Written by Mark Clark
SUMMARY:
Published by Applause Theatre & Cinema Books in 2017, this 402-page paperback reference guide purports to tell “everything left to know about the trilogy that the changed the movies.” Dedicated to the original trilogy, author Mark Clark delves into the history of and behind-the-scenes drama re: Star Wars; The Empire Strikes Back; and Return of the Jedi. In an even-handed manner, Clark also analyzes the trilogy’s pop culture significance including merchandising; videos and DVD’s; Special Editions; awards and nominations; the casts and crews; quotes and misquotes; philosophy, flubs and continuity gaffes; wonky science; and several more categories.
REVIEW:
Impressively, the author succeeds in making good on the book cover’s promise. What further bolsters this guide’s entertainment value is that Mark Clark doesn’t shamelessly fawn over his subject material, as if the original Star Wars films are flawless. He even-handedly depicts George Lucas’ known tendencies as a control freak and the contributions others (i.e. producer Gary Kurtz; and director Irvin Kershner) indelibly made to the Star Wars cinematic universe. Though countless other books have reviewed many of these same topics, Clark takes a fresh approach analyzing each of the three films, which includes revealing various rejected concepts and why Lucas opted to nix them. The pre-production material is particularly insightful, such as to what more Return of the Jedi could have been.
The book itself is kid-friendly, except for one editorial failure. Specifically, on page 320, Clark repeats verbatim a naughty Richard Pryor punchline from a televised 1977 Star Wars parody skit in which Pryor spouts a racial slur. The author’s foolish choice thus falls on parents to beware before letting impressionable kids find this particular passage. Minus this gaffe, Star Wars FAQ is a stellar read for loyal fans.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES:
The text is accompanied by numerous photos. Clark also includes a bibliography and an eighteen-page index.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 9 Stars
