Coate: What are your thoughts on the tweaks and revisions made to Empire over the years (i.e. first run 70mm vs 35mm, Special Edition re-release, subsequent home media releases, etc.)? Which version is your favorite?
Berger: I am not a fan of the “Special Edition” versions of the original Star Wars Trilogy. Thankfully Empire was tweaked least of all the films. I think in the beginning the changes were necessary to make the film better — even if no one really noticed all that much — but they were subtle. A line of dialogue here, a new shot there. It wasn’t jarring or anything.
But the Special Edition changes (while seemingly necessary in part) didn’t really need to be done. I get changing out the Emperor for Palpatine, and opening up Cloud City, and seeing more of the Wampa — it’s all well and good — but it doesn’t make the movie better for me. In fact, it takes me out of it because it’s very jarring (probably because I’ve seen the original more times than I can count). Overall I think the Special Editions were one of the worst decisions George Lucas has ever made.
As for my favorite version, ultimately, I would say the original 35mm print of Empire is my favorite. I’ve seen all of the different versions, but personally Team Negative 1’s Grindhouse version of the film is probably my favorite as it retains the aesthetic of watching it at a drive-in or a Sunday matinee in the theater. I enjoy good quality production and 4K resolution as much as the next person, but there’s still something satisfying about a grainy 35mm print.
Miller: When George Lucas saw the film with an audience, he thought the ending was unclear so he added three shots in the 35mm prints on June 18, according to Tom Smith in Rinzler’s The Making of Return of the Jedi. Gary Kurtz gives a conflicting account to Chris Gore at Film Threat stating that the new shots were done in time for the 70mm prints.
When the original Star Wars trilogy was updated for the Special Editions in 1997, Empire had the fewest changes of the three (Scott Chernoff. Star Wars Insider #49, May/June 2000, “Director Irvin Kershner,” p. 30).
Of the changes, the most damaging — in my opinion — involved Vader addressing the Emperor. Vader already knows about the one who destroyed the Death Star. We’re told that in the opening title crawl (and in The Star Wars Holiday Special and in Star Wars #35, published by Marvel Comics in February 1980). Yet, in the Special Edition, Palpatine states: “We have a new enemy: The young rebel who destroyed the Death Star. I have no doubt this boy is the offspring of Anakin Skywalker.” “How is that possible?” Vader asks with surprise.
“The offspring of Anakin Skywalker” is not revealed until Vader tells Luke, “I am your father.” This will not be a surprise (to the audience) if one sees the prequels first.
Originally, the Imperial shuttle was introduced in Return of the Jedi. Footage of the shuttle, from Jedi, are unnecessarily edited into The Empire Strikes Back: The Special Edition.
After Lucas shoots the prequel trilogy, he replaces Jason Wingreen with Tamuera Morrison as the voice of Boba Fett, and the composite Emperor with the voice of Clive Revill is replaced with Ian McDiarmid.
For The Special Edition, Lucas added four shots of the Wampa to increase the danger to Luke. Irvin Kershner’s response: “I don’t know, I feel that we didn’t need the snow monster, but it’s OK, didn’t hurt anything.” (Scott Chernoff, Star Wars Insider #49, May/June 2000, “Director Irvin Kershner: An Exclusive Interview,” p. 28.)
My preference: Irvin Kershner’s original version.
Woloski: I am always excited to see Star Wars films with revisions as done by the maker himself. I’ve seen Empire probably 100 times before the Special Edition came out in 1997, which included the most significant changes, so I didn’t mind a fresh take. Before that, I loved seeing the film at different theaters since every location had a slightly different version and I had fun spotting the differences. One theater, for some reason, cut out the bounty hunter scene! I wish I was old enough to think about finding the manager to see what possessed them to cut an important scene that set up a new character like Boba Fett. Now the Holiday Special would be really confusing!
As for the revised editions, I always knew that if I ever wanted to see the original theatrical release it was just a VHS tape or DVD away. How many people would not do the same thing as Lucas and go back and change things that bothered you if given the chance. Plus as an extra benefit, he can release them in theaters and make some extra money for his studio and educational programs.
Naturally I would say the 1980 theatrical version of Empire is my favorite since that is what I grew up on, made friends over, and skipped lots of school days to see it at the local theater or watch it on cable TV.
Coate: Where do you think Empire ranks among sequel motion pictures? Among the Star Wars franchise?
Berger: That’s easy — it’s the greatest sequel of all time and the best Star Wars movie ever made. Period.
Miller: Many favor Empire as a better film than Star Wars, including Mark Hamill (though it’s his least favorite in making the films), Kenny Baker, David Prowse, Julian Glover, Kenneth Colley, Robert Watts and Gary Kurtz. But have fans seen Empire more times than the original Star Wars? Statistically, no. Its first-run release garnered $503,015,849 worldwide, while the first run for The Empire Strikes Back earned $400,083,259 worldwide. Star Wars: The Special Edition earned $256,905,873 worldwide, while The Empire Strikes Back: The Special Edition earned $124,830,460 worldwide.
In The Making of Return of the Jedi, Mark Hamill ventured a reason: “The first film was such a guaranteed good time that there was a lot of repeat business from people who looked in the paper and said, ’Well, let’s go and see Star Wars again,’ like a second ride on the Matterhorn at Disneyland. Empire was a much bigger challenge to pull off and was not a repetition of Star Wars in any way. Round two went to Darth Vader, as it were, so the movie didn’t have that same kind of triumphant, giddy, slaphappy feeling as Star Wars. It was a bitter pill to swallow and I’m still amazed that it was so successful.”
Though author Harlan Ellison had panned Star Wars —“Darth Vader sucks running eggs”— he changed his tune when his friend Craig Miller took him to a screening of Empire in England. Ellison wrote in Future Life #22, November 1980, “Though I still maintain that Star Wars had all the smarts of a matzah ball, I was more than pleasantly surprised at Empire. In fact, not to put too fine a pernt on it, kids, I thought it was a helluva piece of filmmaking. Enjoyed it enormously. I came out of the theater with a wide grin in my elfin countenance.”
Peter Mayhew and Lawrence Kasdan are among those who rate Star Wars as the best in the original trilogy. Says Kasdan, “I think that the great, great film is the first Star Wars. I do. It’s hilarious, and it changed movies forever.” (Los Angeles Times, February 13, 2013.)
For me, Empire ties with Jedi for different reasons — factoring the mood, music, visuals, performances and style — but Star Wars remains my favorite.
Woloski: Empire ranks as #1 for sequel motion pictures. I know the majority of fans pick Empire as their favorite Star Wars film. I’m going to answer this question the way Lucas had when someone asked him what his favorite Star Wars film was at the Star Wars 10th Anniversary convention — a convention I call Celebration 0 — “I think of them all as one film so can’t name a favorite.” Each film in the saga is so different that I can’t judge them against each other fairly. (I should be a politician!)
Coate: What is the legacy of The Empire Strikes Back?
Berger: The legacy of the film lies in a lot of what I said earlier in regards to the storytelling, the visual effects, the success, etc. — but I think one thing that I haven’t touched on that should be acknowledged is Empire’s staying power as a film. So many people always cite it as their favorite Star Wars movie — and I think that’s because it’s the best. I mean that in a very quantifiable way. Empire has a very intimate connection it makes with the audience. As I did mention previously, it is masterful in how it balances the personal relationships of the characters with the action scenes, and ultimately how it entwines with the overall Star Wars story arc. But with Empire you still get that popcorn movie fix, but you get something more. Even as a stand-alone film I think it stands head and shoulders above most contemporary films — even as the second act of a three-act structure. It’s not a complicated storyline by any means, but it pulls you in with that intimacy. By the end you’re emotionally invested in Han and Leia’s story, Luke’s story of failure, and the glimmer of hope that closes the movie as the heroes live to fight another day and promise to save their friend. People always talk about Empire ending on a down note, but I disagree. I think it ends on a high note. The relationships have evolved to such strong connections that these people aren’t focused on stopping the Empire as much as they want to rescue their friend and loved one. It has such a heart that I think people overlook that aspect of it because it is so dark. Don’t get me wrong, the darkness is what makes it such a good movie — but it’s that feeling of hope at the end that resonates more when you walk away and you want to see what happens next and continue the adventure. It’s a perfect film sequel. And to bring it back to the film’s staying power, it doesn’t lose anything over time. It doesn’t feel dated. It’s not technically perfect, no, but I think you can show Empire to a kid today and they will react the same way kids did in the 80s (for the most part). It will endure. It has endured. Empire is forever.
Miller: With Empire hailed as a superior Star Wars film, its dark and depressing tone has become the template for modern science fiction and fantasy films, some “ending” in a cliffhanger, like Star Wars Episodes VII and VIII and Avengers: Infinity War. Many of these films have escalated to “PG-13,” introduced in 1984. Rogue One — a prequel to Star Wars — is relentlessly dismal, wiping out most of its cast. Solo: A Star Wars Story, also has a cynical approach, a PG-13, and several appealing characters killed. Gone is the upbeat, swashbuckling fun of the original Star Wars.
Mark Hamill told Jonathan Rinzler, “This thing with dismemberment I’ve been dead set against from the very beginning. What really galled me was the ice monster — I mean, I’m a Jedi. I could have just grazed him.”
Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios president, was so infatuated by Empire’s dismemberment scenes that he makes sure dismemberment happens in his films, as he revealed at a press junked for Avengers: Age of Ultron. See Adam Chitwood, Collider.com, “Marvel Has a Star Wars Easter Egg in Every Phase Two Movie,” April 21, 2015, and “Marvel’s Star Wars Easter Egg – Characters That Lose a Hand!”.
See my answers to questions #1 and #3 for more on Empire’s legacy.
Woloski: The legacy of The Empire Strikes Back is that it has well-developed characters, spiritual lessons, unparalleled action and the biggest twist in motion picture history. And it’s a kids’ film. There isn’t much that Star Wars fans agree on, but we can all say Empire is a phenomenal film!
And, Baby Yoda!
Coate: Thank you — Justin, Bob, and Richard — for sharing your thoughts about The Empire Strikes Back on the occasion of its 40th anniversary.
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IMAGES:
Selected images copyright/courtesy Disney, Dolby Labs, Bobby Henderson, Los Angeles Times, Lucasfilm Ltd., 20th Century Fox.
SOURCES/REFERENCES:
The primary references for this project were regional newspaper coverage and trade reports published in Billboard, Boxoffice, The Hollywood Reporter, and Variety.
All figures and data included in this article pertain to the United States and Canada except where stated otherwise.
IN MEMORIAM:
- Leigh Brackett (Screenwriter), 1915-1978
- John Barry (Second Unit Director), 1935-1979
- Jack Purvis (“Chief Ugnaught”), 1937-1997
- Alec Guinness (“Ben ’Obi-Wan’ Kenobi”), 1914-2000
- Terry Liebling (Casting), 1942-2001
- Des Webb (“Snow Creature”), 1932-2002
- Bruce Boa (“General Rieekan”), 1930-2004
- Peter Diamond (Stunt Coordinator), 1929-2004
- John Hollis (“Lando’s Aide”), 1931-2005
- Michael Sheard (“Admiral Ozzel”), 1938-2005
- David Tomblin (First Assistant Director), 1930-2005
- Peter Sutton (Production Sound), 19??-2008
- Irvin Kershner (Director), 1923-2010
- Bill Varney (Re-Recording Mixer), 1934-2011
- Ralph McQuarrie (Design Consultant and Conceptual Artist), 1929-2012
- Stuart Freeborn (Make-up and Special Creature Design), 1914-2013
- Christopher Malcolm (“Zev [Rogue 2]”), 1946-2014
- Kenny Baker (“R2-D2”), 1934-2016
- Carrie Fisher (“Princess Leia”), 1956-2016
- John Mollo (Costume Designer), 1931-2017
- Gary Kurtz (Producer), 1940-2018
- Peter Mayhew (“Chewbacca”), 1944-2019
- Michael Coate
Michael Coate can be reached via e-mail through this link. (You can also follow Michael on social media at these links: Twitter and Facebook)
