[Star Wars] Salon.com Article: "Galactic gasbag"

[Caliban]

Out of curiosity, who here has read Smith's Lensmen stories? EOL and Wolfspider? Anyone else?

I have, and I suspect your take on the article hinges more than a bit on whether you've read them or not. Star Wars is extremely derivative -- particularly the psychic good guys and the moon-sized Deathstar (that's small compared to the sequel's even bigger Deathstar) -- and it's extremely derivative of Smith's very "pulpy" fiction.

I've read them. To me they had a different feel than Star Wars, although there are certainly some similar themes. I don't think it's as derivative as the article tries to indicate though.

Lensmen was all about square jawed heroes fighting galactic criminals and ultimately intergalactic conquerers. Early in the series the Lenses were primarily a form of unforgable identification and communicators. They also granted/amplified psionic abilities, but it didn't become prominent until later in the series.

Star Wars was about rag-tag bands of rebels fighting the empire, and a farm-boy learning that he has a greater destiny than he ever dreamed off.

I think they both drew from the same sources. Star Wars probably was influenced by the Pulp Fiction era, but then Pulp Fiction was influenced by ancient myths as surely as the rest of literature is.

 

[Hawkshere]

Hah! Even better! There's a link to yet another Star Wars article by Brin on Salon. This one is an analysis of Phantom Menace - its totally worth reading. Pretty funny, too. Bashing Ep1 is something we can all relate too, lol.

 

[Wild Karrde]

Pretty funny, too. Bashing Ep1 is something we can all relate too, lol.

For better or worse

 

[hong]

[Bashing Ep 1]

For better or worse

For richer or for poorer,
Till death do us part, Amen.


Hong "do you take Ep 1 to be your lawful wedded b*tch?" Ooi

 

[Black Omega]

Oh, my goodness! I almost missed this line completely (I glossed over the "lensmen" part
I suppose the words "virgin birth" never rang a bell...

Though since immaculate conception refers to Mary being born without the burden of original sin, this always puzzles me. But yes, the whole Anakin/Jesus link is inescapable.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

Hmmm..

I think the guy has a point.