{"product_id":"9780465049899-how-sw-conquered-the-universe","title":"How Star Wars Conquered the Universe","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=utf-8\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\"[A] tour de force. Taylor's research is staggering, and even fans who believe they know all there is to know about the film franchise will find much to learn-and savour.\"-Associated Press\u003cbr\u003eIn 1973, a young filmmaker named George Lucas scribbled some notes for a far-fetched space-fantasy epic. Some forty years and 37 billion later,  Star Wars -related products outnumber human beings, a growing stormtrooper army spans the globe, and  Jediism\" has become a religion in its own right. Lucas's creation has grown into far more than a cinematic classic it is, quite simply, one of the most lucrative, influential, and interactive franchises of all time. Yet incredibly, until now the complete history of  Star Wars ,its influences and impact, the controversies it has spawned, its financial growth and long-term prospects,has never been told. In  How Star Wars Conquered the Universe , veteran journalist Chris Taylor traces the series from the difficult birth of the original film through its sequels, the franchise's death and rebirth, the prequels, and the preparations for a new trilogy.Providing portraits of the friends, writers, artists, producers, and marketers who laboured behind the scenes to turn Lucas's idea into a legend, Taylor also jousts with modern-day Jedi, tinkers with droid builders, and gets inside Boba Fett's helmet, all to find out how  Star Wars  has attracted and inspired so many fans for so long.Since the first film's release in 1977, Taylor shows,  Star Wars  has conquered our culture with a sense of lightness and exuberance, while remaining serious enough to influence politics in far-flung countries and spread a spirituality that appeals to religious groups and atheists alike. Controversial digital upgrades and poorly received prequels have actually made the franchise stronger than ever. Now, with a savvy new set of bosses holding the reins and  Episode VII  on the horizon, it looks like  Star Wars  is just getting started.An energetic, fast-moving account of this creative and commercial phenomenon,  How Star Wars Conquered the Universe  explains how a young filmmaker's fragile dream beat out a surprising number of rivals to gain a diehard, multigenerational fan base,and why it will be galvanizing our imaginations and minting money for generations to come.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Rarewaves","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":55422971937142,"sku":"9780465049899","price":16.56,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0092\/7504\/8033\/files\/stand_33662463.jpg?v=1748977641","url":"https:\/\/www.rarewaves.com\/products\/9780465049899-how-sw-conquered-the-universe","provider":"Rarewaves.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}