You know what is crazier when you think about how it's been 35 years? This film is also the last time we saw Han Solo pilot the Falcon. Think about it. During all of ROTJ, he never gets behind the controls of his first love. No wonder he wasn't himself in that one.
Not much else to say here, but feel free to discuss this film's amazingness, memories associated with seeing it, moments you may want to see referred back to in Episode VII, whatever you want. I've been watching this movie basically since I started watching movies at all. I do not remember a time in my life before I saw it. Just such a great movie and the reason all of us are here on this blog reading and talking about this stuff at all right now.
Best. Movie. Ever. My lifelong favorite. Best script of all six.
ReplyDeleteSo true...iluvkoalas
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing this when it came out; I was 9 years old, and I started loving them as a couple since then...and I have to agree; IMO, the best movie ever - even tops Gone with the Wind, and that's saying a lot...
ReplyDeleteStats Grandma, you said it ! - it had the best script of all six. I believe Lawrence Kasdan said something like he had written even more interaction bet. Han and Leia but it got cut from the script....wonder what we missed out on (i'm not saying anything racy; but just more great chemistry between those two...)
Ah, the memories. I saw the movie with my best friend in 1980, and ESB was the film where I fell head over heels for Han and Leia, and for Harrison Ford. Before ESB, I was convinced Luke and Leia were the intended couple who would end up together, and I had never really noticed the sheer glorious masculine gorgeousness that was Harrison Ford in his prime. I can still remember the first scene we get a good look at Han, when he walks into the rebel command center. As soon as I saw him, I turned to my friend and whispered, 'Oh my god, he's gorgeous!" My friend laughed and said, "You're just noticing that NOW?"
ReplyDeleteEasily the best film in the saga, IMO.
EW has a great new article on ESB:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/21/empire-strikes-back-35th-anniversary
In 1982, two years after the film's release, Mr. Stats and I went to see the movie again. That night, Mr. Stats proposed to me.
ReplyDeleteWe contemplated dressing as Han and Leia for our wedding. For about 5 minutes. :)
This has to be every Han and Leia fans fav, right? Just curious if anyone out there prefers ANH or ROTJ to this one.
ReplyDeleteIt's far and away the best SW movie, and my fav all time movie. But out of the original trilogy it was the one I saw last. Lol, as you can imagine it was very confusing seeing ROTJ before this one :)
It has the best music score of all 6 films by miles,easily the best script (because George didn't have anything to do with it, lol, sorry George) and the hottest looking nerfherder is the entire galaxy.
Love that blue jacket...and that mighty fine ass ;)
Sorry, that should read hottest looking nerfherder IN the entire galaxy!!
ReplyDeleteI'm watching it now while wearing my Empire in Spanish tshirt. :) Good week to honor I guess.
ReplyDeleteGoodness, that man is smoking hot in this movie. Smoking hot. Whew. Where's the fire extinguisher when you need it? And I haven't hit the asteroid scene yet. (and yes, that is one of the best scenes ever, mostly for generous helping of nerf herder butt)
I still don't remember seeing this in the theater, but I'm sure I must have. I remember the book though and still have it. Yellow tape and all. Had to tape it up as a kid cause I read it so many times. I'm not sure if Empire or A New Hope is my fav though. I love Empire. Love it. But ANH started it all and such a great story from storytelling standpoint. I'd be hard pressed to pick one over the other. I love them both for different reasons.
Oh, I'd love it if they had shown more interaction between them, especially between the asteroid belt and Bespin. It wouldn't have to be much. Just them being a little nicer to each other would have been outstanding. Guess they'll have to make up for it in Episode VII. :)
That shirt is so cool :)
DeleteLol, I can relate to the battered copy of the ESB novel, mine is also extremely worn. I remember as a teenager reading the falcon kiss scene over and over and it literally falls open on that page now!
...and on THIS day (May 23) in 1984, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was released. I'm going to go ahead and say that I think that that film was the absolute peak of his hotness.
ReplyDeleteI was probably 6 or 7 by the time I saw that one for the first time (a few years after it came out - definitely too little to watch that kind of movie in 1984!) and for years I shut my eyes during monkey brains and the heart being ripped out. I wish I could remember when it was that I finally decided I was old enough to watch those parts, but it was definitely several years later.
I have such a love-hate relationship with the Temple of Doom. So much of the story is dumb, and borderline sexist, and flat-out mean. But I do love Kate Capshaw, and that opening scene, and yes, Harrison was at the peak of his masculine beauty.
ReplyDeleteI also have a dog-eared copy of the ESB novel. Still have it to this day, lol
Hah, I have more of a love/like-maybe-just-ok relationship with Temple of Doom. It does make me sad for what could've been, knowing that Lucas has admitted that he was at a dark place in his life and the story reflected that, so it could've been a much better movie. Weirdly, for a while it was my favorite of the three (well before there were 4 of them) and I'm not even sure why. Probably some of that was just immaturity, and in a lot of ways it's the simplest story to follow. Plus there's a little kid in it, so maybe I could relate to it more than the others when I was watching it as a child.
DeleteAnother strange thing, Kate Capshaw's incessant screaming annoys me a lot less in this movie now than it used to. I have no idea why. I can actually kind of see more chemistry between them than I used to. She is no Marion of course, but she is also way better than Elsa. You have to feel kind of bad for her character though because based on what we saw, she never did get a chance to have sex with him ;)
I don't think I'll ever dislike this movie. Maybe a lot of that is just nostalgia, but I still totally watch it whenever it's on.
Oh, and you know one other kind of cool little thing that I was only just recently thinking about with regard to this movie? It's the only one where the woman saves Indy and he is the helpless victim. (I think, correct me if I'm wrong.) When he and Short Round are in the room with the roof closing in on them, all he can do is wait for Willie to save them. Now, granted, she's screaming like crazy the entire time, but I think even Indy might've been a little freaked out about reaching into a hole filled with thousands of bugs!
Deletethe binding of my paperback of ESB is so worn that it falls APART at the asteroid kiss scene. don't care. remember sitting in the back of class with that paperback hidden behind my binder reading it over and over.
ReplyDeleteI used to like Temple of Doom more than I do now. I thought Willie was fun because of all the freaking out. And Harrison in that white tux? front and center spot on my wall for years. literally, years.
the monkey brains and the bugs and the whole heart ripping out thing creep me out more than they used to though.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Willie wearing Indy's shirt and pants was sooooooooo hot. How can you not be jealous of the girl who literally gets into Indy's pants?
Lmao! Dude, luckiest girl in the world!
DeleteOh, Empire. I've watched it hundreds of times and it just never gets old. It had become my favorite movie of all time. Damn...the first time I saw it was only 8 years ago. I remember for about a year after I saw it, I had a very clear memory of the X-wing rising from the swamp and the music that accompanied it. Eventually, that pushed me into buying all the films.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have that beautiful poster as part of my Empire shrine. ;D
Temple of Doom? Ughhh. The only reason I can ever stand to watch it is because Harrison is so friggin hot in it.
And as my present on this, the anniversary date of the releases of both ANH AND ROTJ, finally Harrison has been spotted in public for the first time in over two months since the accident: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3096626/Harrison-Ford-seen-public-time-plane-crash-driving-Tesla-LA.html He's wearing a hat, which I kind of expected, but it's a good thing at least to see him driving himself, that makes me feel better about it. I was ridiculously concerned!
ReplyDeleteI'm relieved to hear that he's doing better; I was worried as well that such a traumatic experience/injury would cause a major decline in health...
DeleteGood to hear that Mr. Ford is mending well. Two months at his age is a fast recovery!
ReplyDeleteWell he's probably not entirely "recovered." Another article with the same pictures says he is still using crutches to get around. He has used a lot of crutches in the last year. But at least if he is driving his head is all right.
ReplyDelete"The Empire Strikes Back" is my favorite, followed by "Jedi" and "Star Wars." This movie definitely had the best character moments, and the movie was driven more by character than anything else. I loved the romance.
ReplyDelete