Knightquest (2001)

Directed by

Joe Monroe

Genre

independent film

Country

United States

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

This independent film is a science fiction story that openly references and parodies the Star Wars franchise. It follows characters on an adventure that mirrors the classic hero's journey found in those blockbuster films. The movie aims to entertain fans of the genre with its clear nods to the original trilogy.

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What happens

The Star Wars franchise, which began with George Lucas's 1977 film, has had a significant impact on modern popular culture. Star Wars references are deeply embedded in popular culture; references to the main characters and themes of Star Wars are casually made in many English-speaking countries with the assumption that others will understand the reference. Darth Vader has become an iconic villain, while characters such as Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia, Chewbacca, C-3PO and R2-D2 have all become widely recognized characters around the world. Phrases such as "evil empire", "May the Force be with you", "Jedi mind trick", "I am your father" and "clanker" have become part of the popular lexicon. The original film was a cultural unifier, enjoyed by a wide spectrum of people. Many efforts produced in the science fiction genre (particularly in filming) can now be seen to draw heavy influence and inspiration from the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the magnitude of prequels, sequels, spin-offs, series, games, and texts that it spawned. Sounds, visuals, and even the iconic score of the films have become integral components in American society. The film helped launch the science fiction boom of the late 1970s and early 1980s, making science fiction films a blockbuster genre. This impact also made it a prime target for parody works and homages, with popular examples including Spaceballs, Family Guy's Laugh It Up, Fuzzball trilogy of specials, Seth Green's "Robot Chicken: Star Wars", Steve Oedekerk's "Thumb Wars", and Lucas's self-proclaimed favorite parody, Hardware Wars by Ernie Fosselius. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

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