In honor of May the Fourth, an unofficial holiday related to the culturally defining Star Wars franchise, University of Arizona School of Theatre, Film & Television Associate Professors Bradley Schauer and Barbara Selznick reflect on the saga’s cultural impact.
In a segment on KGUN9 covering The Loft Cinema’s special screening of Star Wars: A New Hope dubbed in Navajo, Schauer talked about the impact of the franchise on American life: “It’s a power fantasy for kids but it’s also something that as you get older adults find a lot of resonance with. It’s a testament to the universal archetypes at the heart of Star Wars. It’s something that people can appreciate all around the world. Different cultures different languages … Star Wars is really for everybody, there’s no wrong way to appreciate Star Wars.”
On the same day, in an article for UA @ Work, Schauer and Selznick looked at the legacy of the franchise. “The first three films struck a chord,” said Selznick. “They did something different that people hadn’t really seen before, and they became very important to people’s childhoods.”