by Fabrizio Modina

The Star Wars saga from the very first episode in 1977, not only set new standards in film production (in particular the making of visual and sound special effects), but it also became a new element of popular culture.
There can be no doubt about the role Lucas’ series played in bringing science fiction to a wider audience. Until then this genre was confined to a narrow circle of fans and considered more suitable for television than for the big screen.
Suspended between fantasy, the western and the fairy tale, the Star Wars films generate an almost infinite number of heroes, aliens, spaceships and far-away worlds that conquer the younger audience and re-awaken the numbed “sense of wonder” in adults. A small company in Cincinnati, Kenner, bought the rights to make toys and various merchandising, rejected by the giants in the sector, given the notorious commercial flops associated with science fiction film licences.
Unexpectedly, Star Wars became a planetary success and the first articles produced were sold out in just a few days, transforming a risky operation into one of the most flourishing businesses in the history of the toy industry.
From the opening of Star Wars – A New Hope, the first chapter of the original trilogy, to the debut of the Star Wars – Revenge of the Sith, the final episode of the entire saga, limitless series were put onto the market, continually updating quality with current technological innovations. Indeed, attention to detail, in both form and colour, the choice of materials, high-quality workmanship, the use of electronic components were upgraded year after year.
The infinite number of Star Wars toys and models rise above the market for children, entering the circuit for adult collectors and becoming, in reality, cult paraphernalia.
This section places the “reality” of motion pictures and the world of merchandising side-by-side, reconstructing the salient scenes from the Star Wars saga with selected objects from Fabrizio Modina’s collection. The objects exhibited, for the most part have never been found in Italy and were collected over almost thirty years, covering the entire production period. Generally this period is divided into three phases: the first series dated 1977/1985, corresponds to the making of the first three films; the second series is considered a commemorative series (1995/1999); the present phase, from 1999 to present, is coeval with the opening of the new episodes.
The selection includes some extremely rare pieces, as well as more recent versions, highlighting the stylistic evolution.