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From: barry@ames.UUCP (Kenn Barry)
Newsgroups: net.movies,net.sf-lovers
Subject: Re: Is Star Wars Truly Science Fiction?
Message-ID: <415@ames.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Jul-84 18:59:18 EDT
Article-I.D.: ames.415
Posted: Mon Jul 16 18:59:18 1984
Date-Received: Wed, 18-Jul-84 02:42:10 EDT
References: <498@trwspp.UUCP>, <646@ihuxt.UUCP>
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 34

[]
> Can Star Wars really be considered science fiction?  The story takes place
> a long long time ago in a galaxy far far away.  Although the characters use
> technology the real focus is the mystical pseudo-magical force.  The story
> strikes me as fantasy or science fantasy.

	I agree completely, and I think this confusion between STAR WARS
and real science fiction has caused a certain amount of unfair criticism
of the film. George Lucas, himself, (in an interview in Rolling Stone)
calls STAR WARS a "space fanatasy", and either that or the more common
"space opera" are the most accurate designations. Yet much of what criticism
there has been of SW condemns it for not being "real" SF, even though
it was clearly not intended to *be* real SF. I have always managed to
love the movie for what it is, namely, the best damn space opera yet put
on film.

> Hollywood seems only rarely to produce genuine science fiction (in the case
> of Star Trek only because of trekkie pressure).  Situations which
> seem like science fiction are only used as vehicles for fantasy (Star
> Wars) or horror (Alien) or some more traditional genre.

	Sad, but true. Those most guilty of being unable to distinguish
between real SF and space opera are the Hollywood producers, themselves,
and the success of STAR WARS probably helped confirm them in their airheaded
idea of what SF is. Real SF films continue to be made only once in a
blue moon, and good ones even less often. The only additional point I
want to make is that this is not the fault of SW or of Lucas, who made
a wonderful film that some silly people insist on mistaking for science fiction.

 FRIENDS AND FOES: Note name-change             Kenn Barry
 from "ames-lm" to "ames" in                    NASA-Ames Research Center
 UUCP address                                   Moffett Field, CA
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