Publisher Random House's School Division also took advantage of the late '70s' space craze with a set of four "Attack on Reading" workbooks, each containing 96 pages of Star Wars-inspired exercises to help kids with their reading skills. The four books in the series -- Word Study, Study Skills, Comprehension 1, and Comprehension 2 -- all sported colorful covers by classic Star Wars artists John Berkey and Tom Chantrell, and included a corresponding Teacher's Guide for each.
There are a few gems scattered throughout the set, like the use of an obscure Chantrell poster concept for the cover of Study Skills, the addition of the Expanded Universe's Splinter of the Mind's Eye content in Word Study, and the strange inclusion of the Biggs Darklighter narrative within the Comprehension set. Add to these the corny dialog bubbles accompanying the characters introducing each lesson, and one can begin to appreciate the nostalgic kitsch appeal these have begun to generate among fans and collectors.
For students who had completed all their daily assignments, a special 16mm screening of Hardware Wars might be rewarded by teachers hip to late '70s' pop culture. The Star Wars parody, which actually received some play in theatrical venues and home movie houses before earning distribution through educational channels, arrived in classrooms with a set of five questions attached in what was likely a ploy to establish the 13-minute short as an "educational tool." For whatever reasons it ultimately reached school houses, many old-school Star Wars fans hold a special place for the spoof in their memories, when classrooms smelled of crayons and craft glue and every glance at the clock was one minute closer to playing out Star Wars adventures at lunchtime recess.
For some extra credit, the following questions that accompanied the film can be turned in for homework tomorrow morning:
- What makes Star Wars such an easy target for satire?
- How well did the filmmakers capture the characters and the action of Star Wars? How else could the film have been parodied?
- Select a recent film with a more complex plot and characterizations. Write a short parody of the film.
- Does humor have a place in the serious study of literature? Why or why not?
- Hardware Wars concentrates on the current popularity of epics and special effects. Why do you think such films are so successful?
