknown Origin[/I]. After all, there are only 5 major plots: Man against Man, Man against Self, Man against God, Man against Society, and Man against Nature. All the rest is details and backdrops. Edit: [I]The Science of Star Wars[/I] is airing RIGHT NOW (1AM CST, May22) on Discover. Unless it were a show about swords and trebuchets, I doubt you'd see "The Science of Lord of the Rings" on any channel. [/QUOTE]
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