Merry "star wars"Release in Mid-December is more exciting than Christmas for many
On May 25, 1977, “Star Wars: A New Hope” premiered at 33 theaters. The great public reception after the film's release spurred the decision to turn movie into a franchise; it was later renamed, “Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.” It went on to be one of the most successful movies of all time, making nearly a billion dollars in the box office - which was 70 times more than its original budget! Its sequel, “Empire Strikes Back,” was an even more successful venture and was arguably responsible for cementing Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader as household names. The series would go on to have 5 sequels and be one of the most popular and profitable franchises in film.
The story of Luke Skywalker is one that has become as well known as Cinderella. Star Wars blankets, action figures, and pajamas, the popularity created an endless supply of merchandise that seems to bombard the our lives year after year. All this success prompts us to ask why; why did some random space movie go on to become such a cultural phenomenon? “Star Wars” became the most popular movie of our time for two reasons: originality and relatability through characters. Prior to 1977, science fiction films were rare and very few became popular, such as:“Logan’s Run,” “2001: A Space Odyssey,” and a series of “Planet of the Apes” movies. These films were very similar: all included speculations about the future of the human race. The setting was either a post-apocalyptic world like in “Planet of the Apes,” or in an advanced future society like in “2001: A Space Odyssey.” However, out came “Star Wars,” which would distance itself from other similar films in the very first words on screen; “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away”. Star Wars is entirely an original idea and exists in a world completely different from our own. Every second of the film you learn something new about the strange world it takes place in. Ewoks, Wookies, and Rancors, among other the weird creatures that inhabit the Star Wars universe, are incredibly unique and imaginative.
RepunzelCREATED BY RAINA GARCIA 
Larry Sultan: Here and Home
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You’ve probably seen this seemingly random billboard around Milwaukee lately and been puzzled or laughed at it, but what does it mean? Are there oranges on fire somewhere? Are there going to be oranges on fire? Maybe they’re just spicy oranges? In fact, this is exactly what the artist, Larry Sultan, wanted you to think. Raised in 1950’s Los Angeles, Sultan and his partner Mike Mandel created a series of billboards that “mimicked [ads] in form but not in function” (Larry Sultan), nonsensical yet intriguing critiques on the media he grew up with. |
This billboard, along with over a hundred original photographs by Larry Sultan, are currently on display at the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM). The exhibition is the first to consist of solely Sultan’s work, featuring images from 1973 to 2009, the artist’s full career. The show began with earlier black and white photos and quickly shifted to full color, broken into six cohesive bodies of work.
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Most of Sultan’s work seemed to focus around the home and family identity, often using his parents as subjects for his pieces. These pictures were almost exclusively centered in suburbia, sometimes showing the grittier, inside look into the middle class of the 70s and 80s. The photo to the left is My Mother Posing for Me, (1984), depicting the sort of traditional family unit Sultan grew up with. Now although the majority of Sultan’s work is considered family-friendly, there is some viewer-discretion-advised content in the gallery. This work is well sectioned-off and easily avoided if known about beforehand, but not a waste of time if you don’t mind it. The project centers around the adult film industry, specifically those filmed in rented suburban homes, as is how many of those films actually locate a studio. Sultan’s photos give more of a ‘behind |
the scenes’ look into the industry, depicting actors on break, the film crew, and setting up the stage for the scenes. Overall the series is well
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executed and as respectful as possible of the subject; none of it is direct scenes from the films being created and really attempts to show the actors in their own personality and not the characters they play. (right: Woman in Curlers, 2002)
This clean, minimalistic showing ends with an interactive slideshow of more of Sultan’s photos, along with a video interview with Sultan himself, discussing his work, family, and life. Finally, we conclude with this quote: “It’s a kind of practice, both making art and teaching, that gives full embrace to the ambiguity and the uncertainty of making things. There is certainly knowledge, but it isn’t solidified. It floats. Because for a practising artist it needs to float. There has to be room for discovery and for confusion and for the delay in closure. I still am confused. That’s good news to many students.” |
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Quick Sneak Peek!: MAM will finally be reopened after finishing their renovations on November 24th, featuring brand new galleries and a complete overhaul of the space. Look for a review of the new galleries and interview with the Director of Communications and Marketing in the next issue of the Husky Howler! |
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CREATED BY KRISTEN LEER
SUCCULENT WITH DEWDROPS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CORI KRONSCHNABEL
2015 Choir Concert
A night of melodic splendor!
PHOTOGRAPHED BY CORI KRONSCHNABEL