poll: what genre is Star Wars? (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Sun]

Star Wars is fantasy.

Gattaca is Sci-Fi.

 

[Tom-G]

Very much fantasy, very little science. Elements of both genres exist but I consider it fantasy.

 

[Richard Kim]

I can't believe nobody's mentioned action yet, what with all the lightsaber duels, dogfights in space, high speed chases and races, and lasers.

 

[SteveGon]

Everyone is providing good arguments for their opinions. I'd say Star Wars is science fiction. Of course, all the sf elements merely serve as the backdrop for the adventure. And the laws of physics are sometimes ignored...

 

[Neil Joseph]

Sci-Fi, plain, simple and not a complicated choice.

 

[Seth Paxton]

Fantasy

(sci-fi as a sub-genre)

 

[Josh_Hill]

Ok, Sci-Fi is set in the future. Fantasy is usually set in the past. "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..." Thats in the past, not the future, so its Fantasy.

 

[george kaplan]

Ok, Sci-Fi is set in the future. Fantasy is usually set in the past. "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..." Thats in the past, not the future, so its Fantasy.

Following that logic, Back to the Future is mostly a fantasy, while Back to the Future Part 2 is mostly science fiction, and Back to the Future Part 3 is mostly fantasy. Also, Gettysburg took place in the past, so it's a fantasy.
Anyway, updated poll results:
Science Fiction: 11
Fantasy: 9
Adventure: 1
Talkie: 1
Space Fantasy: 1
Space Opera: 1
Action: 1
Looks pretty clearly split between sci-fi and fantasy, with a slight edge to sci-fi.

 

[Ash Williams]

, an Action film, an Adventure film, as well as Science Fiction.

Science Fiction. How the hell could anyone classify it as a western? I mean I can understand MOST of the other votes, but a western, give me a break!

 

[george kaplan]

a Western with space ships instead of horses. As good as they are, the Star Wars movies fit in this area for me.

 

[Dave H]

It's a "Sci-fi Fantasy" to be most descriptive.

Who said it was a Western??!!

 

[Jim_K]

Star Wars is not a Western but it is stongly influenced by them. The Cantina scene, Bounty hunters, Han Solo as the classic gunslinger, Lukes homestead, etc.
Lucas also paid homage to the Searchers in Star Wars with the scene of Luke returning to his burning homestead.

 

[Brian Lawrence]

I don't so how anyone can call Star Wars sci-fi. Space Ships do not a sci-fi film make. Granted many science fiction films and novels deal with outer space but that does not automatically make a film with rocket ships and little green men a work of science fiction. The Star Wars universe is one based more on fantasy and mythology than it is any kind of scientific possibillity.
In fact I would call the earthbound The Truman Show to be more of a science fiction film than the Star Wars films. A film that takes modern technology and the current state of the media and from that creates a scientifically possible scenario of where slightly further technological advancement could land, in an increasingly media obsessed society.
Star Wars does not base it's self on any sort of scientific plausibility, Nor does it even pretend to do so. I don't mean that as a knock on Star Wars as I love the original trilogy. But Star Wars has more in common with fantasy movies Lord of the Rings & Excalibur, than it does sci-fi films like 2001, Contact, & Blade Runner.

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Fantasy

 

[Dana Fillhart]

I have trouble putting it in the "fantasy" category, because the primary thoughts that come to my mind for that category need to have "magical" elements at its core, that are wrapped up in some mythos that cannot be explained by any scientific means within the context of the story. IOW, swords-and-sorcery stuff, wholly-earth-bound epic sagas (or if between multiple worlds, the means of interaction between them involves non-technical means such as astral projection, teleportation by self-willed means, or by a device whose operation cannot be explained by any type of science).
All of the material given in the Star Wars saga is of the science-fiction variety, except the Force (and taking TPM into account, even that has been relegated to SF, which I guess may be what people are most upset about there). Far too much of the saga is wrapped up in science-fiction dogma to be classified as "Fantasy".
I know there is another definition for fantasy that is much broader; however that is the denotation, and as this poll is implying an askance for connotation I feel that the definition I gave above for what Fantasy is should exclude pieces such as Star Wars.
But Star Wars, strangely, is not science-fiction, either, for precisely the same reason that it is not fantasy -- the implied askance for its connotation would bring a SF-lover to give the exact same response I gave about Fantasy but for SF. "SF has at its core a technical, scientific explanation for those elements that do not exist in the modern world," may be just one response, for which Star Wars cannot fit the mold.
So if we go by connotation of genres, where does it fit? I don't believe it fits one single genre, but I think Space Opera describes it well. I believe the term actually did come about because of the SW phenomena (or if not coined from it, then certainly made popular because of it).
Just my 4c

 

[Dome Vongvises]

You're right Dana, space opera is a much better word.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Most people probably think of it as being a Science Fiction movie, although, as others have pointed out, it may not actually fit that description perfectly.

 

[Artur Meinild]

I would also categorize it as a fantasy movie...

 

[RogerB]

Sci-Fi