{"title":"Steve Kozak","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSteve Kozak\u003c\/strong\u003e offers insightful explorations into the vivid intersections of arts and culture. His writing delves deeply into the nuances of creativity, capturing the pulse of contemporary artistic movements and illuminating the forces that shape cultural expression.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eReaders can expect thought-provoking narratives that blend critical observation with a passion for the arts. Kozak’s works invite reflection on how art influences society and the subtle disturbances that ripple through cultural landscapes.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"a-disturbance-in-the-force-by-steve-kozak-9781493075270","title":"A Disturbance in the Force","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBea Arthur as the owner of the Mos Eisley Cantina. Long scenes entirely of Wookies bleating at each other, without subtitles. Harvey Korman, in drag, as a four-armed Space Julia Child. Six minutes of Jefferson Starship performing for Art Carney and a bored Imperial Guard. Mark Hamill, fresh from his near-fatal motorcycle accident, slathered in pancake makeup. A salacious holographic burlesque from Diahann Carroll.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eEven by the standards of the 1970s, even compared to Jar-Jar Binks, the legendary 1978 \u003cem\u003eStar Wars Holiday Special\u003c\/em\u003e is a peerlessly cringeworthy pop-culture artifact. George Lucas, who completely disowned the production, reportedly has said, “If I had the time and a sledgehammer, I would track down every copy of that show and smash it.” Just how on earth did this thing ever see the light of day?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTo answer that question, as Steven Kozak shows in this fascinating and often hilarious inside look into the making of the Special, you have to understand the cultural moment in which it appeared—a long, long time ago when cheesy variety shows were a staple of network television and \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e was not yet the billion-dollar multimedia behemoth that it is today. Kozak explains how the Special was one piece of a PR blitz undertaken by Lucas and his colleagues as they sought to protect the emerging franchise from hostile studio executives. He shows how, despite the involvement of some of the most talented people in the business, creative differences between movie and television writers led to a wildly uneven product. He gives entertaining accounts of the problems that plagued production, which included a ruinously expensive cantina set; the acrimonious departure of the director and Lucas himself; and a furious Grace Slick, just out of rehab, demanding to be included in the production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePacked with memorable anecdotes, drawing on extensive new interviews with countless people involved in the production, and told with mingled affection and bewilderment, this never-before-told story gives a fascinating look at a strange moment in pop-culture history that remains an object of fascination even today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Unknown","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47423698600172,"sku":"9781493075270","price":61.28,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/81w_UIKl9kL._SL1500.jpg?v=1774428587"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/steve-kozak.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}