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I Find Your Lack of Faith Disturbing: Star Wars and the Triumph of Geek Culture by A.D. Jameson
jmrprice's review
4.0
Thought-provoking explanation of the surge in popularity of ‘geekdom’ and related movies and books - the rise of geek culture into the mainstream
icecreammanatee's review
2.0
I'm not generally a fan of boiling things down to their essence, but this book feels like little more than a lengthy, somewhat obsessive debate against a certain book Peter Biskind wrote in 1998, which lambasted geeks for their childishness. Why does Jameson engage here, in the late 2010s, with aged debates between geeks and non-geeks on the merits of speculative fiction? How many are still engaged in that old, cold war? Sure, I understand setting the stage with these former conversations, but Jameson's words stick in that place, never veering away from stereotyping geeks as only he sees them, nor toward the present dramas within geekdom--gatekeeping, representation, the democratization and widening of our interests--which are far more evergreen and which reveal geeks to not be a monolith, far less the one note Jameson thinks he speaks for. Instead, Jameson swims in the black-and-white thinking of fantasy/sci-fi pitted against drama (when so many movie geeks have the capacity to love both), plus providing another elongated, tired punch at the Star Wars prequels and the Star Trek sequels, again as if all geeks agree. I'm not saying he's wrong to dislike changes to his beloved franchises, and I'm not even saying I disagree--but I know I'm not all geeks, Jameson seems to think he is. And the irony of Jameson's "hate" (his words) toward the shifts in approach and tone and philosophy in both Star Wars and Star Trek is that mere pages later he hypocritically lauds the ability of Batman to evolve over decades of print and film, of artists and creators to mold Gotham City and its Crusader as they see fit, to keep the franchise fresh and healthy and in a state of natural experimentation.
orangefan65's review
4.0
Geek utopia. A cultural and philosophical look at Star Wars, Star Trek, Marvel, and other “nerdy” stuff. I learned some things about these franchises that I did not know. The only drawback is that on a handful of occasions the author interjects his leftist politics. All in all an entertaining read.
leaton01's review
4.0
As a delightfully interminable Star Wars fan, this book triggered all the feels. Jameson provides a personal and cultural history of geek culture since the emergence of Star Wars in the 1970s. He marks Star Wars as the birth of geek culture's rise to pop culture dominance in TV, film, conventions, and much more. Throughout, he explores the pivotal ways in which Star Wars and other major geek-entities (comic books, RPG tabletop gaming, fantasy books, etc) played pivotal roles in making geek culture more mainstream culture. Of course, within that, he acknowledges the tension between those who are hardcore fans of the cultural product in its "original form" (whatever we want to mean by that) and in its various adaptations, remakes, deviations, etc. He has a very strong bone to pick with Peter Biskind and his film and cultural histories, believing Biskind, among others, have disregarded and devalued what films like Star Wars truly are. In fact, in a later chapter, Jameson gives one of the most powerful and fascinating analyses of Star Wars as a reflection of the New Hollywood crew that emerged in the 1960s and 1970s in their aspirations for realism and pushing back against the industry models.
In many ways, I appreciate this book because it resembles my own experience both in enjoying geek culture growing up, reading comic books, watching Star Wars a bajillion times, and getting my hands on so much fantasy. Equally, the high points that Jameson mentions are ones that I too would likely have called out were I writing such a book--from the emergence of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight to the first X-Men film to the Batman trilogy by Nolan, these are definitely hallmarks that decry a shift in the things that once were considered to nerdy to be spoken about in public. If you want a nostalgic but thoughtful and critical venture down pop culture in the last forty years, this is definitely worth the read.
In many ways, I appreciate this book because it resembles my own experience both in enjoying geek culture growing up, reading comic books, watching Star Wars a bajillion times, and getting my hands on so much fantasy. Equally, the high points that Jameson mentions are ones that I too would likely have called out were I writing such a book--from the emergence of Frank Miller's The Dark Knight to the first X-Men film to the Batman trilogy by Nolan, these are definitely hallmarks that decry a shift in the things that once were considered to nerdy to be spoken about in public. If you want a nostalgic but thoughtful and critical venture down pop culture in the last forty years, this is definitely worth the read.
jazin95's review
5.0
Well, it turns out I must be a geek...
Investigating the geek world and how the world looks in. Through critical analysis, A.D. Jameson gives an in-depth argument on why science-fiction and fantasy movies like Star Wars should be viewed in the same light as 'mainstream' film. I loved Jameson's argument and description of George Lucas' use of realism. He also wrote extensively how many mainstream fandoms use these same techniques through merchandise, books and fantasied wiki's.
I think it's fair to say I loved this book and found it really interesting.
Investigating the geek world and how the world looks in. Through critical analysis, A.D. Jameson gives an in-depth argument on why science-fiction and fantasy movies like Star Wars should be viewed in the same light as 'mainstream' film. I loved Jameson's argument and description of George Lucas' use of realism. He also wrote extensively how many mainstream fandoms use these same techniques through merchandise, books and fantasied wiki's.
I think it's fair to say I loved this book and found it really interesting.
rlaferney's review
3.0
Very readable. An interesting combination of personal memoir, film history, geek culture insight, that also happens to read as a defense of pop culture . I personally enjoyed the background Jameson gave on the New Realists filmmakers of the 70s and the rise of Star Wars and how Lucas essentially reinvented cinema. I also appreciated his frank discussion on why science fiction, fantasy, and superheroes can be considered a form of serious art while also admitting the there is nothing wrong with a little escapism as well.
With that being said, he was preaching to someone who was already converted.
With that being said, he was preaching to someone who was already converted.