Using the Force: Creativity, Community and Star Wars Fans [Hardcover]

Will Brooker (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0826452876 | ISBN-13: 978-0826452870 | Publication Date: April 17, 2002

In this intelligent and entertaining study of fandom at its most intense, Will Brooker examines the Star Wars phenomenon from the audience's perspective and discovers that the saga exerts a powerful influence over the social, cultural, and spiritual lives of those drawn into its myth. From a Boba Fett-loving police officer in Indiana to the webmistress of www.starwarschicks.com; from an eleven-year-old boy in south London to a Baptist Church in South Carolina; Brooker unearths a seemingly endless array of fans who use and interpret the saga in a number of creative ways.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a wonderful book. Will Brooker provides a wealth of badly-needed evidence, which will be of great use to anyone interested in ongoing debates about the relation between cultural production and consumption, the place of media in identity formation, and the ways in which meanings are produced from texts. The book is intelligent and informed, and is supremely careful only to make claims which are supported by the evidence it presents. It shows that it is not only possible, but vitally important, for academics to have a detailed knowledge of the texts and communities they are writing about, if they are to provide reasonable analyses of the ways in which they function. Above all, this book is beautifully written, and extremely readable."—Alan McKee, Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies

"Timely and provocative….enthusiastically written….In 10 well-crafted chapters, Brooker manages to capture the original excitement surrounding the film's 1977 premiere while dissecting how and why the enthusiasm endures….Brooker's clear prose sings….[his] obvious dedication to his project makes Using the Force a must for fans and a necessary read for students of pop culture."—The Austin Chronicle

"...both readable and informative...There is a lot for the Maul fan here"—Darth Maul Estrogen Brigade 2, 9/12/02

About the Author

Will Brooker is Director of Film Studies and Television at Kingston University, UK. He is the author of several books, including studies of Batman, Star Wars, Blade Runner, and Lewis Carroll.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Continuum (April 17, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0826452876
• ISBN-13: 978-0826452870
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #959,222 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A pleasant change from the usual..., July 5, 2002

By 

Lagniappe (A galaxy far, far away...) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Using the Force: Creativity, Community and Star Wars Fans (Hardcover)

Okay, we all know the stereotype - the nerd who is incapable of carrying on a conversation with the opposite sex, but is able to speak fluent Klingonese; the geek who can't shoot a basket to save his life, but who can personally reenact the final lightsaber duel from The Phantom Menace (complete with sound effects); the misfit who owns every Star Wars actionfigure ever produced, displayed on a set of shelves built into the walls of - wait for it - his parent's basement!

I give you the stereotypical science fiction/fantasy fan.

Only, stereotypes are an inch of fact and a mile of embellishment and conjecture. Are there fans that dress up like Mr. Spock and wave the V sign, telling you to "Live Long and Prosper"? Sure there are! Are there people who can do perfect imitations of a wizened, green puppet (and now CGI character) asking the Force to be with you? You bet!

However, such stereotypes are only a small portion of what encompasses fandom, but they are likely all that the non-fan (or "mundanes" as in the Harry Potter series) may envision, because it is upon the more flamboyant fans that the media so loves to shine their questionable spotlight. Yet, in truth, fandom is as varied as - well - "real life!". For every guy dressed as a Jedi and waving a plastic lightsaber at a Star Wars premiere, there is a family in jeans and t-shirts sitting down to share popcorn in the front row of the theater.

Perhaps most unfortunate of all is the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) suggestion of superiority on the part of the media covering fandom - the outsider studying some exotic, and not quite healthy, cultural phenomena and offering it up as an object of amusement if not outright derision for the "normal" masses.

I've heard the jokes and the put downs, repeatedly. I've come to expect it. So it was with some trepidation that I picked up William Brooker's study of Star Wars fandom. "Here we go again," I thought. "Someone who thinks they understand fandom and is going to tell us all about the "unhappy, socially inept fans who use science fiction and fantasy as a form of escapism from their sad, miserable little lives."

I was wrong. The first thing you should know about Will Brooker is that HE is a fan himself, and this gives him a unique perspective - not to mention it makes it more likely fellow fans will trust him enough to allow glimpses into aspects of their lives they have learned to keep secret to avoid ridicule. Brooker walks the walk and talks the talk. He respects his fellow fans and their views, and he presents them in a fair minded and non-judgmental light in his book, which makes for a pleasant change.

Furthermore, he discusses fandom from many angles, including those that are often overlooked or somewhat obscure and may not be familiar even to many that consider themselves Star Wars fans. Do the terms PWP, EU, "gusher" and "Space Wheat" mean anything to you? They will once you have read this book, and some of the insights you discover may surprise you. Brooker covers such topics as women in fandom. How do they view the Star Wars universe, and how do their reactions and expectations differ from those of the men who tend to dominate science fiction? What about creative expression in fandom? When fans use George Lucas' characters and universe to inspire their own flights of fancy, whether it be through short films, writing or art work, is this a form of homage to Lucas or a blatant disregard for legal copyright laws, or both? How did fans react to The Phantom Menace? Was it a disaster or a glorious success, or a little of each?

So who should read this book? Everyone! Non-fans should read it to gain an insight into fandom. Fans are not simply some exotic creatures you only see dressed in Jedi robes on the news coverage of a Star Wars premier. Fans include the teacher in your child's classroom, the vet who takes care of your dog, the guy who programmed your business software, the kid down the street who mows your lawn, and the Air force meteorologist. They are people like you, and, yes, like me - I am a fan and proud of it.

Fans should read to gain a broader view of the myriad aspects of fandom and the response people have to the Star Wars phenomena. As Brooker points out, Star Wars fandom is a dynamic, complex entity. Many fans don't even agree on issues covered in this book. However, for the most part, they do speak a common language that allows for immediate recognition and a sense of inclusion in a world where fans often feel excluded. Even when they disagree, there is a sense of community - a community Brooker knows well.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars SW Community, August 21, 2002

By 

john kersten (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Using the Force: Creativity, Community and Star Wars Fans (Hardcover)

A great book for appreciating the various outlets of current Star Wars fandom. While offering little serious academic discourse, the book does put into print many issues which to this point have been limited to internet discussion and fan zines, such as LFL's strict licesing enforcement, the culture of message board discussion, fan fiction and films. In the end it stands as an interesting catalog of current happenings in the world of Star Wars fandom, as seen from an insider who respects the devotion of a unique community.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superbly entertaining book..., June 28, 2002

By 

Jacqui G "Electronic toy freak" (Sheffield, S Yorks United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Using the Force: Creativity, Community and Star Wars Fans (Hardcover)

A well written book offering plenty for the dedicated female Star Wars fan, as well as the males of that persuasion - this is not a discussion about military hardware or the handling characteristics of the Falcon. Well researched, but alas not complete. An in-depth review of fan-art, conventions and costuming would enhance any future editions enormously.

The ingenuity of fans in acting out and enjoying their obsession is made public, as they broadcast their interest on the Internet, and this book tells (almost) all in a witty and entertaining style.

Not a dry academic treatise, but interesting and uptodate coverage of that enduring phenomenon, Star Wars, and the fans celebration of it. Enough to interest me in Will Brooker's other books.