Week 10: The Empire Strikes Back
The Empire Strikes Back is one the great movies, plain and simple. It is a pure spectacle from start to finish; an epic with a heart, an adventure with a soul. It drives millions of viewers back to it time and time again. This is a magnificent, awe-inspiring movie.
If you do not know the plot you have probably been living in a cave for the last 30 years. The Empire Strikes Back is the middle film in the original Star Wars Trilogy; or, Episode V in the Star Wars saga, if you’d like. Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and the Rebel Alliance have destroyed the Galactic Empire’s Death Star (which was the Empire's massive space station that had the capability to destroy planets in the original Star Wars) and have set up base on the ice planet of Hoth. Of course, the Empire finds the base and mayhem ensues- The Empire strikes back, get it?
After a major battle on Hoth that leaves the Rebels weak and vulnerable, Luke leaves his friends to go find Yoda (Frank Oz) an ancient Jedi master. From Yoda he will learn the ways of the Jedi and train his manipulation of the force (the invisible, yet controllable, power of the universe- that which binds all things together). Luke takes his droid, R2D2 (Kenny Baker) and flies to the Dagobah system, where Yoda resides, leaving his friends to escape the Empire.
His friends are the arrogant and charming Han Solo (Harrison Ford), the trusty companion Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), the beautiful and intelligent Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) and the gold plated, hyper-intelligent, yet clumsy C3PO (Anthony Daniels). In escaping Hoth, they fly their ship, The Millennium Falcon,through everything from a field of meteors to the inside of a giant creature to escape the Empire.
The evil Darth Vader (David Prowse, with the voice of the great James Earl Jones) is searching the galaxy, less concerned about destroying the rebels that finding Luke. There is something about Luke that is driving Vader to seek him out at all costs.
I digress. Seriously- if you are reading this and have not seen The Empire Strikes Back, turn off your computer, run to your video store, and slap yourself in the face. Turn off the lights and turn the volume up. You don’t even have to have seen the original Star Wars to enjoy this movie, although it certainly doesn’t hurt. In this film, the world that George Lucas created many decades ago is best summarized.
I can only ask myself: why would you not have seen this picture? Maybe you think that Star Wars is for geeks and do not want to be embarrassed should someone find you have watched it, or worse, walk in on you. Perhaps you are young, and have only seen the far inferior prequels. (Yes, Revenge of the Sith is inferior to any of the original trilogy- save maybe Return of the Jedi). Then again, you just may think it all seems stupid. On all occasions you would be wrong.
Star Wars is an experience that is engrained in pop culture. It is a part of the fabric of America itself. When those that love it, talk about it, there is a twinkle in their eye. I can only imagine what it must have been like, seeing any of the films for the first time in a theater. They are a grand spectacle, yet pure nostalgia for many. Viewing these films, as aged as they may be, is a journey back to childhood for many- a trip to a simpler time when one could sit back in a chair and be amazed.
I remember in high school, one of my favorite teachers loved Star Wars. We all knew it in passing, but it was more background information than anything. One day I was talking to the teacher’s wife, and somehow or other Star Wars came up. She began to smile and informed me that once a year, typically on spring break or during the summer, my teacher, who is one of the most serious, intelligent people I have ever known, wakes up and watches the entire original Star Wars Trilogy back to back, with no breaks in between movies. He will not even shower or shave- he just gets up, and turns on the TV, probably with the unspoken rule not to be disturbed. This is the power of Star Wars; to this day I can think of no other movies that have this kind of magic.
Of all the Star Wars films, The Empire Strikes Back is the best; it is the heart of the saga. This is the movie that transcended the story from the amazing adventure film that was the original Star Wars, into the legendary space opera it would become.
The Empire Strikes Back gives the series resonance, and drives the meaning of the films into a deeper, more emotional level. The real magic begins when Luke lands in Dagobah and meets the mysterious Yoda. Luke is expecting a great Jedi knight, similar to his previous experience with Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness). He is surprised to find a 3-4 foot tall, old green alien man. Yoda speaks out of sequence, and at first seems deranged. Yoda, of course, is the wisest character in the franchise, and this is the movie with his best depiction. Through a series of sequences, Yoda trains Luke in the Jedi arts and teaches Luke the power of discipline and love over the dark side. These sequences are magical. Yoda, a creation of the great Jim Henson, is one of the most impressive special effects I have seen. He is a puppet that expresses the full range of human emotions. Voiced expertly by Frank Oz, Yoda gives the best performance in the series.
Then there is the climax. The ending of The Empire Strikes Back is one of the greatest endings of any film, and certainly involves the biggest cliff hanger. Darth Vader has set a trap for Luke’s friends by manipulating Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) in the cloud city. He has frozen Han Solo in carbonite, and awaits Luke’s arrival. The trap is set, and Luke and Darth Vader have their first light saber duel. Vader wins by cutting off Luke’s hand and forcing Luke to hang on the precipice of a giant catwalk, over a deathly chasm. As Luke hangs on the precipice, facing certain death, the defining moment in the series occurs.
I doubt there is a person alive that does not know that Darth Vader is Luke Skywalker’s father. Hell, the entire series of prequels thrives on this common knowledge. In 1980, however, this was a big deal. It was the cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers. The revelation that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker’s father made national headlines. It was a plot twist that was kept at utmost secrecy, only director Irvin Kershner, James Earl Jones, and George Lucas himself knew it was coming. George Lucas personally whispered the twist into Mark Hammil’s ear directly before the scene was shot so that the reaction would be real. The other actors were kept in the dark until the film’s release.
Above all else, this plot twist created the mythology and legend that is Star Wars today. The little adventure movie became a melodrama about fathers and sons, with the son trying to save the father. Certainly this can help explain why the series resonates with so many people. In that moment, the Saga immediately changed into something timeless. What an amazing moment in the history of film!
I have realized that I have not much discussed the technical aspects of the film. The special effects were the best the era had ever seen. The Empire Strikes Back was the most expensive movie ever made at that point in time, and was the sequel to the most financially successful movie ever made. All of the money is on the screen. From the extravagant sets, to the lumbering Imperial Walkers that make up the entire first half hour battle on the planet Hoth, to Yoda, the cloud city, the meteorites, the creatures, etc. Have the special effects dated? Sure they have, but the dated effects almost make the series more magical. It makes the movie more nostalgic to watch. Physical effects are infinitely more difficult than CGI, and have a certain mass and volume that is not always apparent in new features. The effects in The Empire Strikes Back prove it is a labor of love.
The entire universe is a credit to George Lucas and the countless individuals responsible for making the film. Lucas was unable to manage the massive production and direct himself, so he brought on board Irvin Kershner, one of his film professors from film school. Kershner brings a discipline to the direction. There are no quick cuts- the action is all right there to be experienced and soak in. Star Wars is not known for its great acting. All the characters are merely caricatures (there is nothing wrong with that, in this type of film), but Kershner does manage to get their best performances here, specifically out of Harrison Ford.
The movie would not be complete without John Williams rousing score. The score, in many ways, could be the key to the films success. It is certainly the most recognizable score in film history. Here he uses the Star Wars theme from the original film, but creates 2 new pieces that are equally brilliant. Is it possible to hear Williams’ Imperial March and not think immediately of Darth Vader? This piece of film music is rousing, ominous and perfect. Yoda’s theme is also a wonderful piece of composition that brings out a great deal of emotion and wonder surrounding the character.
I love the film's final sequences. We expect the movie to end is a shot of all of the characters standing together, like in most of the other adventures. Instead we get cliffhanger and an unhappy ending. The rebel alliance is in shambles; Luke has lost his hand and has received devastating new knowledge. Our hero, Han Solo, is facing certain death. The characters have grown and look out into space as the ship they are in slowly flies off into the distance, with Williams score coming to a swell. This is the best ending in the series. I question whether studio executives would allow this ending today. They would probably think it as too dark or depressing for children. What fools! This is a perfect ending for a perfect movie.
We go to the movies for a variety of reasons. Sometimes we go to laugh out loud and feel better about ourselves. Sometimes we go to be moved, or to experience an emotional connection through the characters on the screen, many in which we know and love. Most times we go simply to be entertained, and escape an evening or afternoon. The Empire Strikes Back does all of these things.
Review and Analysis by Shaun Henisey
Click HERE to Discuss The Empire Strikes Back
Cast and Credits:
Luke Skywalker: Mark Hamill
Han Solo: Harrison Ford
Princess Leia: Carrie Fisher
Lando Calrissian: Billy Dee Williams
C3PO: Anthony Daniels
R2D2: Kenny Baker
Chewbacca: Peter Mayhew
Yoda: Franz Oz
Darth Vader: David Prowse with the voice of James Earl Jones
Twentieth Century Fox and Lucasfilm LTD present an Irvin Kershner film. Produced by George Lucas.
Screenplay by Leah Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan from a story by George Lucas. Music by John Williams.
Running Time: 124 mins (127 min Special Edition). Rated PG for Sci-Fi Action Violence.