Picking a Theme

Watched an article on the design of Disney's "Star Wars Experience." Interesting stuff.

Also makes me think about the various stories -- at least three books and one movie I can think of off the bat -- that take place in a theme park and try to bring together that Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas combination of rides and fun and cotton candy with murder and mayhem and so on.

Most of these chose Don't Mess with the Mouse and set the story in an imagined park. But whether it is Lincoln Child's Utopia in the thriller of the same name, or Lowryland in one book of the urban fantasy Incryptid series, or Wonder World in a buddy-cop action comedy, there is something missing.

For whatever reason, none of these writers brought the kinds of details to the mythology of the worlds these parks are based on that would give them the resonance we get with the famous parks in the real world. I'm not talking of stories set around traveling carnivals or circus tents or amusement parks that are nothing but rides, but ones that, like Disney or Universal, involves the audience with shared lore about the characters and worlds.

Like Universal's Wizarding World of Harry Potter; you go into this experience knowing something of the world and its lore and already invested in the idea of drinking butterbeer and picking out your own wand at Olivander's.

It is sort of strange and even a bit off-putting that Utopia and Tricks for Free both give the characters of the book, major and minor, investment in the inner fictional worlds, crying out in glad recognition at well-loved characters and referencing known lore. But the authors haven't given us, the audience, that same familiarity or the same lore.

Doctorow's Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom does take on the Mouse. I am actually not sure how. But then, Ready Player One also name-checks about a million intellectual properties.

I do say "name checks" because Ready Player One may have the resonance, but it isn't followed through. It is largely on a level of "And hey, here's the DeLorean time machine from that movie you liked!" At least in the movie, all the emotional effect is just seeing the thing. At least at a Star Wars Experience, you can talk with the Stormtroopers.

Just a weird side thought. Almost done with revisions. Back to working on Paris soon. I hope.