The famous twist at the end of Irvin Kershner's 1980 sci-fi epic "The Empire Strikes Back" — that the evil Darth Vader (James Earl Jones/David Prowse) was actually the father of the heroic Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) — was shocking enough to send seismic ripples through the future of pop culture. Young prospective filmmakers reared in 1980 were so shocked by the famed "Empire" revelation that the "hero was secretly related to the villain this whole time" twist would eventually become a common screenwriting trope.
As many Starwoids will be able to tell you, the "I am your father" twist famously contradicts dialogue from George Lucas' "Star Wars" from three years earlier. In that film, the trustworthy Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) revealed that he was friends with Luke's father, who was, by Obi-Wan's own description, definitely not Darth Vader. Indeed, Darth Vader was said to have murdered Luke's father. So when...
As many Starwoids will be able to tell you, the "I am your father" twist famously contradicts dialogue from George Lucas' "Star Wars" from three years earlier. In that film, the trustworthy Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) revealed that he was friends with Luke's father, who was, by Obi-Wan's own description, definitely not Darth Vader. Indeed, Darth Vader was said to have murdered Luke's father. So when...
- 4/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The red carpet will soon roll out for the 77th Festival de Cannes. The international film festival, playing out May 14-25, has a distinct American voice this year. “Barbie” filmmaker Greta Gerwig is the first U.S. female director name jury president. Many veteran American helmers are heading to the French Rivera resort town. George Lucas, who turns 80 on May 14, will receive an honorary Palme d’Or. Francis Ford Coppola’s much-anticipated “Megalopolis” is screening in competition, as is Paul Schrader’s “Oh Canada.” Kevin Costner’s new Western “Horizon, An American Saga” will premiere out of competition and Oliver Stone’s “Lula” is part of the special screening showcase.
Fifty years ago, Coppola was the toast of the 27th Cannes Film Festival. His brilliant psychological thriller “The Conversation” starring Gene Hackman won the Palme D’Or and well as a Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury. The film would earn three Oscar nominations: picture,...
Fifty years ago, Coppola was the toast of the 27th Cannes Film Festival. His brilliant psychological thriller “The Conversation” starring Gene Hackman won the Palme D’Or and well as a Special Mention from the Ecumenical Jury. The film would earn three Oscar nominations: picture,...
- 4/25/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
In Jay Roach's 1997 James Bond spoof "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery," the film's villain, Dr. Evil (Mike Myers), aims to murder off his arch-nemesis by dropping him into a tank full of man-eating sharks. In a supervillainous twist, the sharks will be equipped with laser beams affixed to their heads. Dr. Evil says he likes his pets to have a well-cooked meal before eating. He then cackles maniacally. A lieutenant of his, however, informs Dr. Evil that buying sharks equipped with lasers is immensely difficult and that the tank is, instead, filled with flesh-eating sea bass. Dr. Evil isn't thrilled. "You know, I have one simple request," Dr. Evil says, "and that is to have sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads!"
One cannot say if there's a direct connection to the above scene and a James Bond movie that Sean Connery once wrote, but there are a few uncanny similarities.
One cannot say if there's a direct connection to the above scene and a James Bond movie that Sean Connery once wrote, but there are a few uncanny similarities.
- 4/23/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Until recently, if one were asked to name some of the best films of preeminent 1970s filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, it would be easy to pick the big hits. “The Godfather” (1972), “The Godfather II” (1974) and “Apocalypse Now” (1979) are definitely his most iconic and respected films. You’d also be hard-pressed to find a person aged 25-50 who isn’t keenly aware of his adaption of S.E. Hinton’s mandatory high school assigned “The Outsiders” (1983) or his classics “Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986) and maybe even “Tucker: The Man and His Dream” (1988). Yet lately, Coppola’s “The Conversation” (1974) has entered the chat as a somewhat under the radar, low-key masterpiece from the filmmaker, and this year the film celebrates its 50th birthday.
After honing his directorial chops on films like the Roger Corman-produced horror film “Dementia 13” (1963) and fledgling films like “You’re a Big Boy Now” (1966), “Finian’s Rainbow” (1968) and “The Rain People...
After honing his directorial chops on films like the Roger Corman-produced horror film “Dementia 13” (1963) and fledgling films like “You’re a Big Boy Now” (1966), “Finian’s Rainbow” (1968) and “The Rain People...
- 4/8/2024
- by Don Lewis
- Indiewire
Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!]
RoboCop 2 4K Uhd from Scream Factory
RoboCop 2 will protect the innocent on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on June 18 via Scream Factory. The 1990 sequel has been newly scanned in 4K from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision.
Irvin Kershner (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back) directs from a script by comic book legend Frank Miller and Walon Green (Eraser). Peter Weller returns to star with Nancy Allen, Dan O’Herlihy, Tom Noonan, Belinda Bauer, and Gabriel Damon.
Special features include: commentaries by CG supervisor Paul M. Sammon and the RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop documentarians; Corporate Wars: The Making of RoboCop 2; Machine Parts: The FX of RoboCop 2; Ocp Declassified; and more.
Species...
Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week!]
RoboCop 2 4K Uhd from Scream Factory
RoboCop 2 will protect the innocent on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray on June 18 via Scream Factory. The 1990 sequel has been newly scanned in 4K from the original camera negative with Dolby Vision.
Irvin Kershner (Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back) directs from a script by comic book legend Frank Miller and Walon Green (Eraser). Peter Weller returns to star with Nancy Allen, Dan O’Herlihy, Tom Noonan, Belinda Bauer, and Gabriel Damon.
Special features include: commentaries by CG supervisor Paul M. Sammon and the RoboDoc: The Creation of RoboCop documentarians; Corporate Wars: The Making of RoboCop 2; Machine Parts: The FX of RoboCop 2; Ocp Declassified; and more.
Species...
- 4/5/2024
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
I don’t think it’s a controversial opinion to state that, of all the RoboCop movies, only Paul Verhoeven’s original 1987 film deserves to be called a classic. However, a lot of us have always thought that the ultra-violent sequel, RoboCop 2, was better than its reputation suggests. I know from our Original Video on the movie that it has more than a few fans, so it’s exciting to reveal that RoboCop 2 is finally getting a 4K Blu-ray release via Scream Factory.
The news was broken by our friends at Blu-ray.com. The company has also licensed José Padilha’s 2014 remake for release. No RoboCop 3 yet. I suppose the company just decided to let that one go, and you can’t really blame them, as it just might be one of the worst sequels of all time.
No news yet on whether RoboCop 2 will contain any special features.
The news was broken by our friends at Blu-ray.com. The company has also licensed José Padilha’s 2014 remake for release. No RoboCop 3 yet. I suppose the company just decided to let that one go, and you can’t really blame them, as it just might be one of the worst sequels of all time.
No news yet on whether RoboCop 2 will contain any special features.
- 4/1/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
"Oh, they've encased him in carbonite. He should be quite well protected, if he survived the freezing process, that is," quips C-3Po after Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is frozen alive in a slab of carbonite in "The Empire Strikes Back." It is a memorable scene, as it is preceded by Leia's (Carrie Fisher) declaration of love for Han, to which he replies with the characteristically suave, brilliantly ad-libbed "I know." The frozen Han is eventually handed over to Jabba the Hutt, whose lair is later infiltrated by Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and gang to rescue their friend from his frozen state in "Return of the Jedi."
This is not the only instance of a person being carbon-frozen in the "Star Wars" universe. Although the process was widely used to encase and preserve transport materials (such as gaseous substances), it was often utilized to transfer sentient beings. Even Anakin Skywalker...
This is not the only instance of a person being carbon-frozen in the "Star Wars" universe. Although the process was widely used to encase and preserve transport materials (such as gaseous substances), it was often utilized to transfer sentient beings. Even Anakin Skywalker...
- 4/1/2024
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
It's fun going back to watch Irvin Kershner's 1980 sci-fi epic "The Empire Strikes Back," knowing what twists would come in subsequent sequels. In "Empire," Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) became angry at Han Solo (Harrison Ford), a man Leia knew was attracted to her. To make Han jealous, Leia brazenly grabs a nearby Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and kisses him full on the mouth. Luke knows that Leia was only playing a game, but was happy to be kissed. Han stormed out of the room, outraged. Luke smiled in smug satisfaction.
In Richard Marquand's 1983 follow-up film "Return of the Jedi," it would be revealed that Luke and Leia were siblings. This was clearly a last-minute plot twist, meant to parallel the "surprise" from "Empire" that the villainous Darth Vader was actually Luke Skywalker's father. The "Jedi" twist wasn't thought out, however, as it retroactively incorporated into "Star Wars" an...
In Richard Marquand's 1983 follow-up film "Return of the Jedi," it would be revealed that Luke and Leia were siblings. This was clearly a last-minute plot twist, meant to parallel the "surprise" from "Empire" that the villainous Darth Vader was actually Luke Skywalker's father. The "Jedi" twist wasn't thought out, however, as it retroactively incorporated into "Star Wars" an...
- 3/19/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Michael Culver, the veteran British actor who portrayed the doomed Captain Needa in The Empire Strikes Back and a bigoted police inspector in David Lean’s A Passage to India, has died. He was 85.
Culver died Feb. 27, according to Alliance Agents, which represented him for the past decade. No other details were immediately available.
Culver also appeared on lots of British television over the years, from The Befrienders, Secret Army and The Adventures of Black Beauty to The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Game Set and Match, The House of Eliott and the Derek Jacobi-starring Cadfael.
In Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980), directed by Irvin Kershner, Culver’s character, as captain of the Imperial Star Destroyer Avenger, loses track of the Millennium Falcon piloted by Han Solo during a pursuit.
Needa takes full responsibility and apologizes to Darth Vader, who then kills him (“Apology accepted, Captain...
Culver died Feb. 27, according to Alliance Agents, which represented him for the past decade. No other details were immediately available.
Culver also appeared on lots of British television over the years, from The Befrienders, Secret Army and The Adventures of Black Beauty to The Return of Sherlock Holmes, Game Set and Match, The House of Eliott and the Derek Jacobi-starring Cadfael.
In Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back (1980), directed by Irvin Kershner, Culver’s character, as captain of the Imperial Star Destroyer Avenger, loses track of the Millennium Falcon piloted by Han Solo during a pursuit.
Needa takes full responsibility and apologizes to Darth Vader, who then kills him (“Apology accepted, Captain...
- 3/13/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When people talk about "Star Wars," they often bring up creator George Lucas or one of its stars, but perhaps the greatest unsung hero of the franchise is Frank Oz. Oz is a puppeteer best known for his work on "Sesame Street" and "The Muppets," but in "Star Wars," he puppeteered and provided the voice of the sage Jedi, Yoda. Making Yoda come to life meant hiding beneath the sets so he could move the puppets' limbs, his work hidden offscreen while his performance appeared through Yoda's face and body. It's pretty thankless work that wasn't even considered acting when Lucas campaigned to get Oz nominated for an Oscar, and that didn't even account for some of the physical misery Oz had to endure in order to do his job -- specifically, dealing with snakes.
In a 2018 interview on The Star Wars Show, Oz revealed that one of the most...
In a 2018 interview on The Star Wars Show, Oz revealed that one of the most...
- 3/11/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Pamela Salem, who portrayed Miss Moneypenny in Never Say Never Again opposite Sean Connery in his final turn as James Bond, has died. She was 80.
Salem died Wednesday in Surfside, Florida, according to Big Finish Productions, for whom she participated in several audio productions.
“Whenever there was a Big Finish recording for her, she’d fly in from Miami on her own steam, without fuss or fanfare, and appear at the studio armed with the warmest smiles, the biggest hugs and often presents,” producer David Richardson said in a statement.
For the BBC’s Doctor Who, Salem played the sandminer pilot Lish Toos on 1977’s “The Robots of Death” and Professor Rachel Jensen on 1988’s “Remembrance of the Daleks.” She reprised both roles for Big Finish in the audio drama series The Robots and radio spinoff series Counter Measures.
Salem also portrayed the evil sorceress Belor on the 1981-82 ITV...
Salem died Wednesday in Surfside, Florida, according to Big Finish Productions, for whom she participated in several audio productions.
“Whenever there was a Big Finish recording for her, she’d fly in from Miami on her own steam, without fuss or fanfare, and appear at the studio armed with the warmest smiles, the biggest hugs and often presents,” producer David Richardson said in a statement.
For the BBC’s Doctor Who, Salem played the sandminer pilot Lish Toos on 1977’s “The Robots of Death” and Professor Rachel Jensen on 1988’s “Remembrance of the Daleks.” She reprised both roles for Big Finish in the audio drama series The Robots and radio spinoff series Counter Measures.
Salem also portrayed the evil sorceress Belor on the 1981-82 ITV...
- 2/23/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
One of the best things about the old Star Wars Expanded Universe was that it afforded writers a chance to delve deeply into the various supporting players who would pop in and out of the original trilogy with nary an explanation for who they were or what their deal even was. One might call this the Boba Fett Syndrome. Take Lando Calrissian's (Billy Dee Williams) cyborg pal Lobot, who joined the smuggler in going legit after Lando became the Baron Administrator of Cloud City. He makes but a few wordless appearances in "The Empire Strikes Back" only to vamoose, never to be seen or mentioned again.
These days, Lobot has a wholly fleshed-out and consistent canonical backstory thanks to books like the "Lando" and "War of the Bounty Hunters" comics series. However, before Disney assumed control of the franchise, you just had to piece together the character's history as best...
These days, Lobot has a wholly fleshed-out and consistent canonical backstory thanks to books like the "Lando" and "War of the Bounty Hunters" comics series. However, before Disney assumed control of the franchise, you just had to piece together the character's history as best...
- 2/8/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Don Murray, the venturesome actor who earned an Oscar nomination for playing a rodeo cowboy smitten by Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop, then spurned Hollywood’s attempts to mold him, has died. He was 94.
Murray’s son Christopher announced his dad’s death to The New York Times without providing details.
The actor was also known for the interesting parts he went after in such serious films as A Hatful of Rain (1957), The Hoodlum Priest (1961) and Advise & Consent (1962).
Fresh off a starring role in a 1955 Broadway revival of Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, Murray was sought by director Joshua Logan to portray Bo Decker, the naive Montana man who falls for the chanteuse Chérie (Monroe), in Bus Stop (1956). It was his first movie, and he was 26 at the time.
“No one could have been less equipped for the job,” he once said. “I was a New...
Murray’s son Christopher announced his dad’s death to The New York Times without providing details.
The actor was also known for the interesting parts he went after in such serious films as A Hatful of Rain (1957), The Hoodlum Priest (1961) and Advise & Consent (1962).
Fresh off a starring role in a 1955 Broadway revival of Thornton Wilder’s The Skin of Our Teeth, Murray was sought by director Joshua Logan to portray Bo Decker, the naive Montana man who falls for the chanteuse Chérie (Monroe), in Bus Stop (1956). It was his first movie, and he was 26 at the time.
“No one could have been less equipped for the job,” he once said. “I was a New...
- 2/2/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Not every horror movie is going to connect with critics, no matter how much the public loves it or if its wider reputation grows more favorably over time. These range from cult classics that earned legions of devoted fans to maligned sequels and reboots that didn't deserve the critical hate they got upon release. Simply put, even the most poorly reviewed horror flicks deserve a reappraisal and are, at the very least worth a look from the curious and unfamiliar.
There are plenty of horror movies that hold a rotten critics' approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes that still make for interesting, and in many cases, even great viewings. With everything from supernatural giallo movies to slasher sequels that subvert expectations, there is a horror movie for every scary sensibility. Here are the 15 horror flicks that didn't connect with most critics that should be given at least one solid viewing.
Read...
There are plenty of horror movies that hold a rotten critics' approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes that still make for interesting, and in many cases, even great viewings. With everything from supernatural giallo movies to slasher sequels that subvert expectations, there is a horror movie for every scary sensibility. Here are the 15 horror flicks that didn't connect with most critics that should be given at least one solid viewing.
Read...
- 1/27/2024
- by Samuel Stone
- Slash Film
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is a two-time Oscar winner and the first female director of a Star Wars film.
Having an iconic franchise in her hands thrills the filmmaker as she says it was “about time” a woman took the reigns of a project in the Star Wars universe.
“I’m very thrilled about the project because I feel what we’re about to create is something very special,” Obaid-Chinoy told CNN. “We’re in 2024 now, and it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape a story in a galaxy far, far away.”
George Lucas created Star Wars, with the first film released in 1977. Following Lucas, only male directors have helmed the franchise, like Irvin Kershner, Richard Marquand and J.J. Abrams. Standalone movies in the same universe have also been directed by men like Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story.
Having an iconic franchise in her hands thrills the filmmaker as she says it was “about time” a woman took the reigns of a project in the Star Wars universe.
“I’m very thrilled about the project because I feel what we’re about to create is something very special,” Obaid-Chinoy told CNN. “We’re in 2024 now, and it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape a story in a galaxy far, far away.”
George Lucas created Star Wars, with the first film released in 1977. Following Lucas, only male directors have helmed the franchise, like Irvin Kershner, Richard Marquand and J.J. Abrams. Standalone movies in the same universe have also been directed by men like Gareth Edwards’ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story.
- 1/3/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Daisy Ridley’s Rey is coming back to the big screen in a new “Star Wars” movie directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy (“Ms. Marvel”) and written by Steven Knight (“Peaky Blinders”). The film makes Obaid-Chinoy the first woman and first person of color to direct a “Star Wars” feature film. Previous film directors in the franchise include original creator George Lucas, Irvin Kershner (“Empire Strikes Back”), Richard Marquand (“Return of the Jedi”), J.J. Abrams and Rian Johnson (“The Last Jedi”). While “Star Wars” television projects have featured female directors, most notably Deborah Chow, the movies have shut them out until now.
“I’m very thrilled about the project because I feel what we’re about to create is something very special,” Obaid-Chinoy recently told CNN. “We’re in 2024 now, and it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape a story in a galaxy far, far away.
“I’m very thrilled about the project because I feel what we’re about to create is something very special,” Obaid-Chinoy recently told CNN. “We’re in 2024 now, and it’s about time that we had a woman come forward to shape a story in a galaxy far, far away.
- 1/2/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Over the course of "Star Wars," "The Empire Strikes Back," and "Return of the Jedi," the masked character of Boba Fett only has four lines of dialogue and six and a half minutes of screentime. Add in "The Star Wars Holiday Special," and the character suddenly had 20 additional lines. Either way, he was not a major player in "Star Wars," and ultimately fell into the mouth of a Shai Hulud on Arrakis a Sarlacc on Tattooine. It wasn't until the decade-and-a-half following the release of 1983's "Jedi" that Boba Fett would come to be admired by Starwoids who watched the "Star Wars" movies dozens of times each. In the "Star Wars" prequel films released from 1999 to 2005, Boba Fett was given a mythic backstory, and in 2021, he became the star of his own TV series.
But for many years, outside of the old Expanded Universe, he was merely the "four lines...
But for many years, outside of the old Expanded Universe, he was merely the "four lines...
- 1/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Moms loved actor Robert Shaw. He wasn’t traditionally handsome, but he was sexy with his piercing blue eyes and forceful British accent. There was a gravatas to his performances, a danger that was appealing to women of a certain age. And he knew how to make an entrance on the big screen. Who could forget his introduction as the fanatical shark hunter Quint in the 1975 blockbuster “Jaws” when he runs his fingernails down the blackboard. He was the bad boy of many a mother’s dreams in the 1970s.
Let’s face it, they don’t make them like Shaw anymore. In its 1978 obit of the British actor, the Washington Post declared him as “one of the most forceful and successful character actors on the contemporary English-speaking screen.” He was also a true renaissance man having written five novels and three plays. He was writing his sixth novel when...
Let’s face it, they don’t make them like Shaw anymore. In its 1978 obit of the British actor, the Washington Post declared him as “one of the most forceful and successful character actors on the contemporary English-speaking screen.” He was also a true renaissance man having written five novels and three plays. He was writing his sixth novel when...
- 12/27/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
BFI IMAX has announced an incredibly rare chance to experience ‘Star Wars: Episode IV – New Hope, ‘Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back’ and ‘Star Wars Episode Vi: Return Of The Jedi’ on the UK’s largest screen this December.
The special editions of these beloved films will play for an extremely limited time, with all three shown back-to-back on both Friday 29 and Saturday 30 December before they return to the vault indefinitely. Rarely shown in cinemas, this is an unmissable chance to see the sci-fi trilogy that changed the face of Hollywood on BFI IMAX’s 65-foot screen with 12-channel immersive sound. These must-see screenings of the original Star Wars trilogy mark the culmination of the four-month-long BFI IMAX sci-fi celebration, Sci-fIMAX: Into the Future, Now!
Tickets will be on sale here Now.
Also in news – George Clooney & Adam Sandler team for Noah Baumbach movie
The trilogy begins with...
The special editions of these beloved films will play for an extremely limited time, with all three shown back-to-back on both Friday 29 and Saturday 30 December before they return to the vault indefinitely. Rarely shown in cinemas, this is an unmissable chance to see the sci-fi trilogy that changed the face of Hollywood on BFI IMAX’s 65-foot screen with 12-channel immersive sound. These must-see screenings of the original Star Wars trilogy mark the culmination of the four-month-long BFI IMAX sci-fi celebration, Sci-fIMAX: Into the Future, Now!
Tickets will be on sale here Now.
Also in news – George Clooney & Adam Sandler team for Noah Baumbach movie
The trilogy begins with...
- 12/19/2023
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
In Irvin Kershner's 1980 sci-fi epic "The Empire Strikes Back," the Rebel hero Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) travels to a distant planet called Dagobah to hone his nascent mental powers with the gnome-like sage Yoda (Frank Oz). During his training, Luke learns about the Force, the godlike spiritual energy that binds the universe together. He learns to better move objects with his mind, and also to see vaguely into the future. Yoda warns Luke that directing one's Force-inspired powers toward violence and selfish desires can lead one toward the Dark Side, a corrupting, demonic facet of the Force that encourages evil.
As a demonstration of the Dark Side, Luke has a vision in a cave. He sees a ghostly imprint of Darth Vader (David Prowse), the fascist warlock who killed one of Luke's old friends. Luke has a slow-motion duel with the masked Vader, and, in a fit of murderous anger,...
As a demonstration of the Dark Side, Luke has a vision in a cave. He sees a ghostly imprint of Darth Vader (David Prowse), the fascist warlock who killed one of Luke's old friends. Luke has a slow-motion duel with the masked Vader, and, in a fit of murderous anger,...
- 12/18/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Hoth seems like a terrible planet for a rebel station. Sure, it's far enough away from anything that the Empire would have a tough time finding it (not that it ultimately stopped them), but it's cold, dangerous, and brutal.
Those conditions weren't just fictional, however. The production for "Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back" shot the exterior scenes in Finse, Norway, with the battle scenes on nearby Hardangerjøkulen Glacier, and conditions weren't exactly favorable. Sure, it's got the right look, but Finse's average temperature in March when the Hoth scenes were filmed has highs around 25 degrees Fahrenheit and lows around 12 degrees Fahrenheit. That's just average, mind you, and not the only thing they were dealing with as they shot outside.
When "Empire" was filming, the weather was "awful," according to the book "The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Enhanced Edition)" by J.W. Rinzler. In fact,...
Those conditions weren't just fictional, however. The production for "Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back" shot the exterior scenes in Finse, Norway, with the battle scenes on nearby Hardangerjøkulen Glacier, and conditions weren't exactly favorable. Sure, it's got the right look, but Finse's average temperature in March when the Hoth scenes were filmed has highs around 25 degrees Fahrenheit and lows around 12 degrees Fahrenheit. That's just average, mind you, and not the only thing they were dealing with as they shot outside.
When "Empire" was filming, the weather was "awful," according to the book "The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Enhanced Edition)" by J.W. Rinzler. In fact,...
- 12/2/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
We will probably never see a motion picture phenomenon like George Lucas' "Star Wars" ever again. The United States was still shaking off its Vietnam War hangover in the mid-1970s, and while the top filmmakers of the New Hollywood were mostly attracted to edgy material that explored its characters' damaged psyches, audiences were in the mood to escape. Steven Spielberg's "Jaws" offered emphatic proof of this mindset during the summer of 1975 when it briefly became the highest-grossing movie in U.S. box office history.
Lucas' space opera was an altogether different kind of sensation. The briskly paced yarn about a young farm boy who discovers he might be the galaxy's savior ignited the imaginations of kids the world over, and Lucas deepened the viewer's immersion by employing an array of pioneering special effects and wildly inventive creature/production designs. "Star Wars" was world-building on a scale that matched "The Wizard of Oz,...
Lucas' space opera was an altogether different kind of sensation. The briskly paced yarn about a young farm boy who discovers he might be the galaxy's savior ignited the imaginations of kids the world over, and Lucas deepened the viewer's immersion by employing an array of pioneering special effects and wildly inventive creature/production designs. "Star Wars" was world-building on a scale that matched "The Wizard of Oz,...
- 12/2/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Victor J. Kemper, the veteran cinematographer who shot more than 50 features, including Dog Day Afternoon, Eyes of Laura Mars, The Jerk and Slap Shot, has died. He was 96.
Kemper died Monday of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, his son, Steven Kemper, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kemper earned his inaugural D.P. credit on Husbands (1970), written and directed by John Cassavetes, then shot Elia Kazan’s final feature, The Last Tycoon (1976) and Tim Burton’s first, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985).
Kemper also did six films for director Arthur Hiller — The Tiger Makes Out (1967), The Hospital (1971), Author! Author! (1982), The Lonely Guy (1984), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) and Married to It (1991) — and three in a row for Carl Reiner: Oh God! (1977), The One and Only (1978) and The Jerk (1979).
The New Jersey native said he had to wear ice skates when he photographed the hockey scenes in George Roy Hill’s Slap Shot (1977) and...
Kemper died Monday of natural causes in Sherman Oaks, his son, Steven Kemper, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Kemper earned his inaugural D.P. credit on Husbands (1970), written and directed by John Cassavetes, then shot Elia Kazan’s final feature, The Last Tycoon (1976) and Tim Burton’s first, Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985).
Kemper also did six films for director Arthur Hiller — The Tiger Makes Out (1967), The Hospital (1971), Author! Author! (1982), The Lonely Guy (1984), See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989) and Married to It (1991) — and three in a row for Carl Reiner: Oh God! (1977), The One and Only (1978) and The Jerk (1979).
The New Jersey native said he had to wear ice skates when he photographed the hockey scenes in George Roy Hill’s Slap Shot (1977) and...
- 11/29/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When actor David Prowse was filming "Star Wars" back in 1976, he knew that his face would be obscured by a mask, but he hadn't yet any clue that his voice was going to be dubbed over by another actor. Famously, Prowse's vocal performance was replaced by award-winning actor James Earl Jones. Fans of "Star Wars" may have come to associate the character of Darth Vader with both Prowse and Jones, but there was a period when Prowse was miffed he wasn't able to provide his own vocals. Jones has said that Darth Vader belongs entirely to Prowse, as his voice wasn't so much a performance as an enhancing special effect.
By the time the 1980 sequel, "The Empire Strikes Back" was being made in 1979, Prowse knew the score, understanding that his voice was to be used as a place-holder until Jones could be brought in to dub it over. This allowed...
By the time the 1980 sequel, "The Empire Strikes Back" was being made in 1979, Prowse knew the score, understanding that his voice was to be used as a place-holder until Jones could be brought in to dub it over. This allowed...
- 11/26/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Despite numerous stuffies, toys, and webcomics making wampas seem cuddly and cute, when "Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back" first came out, the fluffy white monster was pretty scary. A denizen of the ice planet Hoth where the Rebels have a base, a wampa sneaks up on Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and captures him. He sticks Luke's feet to the ceiling of his cave with ice and saves him as a snack for later. As it turns out, the wampa costume itself was pretty difficult to deal with, according to a 2013 issue of "Star Wars Insider." It was also uncomfortable to wear and move in, leading to a scene that ended up being left out of the finished film, as was detailed in the book "The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back (Enhanced Edition)" by J.W. Rinzler.
Though the wampa scene we did see gave...
Though the wampa scene we did see gave...
- 11/25/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
In a 2000 Star Wars Insider interview with "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back" director Irvin Kershner, he admits that he was initially reluctant to take on the project: "'Star Wars' was one of the greatest successes we ever had in film, and I felt to follow it would only be to make a film not as good." Even the studio did not want him to get involved with the sequel, feeling that Kershner was "too old, because it's a young person's film." He also knew next to nothing about special effects.
But as much of a success as "Star Wars" became, it was not initially received that way. In the same interview, Kershner recalls viewing a trailer at Francis Ford Coppola's New Year's Eve party: "We were all baffled, to tell you the truth. We did not believe that he was going to get away with this. We all had...
But as much of a success as "Star Wars" became, it was not initially received that way. In the same interview, Kershner recalls viewing a trailer at Francis Ford Coppola's New Year's Eve party: "We were all baffled, to tell you the truth. We did not believe that he was going to get away with this. We all had...
- 11/25/2023
- by Caroline Madden
- Slash Film
It was revealed at the end of Irvin Kershner's 1980 sci-fi/fantasy film "The Empire Strikes Back" that the masked fascist warlock Darth Vader was secretly the father of the young hero Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). This information was shocking enough to echo through multiple generations, and the "villain is secretly related to the hero" twist has been repeated throughout much of popular media for decades. The revelation also famously contradicts dialogue from 1977's "Star Wars." Luke was previously told, by the reliable Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), that Darth Vader had killed Luke's father. The reason for Obi-Wan's deception has never been satisfactorily explained.
In the broader context of the "Star Wars" saga, the relationship between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker has become a vital narrative fulcrum, but in the contained 1980-only context of just "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back," the twist doesn't make a lot of sense.
In the broader context of the "Star Wars" saga, the relationship between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker has become a vital narrative fulcrum, but in the contained 1980-only context of just "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back," the twist doesn't make a lot of sense.
- 11/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
One of the things that gets lost when you look back on the incredible history of "Star Wars" as a franchise was just how precarious the whole Lucasfilm empire (no pun intended) was between the release of the original 1977 classic and its first sequel "The Empire Strikes Back." George Lucas is a genius for about a billion different reasons, but how he navigated Lucasfilm through this time period and somehow ended up not only controlling the rights to his creation but also producing the (arguably) best installment of the entire franchise is about the height of his business acumen.
Remember, Fox owned "Star Wars." They bought the pitch from Lucas and funded it, which meant Fox owned "Star Wars," not George Lucas. What Lucas was able to do in those original contracts with the studio was to claim a few key points that most folks ignored in their deal memos,...
Remember, Fox owned "Star Wars." They bought the pitch from Lucas and funded it, which meant Fox owned "Star Wars," not George Lucas. What Lucas was able to do in those original contracts with the studio was to claim a few key points that most folks ignored in their deal memos,...
- 11/5/2023
- by Eric Vespe
- Slash Film
Sometimes there's an exchange in a movie that is so perfect, so natural and in character, that you have to assume it was the result of a deep, thorough writing process with all the top creative minds. The "I love you," "I know" exchange between Han and Leia in the last act of "The Empire Strikes Back" is one of those magical movie moments that perfectly captures their characters and is delivered with all the charisma of those wonderful actors at the top of their game.
It's fairly common trivia that Harrison Ford's "I know" wasn't pre-planned. In the original script he responded with the more sentimental "I love you, too," but something about that didn't work for director Irvin Kershner. In a 2014 interview with StarWars.com, Kershner recalls that the crew was mighty angry at him the day they shot that scene because he refused to move on...
It's fairly common trivia that Harrison Ford's "I know" wasn't pre-planned. In the original script he responded with the more sentimental "I love you, too," but something about that didn't work for director Irvin Kershner. In a 2014 interview with StarWars.com, Kershner recalls that the crew was mighty angry at him the day they shot that scene because he refused to move on...
- 11/5/2023
- by Eric Vespe
- Slash Film
Billy Dee Williams was primed for stardom in the 1970s. He reduced grown men to tears as Chicago Bears running back Gayle Sayers in the classic made-for-tv movie "Brian's Song," and made a super suave impression as Diana Ross' manager in the Billie Holiday biopic "Lady Sings the Blues." Handsome as hell and armed with a velvety bass voice, Williams was a seduction machine in search of the right vehicle to vault him to the Hollywood A-list.
This being the 1970s, when Black leads were generally relegated to the Blaxploitation arena, that vehicle never arrived. He was terrific in the title role of John Badham's "The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings," but he couldn't build off its box office success because the studios weren't developing movies with Black protagonists.
Although he was in his leading-man prime, Williams disappeared from the big screen for four years after "Bingo Long.
This being the 1970s, when Black leads were generally relegated to the Blaxploitation arena, that vehicle never arrived. He was terrific in the title role of John Badham's "The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings," but he couldn't build off its box office success because the studios weren't developing movies with Black protagonists.
Although he was in his leading-man prime, Williams disappeared from the big screen for four years after "Bingo Long.
- 11/4/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
For the bulk of Irvin Kershner's 1980 sci-fantasy flick "The Empire Strikes Back," the evil Empire devotes an unreasonable amount of resources to chasing down the scrappy starship known a the Millennium Falcon, a ship full of outlaws and rebels. One of the Empire's most formidable foes, the masked Darth Vader (portayed by David Prowse but voiced by James Earl Jones), thinks that Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is on board the Falcon, and needs to apprehend him for some as-yet unrevealed reason. Luke is away on a religious sabbatical, however, and it will be up to the Falcon's crafty pilot Han Solo (Harrison Ford) to evade capture.
Eventually, Han Solo will be forced to flee into the protection of an old associate named Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), the Administrator of Cloud City, a city suspended in the clouds above the planet Bespin. Han and Lando have a past. It...
Eventually, Han Solo will be forced to flee into the protection of an old associate named Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams), the Administrator of Cloud City, a city suspended in the clouds above the planet Bespin. Han and Lando have a past. It...
- 10/28/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
As a young boy growing up in Budapest, a town that would come to be known as “Hollywood on the Danube,” Béla Bunyik dreamed of being in the pictures. “I fell in love with movies in Hungary back in the ’50s,” Bunyik tells Variety. “When I was 12 years old, I started to work as an extra in a few movies…. In 1953, I spent a whole summer with a bunch of kids and some of the best Hungarian actors at the time.”
He recalls being picked up after school by talent scouts and cutting his teeth on the sets of films like Viktor Gertler’s 1954 adventure-comedy “Me and My Grandfather.” “Seeing how a movie was done was very exciting for me and I was sad when the summer ended, and the film was shut,” he says. But those formative years sparked a lifelong obsession. “I got hooked.”
Bunyik would later emigrate to the U.
He recalls being picked up after school by talent scouts and cutting his teeth on the sets of films like Viktor Gertler’s 1954 adventure-comedy “Me and My Grandfather.” “Seeing how a movie was done was very exciting for me and I was sad when the summer ended, and the film was shut,” he says. But those formative years sparked a lifelong obsession. “I got hooked.”
Bunyik would later emigrate to the U.
- 10/22/2023
- by Christopher Vourlias
- Variety Film + TV
For a certain generation, spoilers weren't something you got on the Internet. They happened when you walked up behind someone on the playground and heard them discussing how Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) were twins. One huge spoiler for the first "Star Wars" generation was the fact that Darth Vader was Luke's father. You have to remember that this reveal occurred many years before the prequel films gave us the story of a young Anakin Skywalker and how he went from an unusually Force-sensitive child to the villain terrorizing the entire galaxy.
Back then, it was really hard to believe that this character, who was described as "more machine than man," could ever have fathered children. I remember leaving the theater in my footie pajamas, listening to the adults say this was unbelievable, and they absolutely couldn't wrap their heads around it. As it turns out,...
Back then, it was really hard to believe that this character, who was described as "more machine than man," could ever have fathered children. I remember leaving the theater in my footie pajamas, listening to the adults say this was unbelievable, and they absolutely couldn't wrap their heads around it. As it turns out,...
- 8/29/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
Few American filmmakers of the last 40 years await a major rediscovery like Hal Hartley, whose traces in modern movies are either too-minor or entirely unknown. Thus it’s cause for celebration that the Criterion Channel are soon launching a major retrospective: 13 features (which constitutes all but My America) and 17 shorts, a sui generis style and persistent vision running across 30 years. Expect your Halloween party to be aswim in Henry Fool costumes.
Speaking of: there’s a one-month headstart on seasonal programming with the 13-film “High School Horror”––most notable perhaps being a streaming premiere for the uncut version of Suspiria, plus the rare opportunity to see a Robert Rodriguez movie on the Criterion Channel––and a retrospective of Hong Kong vampire movies. A retrospective of ’70s car movies offer chills and thrills of a different sort
Six films by Allan Dwan and 12 “gaslight noirs” round out the main September series; The Eight Mountains,...
Speaking of: there’s a one-month headstart on seasonal programming with the 13-film “High School Horror”––most notable perhaps being a streaming premiere for the uncut version of Suspiria, plus the rare opportunity to see a Robert Rodriguez movie on the Criterion Channel––and a retrospective of Hong Kong vampire movies. A retrospective of ’70s car movies offer chills and thrills of a different sort
Six films by Allan Dwan and 12 “gaslight noirs” round out the main September series; The Eight Mountains,...
- 8/21/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
The Will Rogers Picture Pioneers Foundation is holding a screening of Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back on Aug. 30, 7Pm at the Tcl Chinese Theatre in Hollywood to raise funds for its charity.
The non-profit provides support to a multitude of national health and social service programs, as well as financial assistance to members of the motion picture community in times of need. A special appearance will be made by the 501st Legion, an international costuming organization comprised of and operated by Star Wars fans that are committed to supporting communities, moviegoers and charitable causes nationwide.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre for their generosity in supporting Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation to raise much-needed funds for members of our community during a time of increasing need,” said Christina Blumer, Executive Director of Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. “We’re also thrilled to collaborate with...
The non-profit provides support to a multitude of national health and social service programs, as well as financial assistance to members of the motion picture community in times of need. A special appearance will be made by the 501st Legion, an international costuming organization comprised of and operated by Star Wars fans that are committed to supporting communities, moviegoers and charitable causes nationwide.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the historic Tcl Chinese Theatre for their generosity in supporting Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation to raise much-needed funds for members of our community during a time of increasing need,” said Christina Blumer, Executive Director of Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation. “We’re also thrilled to collaborate with...
- 8/9/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
“Star Wars” is one of the biggest franchises of all time and has welcomed multiple generations to a galaxy far, far away for 45 years. George Lucas’ groundbreaking vision, which began all the way back in 1977 with “A New Hope,” changed the movie industry forever and, with that, made a mark on the Academy Awards that year with a Best Picture nomination. However, the relationship between “Star Wars” and the Oscars hasn’t always been as lovable as Han Solo and Chewie. In fact, there’s often been a touch of Vader-Luke in the conflicted dynamic between the two institutions. Here’s a breakdown of the history of every “Star Wars” movie at the Academy Awards, ranked in terms of Oscars success.
“A New Hope” (1977)
Dir: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
“Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and...
“A New Hope” (1977)
Dir: George Lucas
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
“Luke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and...
- 7/28/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Clockwise from top left: Black Adam (Warner Bros.), The Silence Of The Lambs (Orion Pictures), Star Wars: Episode V–The Empire Strikes Back. (20th Century Fox), Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning Part One (Paramount)
We’re over halfway through 2023 and there are already three major blockbusters with cliffhanger endings. First came Fast X,...
We’re over halfway through 2023 and there are already three major blockbusters with cliffhanger endings. First came Fast X,...
- 7/16/2023
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
Intro: There’s a scene, roughly half way through the much maligned Robocop 3, in which the eponymous law enforcer is malfunctioning, battered and bruised, which is almost the perfect metaphor for the franchise at this point. As outlined in our previous video in this series, Robocop 2 may have had its fair share of issues, but alongside the annoying characters and a frustratingly dumbed down hero, it’s actually a pretty decent movie. It was just nowhere near the sequel it could so easily have been. Which leads us to part three, which is, well…Where do we start? Historically, in the wonderful world of movies in which we all often reside, part three’s, and later sequels to popular franchises, have that nagging tendency to Look like they should, but for the most part, this familiarity leads to something so very, very…Wrong! Beverley Hills Cop 3 lost all...
- 7/3/2023
- by Adam Walton
- JoBlo.com
We’ve all dreamt of what taking an adventure worthy of cinema would be like. Exploring depths unknown, defeating evil at impossible odds, meeting and making lifelong friends…you get the picture.
It’s why adventure remains a popular entertainment format even today. And the genre doesn’t seem to be slowing down either…
Capturing moviegoers’ imaginations, the 2023 releases of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3” and “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” affirms this trend conclusively.
There’s good news for fans of reel epics filled with breathtaking journeys and heart-stopping escapades. With platforms like IMDb, uncovering the crème de la crème of adventure films is a mere click away.
Based on the democratic verdict of millions of viewers on IMDb, we bring you the most revered adventure movies of all time. These films often glitter with accolades, embodying the zenith of cinematic exploration and adventure.
Related: 10 Best Movie Remakes of All Time,...
It’s why adventure remains a popular entertainment format even today. And the genre doesn’t seem to be slowing down either…
Capturing moviegoers’ imaginations, the 2023 releases of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3” and “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” affirms this trend conclusively.
There’s good news for fans of reel epics filled with breathtaking journeys and heart-stopping escapades. With platforms like IMDb, uncovering the crème de la crème of adventure films is a mere click away.
Based on the democratic verdict of millions of viewers on IMDb, we bring you the most revered adventure movies of all time. These films often glitter with accolades, embodying the zenith of cinematic exploration and adventure.
Related: 10 Best Movie Remakes of All Time,...
- 6/14/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
Though "The Empire Strikes Back" is often regarded now as the best "Star Wars" film, the surprising runner-up in our poll two years ago was "Return of the Jedi," which is celebrating its 40th anniversary today. That "Jedi" should make such a strong showing was surprising if only because the film tends to take a slight critical drubbing in comparison to "Empire" and the first "Star Wars" movie, now known as "A New Hope."
With "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back," directors George Lucas and Irvin Kershner each carved out a distinct tone and vision for what the original "Star Wars" trilogy could be. Still, the contemporary love for "Empire" doesn't necessarily align with the immediate reaction audiences had to it back in the day. Last year, the Vice TV docuseries "Icons Unearthed: Star Wars" spliced in footage of one '80s fan exiting the theater, saying, "It could've been a better ending,...
With "A New Hope" and "The Empire Strikes Back," directors George Lucas and Irvin Kershner each carved out a distinct tone and vision for what the original "Star Wars" trilogy could be. Still, the contemporary love for "Empire" doesn't necessarily align with the immediate reaction audiences had to it back in the day. Last year, the Vice TV docuseries "Icons Unearthed: Star Wars" spliced in footage of one '80s fan exiting the theater, saying, "It could've been a better ending,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
With the release of "Star Wars" in 1977, it quickly became clear that filmmaker George Lucas was changing the way Hollywood worked on numerous levels, from the types of films being developed to the proliferation of new special effects techniques to the way movies were marketed and merchandised to what series meant for kids could do.
Yet Lucas' influence didn't stop with merely one film — he continued to innovate and push the envelope throughout his career, from shepherding the creation of the Thx sound system to helping develop what would become Pixar to pioneering the usage of non-linear editing, all of which are staples of the film industry in 2023.
The changes to filmmaking that Lucas helped usher in aren't all as seismic as those examples, however. Around the release of "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980, Lucas publicly left the Director's Guild of America over a dispute regarding the film's on-screen credit structure and usage.
Yet Lucas' influence didn't stop with merely one film — he continued to innovate and push the envelope throughout his career, from shepherding the creation of the Thx sound system to helping develop what would become Pixar to pioneering the usage of non-linear editing, all of which are staples of the film industry in 2023.
The changes to filmmaking that Lucas helped usher in aren't all as seismic as those examples, however. Around the release of "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980, Lucas publicly left the Director's Guild of America over a dispute regarding the film's on-screen credit structure and usage.
- 5/7/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
"Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back" held a huge revelation; Darth Vader was the father of Luke Skywalker. Almost everyone in the world has access to this information now, but when the film hit theaters in 1980, that was a huge deal. In 2023, we have prequel films, TV series, novels, comic books, and video games devoted to exploring Anakin Skywalker's history and tragic downfall. However, as someone who was a tiny person when "Empire" came out, I can tell you that this news was major talk on the playground for the entire rest of the school year.
Nowadays, we have social media to discuss spoilers and argue about how long we have to wait to discuss them openly. Actors have non-disclosure agreements that can be massive documents. The landscape was different back then. The first episode in the film series, 1977's "A New Hope" wasn't really an anticipated title,...
Nowadays, we have social media to discuss spoilers and argue about how long we have to wait to discuss them openly. Actors have non-disclosure agreements that can be massive documents. The landscape was different back then. The first episode in the film series, 1977's "A New Hope" wasn't really an anticipated title,...
- 5/1/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” continued the academy’s mini-genre revolution by becoming a sci-fi/fantasy movie to win not just Best Picture, but seven Oscars in total. It is another move by the academy that shows they are embracing genre films more and more after decades of shunning sci-fi and fantasy pictures that deserved far more recognition than they deserve. With that in mind, here are 10 sci-fi flicks of old that deserved the “Everything Everywhere All at Once” treatment.
“Edge of Tomorrow” (2014)
Doug Liman‘s film follows Tom Cruise as a soldier fighting aliens — but every time he dies, his life starts over and over again as he relives the same day and tries to work with Emily Blunt‘s war hero to stop the alien invasion. This film is one of the best examples of time-loop movies — packing in terrific alien designs with a whip-smart script (based on...
“Edge of Tomorrow” (2014)
Doug Liman‘s film follows Tom Cruise as a soldier fighting aliens — but every time he dies, his life starts over and over again as he relives the same day and tries to work with Emily Blunt‘s war hero to stop the alien invasion. This film is one of the best examples of time-loop movies — packing in terrific alien designs with a whip-smart script (based on...
- 4/29/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
This post contains spoilers for "The Empire Strikes Back."
In 1980, "The Empire Strikes Back" had already screened in about a hundred theaters when executive producer and "Star Wars" creator George Lucas decided that the ending was confusing and needed some last-minute changes. According to StarWars.com, before the movie expanded its theatrical rollout any further, Lucas had the team at Industrial Light & Magic add shots to give clarity to the geography of the Millennium Falcon in relation to the medical frigate where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the droids C-3Po (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) stand looking out the window.
It wouldn't be the last time Lucas tinkered with "The Empire Strikes Back," as the version that's now streaming on Disney+ incorporates further changes he made for its 1997 Special Edition re-release. In 2022, Hamill revealed that the medical frigate scene was itself a late...
In 1980, "The Empire Strikes Back" had already screened in about a hundred theaters when executive producer and "Star Wars" creator George Lucas decided that the ending was confusing and needed some last-minute changes. According to StarWars.com, before the movie expanded its theatrical rollout any further, Lucas had the team at Industrial Light & Magic add shots to give clarity to the geography of the Millennium Falcon in relation to the medical frigate where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), and the droids C-3Po (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 (Kenny Baker) stand looking out the window.
It wouldn't be the last time Lucas tinkered with "The Empire Strikes Back," as the version that's now streaming on Disney+ incorporates further changes he made for its 1997 Special Edition re-release. In 2022, Hamill revealed that the medical frigate scene was itself a late...
- 4/29/2023
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
A new episode of The Arrow in the Head Show has just been released, and in this one hosts John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance Vlcek are looking back at the 1990 sci-fi action sequel RoboCop 2 (watch it Here), which sees our hero RoboCop trying to get a new drug called Nuke off the streets of Detroit… and then battling a drug dealer who has been turned into a RoboCop himself. To find out what The Arrow and Lance think of RoboCop 2, check out the video embedded above.
Directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Frank Miller and Walon Green, RoboCop 2 has the following synopsis: Cyborg Detroit policeman Alex Murphy is the sole officer on duty after the police force goes on strike against evil conglomerate Omni Consumer Products and its push to foreclose on the city of Detroit. Aside from dealing with the normal level of crime,...
Directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Frank Miller and Walon Green, RoboCop 2 has the following synopsis: Cyborg Detroit policeman Alex Murphy is the sole officer on duty after the police force goes on strike against evil conglomerate Omni Consumer Products and its push to foreclose on the city of Detroit. Aside from dealing with the normal level of crime,...
- 4/28/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Something curious happened between the release of George Lucas' "Star Wars" in 1977 and Irvin Kershner's "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980, and I'm not just talking about "The Star Wars Holiday Special."
In the original "Star Wars," the evil Empire was represented by the cold-eyed general Grand Moff Tarkin, played by one of the film's bigger celebrities, Peter Cushing. One of Tarkin's more threatening lieutenants was a masked, black-clad wizard in a cape named Darth Vader. Darth Vader, while serving the Empire, seemed to operate by his own rules. He wielded a laser sword, something no other Imperial officers did, and he had mysterious psychic powers that give him the ability to choke a man from across the room. Why did he wear that mask? He was very mysterious.
"Star Wars" was an enormous hit, and when it came time to make a sequel, it seemed that Darth Vader's role in the story suddenly expanded.
In the original "Star Wars," the evil Empire was represented by the cold-eyed general Grand Moff Tarkin, played by one of the film's bigger celebrities, Peter Cushing. One of Tarkin's more threatening lieutenants was a masked, black-clad wizard in a cape named Darth Vader. Darth Vader, while serving the Empire, seemed to operate by his own rules. He wielded a laser sword, something no other Imperial officers did, and he had mysterious psychic powers that give him the ability to choke a man from across the room. Why did he wear that mask? He was very mysterious.
"Star Wars" was an enormous hit, and when it came time to make a sequel, it seemed that Darth Vader's role in the story suddenly expanded.
- 4/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
This is the way ... that some of the most famous "Star Wars" moments came to be. Given the multilayered lore behind the galaxy far, far away, it should come as no surprise that many of the plot decisions across the franchise's rich history are more than meets the eye.
George Lucas didn't freeze Han Solo in "The Empire Strikes Back" just for the fun of it. Darth Vader didn't show us the might of his evil in "Rogue One" for nothing. These and other favorite sequences have real-world strategies rooted in their fictional placement. As glorious as "Star Wars" is, it's not exempt from production snafus, casting challenges, and logistical puzzles that require solutions, which occasionally inform a story beat out of necessity.
From movies to TV to theme parks, we thought it'd be fun to highlight a few "Star Wars" plot decisions that were smarter than you think. Some are legend,...
George Lucas didn't freeze Han Solo in "The Empire Strikes Back" just for the fun of it. Darth Vader didn't show us the might of his evil in "Rogue One" for nothing. These and other favorite sequences have real-world strategies rooted in their fictional placement. As glorious as "Star Wars" is, it's not exempt from production snafus, casting challenges, and logistical puzzles that require solutions, which occasionally inform a story beat out of necessity.
From movies to TV to theme parks, we thought it'd be fun to highlight a few "Star Wars" plot decisions that were smarter than you think. Some are legend,...
- 3/18/2023
- by Blake Taylor
- Slash Film
Last year, we were treated to instant classics like ‘The Batman’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ adding to the already impressive collection of timeless action movies. For those seeking a similar adrenaline-packed experience, IMDb collective voters have identified some of the best action films of all time.
IMDb’s list of highest-rated award-winning action movies features several genre-defining classics. Naturally, it’s no surprise that hit franchises like Star Wars and the entire Lord of the Rings series are well-represented in these rankings. We’ve listed the top 10 action movies of all time, with other must-see adrenaline-rush action flicks available below it. Each of these action films can be found on the IMDb Top 250 Movies list.
10 ‘Léon: The Professional’ (1994)
Director: Luc Besson
Stars: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello
IMDb: 8.5
‘Léon: The Professional’ tells the story of an unlikely bond between a ruthless assassin and twelve-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman...
IMDb’s list of highest-rated award-winning action movies features several genre-defining classics. Naturally, it’s no surprise that hit franchises like Star Wars and the entire Lord of the Rings series are well-represented in these rankings. We’ve listed the top 10 action movies of all time, with other must-see adrenaline-rush action flicks available below it. Each of these action films can be found on the IMDb Top 250 Movies list.
10 ‘Léon: The Professional’ (1994)
Director: Luc Besson
Stars: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello
IMDb: 8.5
‘Léon: The Professional’ tells the story of an unlikely bond between a ruthless assassin and twelve-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman...
- 3/18/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
1977's "Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope" was a huge hit when it came out. In other news, the sky is blue. Part of its appeal was, despite featuring sentient droids, villains in very large and oddly-shaped helmets, space battles, and a battle station that could destroy a planet in moments, it was ultimately a simple tale. Whatever trappings were around the main characters, it was really the story of a young man who dreamed of adventure. He met a guide (Obi-Wan Kenobi), saved a Princess (Leia ... though one could argue that she saved him), and found a roguish friend (Han Solo) who pushed him to do better. He battled evil (Darth Vader) using the power of his mind and belief in himself to win the day. It's the classic hero's journey that humans have been seeing and hearing versions of for millennia, in stories like Homer's...
- 3/10/2023
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
Marc Eliot's 2009 biography "American Rebel: The Life of Clint Eastwood" lays out the production of Don Siegel's 1971 cop drama "Dirty Harry" as a complicated affair. The first version of the film's script was violent and raw, telling the story of a cop who has to break the law in order to stop a dangerous serial killer. As the script was passed around, though, many became wary of its violence, and many actors expressed interest and dropped out. The rights to the film were once in the hands of ABC who aimed to adapt it for TV, but sold it to Warner Bros. when they realized just how violent the film had to be. Irvin Kershner was once hired to direct, with Frank Sinatra starring. Sydney Pollock, George C. Scott, Robert Mitchum, Steve McQueen, and many other famous people brushed up against "Dirty Harry" during pre-production. Even Terrence Malick purportedly wrote a draft.
- 2/17/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
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