I recently watched The Empire Strikes Back, after not seeing it in quite some time. This is a movie I've seen dozens of times, know very well, and still enjoy every time I watch it. It would be ridiculous to try writing a review of it. It's awesome, it's cheesy, it's well directed, it's seminal, it's iconic. It's been so firmly embedded in my consciousness that I have less an opinion about the movie than a filter of my experiences of it. So, I just want to talk about it some.
Because our copy has been watched so many times, and because I like to watch the occasional scene more than once, there are glitches at the start of a couple of my favourite scenes. That's motivation to finally replace the VHS tapes with DVDs, I guess [which could raise the issue of what I think of the latest revision of the original trilogy, but I want my blog to be a happy place]. Not surprisingly, those occasional scenes following the glitches on my tapes are Han & Leia scenes, because I'm a sucker like that.
A few years ago I had the opportunity to see an exhibit at the Houston Museum of Art called The Magic of Myth, which was part movie stuff and part story deconstruction insofar as Star Wars fits Joseph Campbell's myth cycle. The exhibit included some amazing things, among them several costumes. Being that I'm a pretty big textile geek, I was struck by the fabrics, their compositions & textures. It made me realize that the movie [and all movies] lacks the richness of an entire area of interest for me, because the media cannot support it. It serves well the broad strokes of fashion, but does nothing for the artistry & workmanship of textiles.
Of course, the costumes weren't the only cool things in the exhibit. There were several ship models, including an awesome Millenium Falcon & a great big Star Destroyer. Yoda-puppet was there. The coolest piece was Han Solo in carbonite. Actually seeing that model had me giddy.
I won't talk much about the changes Lucas made when the original trilogy was re-released in the '90s, but I do want to make one comment. Even with the changes that were made - spiffed up CGI, added/altered scenes - some of the mistakes were left in, and I like that. For example, in A New Hope, the stormtrooper still hits his head on the doorframe, and in The Empire Strikes Back, Luke's trampoline bounce during his fight with Vader is still seen & heard. Given some of the changes, it's surprising that Lucas would keep in these mistakes. Surprising, but welcome.
Empire is commonly referred to as the best of the Star Wars movies. Among other things, the bad guys get away after making off with one of the heroes, and everyone likes to see the bad guys kick a little ass. Though unfortunate for him personally, Mark Hamill's motorcycle accident prior to the filming of Empire did a lot for maturing his character. Luke went from being a whiny kid to a real galactic hero, with the scars to prove it. It helped as well that Lucas did not write or direct this installment. While Lucas gets story credit, Lawrence Kasdan's screenplay brought the story to life. Of course, it's no surprise that one of the reasons Empire is my personal favourite is the development of Han & Leia's romance. Empire features their first kiss, and the monumental carbonite scene that always makes me cry.
Well, I could go on, but I'll save more for another day.
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2 comments:
Though unfortunate for him personally, Mark Hamill's motorcycle accident prior to the filming of Empire did a lot for maturing his character.
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I don't know, I somehow think that he could have pulled off looking older and acting more mature without having to shred his face through the windshield, lol.... Ouch, by the way.
Heh indeed :) I sure didn't mean to suggest otherwise. You're damn right ouch!
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