The Empire Strikes Back: The film I never expected
After seeing the cinematic sci-fi master piece Star Wars, I only had to wait 2 weeks to see the next instalment in the adventures of Luke Skywalker. The film was The Empire Strikes Back. Released in 1980 it is deemed the greatest of the Star Wars films and more so one of the best films of all time. And the best part for me was not only had I limited wait time versus those kids back in 1977 who had to hang in there for 3 years to see this film, but it was also the follow-up I didn't even know existed until I saw the poster after seeing Star Wars with my mum.
Interestingly, the wait wasn't something that I was sort of counting down to see the follow up film. Star Wars had left an impression on me like no other film had, but I wasn't pining to go see it in a rush. I was enjoying the films aftermath wash over me and my mind every so often escaping to the visuals playing in my mind, recalling the scenes that resonated with me. It didn't take long though for a Thursday morning to roll in where I looked at the local paper and saw the session for the "next Star Wars film" had been released. My mum wasn't able to take me to that Saturday morning's sessions come the weekend, but my old man was around to haul me down to the cinema for the viewing. He didn't share the excitement my mum had for the Star Wars films, but he was at least willing to sit through the film whether he loved or hated it. Turns out he'd just fall asleep instead if it didn't appeal to him. Interestingly, I noticed my dad didn't nod off during Empire and was relatively engaging when the film had concluded, entertaining my questions which he had zero answers for or, understandably, zero desire to find out.
When the cinema lights dimmed, the film had the same trance-like set up as the previous did. The THX logo and loud music sample. Then the 20th century fox opening - progressively louder. And after the Lucasfilm Ltd. logo shimmer away - it was time. "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away". "OK, here we go again!", I thought. And...hello again John Williams and the London Symphony Orchestra and the film logo I'd quickly grown to adore filled the screen. Star Wars!
The opening crawl had returned, this time a different film name and story being set up for me. As the first film had done, the pattern repeated. The camera pans down focusing into deep dark space, the stars shimmering into sight as the Imperials immediately make their presence known to me as the viewer. A Star Destroyer cruises into frame as several probe droids are launched into the reaches of outer space.
We are then taken to our first planet of the film - a contrast to the hot, sandy baron wastelands of Tatooine. This time it was Hoth, a cold, icy and equally hostile terrain. This time we don't wait long to see our hero, Luke Skywalker, make his entrance. The difference with this film is very quickly we see him subdued by a creature in the snow, a Wampa, where he is dragged unconscious to its lair. Wasn't expecting that! Once again, I was captivated and engaged in every second of the films run time until the lights were turned back on in the cinema. This film's tone was very different though. I mean, it felt like Star Wars but...
The thing that was almost brutal with Empire was that it was the first film I'd ever seen something where the heroes of the film are constantly being beaten down, they're barely coming out of the acts as the victors, and it concludes in a very confronting manner with an unfamiliar mix of depression and optimism, despair and hope, confusion and clarity all rolling into one as the final scene sees Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia arm in arm, with their droid duo of R2-D2 and C-3PO alongside. The Millennium Falcon zooms away without Han Solo as pilot, and we feel exhausted after what everyone has endured. That's my one feeling I recall - exhaustion. I was so engaged with Empire, especially Luke Skywalker's struggles throughout the film - it felt like I was right there alongside him experiencing the trials that faced him right from that opening scene in the snow, until the scene on the medical frigate looking out to the stars knowing the Rebels are well and truly in for the greatest battle they never saw coming. Again, I never saw this film coming but what a delight it was knowing there was one final battle to be had against the Galactic Empire to restore peace and justice in the galaxy far, far away.
And that's what made this film so powerful. It was not the norm. But it wasn't pretentious or alienating in bucking the trend. It was enhanced by the beauty of the world building before me, the mystique and tension that moved into each scene, but again that key thing that made Star Wars great. A solid story and characters whose plight we sympathised alongside. The heroes journey continued.
I truly loved the darker approach the film took and seeing Luke Skywalker struggle, and feeling confronted that the hero of the first film was really struggling in his quest to become a Jedi Knight and truly feeling the weight of the war on his shoulders, as just one young man prone to the same failings of any other being. Only the consequences were far greater. Had the destruction of the Death Star just become a burden rather than a shining light of hope in a crushing blow to the Empire?
One could always argue that Star Wars could have been but one standalone film that was forever left in 1977. I have never felt the need to challenge that discussion. It's interesting but George Lucas claims (not that I believe everything that comes from Lucas' ramblings) it was always intended. So taking his word for it, Empire is a valid follow-up story. Taking it as it is I still love it and stand by it being one of the greatest films of all time.
Following this we have Han Solo, Chewbacca, Leia, and C-3PO on their own mission aboard the Millennium Falcon trying to outrun the Imperial star-fleet in cinematic outer space flight magic! The asteroid scenes are truly a marvel. Cut into this plot was the beginning of Luke Skywalker's training on the muggy, swamp planet of Dagobah which has so much aura and energy that would be felt in many an 80s film to follow. Mystery, eeriness, hauntings, dim lighting, dense vegetation, and aliens. Let's not forget one of the greatest subversions of our expectations and that is the introduction to the great jedi master, Yoda!
Yoda was not a strong, tall, valiant warrior. He was not a man as many of us expected. He was not in a castle, or a stronghold. No, he was a small alien with large ears, of elderly age, and living in a mud hut. Luke's astonishment and shock when the jedi master reveals his identity was a moment I was not anticipating - no one would have. I loved it. And then we got to see the power of The Force as ones ally. All the atmospheric setup of Dagobah, and the tension between Luke and Yoda really came together in harmony as Yoda lifts Luke's X-Wing out the water - again John Williams score whimsically setting the cinematic moment of brilliance up for us.
As Luke's training and personal struggles play out before us, we see the next hit in the guts - and more to follow. Han Solo is taken prisoner after being portrayed by his mate, Lando Calrissian, on the charming city in the clouds, Bespin, on aptly named Cloud City. He is frozen in carbonite and taken by a bounty hunter named Boba Fett. Darth Vader brutally calls the shots as Luke Skywalker is lured in by a sinister plot as his friends are used as bait to reveal the wildest of cinematic reveals.
The thing that made Empire perfect viewing for me was I was not aware of the spoilers. I was not across all the Star Wars references that had been made in countless movies I'd seen - so when the lightsabre duel between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader took place, I was watching it play out before me as a blank canvass. Hoping to see Luke clean the floor with Vader - this did not happen. It was the other way around. Luke had been impatient, had not completed his training, and was not ready for a further weight of burden on his shoulders.
Of course I think you'd know by now, Darth Vader reveals himself to be Luke Skywalkers father. Formerly Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi Knight and friend to the late Obi-Wan Kenobi - Luke's mentor from Star Wars who appears as a spirit through The Force to Luke in Empire.
And during the lightsabre duel in the last act of the battle in the strong gusty winds of a tunnel within the depths of the city, where on a catwalk Darth Vader absolutely dominates a crawling Luke with brutal strength, power, ferocity, and rage - it hit me! I'd seen part of this scene!
And the seed that had been planted back in 1992 was now sprouting. In my Star Wars article I wrote the following, "In my Empire Strikes Back review I'll actually share that the seed of Star Wars fascination had actually been planted 4 years prior, and would no longer be dormant come the significant lightsabre duel between Skywalker and Vader."
My grandfather had been watching it on the tele during daytime viewing, and when I came down stairs I caught a glimpse of Luke and Vader battling it out - blue and red lightsabres clashing with brutal execution. My attention was then dismissed with a change of the channel. I had no idea what he was watching but it looked epic! All I can assume was my grandfather didn't think it was appropriate a scene for me to be watching, or it was too violent, or he knew exactly what was about to happen - a human hand getting cut off. Either way, I am grateful my grandfather did turn it off as the great reveal of Darth Vader being Luke Skywalker's father, Anakin Skywalker, remained irrelevant to me. How funny though in that cinema experience 5 years later that moment just came right into my conscious.
Back to the movie in that 1997 viewing, when Luke tries to combat Vader's lunges he realises with absolute terror he is well and truly overpowered and despite his efforts, Vader in a split second changes his life physically, mentally and emotionally. He severs Luke's hand with his red lightsabre. Woah!
Yes. I remember being in the cinema and hearing people actually gasp at the scene. It is a shocking visual. Not only is it something you wouldn't expect to happen so late in the film - but surely our hero is going to be heroic and come out the victor? No. The physical blow is served.
"No, I am your father!"
Luke looks on like a ghost. White and sickly. And with the battle well and truly lost he gives in and falls to his demise - the will of The Force sparing him as exhaust vents open allowing a slide of safety - if only for a moment. No. It doesn't take long for Luke to be hanging on weather vane at the depth of the city where Obi-Wan nor Yoda can intervene through The Force to aid him. He is well and truly alone - until a tease of another Force wielder is gracefully revealed. Princess Leia - and so they come to Luke's rescue. And we are there with him, as shocked that this creature Darth Vader is not a robot, nor a machine, nor a twisted creation. He is a fallen Jedi, once a man, now a dark Jedi and key leader in the Galactic Empire. And he is also our heroes father. What a turn of the page!
Luke is rescued, and in a final desperate attempt our heroes manage to escape the mighty onslaught of the Empire and can regroup in hiding for a few years before they return with a plot to rescue Han Solo, for Luke to continue his Jedi training, and how the Rebel Alliance will well and truly ensure they end the reign of the Galactic Empire by severing their military strongholds, including the figures at the top. Those being Darth Vader and mastermind, Emperor Palpatine.
When the film concluded I remember just breathing, realising I'd held my breath for so many scenes throughout the film. I'd just been totally captivated. And I was tired afterwards - but not with the same optimistic feeling I'd had after Star Wars. I think that's added so much to the power of Empire.
And it shows what a wild ride Empire is. After seeing Empire, my birthday was shortly before I saw Return of the Jedi. I received a book, set after the events of the film, but also got an action figure of Luke Skywalker in Dagobah fatigues (the Kenner Power of the Force range) and a micromachines (remember those?) Escape Pod with mini-figures included in it of R2, C-3PO, Darth Vader, Obi-Wan, a Gonk Droid, and a Sandtrooper. It set my excitement up perfectly for the final film of the saga. Return of the Jedi.
Empire lingered with me far longer than Star Wars did. It was more so questions I had. Was Vader really Luke's father? Why would a father do that to his son? How can they save Han? What will the Rebels do to overpower the Empire? What else can Yoda teach Luke? What happened to Darth Vader that lead to his robotic physical appearance? So many questions, and again I only had to wait a fortnight to find out in the finale.
There is a lot to love about Empire but on reflection writing this it really was the atmosphere and aura of the film. It just looks so dreamy and unsettling at the same time. That escapism and fantasy was truly captured in this film and opened up a film-tunnel I would learn to dive into with many other films to follow where I could escape and feel how I needed to feel, see what I wanted to see, and dream how I wanted to dream. It's for that reason I believe it is an incredible film, and not one just associated to the Star Wars universe.
It was the film I never expected to exist. It was not the story I expected to experience. It was not the conclusion I expected. But my God was it a spectacle to behold. And it still is.
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