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The film Empire Strikes Back in the Star Wars series is one of the most endearing films of the trilogy and a lot of that has to go to the vision of Irvin Kershner. He directed Episode V and really sealed the role Star Wars had in culture. It is rare that one can take a middle of sequence film which had no beginning and no end and turn it into one that is fondly remembered as the best.

George Lucas knew that in order for Episode V to work, it would have to rely more on emotions than action and special effects. After all, this is where Luke would learn of his true nature and what it meant to help his friends. The story just oozed character interaction and George wanted someone who knew what he was doing, but wasn’t tainted by Hollywood’s push for special effects at the expense of its actors.

That is when the name Irvin Kershner came up. Kershner had a reputation for being very passionate about character development and human interaction. This is what George...

Since 1977, people have been fascinated by the Star Wars Universe and to this day, there is still so much information to be learned and enjoyed about this classic series. Today we will look at some recent reference books that have popped up that would be perfect for your holiday gift list.

Unlike the series, the Art of Star Wars, this book goes the opposite direction. Instead of showing the conceptual artwork that was used as inspiration for set and character designs, this one asks 100 artists, to give their interpretation of any part of the Star Wars universe. What results is a rich array of visual styles and subjects such as Darth Maul as a baby and Lucas standing at the bar with a fruity drink at Mos Eisley spaceport. The artists were chosen not from just well known fantasy masters like Boris Vallejo or Julie Bell or HR Giger, but up and coming ones as well. For the lover of art, this one really is a true treasure and a great coffee table addition. This one...

Here is a list of 40 most memorable lines from the first film in the original trilogy. We never realized how many great lines Carrie Fisher had as Princess Leia.

40. Where did you dig up that old fossil? – Han asking about Obi-Wan
39. They’re coming in too fast! – Luke talking about the tie fighters attacking the Millenium Falcon.
38. And I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations. And this is my counterpart R2D2. – C3PO introduces himself and his partner
37. This is some rescue. You came in here, didn't you have a plan for getting out?
36. I am not a committee! – Leia to Han during the argument on the Millenium Falcon
35. Traveling through hyperspace isn’t like dusting crops, boy! – Han Solo to Luke
34. Put that away. You’re going to get us all killed – Leia to Han in garbage compactor
33. Garbage chute. Really wonderful idea. What an incredible smell you've discovered! Let's get out of here! Get away from there... – Han, after falling in the slimy filth.
32. One...

So many people grew up watching the movies, reading the books, visiting the theme park attractions, and it’s become such a legacy. But what does the story teach us and teach our kids? In this article, we’ll explore that question.

First off, riches are of no value if you don’t have friends to share it with. When Han wants to just leave with his promised loot, he feels that it’s in his best interest. But by the end of the film, he realizes that he’d become friends with Luke and Leia and they were more important than just the riches. Money isn’t everything. If it was, you wouldn’t see so many rich people doing drugs and alcohol.

Secondly, be brave in the face of fear. Yoda sends Luke into the cave to face his biggest enemy, Darth Vader, but when he strikes down the huge figure, his own face is in the mask. What was garnished from this was that fear will only get as far as one lets it. Some fear is a good thing, but being overtaken by it is not.

Doing whatever it...

Back in 1981, National Public Radio (NPR) Playhouse featured radio dramas that relied on good acting, sound effects and musical scores to tell their stories. Some of these were science fiction, but the most notable was Star Wars in 1981 and Empire Strikes Back in 1983. The films were adapted to extended episodes (13 and 10 respectively). Return of the Jedi was to be made as well, but NPR’s rocky relationship with their government benefactor at the time shelved the series. It would be 13 years before NPR would return to finish the original trilogy with a 6 part series that reunited cast and crew.
You know, the story of a young person finding out they are a future hero is as old as Hollywood itself and in all fairness, it didn’t start with George Lucas or end with JK Rowling. But since both film series are such icons in film culture, we thought it would be interesting to do some comparisons between them.

Let’s start with Luke and Harry Potter. Luke is an older...

Truly one of the most legendary villains in film history, Darth Vader is the epitome of evil. He is the character over the years we’ve all loved to hate. But from his early beginnings as Anakin Skywalker to his rise to become Darth Lord of the Sith, he’s had many actors play him.

Starting with the voice of Darth Vader in all the films, James Earl Jones is the most memorable. Even though he’s never physically seen in any of the films, his deep sinister tone has thrilled audiences for more than 30 years. Still working at 79, he most recently was seen on House on TV, is in the stage adaptation of Driving Miss Daisy. He also has a film coming out in 2012.
Back in 1981, National Public Radio (NPR) Playhouse featured radio dramas that relied on good acting, sound effects and musical scores to tell their stories. Some of these were science fiction, but the most notable was Star Wars in 1981 and Empire Strikes Back in 1983. The films were adapted to extended episodes...

Every fan of the series has wanted one thing besides seeing more of Leia in her slave bikini or Jar Jar hung from the rafters and that is to wield a real life light saber. In this quest, people have tried to use various items as pseudo sabers including things like fluorescent overhead bulbs which are quite dangerous if they break and are not recommended. And of course there have been plenty of toy versions like those sold in the stores and at carnivals that have the plastic that lights up and extends out when you swing it. Those might be durable enough for battle, but they look really hokey.|
Truly one of the most legendary villains in film history, Darth Vader is the epitome of evil. He is the character over the years we’ve all loved to hate. But from his early beginnings as Anakin Skywalker to his rise to become Darth Lord of the Sith, he’s had many actors play him.

Starting with the voice of Darth Vader in all the films, James Earl Jones is the most...

In the original Star Wars: A New Hope, at the time of the filming, there were almost no characters in the film that were not played by humans in costumes. Even in the most alien-centric scene at Mos Eisley SpacePort, it was easy to see that all of the inhabitants were people in various degrees of makeup and prosthetics. This is because it was really the only option available. Later of course, there were creatures added in via computer graphics to complete scenes Lucas had not been able to previously.|attachment.php?attachmentid=11&cid=18|100|57| |on_nl2br|0|0|0
|11|Every fan of the series has wanted one thing besides seeing more of Leia in her slave bikini or Jar Jar hung from the rafters and that is to wield a real life light saber. In this quest, people have tried to use various items as pseudo sabers including things like fluorescent overhead bulbs which are quite dangerous if they break and are not recommended. And of course there have been plenty of toy...

Here is a list of things that probably would have helped if Han, Luke and Leia and company had followed these simple common sense things

In the original Star Wars: A New Hope, at the time of the filming, there were almost no characters in the film that were not played by humans in costumes. Even in the most alien-centric scene at Mos Eisley SpacePort, it was easy to see that all of the inhabitants were people in various degrees of makeup and prosthetics. This is because it was really the only option available. Later of course, there were creatures added in via computer graphics to complete scenes Lucas had not been able to previously.

But Yoda does not appear until Empire Strike Back. His character is an integral part of the story which caused the filmmakers quite a problem. The technology to bring the diminutive character to the screen had still not been invented. Audio-animatronics, like Disney had created for their theme parks, were in the early stages at...

In 1986, Disney was very interested in a ride where they could use a military simulator, often used for pilot training, to create an attraction in which visitors would literally ride through scenes from a film. Initially, the movie was to be Black Hole and it would follow the journey of the Cygnus through the vortex. While it sounded exciting on paper, the cost and the fact that the film had limited popularity made it very impractical. But Imagineering didn’t forget about the idea.
Here is a list of things that probably would have helped if Han, Luke, and Leia and the company had followed these simple common sense things.

1. Don’t go down a chute that smells like garbage.
2. Don’t try to shoot Darth Vader. It only makes him mad.
3. Before jumping into light speed, make sure you have fixed it.
4. Never passionately kiss your sister.
5. Don’t use galactic credits at Watto’s shop. He only takes Visa and Mastercard.
6. Never battle your opponent on...

The Force Unleashed II continues the story of Starkiller, despite the fact that he was killed in the first game. Darth Vader, upset that his apprentice did not finish the job of helping him to take over the universe, decides to clone him and leave him on a distant world. With very little memory of his former life, he must fight back against the Dark Lord and find his past love Juno Eclipse (who was a pilot in the first game).

The new adventure is an onslaught of action with wave after wave of enemies that Starkiller has to destroy. There is more variety in this one, giving you many more enemies to take down with your force powers, but the constant fighting will leave some players bored with little in between. This makes the game considerably shorter than the first one, almost to the point of being too short for experienced players.
In 1986, Disney was very interested in a ride where they could use a military simulator, often used for pilot training, to create an attraction in which visitors would literally ride through scenes from a film. Initially, the movie was to be Black Hole and it would follow the journey of the Cygnus through the vortex. While it sounded exciting on paper, the cost and the fact that the film had limited popularity made it very impractical. But Imagineering didn’t forget about the idea.

Star Wars is considered science fiction, but like its adversary Star Trek, the George Lucas universe had foreseen many real technological breakthroughs. These innovative achievements showcase the vision that went into making the films and how the future would come to pass. Here are some examples:

In Empire Strikes Back, Luke loses his hand in the battle with Lord Vader at the Cloud City. He is seen later in the film getting a new hand put back on. Inventors like Dean Kamen (of Segway fame) have created a bionic arm that provides amputees with functional fingers where they can pick up and manipulate things much easier. While still not as agile as Luke’s arm, they can go a long way to helping the handicapped be able to do tasks that before were quite difficult if not impossible.
The Force Unleashed II continues the story of Starkiller, despite the fact that he was killed in the first game. Darth Vader, upset that his apprentice did not finish the job of helping...