The Star Wars Triology
- Grebe, Coralee. "Tarot Card Symbolism in the Star
Wars Trilogy."Mythlore 76 (Spring 1994):
27-31.
- Gordon, Andrew. "Science-Fiction and Fantasy Film
Criticism: The Case of Lucas and Spielberg."Journal of the Fantastic in the
Arts 2.2 (Summer 1989): 81-94.
A nicely balanced rebuttal of leftist ideological
criticism (such as that of Rubey) which exaggerates in
labeling many films "childish,"
"escapist,"or "fascist."
Sammons, Todd H. "Return of the Jedi: Epic
Graffiti."Science Fiction Studies14 (3):43
(1987 Nov.): 355-371.
Discusses all three films briefly -- Star Wars
as Western, Empire as myth -- but
focuses most on allusions to epic poetry in Return of
the Jedi
Gordon, Andrew. "The Power of the Force: Sex in the
Star Wars Trilogy."In Eros in the Mind's
Eye(1986) pp. 193-207.
Effective archetypal/Freudian interpretation which
illustrates parallels between the trilogy and Lucas's earlier
films, American Graffitiand
THX1138
Kopkind, Andrew. "The Cartoon Epic."
The Nation 26 Jan 1985: 86-89.
Gordon, Andrew. "Return of the Jedi: The
End of the Myth."Film Criticism 8.2 (1984):
45- 54.
Lancashire, Anne. "Return of the Jedi:
Once More with Feeling."Film Criticism 8:2
(1984 Winter): 55-66. MLA: 84080597 .
Telotte, J. P. "The Dark Side of the Force: Star
Wars and the Science Fiction Tradition." Extrapolation 24.3 (1983): 216-26.
Focuses on thematic opposition between rational and
emotional in SF films; includes short section on
THX1138.
Wyatt,-David. "Star Wars and the Productions of
Time."Virginia Quarterly Review 58:4 (Autumn
1982): 600-615.
Wright, Will. "The Empire Bites the Dust."
Social Text 6 (1982): 120-25.
Donnelly,-Jerome. "Humanizing Technology in The
Empire Strikes Back: Theme and Values in Lucas and
Tolkien."Philosophy in Context 11 (1981):
19-32.
Miller, Martin and Robert Sprich. ""The Appeal
of Star Wars."American Imago 38.2 (Summer 1981): 203-220.
Fairly classic Freudian approach: All about
Oedipus.
Scigaj, Leonard M. Bettleheim, Castenada and Zen: The
Powers Behind the Force in Star Wars."
Extrapolation 22.3 (Fall 1981): 213-30.
Very persuasive explication of ideas behind the Force
as coming from Lucas's readings in Bettleheim about
children's reactions to fairy tales and in Castenada about
shamanistic traditions.
Gordon, Andrew. "The Empire Strikes Back:
Monsters from the Id."Science Fiction Studies
7.3 (1980): 313-18.
Continues archetypal analysis begun in article on
Star Wars
Fairchild, B. H., Jr. "Songs of Innocence and
Experience: The Blakean Vision of George Lucas."
Literature Film Quarterly 7 (1979): 112-19.
Gordon, Andrew. "Star Wars: A Myth for
Our Time."Literature/Film Quarterly 6.4
(1978): 314-26.
Intelligent reading of film using Campbell.
Rubey, Dan. "Star Wars: "Not So Long Ago, Not
So Far Away."1978 Rpt. In Jump Cut: Hollywood,
Politics, and Counter-Cinema. Ed. Peter Steven. NY:
Praeger Special Studies, 1985, 83-10.
Very thorough and provocative leftist critique of
unconscious ideological contradictions in Star
Wars
Wood, Denis. "Growing Up Among the Stars."
Literature/Film Quarterly 6.4 (Fall 1978):
327-41.
Comparison of archetypal structures in Star
Wars, Tolkein, and Arthur story as presented in
The Once and Future King.
Back to SF Films Index Page
Back to Elisa Sparks' Home Page
This page has been accessed 
Critical Articles on Star Wars