The Secret History of Star Wars
The Art of Storytelling and the Making of a Modern Epic
By Michael Kaminski
Star Wars is one of the most important cultural phenomena of the Western World. The tale of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and the fall and redemption of Anakin Skywalker has become modern myth - an epic tragedy of the corruption of a young man in love into darkness, the rise of evil and the power of good triumphing in the end. But it didn't start out that way.
Michael Kaminski's riveting view point, The Secret History of Star Wars: The Art of Storytelling and the Making of a Modern Epic, takes a thorough look into one of cinema's longest lasting works. Kaminski presents the true history of how the epic series was written - from its beginnings as a science fiction fairy tale to its development spanning over three decades, chronicling the methods, techniques, thought processes and struggles of its creator, George Lucas.
Utilizing over four hundred sources, interviews and original scripts, Kaminski tracks and records how the most powerful modern story in the world was created, expanded and finalized into a tale multiple generations have grown to love, enjoy, reflect and analyze.
Readers and fans will completely appreciate the approach and material Kaminski addresses which has not previously been covered in most publications, answering questions fans have had over the years.
He elaborates on the following with relation to his book:
- How the Star Wars films were made up as they went along
- The sequel trilogy, why the prequels were made and George Lucas' story outlines in relation to each story/movie
- There were 12 and 9 films planned in the series at one point
- How George Lucas' personal life shaped the series
- The 1977 version of Star Wars seen in theaters and the version seen now represent two different storylines
- Why George Lucas is suppressing the original versions of the films
Michael Kaminski was just about two years old when he first saw Star Wars and was immediately entranced by its magic spell. The event was significant in another major way in that it was the beginning of his fascination and passion for cinema in general. After graduating from Vancouver Film School, Michael immediately found camera work in Toronto in various aspects - cinematography, camera operations and camera assisting.
In spite of a budding career within the movie industry, over a three year span, Michael found time to write The Secret History of Star Wars while on set. Originally published online, his e-book became a cult fan favorite by sheer word of mouth with over 10,000 downloads.
Michael is currently a student at the University of Toronto completing his degree in History specializing in Ancient Near and Middle-Eastern Civilizations. He is a member of the International Cinematographers Guild and has worked on such productions as Degrassi: The Next Generation and The Incredible Hulk. www.secrethistoryofstarwars.com
