It’s amazing how much time “Empire” spends on Hoth, reiterating (and slightly tweaking) a lot of the emotional and character arcs from the first “Star Wars.”
Effectively providing the dual function of replaying and revising the original film.
Effectively providing the dual function of replaying and revising the original film.
I think there’s some truth in Matt Singer’s observation that “Empire” is the first true modern blockbuster rather than “Jaws” or “Star Wars.”
In that it is built from the ground-up as a franchise film, rather than a self-contained narrative.
In that it is built from the ground-up as a franchise film, rather than a self-contained narrative.
It reminds me a lot of rewatching stuff like Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers.”
The combination of being unsure how this sort of big budget blockbuster franchise film is supposed to work, while doing it well enough that it would become a template for what followed.
The combination of being unsure how this sort of big budget blockbuster franchise film is supposed to work, while doing it well enough that it would become a template for what followed.
Like, “Empire” could be somebody’s first “Star Wars” film in a way that “Return of the Jedi” or even “The Force Awakens” couldn’t.
Just like “The Avengers” could be somebody’s first Marvel film in a way that “Endgame” really couldn’t.
Just like “The Avengers” could be somebody’s first Marvel film in a way that “Endgame” really couldn’t.
The structure of “Empire” is arguably a more faithful invocation of the pulpy adventure serials that inspired “Star Wars” than the original film.
In a narrative sense, “Empire” is largely “a bunch of stuff (and climaxes) happen in a variety of distinct locations.”
In a narrative sense, “Empire” is largely “a bunch of stuff (and climaxes) happen in a variety of distinct locations.”
In terms of contemporary science fiction, it feels quite close to the structure Terry Nation would use in plotting his “Doctor Who” scripts.
“And then this happens! And then this happens! And then...!”
It’s an interesting and unconventional structure for a two-hour film.
“And then this happens! And then this happens! And then...!”
It’s an interesting and unconventional structure for a two-hour film.
Like, there are huge chunks of “Empire” that you could cut and lose little narrative; basically most of the stuff with the Falcon between Hoth and Bespin.
Similarly, the chronology of Luke’s time on Degobah makes no sense with the “on the run!” plot it’s cut against.
Similarly, the chronology of Luke’s time on Degobah makes no sense with the “on the run!” plot it’s cut against.
This is also a great illustration of how little things like plot or internal chronology actually matter in terms of actual storytelling.
No matter what armchair pundits tell you, in very serious ways.
((See also: Indiana Jones’ “uselessness” in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”))
No matter what armchair pundits tell you, in very serious ways.
((See also: Indiana Jones’ “uselessness” in “Raiders of the Lost Ark.”))
If you ask me, “Empire” gets away with this for two reasons.
The execution is great. Ford and Fisher are great just hanging out. Yoda is a lot of fun.
But also because the execution is so confident. “Empire” assures the audience that it knows what it’s doing at every point.
The execution is great. Ford and Fisher are great just hanging out. Yoda is a lot of fun.
But also because the execution is so confident. “Empire” assures the audience that it knows what it’s doing at every point.
It’s little things, like internal thematic consistency. Even as it plugs its characters into episodic adventures, “Empire” uses recurring images to reinforce themes.
For example, the heroes are losing from the outset. The rebels are lucky to survive Hoth, setting up the ending.
For example, the heroes are losing from the outset. The rebels are lucky to survive Hoth, setting up the ending.
But even smaller, low-key things like the dismemberment of the Wampa on Hoth set up Luke’s subsequent dismemberment on Bespin.
(Which, ironically, Mark Hamill still objects to.)
It assures you “Empire” knows where it is going, even if it takes an arbitrary route to get there.
(Which, ironically, Mark Hamill still objects to.)
It assures you “Empire” knows where it is going, even if it takes an arbitrary route to get there.
Also, everybody focuses (rightly) on the whole “Luke trying to bang his closest female relative and murder his father” awkward sexual subtext of “Empire”, but the film is saturated with weird psychosexual stuff.
The asteroid is somehow BOTH a penis monster and a vagina dentata.
The asteroid is somehow BOTH a penis monster and a vagina dentata.
It’s kinda strange to contrast that with the more conventional... ahem... explosive climax of the original “Star Wars.”
((Actual dialogue from the trench run: “Luke, at that speed, will you be able to pull out in time?”))
((Actual dialogue from the trench run: “Luke, at that speed, will you be able to pull out in time?”))
Lando is vastly underappreciated.
Lando transitions the series from the post-Vietnam haze of “Star Wars” to the eighties ambiguities of “Empire.”
He’s a businessman trying to avoid regulation.
“Yeah, I’m responsible these days. It’s the price you pay for being successful.”
Lando transitions the series from the post-Vietnam haze of “Star Wars” to the eighties ambiguities of “Empire.”
He’s a businessman trying to avoid regulation.
“Yeah, I’m responsible these days. It’s the price you pay for being successful.”
Of course, “Return of the Jedi” retreats from this progression from the seventies to the eighties.
I love the subversive charm of the Ewoks as “cuddly toyetic Viet Cong”, But “Return of the Jedi” doesn’t feel like a meaningful progression in the way that “Empire” did.
I love the subversive charm of the Ewoks as “cuddly toyetic Viet Cong”, But “Return of the Jedi” doesn’t feel like a meaningful progression in the way that “Empire” did.
Bespin makes “Empire” feel like a Reagan era blockbuster, in the same way that (say) “Nightmare on Elm Street” is a Reagan era horror.
A beautiful (and economically vibrant) façade over a brutal industrial core. The production design even reinforces this “as above so below.”
A beautiful (and economically vibrant) façade over a brutal industrial core. The production design even reinforces this “as above so below.”
This contrast within Bespin - a beautiful surface hiding a grimy brutal core - is a literal expression of the way “Empire” complicates the aesthetic of “Star Wars.”
All of “Star Wars” was used, rusty or industrial. “Empire” suggests the universe is more complicated.
All of “Star Wars” was used, rusty or industrial. “Empire” suggests the universe is more complicated.
What’s interesting is that the scale in “The Empire Strikes Back” flows the same way as it does in “The Matrix.”
You position the big spectacle-driven action sequences (the Battle of Hoth, the raid on Morpheus’ prison) before a smaller, intimate one-on-one climax.
You position the big spectacle-driven action sequences (the Battle of Hoth, the raid on Morpheus’ prison) before a smaller, intimate one-on-one climax.
Again, this is “Empire” flouting the “rules” of this sort of story.
Standard blockbuster logic is that you should escalate throughout; start small and build to something huge.
However, it’s amazing how effective inverting that format can be.
Standard blockbuster logic is that you should escalate throughout; start small and build to something huge.
However, it’s amazing how effective inverting that format can be.
