As the the year comes to an end so does the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back. I have been meaning to write something about Empire since May, and with the passing of the film's director I feel inspired to get off my lazy ass and finally do it. Empire Strikes Back is one of my favorite films, it's the greatest sequel of all time, a cultural phenomenon, and one of the most visually striking films ever made. After the monumental success of Star Wars nobody thought the sequel would live up to it's successor. When director Irvin Kershner was asked to do the film he was very reluctant thinking that the sequel, even if it was good could only be “Star Wars 2: More of the Same”. But all the ingredients were right and portioned perfectly to create a truly amazing film. I feel like Empire is similar to The Beatles, take out any one person and it simply wouldn't have worked. Every aspect of the film was better than the first from the technical aspects like lighting, special effects, and scope; To the emotional aspects like story, character, and themes.
My first cinematic exposure to Star Wars was Empire Strikes Back. I say “cinematic exposure”, because Star Wars is so ingrained into our culture that it's impossible not to know of it. Growing up I knew that Darth Vader was Luke's father, because it's just part of our culture. I can't remember far enough back into my childhood to a day where I didn't know that. I was 7 when I saw Empire and I loved it. After one viewing I was addicted. I probably watched that film 5 days a week for the next two months. I was a little 7 year old crack head in underoos, and Empire was my drug of choice. One of the many things that makes Empire so special is that you can literally grow up with it. As a child I loved the action, and spirit of adventure. Most of the themes are so basic and primordial that the film can strike an emotional blow even to the simple mind of a child. As you grow older you can appreciate the ideas presented in the film on a deeper level, you get to know the characters better with every viewing. You can begin to ponder the multi-layerd philosophy in Empire. As an adult I began to appreciate the technical work. I remember a day when I was about 20 or so, I was watching the film and something clicked. It was one of the many scenes in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, and I thought to myself “holy Christ! I think this is the most well-lit set I've ever seen in a film”. I discover something new to love about Empire with almost every viewing. I have been watching this movie for 18 years, and it still manages to impress me. That is what a great film does.
I found out that Irvin Kershner died this morning via a text message, and I was legitimately sad. If Star Wars is a good friend that I've grown up with, then Irvin is kind of like it's cool dad. As I said previously, Irvin was reluctant to get involved with a sequel to the Goliath that was Star Wars. I don't know what changed his mind, but I think he realized that there was still a lot of room for the story to grow and eclipse it's predecessor. He came to the set armed with the anti-Hollywood sensibilities, and a love for character driven story to make Empire something special. George Lucas has a tendency to be a strictly technical director, as long as everybody's on mark, and all the effects work it's “cut. Print. Move on”. Irvin's direction challenged the actors to go beyond the script, and pull out something wonderful. He was a rare case of a independent-minded filmmaker with enough technical savvy to both dazzle us visually, and touch us emotionally. His work on Empire changed movies forever, and he will be missed.
The story and flow of Empire are so unorthodox that it probably looked like a mess on paper. If George Lucas hadn't ponied up the dough himself, I don't think any studio would have let him make the film the way he wanted. There are just so many “dont's” in Empire. The film opens with the biggest action set piece in the film, they blow their metaphorical load just 30 minutes in. Normally this would leave the audience bored for the remaining hour and a half, but they manage to build the drama in the movie, and raise the stakes on a personal and emotional level. They keep the two charismatic leads apart for the vast majority of the film. This would usually frustrate audiences, but keeping Han and Luke apart give the necessary time for Luke to grow and understand himself, while giving Han and Liea a chance to create one of the greatest romances ever put on celluloid. One of the most famous scenes in the film is the reveal that Darth Vader is Luke's father. This was another huge gamble, it's very possible that audiences would find the twist unsettling, or even absurd. Once again they turn a potential pit fall into brilliance by building character and asking questions earlier in the film. Finding out that the Hero has the potential to be the Villain gives the character a choice. It tells the audience that he was not born a hero, he has to grow up and earn it. It makes his Heroic turn more interesting, adds depth to the story, and asks us question ourselves. Empire also ends on a very down note. Compare the end of Star Wars, to the end of Empire. In Star Wars the rebels win, and everybody gets medals in a gigantic celebration. In Empire Luke gets his hand lopped off, Han get frozen in carbonite, and the rebels are on the run from the Empire. A mean-spirited ending like this could leave fans feeling abused and bitter, but once again through the magic that is Empire's cast and crew, they turn it into something poignant and beautiful. You feel like you've been through hell with Luke and the gang, and you've bonded over tragedy. It also sets up a sequel perfectly without feeling like a cheap “The End?” style ending that plagues most franchise movies today. They justify a sequel being made in every possible way. Every plot point in Empire Strikes Back is dramatic genius.
Story and special effects aside Empire Strikes Back is also one of the most visually striking films ever made. Peter Suschitzky acted as Cinematographer on Empire, and is probably my favorite cinematographer of all time. When director David Cronenberg saw Empire strikes back he thought it was the most well-shot sci-fi film ever made. He was dying to work with Peter Suschitzky, and finally they teamed up to shoot Dead Ringers. Since then Cronenberg has used Suschitzky as his DP on every single film he has made since. Even as a child I loved the look of Empire, I loved the colors and the style. As an adult I watch Empire and I'm blown away by how great it looks. The climactic battle between Luke and Vader is a prime example of of Suschitzky's ability to build drama visually. The set is dark with contrasting hues of warm and cold colors. The floor of the carbon freezing chamber is molten lava-orange, while the background is a deep blue. Vader's lightsaber is glowing red casting wicked highlights onto his menacing helmet. Luke's lightsaber is blue, the color of hope and justice. The colors in this segment of the film are actually fighting each other. The set is lavishly lit, but it still looks natural. Every color has a practical source on the set. It's the kind of visual genius that makes film nuts like myself drool.
It's been 30 years since the release of Empire Strikes Back, and it's still dazzling audiences. It's simultaneously broad and subtle. It can be enjoyed on almost any level. Weather you've seen it once and had a good time, or you've spent the last 30 years analyzing every frame. It's a multi-tiered masterpiece, and a colossal achievement for all involved. I could probably write another 10 pages about empire, but I don't think anybody wants to read any more of my fanboy orgasm. So I will leave you with this: I grew up with Empire, I love it, and it has a permanent place not only in the history of cinema but in our hearts.
R.I.P Irvin Kershner
Additional:
As I said before Empire Strikes Back was my cinematic introduction into the world of Star Wars. I inherited an knowledge of the film not only from pop culture, but from my older cousin's read along 7” record and story book of the first film. Even this simple little record captured my imagination. One day when I was about 5 or 6 I drew a short Star Wars story book of my own, and narrated it to my mother so she could write the captions. I obviously didn't have a firm grasp on the characters or the story, but here it is for your viewing pleasure: Star Wars as interpreted by a young nerd.
Star Wars by Bryan West
"Luke was sailing the rebel craft gently in the Galaxy"
"Chebacca found some gas guys of Darth Vader's"
"Luke was fighting one of Darth Vader's men."
The rebel craft was "fighting bravely against the Death Star."
"And it blew up in a dazzling ball of fire. The end."
My first cinematic exposure to Star Wars was Empire Strikes Back. I say “cinematic exposure”, because Star Wars is so ingrained into our culture that it's impossible not to know of it. Growing up I knew that Darth Vader was Luke's father, because it's just part of our culture. I can't remember far enough back into my childhood to a day where I didn't know that. I was 7 when I saw Empire and I loved it. After one viewing I was addicted. I probably watched that film 5 days a week for the next two months. I was a little 7 year old crack head in underoos, and Empire was my drug of choice. One of the many things that makes Empire so special is that you can literally grow up with it. As a child I loved the action, and spirit of adventure. Most of the themes are so basic and primordial that the film can strike an emotional blow even to the simple mind of a child. As you grow older you can appreciate the ideas presented in the film on a deeper level, you get to know the characters better with every viewing. You can begin to ponder the multi-layerd philosophy in Empire. As an adult I began to appreciate the technical work. I remember a day when I was about 20 or so, I was watching the film and something clicked. It was one of the many scenes in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon, and I thought to myself “holy Christ! I think this is the most well-lit set I've ever seen in a film”. I discover something new to love about Empire with almost every viewing. I have been watching this movie for 18 years, and it still manages to impress me. That is what a great film does.
I found out that Irvin Kershner died this morning via a text message, and I was legitimately sad. If Star Wars is a good friend that I've grown up with, then Irvin is kind of like it's cool dad. As I said previously, Irvin was reluctant to get involved with a sequel to the Goliath that was Star Wars. I don't know what changed his mind, but I think he realized that there was still a lot of room for the story to grow and eclipse it's predecessor. He came to the set armed with the anti-Hollywood sensibilities, and a love for character driven story to make Empire something special. George Lucas has a tendency to be a strictly technical director, as long as everybody's on mark, and all the effects work it's “cut. Print. Move on”. Irvin's direction challenged the actors to go beyond the script, and pull out something wonderful. He was a rare case of a independent-minded filmmaker with enough technical savvy to both dazzle us visually, and touch us emotionally. His work on Empire changed movies forever, and he will be missed.
The story and flow of Empire are so unorthodox that it probably looked like a mess on paper. If George Lucas hadn't ponied up the dough himself, I don't think any studio would have let him make the film the way he wanted. There are just so many “dont's” in Empire. The film opens with the biggest action set piece in the film, they blow their metaphorical load just 30 minutes in. Normally this would leave the audience bored for the remaining hour and a half, but they manage to build the drama in the movie, and raise the stakes on a personal and emotional level. They keep the two charismatic leads apart for the vast majority of the film. This would usually frustrate audiences, but keeping Han and Luke apart give the necessary time for Luke to grow and understand himself, while giving Han and Liea a chance to create one of the greatest romances ever put on celluloid. One of the most famous scenes in the film is the reveal that Darth Vader is Luke's father. This was another huge gamble, it's very possible that audiences would find the twist unsettling, or even absurd. Once again they turn a potential pit fall into brilliance by building character and asking questions earlier in the film. Finding out that the Hero has the potential to be the Villain gives the character a choice. It tells the audience that he was not born a hero, he has to grow up and earn it. It makes his Heroic turn more interesting, adds depth to the story, and asks us question ourselves. Empire also ends on a very down note. Compare the end of Star Wars, to the end of Empire. In Star Wars the rebels win, and everybody gets medals in a gigantic celebration. In Empire Luke gets his hand lopped off, Han get frozen in carbonite, and the rebels are on the run from the Empire. A mean-spirited ending like this could leave fans feeling abused and bitter, but once again through the magic that is Empire's cast and crew, they turn it into something poignant and beautiful. You feel like you've been through hell with Luke and the gang, and you've bonded over tragedy. It also sets up a sequel perfectly without feeling like a cheap “The End?” style ending that plagues most franchise movies today. They justify a sequel being made in every possible way. Every plot point in Empire Strikes Back is dramatic genius.
Story and special effects aside Empire Strikes Back is also one of the most visually striking films ever made. Peter Suschitzky acted as Cinematographer on Empire, and is probably my favorite cinematographer of all time. When director David Cronenberg saw Empire strikes back he thought it was the most well-shot sci-fi film ever made. He was dying to work with Peter Suschitzky, and finally they teamed up to shoot Dead Ringers. Since then Cronenberg has used Suschitzky as his DP on every single film he has made since. Even as a child I loved the look of Empire, I loved the colors and the style. As an adult I watch Empire and I'm blown away by how great it looks. The climactic battle between Luke and Vader is a prime example of of Suschitzky's ability to build drama visually. The set is dark with contrasting hues of warm and cold colors. The floor of the carbon freezing chamber is molten lava-orange, while the background is a deep blue. Vader's lightsaber is glowing red casting wicked highlights onto his menacing helmet. Luke's lightsaber is blue, the color of hope and justice. The colors in this segment of the film are actually fighting each other. The set is lavishly lit, but it still looks natural. Every color has a practical source on the set. It's the kind of visual genius that makes film nuts like myself drool.
It's been 30 years since the release of Empire Strikes Back, and it's still dazzling audiences. It's simultaneously broad and subtle. It can be enjoyed on almost any level. Weather you've seen it once and had a good time, or you've spent the last 30 years analyzing every frame. It's a multi-tiered masterpiece, and a colossal achievement for all involved. I could probably write another 10 pages about empire, but I don't think anybody wants to read any more of my fanboy orgasm. So I will leave you with this: I grew up with Empire, I love it, and it has a permanent place not only in the history of cinema but in our hearts.
R.I.P Irvin Kershner
Additional:
As I said before Empire Strikes Back was my cinematic introduction into the world of Star Wars. I inherited an knowledge of the film not only from pop culture, but from my older cousin's read along 7” record and story book of the first film. Even this simple little record captured my imagination. One day when I was about 5 or 6 I drew a short Star Wars story book of my own, and narrated it to my mother so she could write the captions. I obviously didn't have a firm grasp on the characters or the story, but here it is for your viewing pleasure: Star Wars as interpreted by a young nerd.
Star Wars by Bryan West"Luke was sailing the rebel craft gently in the Galaxy""Chebacca found some gas guys of Darth Vader's""Luke was fighting one of Darth Vader's men."The rebel craft was "fighting bravely against the Death Star.""And it blew up in a dazzling ball of fire. The end."