Sunday, November 30, 2014

Alternative programming: Return of the fanboys

We're back from our Thanksgiving hiatus, and we hope we didn't miss any too importa– is that a new Star Wars trailer?!!?

Everyone has probably watched the trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens at least once since Friday, and we're sure there are varied opinions about whether or not it honors the style and legacy of the biggest franchise in all of media. We thought this would be a great opportunity to highlight a film in our collection about the people who feel very, very strongly about the future of Star Wars.

The People vs. George Lucas (HU DVD 10241) is a documentary that captures the incredibly tense dynamic between Star Wars fans (who love the series) and Lucasfilm (which owns the series). The Star Wars prequel film trilogy was highly negatively received by fans of the series, sparking what amounts to a culture war between its diehard supporters and its creators. The People vs. George Lucas examines this conflict and wades into the messy debate over the spiritual ownership of art that becomes  asocial phenomenon. It's certainly the most insightful and complete work about fan culture and backlash.

Give it a watch to prepare yourself for the inevitable grumbling that'll happen over that new, crazy three-pointed lightsaber. Some people are heavily invested in this franchise, and The People vs. George Lucas argues that they might really deserve a stake.

No comments: