Star Wars is Dieselpunk, and Here's Why.

So after finding out someone close to me hasn't seen Star Wars (I know, right?), I had the urge to go back and watch the Original Trilogy. While watching I began to notice that the films have a distinct "Dieselpunk" style. Probably due to the films drawing inspiration from Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers.

Now for those of you asking... What is Dieselpunk?

We are all familiar with Steampunk, is a post-modern design aesthetic based around the Victorian Era technology. Steam Engines, Tesla Coils, Giant Airships, Ornithopters, Gears, Aether, and Alchemy. Basically the Victorian idea of the future(i.e. H.G. Wells and Jules Verne's writing). Steampunk

focuses on themes of the day, such as Imperialism, Exploration, and Industrialization.

Cyberpunk

Many of us are also familiar with Cyberpunk. A dystopian look at the future, embodying the idea of "Low-life, High Tech". Created in the 1980's when personal computers were coming into their own, and the punk rock movement was in full swing. Themes of cyberpunk usually are, Mega-Corporations, A super connected world, and Cyber-space.

Dieselpunk

Now Dieselpunk... One of my favorite of the "Punk" genres. It is often seen as the the go
between atwixt Steampunk and Cyberpunk. Dieselpunk is to the 1910's-1940's, what Steampunk is to the Victorian Era. Dieselpunk usually centers around Pulp Style Adventuring, a la Indiana Jones, warfare, and discovery of forgotten knowledge. Based on the aesthetic of the Interwar Period, Jazz is the popular form of music, the economy is booming, and the bad guys are usually jack-booted, goose-stepping fascists.



Now onto Star Wars.

Yeah... Because Giant Robotic Camels... Completely Practical!

Awesome But Impractical: Dieselpunk is about big things! Big Buildings, Big Ships, Big Weapons, Big Cities, Big Money, Big Women, Big Fun! Star Wars has several examples of these. Coruscant, a planet that's one giant city. Star Destroyers, giant battleship-esc starcraft. AT-ATs, towering walkers. And probably the most notable, the Death Star. A moon-sized space station with enough power to destroy a planet.

Evil Fascists: The Imperial Uniforms have a distinct Nazi feel to them.

Dirt and Grime Everywhere!: George Lucas said he wanted the sets to feel "lived in". Thus the gritty and dirty look of Star Wars. I saw a picture somewhere on the interwebs stating, "Dieselpunk, Because steam wasn't gritty enough".

Hive of Scum and Villainy:  Okay, So I took the line from Star Wars...But seriosuly there is always a place where the hero is surrounded by gangsters, and criminals. Singapore in the Temple of Doom/ Mos Eisley on Tatooine!

Weaponry: The blasters of Star Wars are so Dieselpunk, I can't even! Basis for the props were actual firearms (duh...)! The C95 Mauser was the basis for the DL-44. The Stormtrooper Blaster Rifle was nothing more than an MG34. The Heavy Blaster Rifle carried by Stormtroopers was a Lewis Gun with some modifications! Don't believe me? Check it out on IMFDB here!

Boilerplate Starships: I really don't have much to say... Just look at them!

Space Combat = WWII Dogfight: The animatic for the Death Star Battle in ANH, was cut together from WWII Aerial combat footage... and the film replicated it almost shot for shot...
Death Star Battle
WWII Aerial Combat

Something I Realized While Being With Friends

Alright. Here I am once again. Home from a night of socialization. I feel annoyed, confused, disappointed, and a couple of other feelings that I can't name at the moment. Ever since being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, I have become increasingly aware of what I do, say and think. Unfortunately this has caused my thoughts to race, and to give me a lot of stress.

Am I talking to much? 

Should I ask about them? 

What should I ask? 

What if it is a touchy subject? 

Maybe I should shut up now. 

But I want to tell someone about this idea/story/world I came up with.

This is the truth of my life. A constant whirl of questions and thoughts. I often come to the same idea or sequence of events, "When can I go home? How to I dismiss myself. I just want to be alone." It's terrible because I want to be with these people... but I don't understand them, and they don't understand me.

Realization? I am an outsider among outsiders.

My friend's are the folks that are typically branded as geeks, nerds, eccentric, bookworms, weirdos, etc. But even though we share so much in common, They cannot begin to imagine what is happening in my head and I can't comprehend what is going on in theirs. Thus my realization...

My mind works on a whole different level of insane, which out comes the stories that I publish here and those that I don't share. A level where I see a problem and I see a solution or method that no one else sees. A level where I see details that no one else noticed. I tend to only consider my own ideas, never taking into account what someone says. How could they match up to my perfectly calculated plan? I see the world so differently to everyone else, how could I consider what someone else says? They are obviously to dumb to see the truth that is right in front of their nose. IT'S SO CLEAR! SHUT UP AND LISTEN AND LOOK! CAN'T YOU HEAR IT!? CAN'T YOU SEE!?

No. No you can't because you cant even begin to think like I do; to see as I do. But I wish you could. I wish for one day, you could look at the world from my eyes. If only... Only then you could understand... Only then you could realize why I do what I do. It's not something I can turn on and off. Though I wish I could.

I do not focus on the negative side of it. Which appears to be how it comes off as. I only wish to explain. Explain how I feel. I love who I am. I can do things that you can't imagine. I just wish to share. But what's the point of sharing if you can't understand.

You should definitely go check out this article: 10 Things You Should Know About "Aspies" It might provide some idea how I work.