Courtney Riffle

Period 4

January, February, & March 2018

Senior Passion Project: Star Wars

How has the Star Wars franchise impacted our culture?

After directing multiple films, George Lucas completed the screen write of a six hour

tale, tilted Star Wars. Lucas went from company to company and received an offer from 20th

Century Fox to create the first part of his narrative. To the rest of Hollywood, Star Wars would

be a failure. Yet, Star Wars was an overwhelming success that quickly became the “... second

highest-grossing film….[earning] $1.5 billion…”1. Star Wars has not only become a movie

success, it has impacted our culture through the adoption of merchandising, the evolution of the

film industry, and the involvement among fans and their communities.

Until the release of New Hope, merchandising sales were the lowest in the industry. The

film industry quickly adjusted to meet the demand for items that could be branded. Lego became

a household name with its “... “Star Wars” construction sets,”2 earning “...$2.03 billion…”3 in

2014 and becoming “...the largest toy company...”4. The prevalence of pre-ordering movie-

themed products also began with the original film. The toy company Kenner began to produce an

1Jackson, Brad. “40 Years Ago, Star Wars Changed Movies Forever.” The Federalist, The
Federalist, 30 May 2017, thefederalist.com/2017/05/25/40-years-ago-star-wars-changed-movies-
forever/.
2Jackson, Brad. “40 Years Ago, Star Wars Changed Movies Forever.” The Federalist, The
Federalist, 30 May 2017, thefederalist.com/2017/05/25/40-years-ago-star-wars-changed-movies-
forever/.
3DAVIDSON, JACOB. “Lego Is Now The Largest Toy Company In The World | Money.” Time,
Time, 4 Sept. 2014, time.com/money/3268065/lego-largest-toy-company-mattel/.
4DAVIDSON, JACOB. “Lego Is Now The Largest Toy Company In The World | Money.” Time,
Time, 4 Sept. 2014, time.com/money/3268065/lego-largest-toy-company-mattel/.
empty box receipt to pick-up their toy later. Manufacturers and filmmakers began to use popular

films to attract their customers’ attention. Crowds rushed to the big screen only to walk out after

the two minute teaser trailer for The Phantom Menace. Theater owners began to play the trailer

again at the end of the film “...so people would stick around the place and hopefully buy some

popcorn as they killed time.”5 With the creation of the Clone Wars and the merger with the Walt

Disney Company, Star Wars products continue to be mass produced and created at a never

ending pace that will continue long pass the current saga.

Along with altering the long standing view on movie retail, George Lucas revamped the

movie making process. In the 1970s, Lucas decided that the current available programs and

equipment would not produce his desired effects. So, he took it upon himself to push technology

by creating multiple companies, such as Industrial Lights and Magic (ILM) and Skywalker

Sound. ILM came up with the Dykstraflex, a camera that used the current Vista Vision and

combined it with seven axes of rotation to create digital motion photography with a computer

that was less powerful than the average smartphone. This camera “...[created] the illusion of

stationary models moving quickly…”6 to create the iconic space battle scenes featuring TIE

Fighters. Skywalker Sound “...combined both organic and electronic sounds…”7 to create

Chewbacca’s roars and R2D2’s whistles. Both companies continue to be on the top through their

constant innovation and are used across the trade. Each have received a variety of awards while

continuing to challenge the current film industry’s standards. George Lucas also influenced the

presentation of the sci-fi genre. Before Star Wars, sci-fi films presented clean, precise

5Greene, Andy. “Flashback: 'Star Wars: Phantom Menace' Trailer Arrives.” Rolling Stone,
Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2015, www.rollingstone.com/movies/videos/flashback-star-wars-
phantom-menace-trailer-causes-hysteria-in-1998-20151016.
6Brooks, Dan. “5 Ways Star Wars: A New Hope Changed Everything.” StarWars.com, TM & ©
Lucasfilm Ltd, 25 May 2017, www.starwars.com/news/5-ways-star-wars-a-new-hope-changed-
everything.
7Brooks, Dan. “5 Ways Star Wars: A New Hope Changed Everything.” StarWars.com, TM & ©
Lucasfilm Ltd, 25 May 2017, www.starwars.com/news/5-ways-star-wars-a-new-hope-changed-
everything.
environments that seemed impeccable. Lucas created a world where the main hero came from a

dusty, dirty desert that mirrored a Western film rather than the sci-fi of the time. The Star Wars

films continue to expand their sphere of influence and continue to push Hollywood to new

directions, while never losing focus on the individuals that enjoy the Saga.

Star Wars continues to attract fans who are growing in number each year. Over time,

worldwide fan organizations, such as the 501st Legion (the bad guys) and Rebel Legion (the

good guys), were founded. Both focus their time on volunteering in their communities,

specifically with their area’s youth by supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation and anti-bullying

initiatives with great success. The members create professional costumes to mimic characters. As

Ms. Tina Sixt describes, “We do a wide variety of volunteer work... like the local public

libraries…. We’ve done hospital visits...”8. Their love of Star Wars is motivation to bring joy to

someone else’s day no matter the effort. Ms. Sixt costumes as Princess Leia and enjoys seeing a

child’s “...eyes light up…. You can hear them saying, ‘Princess Leia, Princess Leia!’, and they

want to come up and get a picture taken.”9 Like her fellow members, Ms. Sixt continues to use

her time to serve her community by further a child’s imagination and experience. The Legions

provide a service to their communities that would not have been possible without the cultural

importance of the Star Wars Saga.

George Lucas wrote a tale of good versus evil that took place in a novel location unheard

of at the time. Since the success of the original film in 1977, the Star Wars universe has spread to

every corner of our culture. Star Wars paved the way for the mass movie merchandise industry,

the creation of technology transforming Hollywood’s abilities, and the organization of dedicated

8Personal Interview conducted by Courtney Riffle on January 24, 2018 with Ms. Tina Sixt, a
member of the 501st and Rebel Legion. Transcript available along with video documentation.
9 Personal Interview conducted by Courtney Riffle on January 24, 2018 with Ms. Tina Sixt, a
member of the 501st and Rebel Legion. Transcript available along with video documentation.
individuals who use Star Wars to impact their local areas by providing unforgettable experiences

with the intent to bring happiness to others.

Works Cited

1. Jackson, Brad. “40 Years Ago, Star Wars Changed Movies Forever.” The Federalist, The

Federalist, 30 May 2017, thefederalist.com/2017/05/25/40-years-ago-star-wars-changed-

movies-forever/.
2. Greene, Andy. “Flashback: 'Star Wars: Phantom Menace' Trailer Arrives.” Rolling Stone,

Rolling Stone, 16 Oct. 2015, www.rollingstone.com/movies/videos/flashback-star-wars-

phantom-menace-trailer-causes-hysteria-in-1998-20151016.
3. * All products require an annual contract. Prices do not include sales tax (New York

residents only)., Statista. “Revenue of Major Toy Companies Worldwide 2016 | Statistic.”

Statista, Statista 2018, www.statista.com/statistics/241241/revenue-of-major-toy-

companies-worldwide/.
4. DAVIDSON, JACOB. “Lego Is Now The Largest Toy Company In The World | Money.”

Time, Time, 4 Sept. 2014, time.com/money/3268065/lego-largest-toy-company-mattel/.

5. Brooks, Dan. “5 Ways Star Wars: A New Hope Changed Everything.” StarWars.com, TM

& © Lucasfilm Ltd, 25 May 2017, www.starwars.com/news/5-ways-star-wars-a-new-

hope-changed-everything.

6. Personal Interview conducted by Courtney Riffle on January 24, 2018 with Ms. Tina Sixt,

a member of the 501st and Rebel Legion. Transcript available along with video

documentation.

7. “The 501st Legion.” 501st Legion - Vader's Fist, 501ST LEGION, www.501st.com/hotf/.

8. Zehr, Dan. “Studying Skywalkers: May the 4th and the Cultural Significance of Star

Wars.” StarWars.com, Lucasfilm Ltd, 4 May 2016, www.starwars.com/news/studying-

skywalkers-may-the-4th-and-the-cultural-significance-of-star-wars.

9. Kemp, Ted. “Star Wars: How The World Changed.” CNBC, CNBC, 5 Aug. 2010,

www.cnbc.com/id/18782445.

10. Tmg. “How Star Wars Changed the Movies.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 18

Dec. 2015, www.telegraph.co.uk/film/star-wars-the-force-awakens/how-star-wars-

changed-movies/.

11. DIAZ, ERIC. “5 Ways STAR WARS Created Modern Nerd Culture.” Nerdist, Nerdist

Industries, LLC, 24 May 2017, nerdist.com/star-wars-created-modern-nerd-culture-40th-

anniversary/.

12. Film, Into. “How Star Wars Changed the World of Film and Beyond.” News & Views -

How Star Wars Changed the World of Film and beyond - News - Into Film, Into Film , 20

Apr. 2016, www.intofilm.org/news-and-views/articles/the-force-awakens-feature.