In 1977, a group of young Hollywood filmmakers created a summer adventure film that was a callback to old-style science fiction serials, updated with the look of modern special effects. Writer/director George Lucas called his rip-roaring epic, Star Wars, and the story mixed space cruiser battles and laser sword fights with Joseph Campbell’s theories about mythology. Four decades and numerous sequels later, the seventh episode of this multi-billion-dollar enterprise launches this Friday, amidst hype positioning it to be a major blockbuster. On the eve of the debut of “The Force Awakens”, we explore the impact of the Star Wars franchise on Northeast Ohio --- how it has impacted everything from lunchboxes to language, from how movies are made to how we watch them.
Julie Washington - Plain Dealer reporter
David Huffman - Director of Marketing, Cleveland Cinemas
Glenn Starkman - CWRU Physics professor
David Brown - Star Wars memorabilia collector
