I think one of the reasons this film is so highly regarded is that in 1980, it WAS the expanded universe. Star Wars blew everyone away, and we all wanted more. It wasn't like now where there are piles of books, films, shows, patterned underwear, etcetera to carry on the story. This was the first, deeper look into the world we'd been entranced by.
Oh, and I'm totally convinced now.
These films should be watched in release order. Besides the amazing transformation Frank Oz pulled off of having goofy old man Yoda turn into a serious and scary Jedi Master in front of our eyes, there is also Luke in the Wampa cave. We see him using force telekinesis for the first, and very dramatic, time. Additionally, seeing those Walkers come out of the snowy fog on Hoth is way too awesome to have seen them get popped by X-wings in Rogue One first.
Hey, speaking of Hoth:
Snow Troopers!!
They were first of a long line of specialized Stormtroopers. Everyone takes the variety for granted now but that was huge back in the day!
Other Hoth thing:
Those rebel Snow Speeders are just that...modified speeders. That means they are the equivalent of land vehicles in our world. And why do they have harpoons with cables? They make up the tactic to take down the walkers on the fly, which means it's not a normal combat mission, or something they hooked up for this battle.
The Rebels took out the Empire's heavy artillery with a bunch of winterized tow trucks.
That's impressive.
Speaking of Yoda, which I was before the Hoth tangent:
Frank Oz imparts movements, inflections and emotions into that puppet, which make him the most powerful seeming version of the character by far. You get the feeling that this Yoda wouldn't need a lightsaber to accomplish anything he wants, or take out any opponent.
This is the film that raises Darth Vader from awesome to iconic.
He's much calmer, much more measured and much more in charge. The dissolution of the Senate must have allowed the Emperor to reveal that the Sith are truly running the show.
Big geek debates came about from Vader stopping Boba Fett from shooting Chewie when he flips out in the carbon freezing chamber. This was particularly true after the later films.
Was Anakin protecting his daughter?
Was he protecting the droid he built in his childhood?
Since both of those ideas came after this script was written we'll probably never know. The unfortunate part is those debates kept everyone from noticing the hilarious stink eye Fett gives Vader through his helmet right afterwards.
Yes, Darth Vader is in total control in this film, with one single exception.
By the end of his duel with Luke, he's clearly done putting up with his kid's crap at that point and is flat out whaling on him.
In the continued evidence of Droid slavery practiced by just about everyone but the Skywalker family, Han nods to Leia when they're clamped onto the Star Destroyer and she shuts Threepio off mid sentence without warning, permission or consent. Later on Bespin, after we hear Lando's most infectious laugh in the galaxy for the first time, he welcomes all of them and totally ignores Goldenrod. Chewie is the only one who personally goes to look for him when he disappears. Chewbacca has always had a strong anti-slavery leaning.
This Yoda is both the silliest and scariest. I have tried and failed to deliver "You will be" with the same gravitas. My ears don't move as much.
ReplyDeleteI agree one hundred percent. And he switches from laugh out loud funny to terrifying on a dime. I could see the ears being a problem.
ReplyDeleteI have been known to lean on a fire poker and say "That...is why you fail" effectively enough to get my sister to smack me.
Thanx for playing!