Ep #68: The Not So Phantom Menace

01/24/19 • 49 min

This week on Beltway Banthas, Robby Soave of Reason Magazine joins the show to talk the politics of Episode I: The Phantom Menace. We cover trade disputes, slavery on Tatooine, the aloof Jedi Order and Vladimir Putin.

Previous Episode

Ep #67: You were my brother! Now you're a neoliberal shill

This week on Beltway Banthas, a discussion of the prequel trilogy as George Lucas' broadside against the neoliberal world order and capitalism. Stephen is joined by his brother, Michael Kent of the Toxic Schlock horror movie podcast to discuss and debate Lucas' critique of neoliberalism since the 1980's and how well he executed his analysis in Star Wars.

Michael and Stephen also chat about the role horror played in Star Wars early on, old Star Wars horror novels and the battle between Netflix and the Academy establishment.

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Read the discussion piece at Making Star Wars on neoliberalism in Star Wars here

Follow guest Michael Kent on Twitter @Mikeyago_go

and @ToxicSchlock

Next Episode

Racial, social and economic justice in Star Wars

Star Wars deals very directly with questions of justice and injustice. Mohammad Shakibnia wrote an article for ElevenThirtyEight on the messages of social, racial and economic justice than can be derived from the Clone Wars animated series. He joins the podcast this month to co-pilot the show and discuss these themes with host Stephen Kent.