The Greatest Film of All Time
Tomorrow night, Sky airs what is, in my opinion, the greatest film ever made: "Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back." Originally released in 1980, "Empire" sees Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher return in the first "Star Wars" sequel. Along with returning characters C3PO, R2D2, Chewbacca, and Darth Vader, some new characters are introduced: Boba Fett, Lando Calrissian, and Yoda. Boba Fett, played by Jeremy Bulloch, is a bounty hunter, who wears a helmet with full face mask, so we never get to see his actual face. Lando Calrissian, the first major "Black" character in the "Star Wars" films, is played by Billy Dee Williams. Yoda is an 800 year old, Jedi Master, played by a puppet, with Frank Oz, of Muppet fame, doing the voice and being one of the puppet operators. The little green toadish looking puppet works and helps make the film. His eyes are modeled after Albert Einstein's.
For this film, veteran director, Irvin Kershner directs. He is known for being stronger with character development than George Lucas is and it clearly shows, helping to make "Empire" one of those rare sequels that surpasses the original film. Empire has great timing and doesn't drag anywhere. It has action, humor, romance, great special effects, A stupendous soundtrack, surprises, and a cliff hanger ending. The films battle scene, on an ice field, is one of the greatest action sequences ever made, featuring Imperial All Terrain-Armored Transports, which are basically walking tanks. Another great action sequence is a scene where space fighter ships chase a cargo vessel through an asteroid field.
Although this film tied "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope," as the greatest film of all time, in a Channel 4 survey, most "Star Wars" fans rate "Empire" as the best of the whole series. In selecting it as my favorite film of all time, it was close between this one and "Raiders of the Lost Ark." "Raiders" is a great film, as well, but I think the futuristic special effects, battle scenes, and sound effects edge this one into the top spot.
When the first "Star Wars" film came out, a number of African-Americans bemoaned the lack of "Black" characters in the film. James Earl Jones, a long time "Black" actor, does the voice of Darth Vader in the three original films, and phenomenonally. However, strangely, Jones declined to be credited in the first two "Star "wars" films, saying he didn't think his contribution was significant enough. Ironically, Jones' voice makes the character of Darth Vader. When George Lucas released the Special Editions of the original "Star Wars" trilogy, he added Jones' credit. As a testament to how well Jones does in providing the voice of Vader, when I originally saw the Special Editions, in the cinema, the audience erupted in thunderous cheers and applause when Jones name appeared in the credits, for the first time.
Although James Earl Jones was in the original film, as he's only doing the voice, he's not visible in the film. Thus, looking at "Star Wars Episode IV," visually, there are no "Black" actors. I think casting Billy Dee Williams in Empire may have been an attempt to rectify the omission. For me, it is a rather strange casting, as Williams was a male sex symbol in the "Black community," at the time, but not the strongest of actors. Of all the actors in the film, he seems to fit least well. Still, even the odd way he pronounces "Han," in the film is not enough to mar this otherwise top-notch production.
If you haven't already seen it, I urge you to watch, "The Empire strikes Back," tomorrow, if you are in Britain. If you aren't in Britain, you can always rent it. Even if you have seen it (I have seen it over 40 times), it's worth watching again. If you are looking for me tomorrow night, I will be glued to my set.
For this film, veteran director, Irvin Kershner directs. He is known for being stronger with character development than George Lucas is and it clearly shows, helping to make "Empire" one of those rare sequels that surpasses the original film. Empire has great timing and doesn't drag anywhere. It has action, humor, romance, great special effects, A stupendous soundtrack, surprises, and a cliff hanger ending. The films battle scene, on an ice field, is one of the greatest action sequences ever made, featuring Imperial All Terrain-Armored Transports, which are basically walking tanks. Another great action sequence is a scene where space fighter ships chase a cargo vessel through an asteroid field.
Although this film tied "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope," as the greatest film of all time, in a Channel 4 survey, most "Star Wars" fans rate "Empire" as the best of the whole series. In selecting it as my favorite film of all time, it was close between this one and "Raiders of the Lost Ark." "Raiders" is a great film, as well, but I think the futuristic special effects, battle scenes, and sound effects edge this one into the top spot.
When the first "Star Wars" film came out, a number of African-Americans bemoaned the lack of "Black" characters in the film. James Earl Jones, a long time "Black" actor, does the voice of Darth Vader in the three original films, and phenomenonally. However, strangely, Jones declined to be credited in the first two "Star "wars" films, saying he didn't think his contribution was significant enough. Ironically, Jones' voice makes the character of Darth Vader. When George Lucas released the Special Editions of the original "Star Wars" trilogy, he added Jones' credit. As a testament to how well Jones does in providing the voice of Vader, when I originally saw the Special Editions, in the cinema, the audience erupted in thunderous cheers and applause when Jones name appeared in the credits, for the first time.
Although James Earl Jones was in the original film, as he's only doing the voice, he's not visible in the film. Thus, looking at "Star Wars Episode IV," visually, there are no "Black" actors. I think casting Billy Dee Williams in Empire may have been an attempt to rectify the omission. For me, it is a rather strange casting, as Williams was a male sex symbol in the "Black community," at the time, but not the strongest of actors. Of all the actors in the film, he seems to fit least well. Still, even the odd way he pronounces "Han," in the film is not enough to mar this otherwise top-notch production.
If you haven't already seen it, I urge you to watch, "The Empire strikes Back," tomorrow, if you are in Britain. If you aren't in Britain, you can always rent it. Even if you have seen it (I have seen it over 40 times), it's worth watching again. If you are looking for me tomorrow night, I will be glued to my set.
posted by Joey B at 12:02 PM
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