Posted on 05/13/2012 7:34:14 AM PDT by AmonAmarth
The cast and crew of The Empire Strikes Back faced a daunting task - how to follow Star Wars, the blockbuster which had reinvented science fiction on the silver screen overnight and instantly become the favourite film of millions of cinemagoers. By the time it opened in 1980, the pressure was really on director George Lucas and his team of actors to deliver, but as these fantastic pictures illustrate they all found time to enjoy themselves in the process. Ahead of an upcoming convention in Florida in August, which is expected to attract up to 30,000 buffs, here is a chance to see behind the scenes during the making of the second film. All the stars, Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher can be seen laughing and joking in and around the many sets and with a lot of the characters in costume.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
George Lucas didn’t direct “The Empire Strikes Back”. Irving Kirschner did. George Lucas didn’t write “The Empire Strikes Back”. Leigh Brackett wrote a draft, and Lawrence Kasdan wrote the script. All Lucas did was produce it. Probably why it’s the best of the six STAR WARS movies.
I guess it was really great to all those who first saw it stoned and high on acid - I remeber well when it came out as I was stationed at Myrtle Beach AFB. Many enjoyed it, but not nearly so much as the "head" crowd.
That said, it did pioneer one hell of an advancement in special effects and ket the tone properly between serious and comical, with a good vs. evil tone that would not go over so well today - that makes it a worthy classic in my humble opinion.
I was 14 and I seen this movie opening night in Downtown Minneapolis. I was not high or on acid but I was enthralled anyways.
Skipped my last day of high school to see the original Star Wars in ‘77.
As one of the comments said at the link, it DOES look like they airbrushed out a cigarette from Harrison Ford’s right hand in that pic.
SCIFI Ping.
Great memories, yes. And no generation to come will ever feel the awe that we did at the magnitude of the special effects. Some of them seem amateurish now, but they were astounding.
“Probably why it’s the best of the six STAR WARS movies.”
Aye.
A New Hope was awesome, but was first
Empire Strikes Back was awesome
Return of the Jedi (the Muppet Movie) was God Awful
The Phantom Menace was Stab Eyes out with icepick Horrible
Attack of the Clones was Excruciatingly Horrible
Revenge of the Sith was only slightly less horrible
It seems like yesterday — I was at the studio when they were filming that, a guest of the gentleman who played Darth. Watched while they took the mould of his entire head (used to make the scene when they revealed Darth’s scarred head in the movie), had lunch there and met George Lucas. What a memorable day!
1st one was novel.
2nd was great.
Third sucked but had great effects.
Then died at phantom menace and the rest of the monatonic, play it with no emotion, prequels.
It was loosely based on a true story.
Wow, I envy you! And I am honored to to have someone who was there to reply to my post. You made my day!
Myrtle Beach AFB, my first assignment, 71-72. Didn’t think it could be topped until I left Myrte Beach and went to Mildenhall.
-PJ
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