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1、DisneyStarWars,Disneyandmyth-makingHowonecompanycametomasterthebusinessofstorytellingFROMagalaxyfar,farawaytoacinemajustdowntheroad:“TheForceAwakens”,thenewestinstalmentoftheStarWarssaga,isinescapablethisChristmas.ThefirstStarWarstitlesinceLucasfilm,theownerofthefranchise,w
2、asacquiredbyDisneyin2012for$4.1billion,itrepresentsmorethanjusttherevivalofabelovedscience-fictionseries.ItisthelatestexampleofthewayDisneyhasprosperedoverthepastdecadefromaseriesofshrewdacquisitions(seearticle).HavingboughtPixar,MarvelandLucasfilm,Disneyhasskilfullycapital
3、isedontheirintellectualproperty—andinsodoing,cementeditspositionasthemarketleaderintheindustrialisationofmythology.Itssuccessrestsonitsmasteryofthethreeelementsofmodernmyth-making:tropes,technologyandtoys.FromHomertoHanSoloStartwiththetropes.Disneyproperties,whichincludeeve
4、rythingfrom“Thor”to“ToyStory”,drawonwell-worndevicesofmythicstructuretogivetheirstoriesculturalresonance.WaltDisneyhimselfhadanintuitivegraspofthepoweroffables.GeorgeLucas,thecreatorofStarWars,isanavidstudentoftheworkofJosephCampbell,anAmericancomparativemythologistwhooutli
5、nedthe“monomyth”structureinwhichaheroanswersacall,isassistedbyamentorfigure,voyagestoanotherworld,survivesvarioustrialsandemergestriumphant.Bothfilm-makersmerrilyplunderedancientmythologyandfolklore.TheMarveluniversegoesevenfurther,directlyappropriatingchunksofGreco-Romanan
6、dNorsemythology.(ThismakesDisney'senthusiasmforfierceenforcementofintellectual-propertylaws,andtheseeminglyperpetualextensionofcopyright,somewhatironic.)Theinternalmechanicsofmythsmaynothavechangedmuchovertheages,butthetechnologyusedtoimpartthemcertainlyhas.ThathighlightsDi
7、sney'ssecondareaofexpertise.InHomer'sday,legendswerepassedonintheformofdactylichexameters;modernmyth-makersprefercomputergraphics,specialeffects,3Dprojection,surroundsoundandinternetvideodistribution,amongotherthings.WhenDisneyboughtLucasfilmitdidnotjustacquiretheStarWarsfr
8、anchise;italsogainedIndustrialLight&Magic,oneofthebestspecial-effectshousesinthebu
