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The Star Wars Heresies: Interpreting the Themes, Symbols and Philosophies of Episodes I, II and III
Despite the insatiable public appetite for all things Star Wars, the more analytical side of the saga is all too often ignored. This book offers a new way of seeing George Lucas' space opera--particularly the prequel trilogy, a series never given a fair chance because of constant comparisons to the iconic originals. In the classic style of Joseph Campbell, the trilogy is viewed through the lens of myth and metaphor, revealing a body of work not only worthy of scholarly study but perhaps destined to find therein its home. A wide variety of philosophical and mythological themes are presented and expounded upon, drawing from a rich source of scholars, thinkers, writers, and poets from East and West alike. Heretical or not, the Star Wars prequels are a surprisingly rich source of insight into the saga--as well as the human drama--as a whole.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 28, 2015
In this deceptively slim volume, Paul F. McDonald takes the Star Wars prequel film trilogy seriously as a work of art with literary, mythological, religious, and philosophical content. McDonald divides his work into three sections (one for each movie), and within each section he devotes a chapter to a discussion of every one of the film's main characters (including the Force itself). His analysis runs the gamut, drawing from sources from John Milton to the Dalai Lama.
McDonald makes no claims that the resonances he notes were intended by George Lucas. In this, he follows the lead of NYU Professor of Fine Arts Joan Breton Connelly, who said, "And what's fun for me personally is when I get to a point where I say, 'Did George Lucas mean for this connection to be made or am I making it, am I participating as part of the poet, the creator, in making connections?" The key word here is fun. McDonald's presentation of his insights, despite the citations, is a bit too casual and stream-of-consciousness to qualify as traditional scholarship, but that doesn't mean that it's not of use (or delight) to academics. This is an excellent resource for anyone seeking to analyze and appreciate the prequel films, and it's also an inspiring and entertaining read.
McDonald makes no claims that the resonances he notes were intended by George Lucas. In this, he follows the lead of NYU Professor of Fine Arts Joan Breton Connelly, who said, "And what's fun for me personally is when I get to a point where I say, 'Did George Lucas mean for this connection to be made or am I making it, am I participating as part of the poet, the creator, in making connections?" The key word here is fun. McDonald's presentation of his insights, despite the citations, is a bit too casual and stream-of-consciousness to qualify as traditional scholarship, but that doesn't mean that it's not of use (or delight) to academics. This is an excellent resource for anyone seeking to analyze and appreciate the prequel films, and it's also an inspiring and entertaining read.
November 30, 2014
Superb! A thoughtful and insightful analysis of the reoccurring themes and mythological underpinnings of the prequel trilogy. This book approaches the prequels as works of art, and uses various philosophical points of view to both examine and justify theories on the deeper meanings and symbology used by Lucas. Comparisons run the intellectual gamut, from Dante's Divine Comedy and Milton's Paradise Lost, to Zen Buddhism and the Dalai Lama. Of course, the works of Joseph Campbell come up repeatedly, as one would naturally expect. Most surprisingly, as a Star Wars mythology junkie, I learned some new things, and now see some scenes in a different light - an impressive feat.
The Star Wars Heresies is erudite, well researched, and an absolute pleasure. A love letter to Star Wars, this is a must read for those with an open mind, and a love of mythology, philosophy and Star Wars.
The Star Wars Heresies is erudite, well researched, and an absolute pleasure. A love letter to Star Wars, this is a must read for those with an open mind, and a love of mythology, philosophy and Star Wars.
February 9, 2019
A well written book about themes in the Star Wars prequels. If you like that sort of thing like I do, you’ll love this book. Highly recommended!
June 29, 2014
Amazing insights.
October 7, 2015
Intelligent, well informed, and very entertaining. Overall, it was excellent.
February 24, 2017
Fantastic
Loved this book. Yep, that about covers it. Highly recommend to the lovers and especially the haters. They might just learn a thing or four.
Loved this book. Yep, that about covers it. Highly recommend to the lovers and especially the haters. They might just learn a thing or four.
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February 27, 2024A thoroughly delightful exegesis of the themes, motifs and life lessons found within the Star Wars prequel trilogy films. Purchased six years ago and put aside for far too long, I finally decided to fully plum its depths in light of the first film's release 25 years ago. The book is artfully organized by relevant ideas and archetypes (e.g., The Symbiosis, The Slave, The Love, The Fall, The Villain, etc.) with perspectives from both Eastern and Western philosophical traditions woven throughout the rigorous analysis.
The memories of my first exposure to the Star Wars prequels in my adolescence are remarkably vivid and, to the filmmaker I'd later become, quite seminal. As a rambunctious kid with an insatiable imagination and a restless knack for art, the sheer scope and ambition of the prequels represented an unmatched zenith of cinematic design; to say nothing of their incredible music and pivotal role in the digital filmmaking revolution.
But what of the films' storytelling, philosophical or morally instructive value? Far from the easy digestibility of the original trilogy's dualities of good vs. evil, human vs. machine and freedom vs. oppression, the narrative of the prequels traffic in equally timeless yet far more ambiguous and paradoxical notions of institutional decay, political dictatorship and personal suffering. For those who've embraced these more nuanced entries of the most popular film franchise in history, this book gleefully elucidates what their filmmaker has described as "a much more intricately made clock than most people would imagine." I'm glad I grew up with the prequels.
The memories of my first exposure to the Star Wars prequels in my adolescence are remarkably vivid and, to the filmmaker I'd later become, quite seminal. As a rambunctious kid with an insatiable imagination and a restless knack for art, the sheer scope and ambition of the prequels represented an unmatched zenith of cinematic design; to say nothing of their incredible music and pivotal role in the digital filmmaking revolution.
But what of the films' storytelling, philosophical or morally instructive value? Far from the easy digestibility of the original trilogy's dualities of good vs. evil, human vs. machine and freedom vs. oppression, the narrative of the prequels traffic in equally timeless yet far more ambiguous and paradoxical notions of institutional decay, political dictatorship and personal suffering. For those who've embraced these more nuanced entries of the most popular film franchise in history, this book gleefully elucidates what their filmmaker has described as "a much more intricately made clock than most people would imagine." I'm glad I grew up with the prequels.
March 12, 2019
A well-researched book to be sure. It does make one rethink some of the deeper meanings that may be held within the Star Wars prequel trilogy. It is definitely a fascinating look. There are times however when the praise for the films becomes a bit effusive but this can be mostly overlooked. There's nothing particularly wrong with loving your subject matter.
November 4, 2018
Enjoyed this quite a bit. The symbolism of the prequels was interesting as well as the parallels to the OT.
November 6, 2020
Nice book, didn’t love it but would recommend to anyone interested.
December 7, 2020
Really interesting points, this was a great book and I would recommend it to anyone open to taking another look at the prequel trilogy.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews