Friday, May 20, 2005

This week's homework: Usin' the Force

For this week's homework, Scalzi asks:

Recount an interesting moment in your life that somehow involves Star Wars. It can be deeply tangential -- it doesn't have to have happened at a Star Wars movie, for example. But let's face it -- for the last 28 years Star Wars has been part of the common culture. Surely there's an interesting moment in your life in that time, in which Star Wars, its characters or its merchandise has been a part of it.

In 9th grade (somewhat ironically, it was in Miss Cunningham's class -- Miss Cunningham being the subject of my post on last week's homework), we read Romeo & Juliet.  Now, Miss Cunningham pointed out to us how West Side Story was a very clever retelling of Romeo & Juliet reset in the context of two warring street gangs in New York.  We had an assignment to put together a script for some other retelling of Romeo & Juliet in some other place and time.  Some kids did a Wild West Romeo & Juliet, for instance.

Me?  Well, I did ...

I never did make it all the way to production, but, as you can see, I saved the title card.  I found the script too.  It was full of all sorts of horrible things like Darth Vader (in the role of Montague) saying, "Was it you who initiated these unpleasantries?" and Luke skulking around with a bunch of ewoks.  The world is, I am certain, a better place for the fact it never got made.  (I never could figure out the "casting" once it was revealed that Luke and Leia were brother and sister.)

Now, if only it had been Hamlet...

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now I must pan back a week and check out your Miss Cunningham, she sounds inspiring, creative, and inspiring teacher. What a fantastic take on both Star Wars and Shakespeare. Look out there, someone might just be a taking your idea to a new level. Seriously, Shakespeare has inspired all sorts of spin offs, movies, novels, etc. How cool that you saved the card, good go!

If you have a spare moment please pop on over and check out my homework? Haven't shared homework since I was back in... well was awhile ago to be sure.

May the Force be with you.

http://journals.aol.com/madmanadhd/ConfessionsofaMadmanInsightsinto/entries/1182

Anonymous said...

That's cool--very original.  Casting would have been interesting.

Ana  ((0.~))
http://journals.aol.com/kissofvanity/LifeintheblueVictorianhouse/

Anonymous said...

Wehailllll ... thank you very much for the warm tummy workout! (I just laughed myself a runny nose.)

Anonymous said...

Oh, how hilarious!!! -Krissy
http://journals.aol.com/fisherkristina/SometimesIThink