Help me make an A in my speech class!

Redleader

New Recruit
OK for my speech class, I have to give a speech the topic of Star Wars and its effects on Society. What I need is specific references or parodies to Star Wars in media (TV, ads, comic strips, movies)

For example, The lightsaber-type battle in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

Thanks for the help!
 

Borsk

Administrator
Staff member
I actually gave a speech about the same thing about 3 or 4 years ago (freshman or sophomore in college...can't remember).

Anyway, I'll give you a few ideas that I used:

Speech Structure
Title: Star Wars: 20th Anniversary Commemorative Speech
Central Idea: Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon
Purpose: To inform about Star Wars
Organizational Pattern: Topical
Forms of Support: Facts/ Quotes
Audience Participation Strategies: Interest
Point of View: Star Wars is an grand epic

CNN presents: Star Wars- 20 years later
http://www.cnn.com/EVENTS/1997/star.wars.anniversary/

Star Wars has become a part of our culture and taken it’s place as one of the great epics. Star Wars’ success can be measured in it’s constant effect on our culture, such as Ronald Reagan’s Strategic Defense Initiative intended to fend off the ‘evil empire’ and dubbed “Star Wars”. Parodies, such as Mel Brook’s Spaceballs (1987), also pay homage to the holy trilogy. The characters are embedded in our minds and constantly reminds us to “Use the Force”.

I introduced the paper with this (a little hokey in retrospect):

Across an empty hallway a dark figure stands. He waits in silence - only broken by his raspy breathes. As he moves forward, a red beam of light hums to life in his right hand. Darth Vader, the caped embodiment of the evil empire, approaches the stalwart Obi-Wan Kenobi. “When I left you, I was but the learner,” Vader says. “Now I am the Master”.

A few facts (at least at the time that I wrote my essay):

Origins of Star Wars
A. Release Dates
1. Star Wars (1977)
2. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
3. Return of the Jedi (1983)
B. Star Wars and Money
1. Star Wars cost $10 mill (when most movies cost $20-$30mill)
2. Star Wars made $300 million
3. Star Wars had made $4 billion w/ merchandising
4. Some of the original plastic action figures, which sold for $3 in 1978, are now valued at over $1,400
C. Interesting Facts
1. script written with no. 2 pencils
2. gallon of gas in 1977 cost $0.64
3. minimum wage in 1977 was $2.30 an hour
4. Apple II computers were introduced (1st w/ color monitors)
5. Jimmy Carter was 4 months into his presidency
D. Industrial Lights & Magic created in 1975 to make Star Wars
1. Has won 14 Oscars
2. created visual effects for over 100 films:
a) Raiders of the Lost Ark
b) E.T.
c) Back to the Future
d) Terminator 2
e) Forrest Gump
f) Jurassic Park

-------------------------------

As far as affecting society:

1) Talk about ILM. They've had and will continue to have a huge impact on society.

2) Talk about all of the Kevin Smith movies. This will get you on the subject of cliched sayings and quotes that people use in their daily lives.

3) Talk about Spaceballs. I'm not sure if there is a better example of a parody than that.

4) You can talk about that old Trivial Persuit commercial with the Russian General asking, "Who is Luke Skywalker's Father?"

5) There are a couple of theme park rides about Star Wars.

I'm sure I'll think of more examples...

I would center the speech on the impact ILM has had on the way movies are made and how that, in turn, effects society.
 
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