WHY STAR WARS THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK IS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES EVER MADE

I’ve seen a fair few films.

One of the best of all time is Star Wars Episode 5- The Empire Strikes Back. I’m not going to number them or make bullet points, but there are a number of reasons why I think it is one of the best movies ever.

First of all, Hoth. Yes the entire planet, it’s a big snowball, Han even says so. The fact that the Rebel Cell led by Leia/Riekan and co make a base there shows how desperate they are to avoid the Empire, even though it looks like they’ve only just moved in. I mean, I like a bit of snow, but an entire planet where it’s Frozen but never Christmas, brrr, shiver me timbers Captain Jack!

Next is a little green guy, playing Luke like a Grand Piano, Why not just introduce himself properly? Yoda’s first appearance was a creative risk, a gamble that paid off. It’s not easy being green and muppety, just ask Kermit the Frog, but the characterisation, the inverted speech pattern and downright cheekiness made him flawless. Stand out moment- lifting the X-Wing out of the swamp. “I don’t believe it” Luke says, doing a poor impression of Victor Meldrew. “That is why you failed” Yoda tells him gravely. And then there is The Cave. Yes, remember the failure at the Cave. Luke V Vader, who loses his head and revealed to be Luke! A Dark Side entity or Force-Projection? One of the mysteries of the Force never answered.

Then there is The Executor, known for years as Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer. Dwarfing normal Star Destroyers, its appearance to the brilliant theme of The Imperial March by John Williams was awe-inspiring, as was the Playset, until it crashed in the back garden!

Finally- Han and Leia. Ahhhh, a little bit of romance out amongst the stars. There’s friction there at the start, as well as a bit of flirtation. You get the impression it’s been going on for a while. While the tension ramps up in the Asteroid field, it’s Bespin where they finally acknowledge their feelings. The added complication of smooth-talking Lando, then the betrayal and Luke’s attempt at a rescue. The ending is bittersweet, Luke and Leia, still unaware of being related, look out on a neighbouring galaxy as Lando and Chewbacca fly off to search for Han. Then, to the awesome end theme the camera pulls back on the Rebel Fleet, heading away from the neighbouring galaxy and into the unknown. What an Epic Finale.

So there are a few reasons why I rate ESB so highly, even more so than all the other films. Return of the Jedi was the Second part of ESB and concluded the trilogy. It will be interesting to see what JJ Abrams has done to finish off the saga and what might be coming next from A Galaxy far, far away. Or one of its neighbours in the Whills Cluster of Galaxies, as I’ve called them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96DEWl3Vg70

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DczKNnP2XoQ

 

 

What about ANOTHER Galaxy of Adventures?

The Galaxy of Adventure shorts are fun, cheeky little short Anime-style retellings of scenes from The Original Trilogy, each concentrating on a character like Luke, Chewbacca, Leia, Darth Vader and more recently Stormtroopers and the Force itself

My favourite part is where Palpatine’s machinations and manipulations are shown- “Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design”. The Master puppeteer says, although it is Luke and gang who mess that all up for him.

 

The universe is filled with galaxies, although Dark Matter and voids separate them, like islands. Unlike many other SF stories, the SW galaxy is far, far away, not like the Andromeda galaxy and forty-odd satellite galaxies of the Local Group.

In Empire Strikes Back, the fleet gather, with a large spiral galaxy in the backdrop. This has been interpreted as The main Star Wars galaxy, but that is a false assumption. The surrounding starfield wouldn’t be there if the fleet was outside, plus the Falcon flies ‘over’ the galaxy, not down into the gravity well.

So, that means it is a neighbouring galaxy, perhaps a twin to the SW one. And that means there is another galaxy of possible stories out there, including the possible Origins of the Skywalkers. What if Shmi was a refugee, or part of a Mengele-like experiment? Wouldn’t that explain Anakin’s abilities? Did Shmi have another child with Lars who then had Rey? That would make Luke her Uncle and Ben her cousin.

Another galaxy opens up even more possibilities for stories. An alternate take on the Yuuzhan Vong or the Nagai, two Intergalactic invaders, and if, as Obi Wan says the Force ‘binds the galaxy together’, what would bind another galaxy? An anti-Force maybe?

But that begs the question- how long is the Saga to go on for? Lucas original outline was the Journal of the Whills; alternate versions were the Adventures of Starkiller/Adventures of Luke Skywalker. It was supposed to be nine chapters, based on the 1930’s versions of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, which usually ran for 12 chapters, or episodes. Lucas finished at Return of the Jedi as it was about Anakin and Luke- the Fall and Redemption of Darth Vader- but The Journal can continue with other stories, other heroes and villains, other families, alien creatures and mystical Beings.

As well as the 40th Anniversary of Empire in 2020, 2022 will be 45th Anniversary of Star Wars Episode 4- A New Hope, with the 50th Anniversary in 2027. It’s an exciting time to watch further adventures from a long time ago, in a galaxy (or Galaxies) far, far away!