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LOG IN Forgot Login? Register General Discussion • Trading Post • Non-Film Score Discussion  Profile • Preferences • Community Rules • Help/Contact • Search Board Search Terms:  Search Within:  topics posts since 2019 2018 posts 2017 posts 2016 posts 2015 posts 2014 posts 2013 posts 2012 posts 2011 posts 2010 posts 2009 posts 2008 posts 2007 posts 2006 posts 2005 posts 2004 posts 2003 posts 2002 posts 2001 posts 2000 posts users  search tips  You must log in or register to post.   Go to page:  1 2      Non-Film Score Discussion: EMPIRE STRIKES BACK appreciation thread    FIRST   PRIOR   1 2       Last Post   Posted:   Dec 19, 2022 - 11:30 AM     By:   Nicolai P. Zwar   (Member) I saw STAR WARS when I was 10 years old or so... in its theatrical run. I loved the movie, I had the toy figures, I had the radio play (on LP/Cassette), I read the book, I knew the movie in and out, it was a childhood favorite. When THE EMPIRE STRIKES back came out, it was thrilling to get a sequel. 3 years are a much longer time when you are a child, so it seemed to me after a long time knowing STAR WARS there came then a sequel. And what a terrific sequel it was: groundbreaking special effects, strange new worlds, Yoda, Bespin, Hoth... and a story twist that really shook the story up. Great movie, great movie experience. THE RETURN OF THE JEDI unfortunately was a let down compared to the first two movies, but those two were great. I enjoy both STAR WARS and THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK equally, they are both excellent movies with great film scores.    Posted:   Dec 19, 2022 - 12:03 PM     By:   jenkwombat   (Member) As everyone here already knows, I liked the first film much more (see Solium's post to see just some of the problems I had with EMPIRE). However, it did have many strengths. And since this is an appreciation thread, here are some things I did like about the film: That it *isn't* just a carbon-copy of STAR WARS. The asteroid field chase was fantastic and fluid. Bringing back Alec Guinness to play Obi-Wan Kenobi again was necessary. The idea of Vader and The Emperor attempting to turn Luke to the Dark Side was inspired. A strong Third Act, if not necessarily a strong overall conclusion.    Posted:   Dec 19, 2022 - 1:09 PM     By:   henry   (Member) As everyone here already knows, I liked the first film much more (see Solium's post to see just some of the problems I had with EMPIRE). However, it did have many strengths. And since this is an appreciation thread, here are some things I did like about the film: That it *isn't* just a carbon-copy of STAR WARS. The asteroid field chase was fantastic and fluid. Bringing back Alec Guinness to play Obi-Wan Kenobi again was necessary. The idea of Vader and The Emperor attempting to turn Luke to the Dark Side was inspired. A strong Third Act, if not necessarily a strong overall conclusion. Hi buddy! Don't get me wrong, I love A NEW HOPE too it's my second favorite STAR WARS film.    Posted:   Dec 20, 2022 - 6:34 AM     By:   jenkwombat   (Member) As everyone here already knows, I liked the first film much more (see Solium's post to see just some of the problems I had with EMPIRE). However, it did have many strengths. And since this is an appreciation thread, here are some things I did like about the film: That it *isn't* just a carbon-copy of STAR WARS. The asteroid field chase was fantastic and fluid. Bringing back Alec Guinness to play Obi-Wan Kenobi again was necessary. The idea of Vader and The Emperor attempting to turn Luke to the Dark Side was inspired. A strong Third Act, if not necessarily a strong overall conclusion. Hi buddy! Don't get me wrong, I love A NEW HOPE too it's my second favorite STAR WARS film. Hey, it's cool, henry! We all can like any film --- Star Wars or otherwise --- we want!! It's all subjective anyway. And it seems my view is more in the minority in recent years than yours is. I like it more now than I did back in 1980. I began to appreciate its strengths more with repeat viewings it seems. Perhaps I should give it another viewing over the holidays... Speaking of which... everybody have a great holiday season! (Including you, henry.)    Posted:   Dec 20, 2022 - 8:44 AM     By:   Solium   (Member) Yeah, the best thing about Empire and Jedi story wise was the Emperor and Vader trying to turn Luke and Luke likewise trying to turn Vader. It was a battle of wills and ideas. It really made the hero/villain dynamics compelling and have a lot more meaning.    Posted:   Dec 20, 2022 - 9:42 AM     By:   henry   (Member) As everyone here already knows, I liked the first film much more (see Solium's post to see just some of the problems I had with EMPIRE). However, it did have many strengths. And since this is an appreciation thread, here are some things I did like about the film: That it *isn't* just a carbon-copy of STAR WARS. The asteroid field chase was fantastic and fluid. Bringing back Alec Guinness to play Obi-Wan Kenobi again was necessary. The idea of Vader and The Emperor attempting to turn Luke to the Dark Side was inspired. A strong Third Act, if not necessarily a strong overall conclusion. Hi buddy! Don't get me wrong, I love A NEW HOPE too it's my second favorite STAR WARS film. Hey, it's cool, henry! We all can like any film --- Star Wars or otherwise --- we want!! It's all subjective anyway. And it seems my view is more in the minority in recent years than yours is. I like it more now than I did back in 1980. I began to appreciate its strengths more with repeat viewings it seems. Perhaps I should give it another viewing over the holidays... Speaking of which... everybody have a great holiday season! (Including you, henry.) You have a great Holiday season too my friend!    Posted:   Dec 20, 2022 - 9:45 AM     By:   henry   (Member) Hi Scott! You probably already know this, but the original theatrical version of EMPIRE was available for a limited time on DVD. You can still find it on ebay and probably other places for a decent price. Hey Henry! Yup, I have that set, sadly they were not transferred in anamorphic wide screen and are straight copies from the same prints the Laserdiscs used. Thankfully, more talented people than I have created "Despecialized Editions" which are great. Also a very generous collector shared a 35mm print copy with me, with all of the scratches and pops inherent in an old film print. It's glorious! Yeah, those DVD copies are small rectangles surrounded by black all around the screen. Not a great way to watch them. I kind of like the small rectangles, they're charming in a way.    Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 11:21 AM     By:   jkruppa   (Member) I saw this four times when it came out and as a 10 year old it was completely captivating. As an adult with an interest in filmmaking I have come to appreciate the level of craft and artistry it took to create it. In every department, it's one of the most exceptionally well-made films I've seen, and it really does everything a sequel should do by expanding the universe and enriching the characters. The score is one of my favorites, brilliant and inventive throughout, with a powerful climax. And it's a gorgeous looking film, just one beautiful shot after another.    Posted:   Jan 29, 2023 - 2:30 PM     By:   nuts_score   (Member) A great movie and a great Star Wars movie too. A very rare thing. :-P    Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 3:41 AM     By:   Adam.   (Member) I ran across this video which slips in Williams' unused music for the Probe Droid and Imperial Fleet sequence. A few seconds of the space fleet footage had to be snipped out so the music could play unedited and it works perfectly. Also notice how the General says "Send Rogues 10 & 11 to Station 3-8." A reference to THX-1138?    Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 4:22 AM     By:   Rick15   (Member) Thanks for that Adam. I’ve always loved that version of the scoring of those scene and never really understood why it was replaced. Whatever the reasons - it was fantastic to see those scenes scored as originally intended. Empire is my equal favourite film of all time (Back to the Future ties with it for first place). I can’t add anything to the “why this is my favourite” as Scott and the Avenger pretty much summed it up. Such a great movie.    Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 4:43 AM     By:   Adam.   (Member) I’ve always loved that version of the scoring of those scenes and never really understood why it was replaced. I read somewhere that after Williams wrote the music for the space footage the ILM artists made some additional effects which threw the music out of sync with the visuals so the editors decided to go with the longer concert version of Vader's theme which filled the time gap.    Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 4:50 AM     By:   Rick15   (Member) I’ve always loved that version of the scoring of those scenes and never really understood why it was replaced. I read somewhere that after Williams wrote the music for the space footage the ILM artists made some additional effects which threw the music out of sync with the visuals so the editors decided to go with the longer concert version of Vader's theme which filled the time gap. Yeah..that makes sense. The introduction to the Imperial Fleet was a little bigger than that intro. I’m guessing that there was also an editorial choice to have no music when Han and Chewie investigate the probe droid. JW did write wall to wall music for Empire and I actually think the choices to let some moments breathe with no music work.    Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 8:52 AM     By:   jenkwombat   (Member) JW did write wall to wall music for Empire and I actually think the choices to let some moments breathe with no music work. I think the score for TESB, admittedly including "concert" tracks like "The Imperial March" and "Yoda's Theme", is longer than the actual movie. Not that I'm complaining; it's great music, IMO.    Posted:   Jan 30, 2023 - 9:05 AM     By:   Solium   (Member) JW did write wall to wall music for Empire and I actually think the choices to let some moments breathe with no music work. I'm think the score for TESB, admittedly including "concert" tracks like "The Imperial March" and "Yoda's Theme", is longer than the actual movie. Not that I'm complaining; it's great music, IMO. I prefer The Imperial March over what he originally scored for the film. It's far more powerful. I agree it was best to leave the droid probe scene without underscoring. Its also a wonderful example of how good sound design was in the 80's. Starting at 1:33-     Non-Film Score Discussion: EMPIRE STRIKES BACK appreciation thread    << < 1 2  >   Go to page:  1 2   First Post    General Discussion • Trading Post • Non-Film Score Discussion  Profile • Preferences • Community Rules • Help/Contact • Search Board You must log in or register to post.   Go to page:  1 2

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