STAR WARS: THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK (1980)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Fantasy / Sci-Fi

Director: Irvin Kershner

Cast: Mark Hamill / Harrison Ford / Carrie Fisher

Plot

In hiding from the vengeful Empire, Luke Skywalker continues his Jedi training, this time under Master Yoda.  Meanwhile, Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca try to outrun the Empire’s fleet in the Millennium Falcon.

What I Liked

It’s pretty easy to understand why cinephiles and Star Wars fanatics usually consider “Empire” to be the best of the “Star Wars” franchise.  From an entertainment perspective, when compared with the original, it’s got more of everything.  More stars, more war, more budget, more “far, far away” worlds, and more characters.  It’s also got more depth of emotion.  The cinematography is more striking.  The characters, having already been introduced to us, are also allowed to develop slightly beyond the bounds of one-dimensional stereotypes.  There is also the famous twist of the truth about Luke’s father, which adds an extra dimension to the overall arc of the entire “Star Wars” mythology, elevating the scope of the series from lovable space opera to Sophocles in space.  That the film ends on the down-note of this big reveal was also something that set it apart from most action/adventure fare and effectively set up the sequel, not to mention set up the pattern for most successful film trilogies to follow.

What I Didn’t Like

When I was a kid, “Empire” was my least favorite of the three films out at the time.  This was because it was, taken as a whole, the least action-packed of the three.  Luke’s training and the period meeting Lando in Cloud City are both pretty tame.  As an adult, I can look past the lull in action and enjoy other facets of these scenes.

On an entirely different note, this movie makes me hate Chewbacca.  The whiny wookie makes that terrible sound way too much.

Most Memorable Scene

As with the first film, nearly every moment of this film is about as iconic as it gets.  Certainly the “I am your father” moment has endured the most in popular culture.  However, watching the movie this time, what struck me the most was the moments just prior to this, when Luke and Vader square off for the first time.  It’s not necessarily the fight itself that impresses, but the set design, lighting, and cinematography.  Gorgeous, suspenseful, and moody, the scene is the most visually stunning aspect of a movie that has plenty of amazing stuff to look at.

My Rating: 5 out of 5

STAR WARS (1977)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Action / Adventures / Epic / Fantasy / Sci-Fi

Director: George Lucas

Cast: Mark Hamill / Harrison Ford / Carrie Fisher

Plot

Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, farm boy Luke Skywalker is swept up in a plot to free the imprisoned Princess Leia from the clutches of the evil Darth Vader and his imperial forces, which includes a planet-obliterating Death Star.

What I Liked

What is there possibly to be written in praise of “Star Wars” that hasn’t been written or said before?  I’m not even going to make the effort to come up with anything original and just detail what I love about this move, which is probably what anyone bothering to read this loves about it as well.

“Star Wars” was not the first Hollywood summer blockbuster; that honor belongs to “Jaws,” released two years earlier.  “Jaws” was the first film to put together an outrageous plot and eye-catching special effects to create unprecedented pandemonium at the box office and get virtually the entire world talking.  However, “Star Wars” does deserve credit as being the prototype for summer blockbusters in nearly every other since.  “Jaws” could be said to have a quest in its plot, but not the way that “Star Wars” does.  Writer-director George Lucas essentially gave us a tale full of the same sense of adventure one finds in epic poetry and ancient myths, filtered through twentieth-century escapist science fiction influenced by comic books, pulp novels, and cinema featuring characters like Flash Gordon and John Carter.  Familiar with the work of writer and historian Joseph Campbell, he took well-known (to the point of cliché) archetypes from myth, legend, religion, and fiction and rendered them relevant for a post-war, post-Watergate generation.  With these components, George Lucas reintroduced idealism and romanticism to audiences who had long since abandoned them as hopeless nonsense.

“Star Wars” is a testament to belief, not only in its plot (the all-encompasing “Force,” Luke’s rise from farm boy to savior, and Han Solo’s transformation from cynical pirate to hero) but in its very creation. Watching “Star Wars,” one can feel Lucas’ excitement for bringing the fantasies of his childhood to life.  The detail and creativity he demanded in creating convincing costumes, special effects, and settings is evidence of his passion for making the most of this opportunity to complete his dream project, despite next to no support from his production company and a relatively meager budget.

Let’s not forget all of the unforgettable and fun characters, creatures, and beings he gave us with just this single film.  Darth Vader, arguably cinema’s most memorable villain.  Han Solo, a role that transformed unknown Harrison Ford into a movie star.   R2D2 and C3PO, the robotic Odd Couple of outer space.  Chewbacca.  The cantina.  The Millennium Falcon.  The Death Star.  The list goes on.  Western popular culture has been transformed by “Star Wars” in a way that no other work of fiction from the past forty years can match.

On top of all that, it’s still so much fun to watch.  No matter how many times I’ve seen it.

What I Didn’t Like

Despite all the praise above, and despite what so many of its obsessive fans might proclaim, “Star Wars” is not a perfect film.  For starters, Mark Hamill, the least talented actor in the entire production, is somehow given the lead role as Luke Skywalker.  The amazing effects, characters, and design do a good job of hiding its one-dimensional characters and disappointingly simple plot, great for a popcorn summer flick, but ultimately without much originality or depth.  It wasn’t until the film’s tremendous success demanded sequels and prequels and the like that Lucas was able to bring his complete epic vision, with its much more intellectually satisfying themes, to fruition.  “Star Wars” did everything it needed to revolutionize filmmaking and create an unofficial nation of obsessive fans.  It is an entirely satisfying viewing experience for anyone who loves escapist cinema, but it has its weaknesses.

Most Memorable Scene

Sometimes I regret creating this category for my write-ups.  For the most part, I end up picking the film’s climax, which is almost by definition the most memorable scene of the film.  There are a few exceptions, but this isn’t one of them.  The X-Wing assault on the Death Star, with Darth Vader and his pilots in pursuit, is the most edge-of-your seat moment in the film (and maybe in any sci-fi film I've ever seen), not only for its completely convincing special effects and the drama inherent in what is at stake, but for the photography and pacing of the scene.  It’s terrific action filmmaking, one of Lucas’s finest moments as a director.

My Rating: 5 out of 5

REBECCA (1940)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Drama

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Cast: Joan Fontaine / Laurence Olivier / Judith Anderson

Plot

Having married Maxim de Winter, a wealthy widower and owner of England’s Manderly estate, a shy young woman finds the idyllic life she imagined for herself overshadowed by the memory of Maxim’s late wife and the mysteries surrounding her demise.

What I Liked

Famous for the being the product of an unlikely combination of producer David O. Selznick and director Alfred Hitchcock, “Rebecca” benefits from the combination of two very different approaches to filmmaking.  Selznick, the primary mastermind behind the previous year’s hugely successful “Gone with the Wind,” was noted for favorite big budget Hollywood epics, complete with massive sets, lavish costumes, and melodramatic performances.  Meanwhile, Hitchcock, who had to this point only done work in Europe, was known for his masterful use of simple settings, unnerving plots, and psychologically complex characters.  Both men were control freaks, Selznick being notorious for micro-managing every aspect of his productions, and Hitchcock insistent upon total creative control (and manipulation of his cast members).

So how did this clash between two powerful egotists with very different visions end up in anything other than disaster, much less in creating the 1940 winner for the Best Picture Oscar?  They had the right story to start with.  Daphne Du Maurier’s novel of the same name provided enough space for both men to work their magic to the satisfaction of themselves and their audience.  The majority of the film is set in the staggeringly massive Manderly mansion, a house with fireplaces bigger than some bedrooms I’ve lived in.  Here the Selznick eye for opulence and grandeur satisfies the Hollywood requisites of escapism and splendor.  Meanwhile, the plot gives us the tale of a fairy tale turned nightmare, a theme for which Hitchcock’s style of filmmaking was perfectly suited.  This remarkable combination makes Manderly itself feel like a living, breathing, and very ominous presence in the film, in much the same way the late Rebecca’s memory looms over all who reside there.

The casting for “Rebecca” was magnificent.  Laurence Olivier is equal parts charm and angst as Maixim de Winter, a man torn between his love for his new bride and the unforgiving secrets of his past.  Joan Fontaine, once of the most underrated leading ladies of the era, is sympathetic as a woman hopelessly trying to live up to everyone else’s the idealized memories of Rebecca.  Then there is Judith Anderson, looking for all the world like Bela Lugosi’s long lost sister, who is nothing short of perfect as the villainous Mrs. Danvers, the scheming housekeeper obsessed with Rebecca’s memory.

What I Didn’t Like

While the plot and underlying mood bear Hitchcock’s fascination with the perverse and the creepy, I still consider this film more of a Selznick production than a Hitchcock picture.  That is to say that the physical scope of the sets and costumes, combined with the inherent melodrama of the conflict, often overpower the subtler tones Hitchcock brought to the movie.  Granted, for a story like DeMaurier’s, Selznick’s is a benefit overall.  However, I’m much more of a Hitchcock fan than I am a Selznick fan, so my general feeling is that Selznick’s approach waters down Hitchcock’s, while Hitchcock’s talents strengthens those of Selznick.

Most Memorable Scene

***spoiler alert***

The staircase scene for the costume ball, without a doubt, is the most heart-wrenching and suspenseful moment of the film.  Long before the scene even takes place, any observant viewer will be aware that Mrs. de Winter, so intent on impressing her husband and his friends, is about to unwittingly perform social suicide with the costume she has selected.  As she reaches the stairs expecting her greatest triumph, her costume produces outrage and humiliation instead.  We can only watch helplessly as the poor woman descends to her own marital and social doom, cringing at the tragedy to come.

My Rating: 4 out of 5

MEMENTO (2000)

Country: U.S.A.

Genre(s): Crime / Drama

Director: Christopher Nolan

Cast: Guy Pearce / Carrie-Ann Moss / Joe Pantoliano

Plot

Leonard Shelby is unable to form new memories, the result of brain damage incurred while trying to save his wife from the hands of a killer.  Despite his condition, Leonard pursues the criminal, unsure of who to trust and what to believe.

What I Liked

“Memento” is easily one of my favorite films of the 2000s, a grim tale that is all about turning the most basic assumptions about storytelling and filmmaking upside down.  It is a film all about the power of perspective and self-deceit to affect reality.  Essentially, the story is told backward, opening with a killing that would normally serve as the conclusion to any other revenge film.  For “Memento,” though, the solution is the beginning of the mystery, not its conclusion.  Each subsequent scene takes place prior to the last chronologically and, as the film progresses, our suspicion that something is not right with appeared to be Leonard Shelby’s triumph deepens.  As soon as we figure out that something’s off, the fun becomes trying to break apart the puzzle that has already assembled.  By using this inverted and subjective approach in what is ultimately a mystery story, screenwriter and director Christopher Nolan puts the viewer in Leonard’s shoes.  As each scene begins, we are constantly wondering how Leonard got himself there and what the new facts we’ve learned tell us about the truth behind that opening killing.  The next scene then gives us the answer as to how Leonard physically got there, but only leaves us as to more questions as to the truth behind Leonard’s quest.

“Memento” is also steeped in film traditions.  On the surface it is a revenge story in crime thriller packaging.  However, it is also a clear homage to the film noir movies of the 1940s, complete with subjective filmmaking, black-and-white photography, seedy supporting characters, voice-over narration by the protagonist, and femme fatale.  Some of the fun of watching the movie is seeing these time-worn elements filtered through a fresh twenty-first century filter.  Kudos Nolan and his cast for reinterpreting film noir, rather than simply imitating it to the point of unintended parody, like so many other of today’s crime films do.

What I Didn’t Like

Despite so much of what is unique about “Memento,” the basic elements of the film are all-too predictable.  Since it is a crime thriller, it should be no surprise that the movie ends with a twist.  It doesn’t take but a few minutes of watching to realize that ultimately we are going to be thrown some kind of mind-blowing revelation at the film’s conclusion.  The rest of the film is spent trying to figure it out before the filmmakers reveal it, like we do with so many other such movies.  I’m not a big fan of twists in movies.  They’re ultimately just gimmicks mistaken by too many people for good writing.  In the case of “Memento,” the film didn’t really need any more gimmicks, as the movie ultimately could be written off as one giant gimmick.  Once the story is revealed as w hole, we realize that, had the movie been told in the conventional manner, the story would be boring as hell.  Therefore, it’s the gimmick of revealing everything to us through backward storytelling that is actually the crux of the film’s entertainment value.  Yes, there’s a lot more to be read into what the film and its story structure has to say about people and the lives we lead.  But when it comes down to it, “Memento” is a triumph of style over story.

Most Memorable Scene

I’ve seen this movie several times.  I own it.  But this time, I picked up on a line uttered by Leonard early on which stuck out to me.  “Just because there are things I don’t remember doesn’t make my actions meaningless.”  Knowing everything that the story ultimately reveals to us, I realized that this is really the whole crux of Leonard’s existence, a mantra which he will repeat at various points throughout the film, just in different words (“I have to believe that my actions have meaning, even if I can’t remember them.”).  This becomes the theme of the whole film, calling into question the value we place on memory, or even actions for that matter. 

For more emotional resonance, the flashback scenes outlining the struggle and fate of a character from Leonard’s past named Sammy Jankis probably have the most lasting impact.

My Rating: 4 out of 5