Why should we not confuse Star Wars for a Fantasy?

There are three fundamental elements which characterized a pure Fantasy  that are missing in Star Wars.
I will not spoil those here now, cos I'm writing an article which will be published on a new Fantasy magazine, Kingdom of Fantasy.
 So let's turn the question around, why is Star Wars a science fiction movie?
In episode V Empire strike back, Luke lost is hand. mmm, interesting point, not?
Luke get a mechanical prosthesis at the end of the movie. As Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader at the end of episode III. Anakin comes out of the fight with Obi with is body seriously damaged, but once again is not the magi, a spell that save him, but technology that turn Anakin in the half man half robot. Darth Vader born. Magi doesn't heal but it's the use of technology that does.
Indeed magi is absent in Star Wars.Yes, because the Force is not magic. Why not? What is the Force otherwise?

Bruce Campbell vs Army of Darkness

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f2-OIiVjrA

In which category can we place Army of Darkness?

This movie is a sequel of Evil Dead II, but it's not a Horror as previous movies because the scariness, the splattering and the suspense are in the background of the story. Someone might argue that it is a parody of previous films. Yes, this was, probably, one of the purposes of Sam Raimi who wanted to make fun of the splatter genres and his own movies. 

Let's analyse the elements of this wonderful move: a Medieval world, a quest, an Evil menace, wise men, a beautiful woman, an outside hero and sorcery. Sorcery was present also in the previous movies, but there was the mean to create the Horror situation.

Now the question is Fantasy or Sword and Sorcery genre? 

What? Someone will argue at this point, are not the same thing? 

No, they aren't. 

Sword and Sorcery telling are on ours Earth, in a remote past, a remote future or in a contemporary one. While a Fantasy is set on another world, not just different geography and races than Earth, but also a different sky - two or more moons, for example.

Here we are, I will say that Army of Darkness is a Sword and Sorcery parody of splatters movies :-)

And this show what genius Sam Raimi is. 

   

Rourke

If you realize that around or inside of you, something is changing, if everything starts to go wrong and you feel that your life could be in danger, but doctors and experts do not find a solution, maybe you’ve been hit by a curse. You might even get to see so-called magicians or fortune tellers who are only interested in your money, but it would be useless. Unless you have the luck or the good sense to turn to Rourke. Because he has the gift of “stealing” the curse, and then transfer it to himself. At that point, you will be free and the problem is all its own.

By Francesca Da Sacco and Federico Memola

A tale about Orcs

This afternoon reading: Orcs Forged for War (2011) by Stan Nicholls.

I have to admit this is my first read of Nicholls. My eyes were catched by the cover, that Orc doesn't look as a beast: it's a warrior. Look at his eyes, he hasn't a axe but a Sword, a wooden shield on the back, even a belt with pockets. Too civilized than the classic image of the brute. And actually it is: the Orcs are the good guys in Nicholls word. Good story telling indeed.

I must admit that the conflict on this word is similar to the French and Indian wars of the 18th century, where the Unis are the first English colonist, there is even a preacher, Kimball Hobrow, who in look and speech resembles a Massachusetts preacher; the Matis, maybe, the french; and the Elders are the native Americans. I will say that the Orcs could represent the Iroquois, but it's just a guess.

Indeed I would like to read the books.

A few things more, I could see that there are two quotations from the Odyssey: the Sirens and the Cyclop.

The encounter with the sirens is quite funny: sailing on the river ours heros mee an Island with the singing sirens "quick cover your hears"... but when the sirens see that they are Orcs, stop singing and starts shouting "go away, we don't want you ugly Orcs"... this is too funny I thinks :)

The scene with the Ogre-cyclop is a clear reference on Polyphem casting rocks on Odysseus.

A small mistake has been done by either the letter or the artist: we see the Orcs building a casting machine, a trabucco, but they call it catapult. Maybe I am too picky. :P

The Amazing Spider-man

Let's say that Spider-man has always been one of my favorite Super-hero. Honestly the last movie was a fist in my eye. The story of the parents, reminded me on the first movie of Hulk; the actor wasn't Peter Parker at all; and the movie all together doesn't involved me at all. How can be so easy in US to build a full laboratory in New York sewers???? Indeed the reptilian doctor was good,  but that's all, about this movie. I truly hope they will not do a second one....

 http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=41265

The Savage sword of Conan

Just found a huge comic collection of Conan. They are enjoyable, I like the drawings, but the story are so simple and naive sometimes. Moreover often they could be a western if they changed the swords and axes for colt's and winchesters XD And the Pitchs for American native ;)