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166-550: The Empire Strikes Back (also known as Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back ) is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan , based on a story by George Lucas . The sequel to Star Wars (1977), it is the second film in the Star Wars film series and the fifth chronological chapter of the " Skywalker Saga ". Set three years after

332-422: A Miss Piggy routine. Hamill recalled Ford giving him a kiss instead of reading his lines, which entertained the crew. Mayhew fell ill while filming Han's torture scene because the set used bursts of steam, which raised the ambient temperature to 90 °F (32 °C) while he was wearing a wool suit. Bank of America representatives visited the set in late March, concerned about rising costs. Lucas rarely visited

498-740: A self-coup , dissolving the Imperial Senate and transferring power to Praetor -officers called Imperial Moffs, such as Grand Moff Tarkin . The Galactic Empire collapses after the events of Return of the Jedi. Its remnants form the First Order in the sequel trilogy , set 30 years later. Star Wars creator George Lucas sought to make the First Galactic Empire aesthetically and thematically similar to Nazi Germany and to appear to be fascist . Similar to Nazi Germany,

664-956: A vote of no confidence in Supreme Chancellor of the Republic Finis Valorum . Palpatine is elected Supreme Chancellor in Valorum's place. As the Seperatists Crisis fighting intensifies in Episode II , the Galactic Senate , the legislature of the Republic, grants Palpatine emergency powers to deal with the crisis. Palpatine promise safety at the cost of individual freedoms, all while tightening his own control over every facset of society; promises to relinquish his powers once peace and order

830-474: A 15-foot (4.6 m) fall out of a window. He accidentally fell from a nine-inch ledge 40 feet (12 m) high but rolled on landing to avoid injury. Lucas returned to the set on July 15 and stayed for the rest of filming. He rewrote Luke's scenes on Dagobah, removing or trimming them so they could be shot in just over two weeks. Most of the cast completed filming by the start of August, including Ford, Fisher, Williams, Mayhew, and Daniels. Hamill began filming on

996-529: A BAFTA , among others. Subsequent releases have raised the film's worldwide gross to $ 538–549   million and, adjusted for inflation, it is the 13th-highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada . Since its release, The Empire Strikes Back has been critically reassessed and is now often regarded as the best film in the Star Wars series and among the greatest films ever made . It has had

1162-528: A Fox distribution employee with recommending Finse , Norway; Kurtz said it was Reynolds who had done so. For the bog planet Dagobah, scouts looked at Central Africa, Kenya, and Scandinavia, but Lucas wanted to avoid shooting on location. He funded the construction of a " Star Wars stage" at Elstree Studios , London, for the Dagobah and rebel base sets. Construction for the stage—which measured 1,250,000 cubic feet (35,000 m) and cost $ 2   million—began at

1328-612: A Super Stormtrooper . Lucas's handwritten draft included mention of Vader being Luke's father, but the typed script omitted this revelation. Despite contradictory information in drafts that included the ghost of Luke's father, Lucas said he had always intended for Vader to be Luke's father and omitted it from scripts to avoid leaks. Lucas included elements such as Han's debt to Jabba, and recontextualized Luke leaving Dagobah to rescue his friends: in Brackett's draft, Obi-Wan instructs Luke to leave; Lucas had Luke choose to do so. He also removed

1494-423: A bluescreen the same day. Kershner and the second unit continued filming additional footage, including Luke's X-Wing being raised from the swamp. Kershner left the set on September 9, and Hamill finished 103 days of filming two days later. The second unit finished filming on September 24 with Hamill's stunt double. There was approximately 400,000 feet (120,000 m) of film, or 80 hours of footage. The final budget

1660-585: A central command structure that notably coordinates the Galactic Empire's war effort. The cabinet enjoys much power within the government's hierarchy, being responsible for: sanctioning weapons programs (such as the TIE Defender project), supervising the armed forces, forming strategies and organizing expansionary or pacification campaigns. Despite this, Imperial High Command was unable to take any serious action against Rebel sympathizers with allies in

1826-549: A controlled drop at a rate of 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) or 2,500 feet (760 m) a minute. A heated shelter for the helicopter had to be constructed, which delayed filming of the shot by four weeks. The second unit, scheduled to be in Finse for three weeks, was there for eight. When the crew returned to London, they had only half the planned footage, and background images for special effects shots were uneven. Empire ' s budget increased to around $ 22   million because of

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1992-567: A credit because he considered himself "special effects" to Prowse's physical performance. He earned $ 15,000 for half a day's work, plus a small percentage of the profits. Anthony Daniels was reluctant to return as C-3PO because he had received little acknowledgment for his previous performance, as the filmmakers played down his involvement to portray the droid as a real being. He ultimately agreed, however, for an improved salary. Alec Guinness said he could not return as Obi-Wan because his failing eyesight required him to avoid bright lights. Recasting him

2158-488: A cut of the film until March. That month, Lucas decided he wanted an additional Hoth scene and auditioned 50 ILM crew to appear as Rebels. The final 124-minute cut was completed on April 16, which triggered a $ 10   million payment from Fox to Bank of Boston. Lucasfilm also launched an employee bonus scheme to share Empire ' s profits with its staff. Test screenings were held in San Francisco on April 19. While

2324-584: A different actor to provide Yoda's voice, but decided it would be too difficult to cast someone who could match their voice to Oz's puppetry. Jeremy Bulloch did not audition for Boba Fett; he was hired because the costume fit him. It was uncomfortable and top-heavy, making it difficult to maintain his balance, and the mask often steamed up. Bulloch assumed his lines would be dubbed over, as he had little dialogue (Fett's voice actor, Jason Wingreen, remained uncredited until 2000). Bulloch also appears as an Imperial officer who restrains Leia on Bespin. No other cast member

2490-417: A few weeks later, on March 18. The strict schedule left Lucas no choice but to write the second draft himself. Though Brackett's draft followed Lucas's outline, he found she had portrayed the characters differently than he intended. Lucas completed his handwritten, 121-page draft on April 1. He found the process more enjoyable than on Star Wars because he was familiar with the universe, but struggled to write

2656-548: A full mask that his wife Elaine wore. Chimpanzee eyes were superimposed over her face; cat eyes and assistant accountant Laura Crockett's eyes were also considered. Pre-production began in early 1978. Although Kershner wanted two years, this phase only lasted a year. Seeking an area to represent the ice planet Hoth, location scouts considered Finland, Sweden, and the Arctic Circle. The location needed to be free of trees and near populated areas for amenities. Kershner credited

2822-466: A historical or a mythical event and add an extravagant setting, lavish costumes, an expansive musical score , and an ensemble cast , which would make them extremely expensive to produce. The most common subjects of epic films are royalty and important figures from various periods in world history. The term "epic" originally came from the poetic genre exemplified by such works as the Epic of Gilgamesh and

2988-463: A line mentioning Lando deliberately abandoning his people, and had Luke contact Leia through the Force instead of Obi-Wan's ghost. The fourth draft—mostly the same but with more detailed action—was submitted on October 24. Although some of Brackett's ideas remained, such as Luke's Dagobah training, her dialogue and characterization were removed. Kasdan described her take as from "a different era", lacking

3154-572: A massive scale. Biographical films may be less lavish versions of this genre. They often have a Roadshow theatrical release and are often shot on 70 mm film . Many writers may refer to any film that is "long" (over two hours) as an epic, making the definition epic a matter of dispute, and raise questions as to whether it is a "genre" at all. As Roger Ebert put it, in his "Great Movies" article on Lawrence of Arabia : The word epic in recent years has become synonymous with big-budget B picture . What you realize watching Lawrence of Arabia

3320-424: A powerless symbol that exists only as an illusion of representation. Senators with no dedication to Public Service were easily bribed or coerced into being an assembly line that rubberstamped Palpatine's policy; the remaining Senators who actually cared about the people, were spied upon, arrested, extorted, assassinated, or otherwise made to disappear. Instead Palpatine appointed Governors to oversee all Star systems in

3486-689: A profit percentage. He had profited substantially from Star Wars and did not need to work, but was too invested in his creation to entrust it to others. Lucas had concepts for the sequel but no solid structure. He knew the story would be darker, would explore more mature themes and relationships, and would continue to explore the nature of the Force. Lucas intended to fund the production independently, using his $ 12   million profit from Star Wars to relocate and expand his special effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and establish his Skywalker movie ranch in Marin County, California , with

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3652-451: A satisfying conclusion, leaving it open for a third film. This draft established Luke's sister as a new character undertaking a similar journey, Vader's castle and his fear of the emperor, distinct power levels in controlling the Force, Yoda's unconventional speech pattern, and bounty hunters, including Boba Fett. Lucas wrote Fett like the Man with No Name , combining him with an abandoned idea for

3818-464: A scene of Luke massacring stormtroopers to convey him falling to the dark side, wanting to instead explore this in the next film. Lucas believed it was important the characters be inspirational and appropriate for children. His typed draft is titled Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back . In June 1978, impressed with his work on Raiders of the Lost Ark , Lucas hired Lawrence Kasdan to refine

3984-589: A second, third, and fourth film, but Ford had declined similar terms because of earlier bad experiences; he agreed to return because he wanted to improve on his Star Wars performance. Hamill spent four months bodybuilding and learning karate, fencing, and kendo to prepare for his stunts. David Prowse hesitated to return as Darth Vader because, as he was hidden behind a costume, he believed the role offered little job security; he returned after being told further delays would lead to his being replaced. James Earl Jones returned to voice Vader but, as with Star Wars , declined

4150-520: A sequel was swiftly put into production. In case Star Wars had failed, creator George Lucas had contracted Alan Dean Foster to write a low-budget sequel (later released as the novel Splinter of the Mind's Eye ). Once the success of Star Wars was evident, Lucas was reluctant to direct the sequel because of the stress of making the first film and its impact on his health. The popularity of Star Wars brought Lucas wealth, fame and positive attention from

4316-648: A shot of the Star Destroyer launching probes. He continued tweaking elements to improve the special effects, but even with ILM staff working up to 24 hours a day, six days a week, there was not enough time to do everything they wanted. A Dagobah pick-up scene, in which R2-D2 is spat out by a monster, was filmed in Lucas's swimming pool; the Emperor's scenes were filmed in February 1980. Fox executives did not see

4482-421: A significant impact on filmmaking and popular culture and is often considered an example of a sequel superior to its predecessor. The climax, in which Vader reveals he is Luke's father, is often ranked as one of the greatest plot twists in cinema. The film spawned a variety of merchandise and adaptations, including video games and a radio play. The United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in

4648-423: A slimy creature to a small blue one; each version retained the character's long life and wisdom. Yoda was intended to teach Luke to respect everyone and not judge by appearances, and defy audience expectations. The draft tightened or expanded dialogue to better pace action scenes, added more romance, and added or changed locations, such as moving a Vader scene from a spaceship deck to his private cubicle. Lucas removed

4814-506: A stalemate; both Jedi are forced to go into exile. Grievously wounded, Vader is rescued by Palpatine and fitted with cybernetics and a black suit of armor with a life support system. After Padmé dies giving birth to twins, Yoda and Obi-Wan decide to separate the children – Luke and Leia – in order to hide them from the Sith. Luke goes to Vader's stepfamily on Tatooine , while Leia is adopted by Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan . Having "won"

4980-572: A two-hour runtime. They formed a general outline and ideas that included the Wookiee homeworld, new alien species, the Galactic Emperor, a gambler from Han's past, water and city planets, Luke's lost twin sister, and a diminutive, froglike creature, Minch Yoda. Lucas drew on influences including The Thing from Another World (1951), the novel Dune (1965), and the television series Flash Gordon (1954). Around this time, Kurtz conceived

5146-405: A week later. The typical purpose of the second unit was to do time-consuming filming for special effects shots, but they were now filming main scenes—including Luke's ice cave imprisonment—because the schedule had overrun by around 26 days. Hamill was unavailable for several days after injuring his hand during a stunt jump from a speeder bike . Having been called in for the stunt the same day his son

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5312-554: Is exactly what the mastermind of this heist Luthen Rael wanted. As portrayed in the animated series Star Wars Rebels and The Bad Batch , the Empire explores ways to weaponize Force-sensitive kyber crystals , which are sacred to the Jedi and are at the core of every lightsaber . They mine for kyber crystals across worlds, but are thwarted twice in securing massive crystals by the Ghost crew and Saw Gerrera . On Jedha , however,

5478-583: Is known to or guessed by only a very few figures in the regime's upper echelons, such as Governor Tarkin. The Imperial Inquisition, or Inquisitorius, acts as an extension of the Sith Order and its Force-attuned operatives, the Inquisitors, are routinely given control of Imperial Military assets to hunt down the Jedi Knights that survived the initial purge. The Inquisitors' lack of proper rank within

5644-666: Is like the Roman political figure Augustus Caesar, in that Augustus manipulated the Roman Senate as Palpatine did with the Galactic Senate; he legitimized authoritarian rule by saying that corruption in the Senate was hampering the powers of the head of state; he pressured the Roman Senate to give him extraordinary powers as Consul of the Republic to deal with a crisis and he falsely claimed that he would rescind those powers once

5810-514: Is portrayed as a damsel in distress ), the battle of Hoth and a climactic duel between Luke and Darth Vader. The ghosts of his father and Obi-Wan visit Luke, leaving Vader a separate character. The draft reveals Luke has a sister (not Leia), Han goes on a mission to recruit his powerful stepfather, and Lando is a clone from the Clone Wars . Lucas made detailed notes and attempted to contact Brackett, but she had been hospitalized, and died of cancer

5976-588: Is restored. His first executive order is to create a massive army of clone troopers . His second executive order was to conscript the Jedi as commissioned officers of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) armed forces; by seizing influence over the Jedi Council, Palatine indirectly has complete Command over the GAR. His third executive order is to nationalize the military-industrial and financial sectors to finance

6142-485: Is that the word epic refers not to the cost or the elaborate production, but to the size of the ideas and vision. Werner Herzog's Aguirre: The Wrath of God didn't cost as much as the catering in Pearl Harbor , but it is an epic, and Pearl Harbor is not. The epic is among the oldest of film genres, with one early notable example being Giovanni Pastrone 's Cabiria , a two-and-a-half hour silent film about

6308-699: Is the military, which includes the Imperial stormtroopers, a massive fleet of about 1,000 Star Destroyers , a couple of Super Star Destroyers, and the Death Star , a moon -sized superweapon capable of destroying entire planets. Plans for the Death Star first appear (in universe chronology) in Attack of the Clones and construction begins at the end of Revenge of the Sith . Summarized measures set forth by

6474-483: Is the most prominent Grand Moff, having suggested the creation of the role and thus holds the distinction of being the first. In the series Andor , the Galactic Empire is depicted as arbitrary and cruel in its rule over ordinary people, particularly when it comes to certain agencies such as the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB), which acts as a secret police force. In the latter part of the series,

6640-408: Is voiced by Clive Revill and portrayed physically by Elaine Baker. The bounty hunter Boba Fett is portrayed physically by Jeremy Bulloch and voiced by Jason Wingreen (who remained uncredited until 2000). Other bounty hunters include Dengar (portrayed by Morris Bush) and the humanoid lizard Bossk (Alan Harris). Following the unexpected financial success and cultural impact of Star Wars (1977),

6806-927: The Falcon ' s hyperdrive and the vessel escapes. After the group joins the rebel fleet, Luke's missing hand is replaced by a robotic prosthesis . He, Leia, C-3PO , and R2-D2 observe as Lando and Chewbacca depart on the Falcon to find Han. The film also features Alec Guinness as Ben (Obi-Wan) Kenobi, and John Hollis as Lobot, Lando's aide. The Rebel force includes General Rieekan (portrayed by Bruce Boa ), Major Derlin ( John Ratzenberger ), Cal Alder ( Jack McKenzie ), Dak Ralter ( John Morton ), Wedge Antilles ( Denis Lawson ), Zev Senesca ( Christopher Malcolm ), and Hobbie Klivian ( Richard Oldfield ). The Empire's forces include Admiral Piett ( Kenneth Colley ), Admiral Ozzel ( Michael Sheard ), General Veers ( Julian Glover ), and Captain Needa ( Michael Culver ). The Emperor

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6972-585: The Jedi Master Yoda . Han Solo discovers Luke and insulates him against the weather inside his deceased tauntaun mount until they are rescued the next morning. Alerted to the Rebels' location, the Empire launches a large-scale attack using AT-AT walkers , forcing the Rebels to evacuate the base. Han, Princess Leia , C-3PO and Chewbacca escape aboard the Millennium Falcon , but

7138-601: The National Film Registry in 2010. Return of the Jedi (1983) followed Empire , concluding the original Star Wars trilogy . Prequel and sequel trilogies have since been released. Three years after the destruction of the Death Star , the Imperial fleet, led by Darth Vader , dispatches probe droids across the galaxy in search for the Rebel Alliance . One probe locates the rebel base on

7304-564: The Punic Wars , which laid the groundwork for the subsequent silent epics of D. W. Griffith . The genre reached a peak of popularity in the early 1960s, when Hollywood frequently collaborated with foreign film studios (such as Rome's Cinecittà ) to use relatively exotic locations in Spain, Morocco and elsewhere for the production of epic films such as El Cid (1961) or Lawrence of Arabia (1962). The genre soon spread to other regions of

7470-479: The Star Wars property. Lucas took an executive producer role, enabling him to focus on his businesses and the development of Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). By late 1977, Kurtz began hiring key crew members, including production designer Norman Reynolds , consultant John Barry , makeup artist Stuart Freeborn , and first assistant director David Tomblin . Lucas rehired artists Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston to maintain visual consistency with Star Wars , and

7636-596: The Star Wars stage. By February 25, the Finse location crew had arrived in Norway to receive flown-in equipment containers and begin digging trenches for battle scenes. The musical score for The Empire Strikes Back was composed and conducted by John Williams and performed by the London Symphony Orchestra , at a cost of about $ 250,000. Williams began planning the score in November 1979, estimating

7802-474: The U.S. Marine Corps with their own separate divisions. The Stormtroopers operate in conjunction with the Army Ground Troopers and Navy Marine Troopers—who were used as garrison forces—to reinforce and hold defensive positions until the regular military arrived. When not in their signature white armor, stormtrooper officers wear black uniforms. After the formation of the Empire and the purge of

7968-555: The acetate film brittle, camera lenses iced over, snow seeped into equipment, and effects paint froze inside the tin. To counter these effects, lenses were kept cool but the camera body was warmed to protect the film, battery, and camera operators' hands. The crew was outside for up to 11 hours at a time, being subjected to thin air, limited visibility, and mild frostbite ; one crewman slipped and broke two ribs. The difficult conditions led to strong camaraderie among crewmembers. Avalanches blocked direct transport links, and trenches dug by

8134-450: The crew credits at the end of the film to avoid interfering with the opening. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Directors Guild of America (DGA) had allowed this for the first film because Lucas directed and it opened with the logo for his namesake Lucasfilm, but for Empire they refused to allow Kershner or the first and second unit directors to be credited only at the end, fined Lucas $ 250,000 when he ignored them and tried to have

8300-587: The "epic" film, encompassing such examples as Ben-Hur , Gone with the Wind and more recently, 300 and the Star Wars films [...] none of these comes from literary epics per se , and there is little that links them with one another. Among those who espouse film genre studies, epic is one of the most despised and ignored genres". Finally, although the American Movie Channel formally defines epic films as historical films, they nonetheless state

8466-564: The Battle of Endor (4 ABY). The Imperial Army was the ground based force. Imperial Army enlisted soldiers wore gray uniforms with a mandarin collar and four pockets along with chest pieces similar to Stormtroopers but in black. Corporals displayed their rank on one of their shoulder pauldrons with a single white diagonal stripe. They also wore a gray Imperial kepi or Imperial Combat Helmet Imperial Stormtrooper Corps (ISC) are elite corps of rapid response all-environment shock troops —organized like

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8632-512: The Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith . Palpatine's ascension came with the final layer of poison instilled into a governmental system on the brink of collapse. Because of the hubristic Jedi, the corrupt senate and a civil war, Palatine was seen by many as a savior and is easily able to take near-complete control of the Republic. In Episode I: The Phantom Menace , amid a trade dispute and invasion of his homeworld of Naboo , Senator Palpatine convinces Queen Padmé Amidala to call for

8798-477: The Dagobah set with Yoda. They only had 12 days to film because Oz was scheduled for another project. With the film now over 50 days behind schedule, Kurtz was removed from his role and replaced by Kazanjian and associate producer Robert Watts . One of the last scenes shot was of Luke exploring the dark side tree on Dagobah. A wrap party was held on the set to mark the official conclusion of filming on September 5, 1979, after 133 days. Guinness filmed his scenes against

8964-610: The Emperor and the Commander-in-Chief on all martial-related matters. Other members included the Grand Admirals, a cadre of the 12 highest-ranking naval officers that helmed large Imperial fleets and policed Imperial Space; Grand Admiral Thrawn , the commander of the 7th Fleet, is the most famous of their number. Aside from the Imperial Ruling Council and Imperial High Command, power resides in

9130-495: The Emperor's will throughout the galaxy. The Empire's central warship cadre is well structured and uniformed, but the Imperial Navy suffers against strike craft, largely due to the inadequacies of its own starfighters and point defense. The Empire's focus on size, firepower, and terror comes at the expense of a well-balanced fleet. After its defeat at the Battle of Endor, the Galactic Empire splits up into warring factions, and

9296-403: The Empire uncovers a surplus of kyber, with which they power the Death Star. The Death Star, a moon-sized battle station with sufficient firepower to destroy an entire planet, is designed to be the ultimate weapon of the Empire's power. Tarkin, the station's commander, demonstrates that power in A New Hope when he destroys Alderaan as a show of force. In the film's climactic scene , however,

9462-528: The Empire's officers wear—as well as the Imperial officers' cap resembling the field caps historically worn by German and Austrian troops. In addition to Nazi Germany, there was also at least one portion of the Galactic Empire that was based on the Soviet Union , which is the various military personnel and TIE Fighters that are flying in formation as Palpatine arrives on the second Death Star in Return of

9628-476: The Empire's policy towards its citizens and therefore changed its relationship with its citizens. In 5 BBY, on the relatively unremarkable planet of Aldhani, a small Rebel team managed to infiltrate the local Imperial depository, stealing a decent portion of the sector payroll. This created a massive Imperial overreaction, increasing their security spending and draconian law enforcement policies, making all future rebellious activity even more costly and difficult, which

9794-639: The Empire's willingness to kill loyalists on Alderaan, along with millions of innocents, just to prove a point to a rebellious Senator. Tarkin's Doctine, meant to perpetually "tighten the noose" and instill fear of being killed for engaging in Rebellion, eventually get overridden by people realizing that no one was actually safe. After the Battle of Yavin , Vader's special powers as Commander-in-Chief are increased by Palpatine, granting him full command over all other officials and officers to ease his campaign against

9960-675: The Galactic Empire is a dictatorship based on rigid control of society that dissolved a previous democracy and is led by an all-powerful supreme ruler. The Empire, like the Nazis, desires the creation of totalitarian order and utilizes excessive force and violence to achieve their ends. The title of the Empire's main soldiers, the stormtroopers , is somewhat similar to the name given to Adolf Hitler 's Sturmabteilung (SA, "storm department") paramilitary bodyguards. The visual appearance of Darth Vader in his all-black uniform combined with his fanatical obedience to Palpatine has allusion to

10126-476: The Galaxy's most powerful institutions by rewriting constitutional foundations, controlling the Jedi Council, weakening the Senate and the appointment of loyal Governors . At its peak, the Galactic Empire sprawls over much of the known Star Wars galaxy, which consists of millions of star systems and billions more fringe colonies, shipyards, fortress worlds, and outer territories. The Empire's origins are depicted in

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10292-492: The Imperial Senate's sessions. Amedda functions as an intermediary for Palpatine, managing his schedule, screening his calls and contacting other Imperial dignitaries and officers on his behalf. The Imperial Ruling Council also keeps tabs on the progress of the Imperial Military and delivers news from Imperial High Command to the Emperor. The Emperor leaves the actual martial management to Imperial High Command (IHC),

10458-579: The Imperial Senate, such as Senator Mon Mothma . The Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) is the politically aligned and indoctrinated civilian intelligence branch of the Galactic Empire that is charged with matters of internal state security and law enforcement, being analogous to the Gestapo or the Schutzstaffel , as well as the KGB . The ISB was not a national agency, but a part of COMPOR ( Commission for

10624-525: The Imperial Senate. The group works closely with the Council of Moffs and notifies the Imperial Ruling Council on important developments. Imperial High Command's overseer is Darth Vader - also a Sith Lord - who relentlessly pursues the fledging Rebel Alliance, in addition to quelling insurgencies and purging the last of the Jedi Order. As Emperor Palpatine's second-in-command, Vader is treated with almost

10790-730: The Imperial Starfleet along with it. While much of the remnants of the Imperial Navy are later reunited under impressive Imperial commanders, the military organization ceases to exist shortly after the death of the Emperor. Specific responsibilities of the Imperial Navy include defending Imperial citizens from space-based threats (such as pirates, smugglers and rebel contingents), enforcing Imperial will, and overseeing commerce through customs and blockade operations. The Imperial Navy also performs orbital bombardments and transports major ground force deployments, supporting them with space, orbital, and aerial support. Imperial Navy officers wear

10956-410: The Jedi (1983). An oppressive dictatorship with a complicated bureaucracy, the Galactic Empire seeks the rule and social control of every planet and civilization within the galaxy , based on anthropocentrism , nationalisation , state terrorism , power projection , and threat of lethal force. The Galactic Empire's rise was not a violent takeover by force, but rather a calculated dismantling of

11122-710: The Jedi . According to Lucas, the ceremony for the Emperor's arrival was inspired by October Revolution Day military parades in the Soviet Union. Lucas has also indicated that the Galactic Empire's struggle against a smaller guerilla force was inspired by the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War and his surprise at how relatively few people spoke up against the war. Palpatine's rise to power has been related to political strongman of Augustus Caesar , Napoleon Bonaparte , and Adolf Hitler . Palpatine's consolidation of power and declaring himself emperor

11288-590: The Jedi Order in a galaxy-wide slaughter, while sending Vader to kill everyone in the Jedi Temple and assassinate the Separatist leaders. Vader then immediately ends the Clone War by transmitting deactivation codes to all Seperatist droids in galaxy. Two remaining Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda , mount a counterattack. Obi-Wan defeats Vader and leaves him for dead, but Yoda's duel with Palpatine ends in

11454-537: The Jedi, Palpatine declares martial law throughout the galaxy. Those in hiding, or attempting to either flee from or oppose the New Imperial Order, are subject to persecution or death. This is the start of the bloody decades-long Galactic Civil War fought between the Empire and the Rebel Alliance . As portrayed in the live-action series Andor , one single moment in Galactic history completely changed

11620-481: The Jedi. However, when Jedi Master Mace Windu confronts Palpatine, Anakin comes to Palpatine's aid and helps him kill Windu. Desperate to save Padmé, Anakin pledges himself to the dark side of the Force and becomes Palpatine's third apprentice, Darth Vader . Palpatine declares the Jedi to be traitors, providing "irrefutable evidence" that they were the masterminds behind the Clone Wars, and all but exterminates

11786-627: The Preservation of the New Order ); Palpatine's own political party. Because the ISB is so directly connected and fanatically loyal to Palpatine, there are no checks and balances to their power as they did whatever Palatine wanted them to do. Consisting of several supervisors overseeing multiple sectors, they are charged with matters of counter-terrorism, criminal investigation, internal affairs , state security, state-sponsored propaganda and ensuring

11952-506: The Republic and gain power. He manipulates the Galactic Senate into using clone troopers created during the conflict to purge the Jedi. After engineering these threats, Palpatine reorganizes the Republic into a state meant to "ensure the security and continuing stability, and a safe and secure society": the Galactic Empire, with himself as Emperor. The Senate overwhelmingly supports this decision and lauds his apparent resolve, bravery, and selflessness. With Emperor Palpatine keeping mostly to

12118-423: The Republic; these Governors, later known as Imperial Moffs, report directly to Palpatine and were appointed without a vote or approval from any Senators. This effectively sidelines the Senate leaving it unable to influence how the Galaxy is actually governed. The Old Republic symbolisms were discarded on favor of the Imperial crest; an emblem which itself comes from the vendu galactic roundel symbol. Originally this

12284-472: The Senate are founding members of the Rebel Alliance , a guerrilla army dedicated to overthrowing the Empire and restoring the Republic. With the end of the Clone Wars, the purge of the Jedi Order and the formation of the First Galactic Empire, Palpatine rules with absolute power as Emperor. Between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope , Palpatine rules the galaxy from the confines of his heavily guarded Imperial Palace on Coruscant . Coruscant

12450-642: The Tarkin Doctrine: The Imperial Naval Command (INC), also referred to as the Imperial Starfleet, is the foremost military arm of the Galactic Empire in charge of maintaining security, peace and order in the galaxy. Led by Darth Vader, it absorbed the military forces of the Galactic Republic after Emperor Palpatine's declaration of the New Order. At its peak, the Imperial Navy fields millions of warships, including an estimated 25,000 Star Destroyers, fulfilling

12616-592: The Wind is the highest-grossing film ever, with two other romantic epics ( Titanic and Doctor Zhivago ) also featuring among the global top ten. So far the most Academy Awards ever won by a single film stands at eleven. This feat has only been achieved by three films: Ben-Hur (1959), Titanic (1997) and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), all of which are above three hours long and considered epic films. The previous record holder

12782-418: The actual line. While filming the scene, Hamill was positioned on a platform suspended 35 feet (11 m) above a pile of mattresses. Footage of his fall into the reactor shaft was damaged during processing and the scene had to be reshot in early August. The Vader confrontation took eight weeks to film. Hamill insisted on doing as many of his stunts as possible, though the insurers refused to allow him to perform

12948-494: The armed forces, as well as their reliance on "occult" ways, earn the ire of the standard officers. The Inquisitorius was founded by the Emperor and is governed by the Commander-in-Chief, but the agency is virtually led by a Grand Inquisitor who defers to both. In Star Wars , the Tarkin Doctrine was the plan presented by Tarkin himself to Palpatine in 18 BBY that outlined the Empire's goal and structure: bringing order to

13114-554: The autocracy takes to retroactively extending the sentences of prisoners, moving prisoners around to different facilities after they are due to be released, euthanizing labor camp prisoners when they become too ill to work, not permitting defendants in criminal cases to present a defense, and committing mass murder when its officers feel they are losing control of a situation. It also engages in torture of subjects of interest and carries out arbitrary executions for political purposes. ISB agents are assigned to spy on political dissidents in

13280-532: The basis of their enormous scope and the sweeping panorama of their settings such as How the West Was Won or East of Eden that do not have the typical substance of classical epics but are directed in an epic style. When described as "epic" because of content, an epic movie is often set during a time of war or other societal crisis, while usually covering a longer span of time sometimes throughout entire generations coming and passing away, in terms of both

13446-475: The black-uniformed Nazi Schutzstaffel (SS). According to a Lucasfilm-authorized source, Darth Vader's relationship with Palpatine is akin to SS leader Heinrich Himmler 's relationship with Hitler. The uniforms of Imperial military officers also bear resemblance to uniforms used in Nazi Germany, as well as 19th century Polish ulans (mounted lancers)—who wore tunics, riding breeches, and boots like

13612-533: The character. Williams said Lando was much like himself—a "pretty cool guy". He believed it was a token role , but was assured it was not specifically written for a black actor. Kershner said Williams had the fantastic charm of a "Mississippi riverboat hustler". Howard Rollins , Terry Alexander , Robert Christian , Thurman Scott, and Yaphet Kotto were also considered for the part. Yoda was voiced and puppeteered by Frank Oz, with assistance from Kathryn Mullen , David Barclay , and Wendy Froud . Lucas had intended for

13778-490: The collapsing Galactic Republic ; the rise of the empire wasn't sudden but instead unfolded gradually, step by step with one power grab after the next. However, its seeds of decadence are planted and nurtured by the Sith over a period of centuries, that bore fruit during the Clone Wars , the epic war between the Republic and the separatist Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) depicted in Episode II: Attack of

13944-612: The company and Lucasfilm, granting himself 5% of the box office gross profits . He also founded Black Falcon to license Star Wars merchandising rights, using the income to subsidize his ongoing projects. Development for the sequel began in August 1977, under the title Star Wars Chapter II . Lucas considered replacing producer Gary Kurtz with Howard Kazanjian because Kurtz had not fulfilled his role and left problems unresolved while filming Star Wars . Kurtz convinced him otherwise by trading on his longtime loyalty to Lucas and knowledge of

14110-626: The composition of the American revolution , with the rebels mostly Americans". Note : All dates in this article are in the BBY/ABY format. This is a fictional in-universe dating system centred on the Battle of Yavin in Episode IV: A New Hope in which the first Death Star is destroyed. BBY is Before the Battle of Yavin ; ABY is After the Battle of Yavin. The Galactic Empire is born out of

14276-399: The crew quickly filled with snow. Scenes could be prepared only a few hours in advance and many scenes were filmed just outside the crew's hotel as the shifting weather regularly altered the scenery. Although Fisher was not scheduled to film scenes in Norway, she joined Hamill on location because she wanted to observe the process. Ford was not scheduled for the Finse phase, but to compensate for

14442-512: The crew, including Kershner, and tactics were used to delay its impact, including paying staff biweekly instead of weekly and Lucas borrowing money from his merchandising company Black Falcon. Lucas worried he would have to sell Empire and its associated rights to Fox to sustain the project, losing his creative freedom. Fox was also threatening to buy out the bond and take over filming. With about 20% of Empire left to film, Lucasfilm president Charles Weber arranged for Bank of Boston to refinance

14608-602: The crisis was over; and, as with the transition of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire , Augustus, like Palpatine, relied on his strong control over military force. Many Imperial officers speak with the Received Pronunciation accent (known in-universe as Coruscanti ), and Irvin Kershner "deliberately cast British actors as the high-rank imperials for The Empire Strikes Back to mirror

14774-524: The dark side and help him destroy his master, the Emperor , so they may rule the galaxy together. Luke refuses, citing Obi-Wan's claim that Vader killed his father, prompting Vader to reveal that he is Luke's father. Distraught, Luke plunges down the air shaft and is ejected beneath the floating city, latching onto an antenna. He reaches out through the Force to Leia, and the Falcon returns to rescue him. They are attacked by TIE fighters but narrowly evade capture by Vader's Star Destroyer when R2-D2 repairs

14940-431: The delays and having to rework scenes to compensate for the missing footage. Filming at Elstree began on March 13, 1979. Production remained behind schedule without Stage 3 (which had been destroyed by fire), and the incomplete Star Wars stage lacked protection from the cold weather. The result was that the crew had to work out of any available space. To save time, some scenes were shot simultaneously, such as those set in

15106-1015: The delays caused by the Stage 3 fire. Kershner's slower work pace had frustrated Lucas. He described his filming style as frugal, performing two or three takes with little coverage film that could later compensate for mistakes. Watts and Reynolds said Kershner often looked at new ways of doing things, but this required planning that only delayed things further. Kershner had tried replicating the quick pacing of Star Wars , not lingering on any scene for too long, and encouraged improvisation, modifying scenes and dialogue to focus more on characters' emotions, such as C-3PO interrupting Han and Leia as they are about to kiss. Kazanjian said many mistakes were made but blamed Weber, Lucasfilm vice president John Moohr, and primarily Kurtz. Actor John Morton called Kurtz an unsung hero, who brought his experience of filming war to Empire . The schedule overrun resulted in filming and post-production taking place simultaneously; filmed footage

15272-483: The delays, he was brought there instead of creating a separate set in a Leeds studio. On a few hours' notice, he arrived in Finse, having traveled the last 23 miles (37 km) of the snow-laden journey by snowplow. Production returned to England after a week, though Hamill had an additional day of filming. The second unit remained in Norway through March to film explosions, incidental footage, and battle scenes featuring 35 mountain rescue skiers as extras. The skiers' work

15438-515: The destruction of the Empire. Unwilling to embroil himself in the day-to-day running of the Galactic Empire, the Emperor leaves the mundane work to the Imperial Ruling Council (IRC), an advisory body with whom he confers on vital affairs of state. The group is made up of Imperial Advisors, "yes-men" who serve as ministers and counselors. The spokesman of the Imperial Ruling Council is the Grand Vizier Mas Amedda, who attends most of

15604-561: The draft; Kasdan was paid $ 60,000. In early July, Kasdan, Kershner and Lucas held a story conference to discuss Lucas's draft. The group collaborated on ideas, with Lucas embracing their challenges and input. Mandated to deliver a fifth of the script every other week, Kasdan began his rewrite, focusing on developing character relationships and psychologies; he completed the third draft by early August. This version refined Minch Yoda—alternately named "the Critter", Minch, Buffy, and simply Yoda—from

15770-435: The empire collapses, some former ISB officers, such as Moff Gideon , become warlords and part of the Imperial remnants. Outside the formal chain of command , the Galactic Empire's reins are de facto held by the Sith, a cult of Force-wielders - called Sith Lords - that call on the dark side in their plot to dominate the galaxy and destroy the Jedi. Both Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are part of this cult, although this

15936-435: The end of August. Sets were the single biggest expense of the production, costing a total of $ 3.5   million. By December, the budget had increased to $ 21.5   million, more than double the original estimate. Financial projections for The Chapter II Company suggested it would run a monthly deficit of $ 5–25   million by the end of 1979, including over $ 2   million in production costs and $ 400,000 to fund ILM. As

16102-452: The ending was unclear about where Luke and Leia were in relation to Lando and Chewbacca. In the three-week window between its limited and wider release, Lucas, Johnston, and visual effects artist Ken Ralston filmed enhancement scenes at ILM, using existing footage, a new score, modified dialogue, and new miniatures to create establishing shots of the Rebel fleet and their relative positions. By

16268-449: The epic film may be combined with the genre of science-fiction and cite Star Wars as an example. Stylistically, films classed as epic usually employ spectacular settings and specially designed costumes, often accompanied by a sweeping musical score, and an ensemble cast of bankable stars . Epics are usually among the most expensive of films to produce. They often use on-location filming, authentic period costumes , and action scenes on

16434-426: The epic is often credited to their ability to appeal to a wide audience. Several of the highest-grossing films of all-time have been epics. James Cameron 's 1997 film Titanic , which is cited as helping to revive the genre, grossed $ 1.8 billion at cinemas worldwide to become the highest-grossing film—a record it held for twelve years. If inflation is taken into account, then the historical romantic epic Gone with

16600-425: The equipment that would be necessary to complete their work. Compared to the 360 special effects shots for Star Wars , Empire required around 600. The crew, supervised by Richard Edlund and Brian Johnson , included Dennis Muren , Bruce Nicholson , Lorne Peterson , Steve Gawley , Phil Tippett , Tom St. Amand, and Nilo Rodis-Jamero . Up to 100 people worked on the project daily, including Stuart Freeborn, who

16766-402: The events depicted and the running time of the film. Such films usually have a historical setting, although speculative fiction (i.e. fantasy or science fiction ) settings have become common in recent decades. The central conflict of the film is usually seen as having far-reaching effects, often changing the course of history. The main characters' actions are often central to the resolution of

16932-576: The events of Star Wars , the film recounts the battle between the malevolent Galactic Empire , led by the Emperor , and the Rebel Alliance , led by Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia . As the Empire goes on the offensive, Luke trains to master the Force so he can confront the Emperor's powerful disciple, Darth Vader . The ensemble cast includes Mark Hamill , Harrison Ford , Carrie Fisher , Billy Dee Williams , Anthony Daniels , David Prowse , Kenny Baker , Peter Mayhew , and Frank Oz . Following

17098-428: The experience was like fighting blindfolded because of the costume. Hamill spent weeks practicing his fencing routine, eventually growing frustrated and refusing to continue. The next scene, where Vader confesses he is Luke's father, was shrouded in secrecy. Prowse was given the line "Obi-Wan Kenobi is your father" to read because he was known for repeatedly leaking information. Only Kershner, the producers, and Hamill knew

17264-583: The film removed from theaters. Because Lucas had followed the laws relevant to the United Kingdom where it was produced, the DGA was unable to sanction him and instead fined Kershner $ 25,000. Lucas paid his fine but was so frustrated that he left the WGA, DGA, and Motion Picture Association , which restricted his ability to write and direct future films. Epic film Epic historical films would usually take

17430-486: The film would require 107 minutes of music. For two weeks across 18 three-hour sessions just after Christmas, Williams recorded the score at Anvil Studios and Abbey Road Studios , London. Up to 104 musicians were involved at a time, playing such instruments as oboes, piccolos, pianos, and harps. Principal photography began on March 5, 1979, on the Hardangerjøkulen glacier near Finse, Norway, representing

17596-523: The full-scale Millenium Falcon . These scenes had to be filmed efficiently, so the Falcon could be dismantled to make way for the Dagobah set. Filming began on the carbon chamber scene in late June while the second unit filmed anything they could. The raised set was largely incomplete, and low lighting and steam were used to conceal any obvious flaws. The fog machines and heat from the steam made many cast and crew members sick; it took approximately three weeks to film. The confession of love between Leia and Han

17762-404: The galaxy and restoring rule of law to sectors overtaken by piracy and organized crime , ending destructive conflicts through grand strategy and military doctrine , a plan for maximizing social control and propaganda , maintaining economic order and increasing security in the Galactic Empire. Tarkin believed the chief factor that contributed most to the demise of the Republic was not, in fact,

17928-462: The galaxy into regions, we, The Empire, actually achieve a unity previously absent; where once our loyalties and allegiances were divided, they now serve one being, with one goal: a cohesive galaxy in which everyone prospers. For the first time in one thousand generations our sector governors will not be working solely to enrich Coruscant and the Core Worlds, but to advance the quality of life in

18094-423: The genre attempting to profit by association and big-budget entries such as Star Trek: The Motion Picture and The Black Hole , both released just months before The Empire Strikes Back . Sequels were not expected to perform as well as their originals, and there were low expectations for merchandising. Even so, tie-in deals were arranged with Coca-Cola , Nestlé , General Mills , and Topps collectibles. Fox

18260-510: The group to the Empire, knowing Luke will come to their aid. Meanwhile, Luke travels with R2-D2 in his X-wing fighter to Dagobah, where he crash-lands. He meets Yoda, a diminutive creature who reluctantly accepts him as his Jedi apprentice after conferring with Obi-Wan's spirit. Yoda trains Luke to master the light side of the Force and resist negative emotions that will seduce him to the dark side , as they did Vader. Luke struggles to control his anger and impulsiveness and fails to comprehend

18426-419: The hands of " Praetorian administrators" ( planetary governors) that form the Council of Moffs. The cabinet is composed of 20 Moffs ( sector governors) and their superiors, the "Grand Moffs" (oversector governors), all of whom answer directly to the Emperor. The Moffs are senior officials who held the governorship over Administrators of minor provinces and commanded a Sector Fleet-size imperial armed forces at

18592-563: The ice cavern and medical bay. Kershner wanted each character to make a unique entrance in the film. While filming Vader's entrance, the snow troopers preceding Prowse tripped over the polystyrene ice, and the stuntman behind him stood on his cape, breaking it off, causing Prowse to fall onto the snow troopers. The shoot was strenuous and mired in conflicts. Fisher suffered from influenza and bronchitis, her weight dropped to 85 pounds (39 kg) while working 12-hour days, and she collapsed on set from an allergic reaction to steam or spray paint. She

18758-455: The ice planet Hoth . While Luke Skywalker is scouting near the base, a wampa captures him before he can investigate a meteorite, but he escapes by using the Force to retrieve his lightsaber and wound the beast. Before Luke succumbs to hypothermia , the Force spirit of his deceased mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi , instructs him to go to the swamp planet Dagobah to train as a Jedi Knight under

18924-673: The institutions that threaten his goals. He orchestrated his own kidnapping by the Separatists by leaking classified information, and thereby bringing the war to the Capitol, Coruscant , to further spread terror. The Jedi are overstretched across the galaxy trying the end the war; they distrust Palpatine's motives, fearing he has come under the influence of a Dark Lord of the Sith named Darth Sidious. Their concerns are shared by several loyalist senators trying to preserve democracy, who suspect Palpatine may not return his emergency powers once

19090-485: The loan to $ 31   million, including $ 27.7   million from Bank of Boston and $ 3   million guaranteed by Fox in exchange for an increased percentage of the theatrical returns and 10% of merchandising profits. Lucasfilm took out the loan, making the company directly liable. The Star Wars stage was completed in early May. It was too small to house the Rebel hangar and Dagobah sets, and an extension had to be funded and built. The producers mandated filming begin on

19256-469: The nature and power of the Force until he witnesses Yoda use it to levitate the X-wing from the swamp. Luke has a premonition of Han and Leia in pain and, despite Obi-Wan's and Yoda's protestations, abandons his training to rescue them. Although Obi-Wan believes Luke is their only hope, Yoda asserts that "there is another." Leia confesses her love for Han before Vader freezes him in carbonite to test whether

19422-687: The necessary tone. Kazanjian did not believe the Writers Guild of America West would approve of her receiving credit, but Lucas liked Brackett and supported her credit as co-writer. He also provided for her family beyond her contracted pay. The fifth draft was completed in February 1979. It revised some scenes and introduced a "Hogmen" species devised by Kershner; Lucas did not like the idea because he perceived them as slaves. Mark Hamill (Luke), Carrie Fisher (Leia), Harrison Ford (Han), Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), and Kenny Baker (R2-D2) all reprised their Star Wars roles. Hamill and Fisher were contracted for

19588-625: The planet Hoth. Initially scheduled to conclude on June 22, by the end of the first week it was obvious it would take longer and cost more. Filming the Hoth scenes on a set was considered, but ultimately rejected as inauthentic. The location filming coincided with the area's worst snowstorm in half a century, impeding the production with blizzards, 40-mile-per-hour (64 km/h) winds, and temperatures between −26 °F (−32 °C) and −38 °F (−39 °C). The weather cleared only twice; some days, filming could not take place. The frigid conditions made

19754-486: The political loyalty of citizens to the Galactic Empire. Each supervisor had at least one ISB attendant assigned to them that helped them do their duties. Veteran Colonel Wullf Yularen acts as ISB's main figurehead and spokesman, answering to the likes of Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader and Amedda. Towards the end of the Galactic Empire's reign after the death of Emperor Palpatine, ISB officers were entrusted with carrying out Operation Cinder . When that operation fails and

19920-625: The prequel film Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), where it replaces the Galactic Republic at the end of the Clone Wars orchestrated by the Republic's Supreme Chancellor, Palpatine . Palpatine is also secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, who masterminds the war to destroy the Jedi and restore the Sith to power. Palpatine falsely accuses the Jedi of causing the secessionist Clone Wars to weaken

20086-520: The process will safely imprison Luke. Han survives and is given to Fett, who intends to collect his bounty from Jabba the Hutt . Lando frees Leia and Chewbacca, but they are too late to stop Fett's escape. The group fights its way back to the Falcon and flees the city. Luke arrives and engages Vader in a lightsaber duel over the city's central air shaft. Vader defeats Luke, severing his right hand and separating him from his lightsaber. He urges Luke to embrace

20252-406: The producers' favor if it exceeded $ 100   million. Filming had to begin by January 1979 for release on May 1, 1980. The deal offered the possibility of significant financial gain for Lucas, but he risked financial ruin if the sequel failed. To mitigate some of the risk, Lucas founded The Chapter II Company to control the film's development and absorb its liabilities. He signed a contract between

20418-523: The project's conclusion, around 700 people had worked on Empire . Lucas's firm, Industrial Light & Magic, developed the special effects for The Empire Strikes Back at a cost of $ 8   million, including staffing and the construction of the company's new facility in Marin County, California. The building was still under construction when staff arrived in September 1978, and initially lacked

20584-430: The project's conclusion. Released on May 21, 1980, the highly anticipated sequel became the highest-grossing film that year , earning approximately $ 401.5   million worldwide. Unlike its lighthearted predecessor, Empire met with mixed reviews from critics, and fans were conflicted about its darker and more mature themes. The film was nominated for various awards and won two Academy Awards , two Grammy Awards , and

20750-399: The public, but it also brought negative attention in the form of threats and many requests for financial backing. Conscious that the sequel needed to exceed the original's scope—making it a bigger production—and that his production effects company Lucasfilm was relatively small and operating out of a makeshift office, Lucas considered selling the project to 20th Century-Fox in exchange for

20916-449: The remainder as collateral for a loan from Bank of America for the film's $ 8   million budget. Fox had the right of first negotiation and refusal to participate in any potential sequel. Negotiations began in mid-1977 between the studio and Lucas's representatives. Fox had already given Lucas controlling interest in the series' merchandising and sequels because it had thought Star Wars would be worthless. Terms were agreed quickly for

21082-476: The same deference as his master and has his personal battalion and armada- the 501st Legion and "Death Squadron", respectively - at his beck and call. Imperial High Command maintained a number of subdivisions, each charged with directing the naval, ground and intelligence assets of the Imperial Military. The most important of these were the Joint Chiefs, an executive group of senior officers who advised both

21248-750: The same standard uniform that their Army counterparts use but is colored grey, and both services use colored chest plaques to denote rank. The Imperial Starfighter Corps (ISC) was the starfighter pilot branch of the Galactic Empire. Although the Corps was a component of the Navy, most pilots were assigned to ground operations with the Imperial Army. Imperial starfighters include TIE (Twin Ion Engine) fighters, TIE interceptors, TIE Defenders, TIE Brutes, TIE strikers, and TIE bombers. The Corps were scattered after

21414-481: The sector level. The Grand Moffs are among the Galactic Empire's top figures, being on equal-footing with the Grand Vizier and the Commander-in-Chief and having been similarly appointed by the Emperor himself. The Council of Moffs works closely with Imperial High Command and is therefore able to dispose of the Imperial Military's assets to enforce the Emperor's authority in its "provinces". Governor Wilhuff Tarkin

21580-401: The sequel compared to the original, in part because Fox executive Alan Ladd Jr. had been supportive of the original and was eager for the sequel. The 100-page contract was signed on September 21, 1977, dictating that Fox would distribute the film but have no creative input, in exchange for 50% of the gross profits on the first $ 20   million earned, with the percentage increasing to 77.5% in

21746-602: The sequel to a film as successful as Star Wars , and his friends warned him against taking the job, believing he would be blamed if it failed. Lucas convinced Kershner it was not so much a sequel as a chapter in a larger story; he also promised him he could make the film his own way. Lucas began formulating ideas in August 1977. These included the Emperor, Luke's lost sister, and an explanation of facial injuries Hamill had suffered from an accident after filming Star Wars (Lucas told Hamill that, had he died, his character would have been replaced, not recast). Hamill recounted being told

21912-403: The set, but arrived on May 6 after realizing the production was behind schedule and over budget. An official Lucasfilm memo instructed staff to misstate the film's direct costs as $ 17   million. At this point, Kurtz and Lucas estimated it would cost $ 25–28   million to complete filming. Finances ran out in mid-July when Bank of America refused to increase the loan. The crisis was kept from

22078-441: The shadows, his Sith apprentice, Darth Vader maintains a more public presence and leads the Imperial forces, acting as a personification of the Galactic Empire's power. By the time of Episode IV – A New Hope , the faction has transformed into a fully autocratic regime, though it is opposed by the insurgent Rebel Alliance . The completion of the Death Star , a planet-destroying battle station, allows Emperor Palpatine to instigate

22244-424: The ship's hyperdrive malfunctions. They hide in an asteroid field , where Han and Leia grow closer amid the tension. Vader summons several bounty hunters, including Boba Fett , to find the Falcon . Evading the Imperial fleet, Han's group travels to the floating Cloud City on the gas planet Bespin , which is governed by his old friend Lando Calrissian . Fett tracks them there, and Vader forces Lando to surrender

22410-603: The sister character might be Leia, which he found disappointing. Lucas had written Star Wars but did not enjoy developing lore for an original universe. Science-fiction writer Leigh Brackett , whom Lucas met through a friend, excelled in quick-paced dialogue. He hired her for $ 50,000, aware that she had cancer. Between November   28 and December   2, 1977, Lucas and Brackett held a story conference. Lucas had core ideas in mind but wanted Brackett to piece them together. He envisioned one central plot complemented by three main subplots, set across 60 scenes, 100 script pages, and

22576-474: The societal conflict. In its classification of films by genre, the American Film Institute limits the genre to historical films such as Ben-Hur . However, film scholars such as Constantine Santas are willing to extend the label to science-fiction films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and Star Wars . Lynn Ramey suggests that "Surely one of the hardest film genres to define is that of

22742-412: The stage on May 18, regardless of its state. The hangar scene involved 77 rebel extras, which cost £2,000 per day. Around 50 short tons (45 long tons) of dendritic salt , mixed with magnesium sulfate for a sparkle effect, were used for the snowy sets; this combination of substances gave the cast and crew headaches. Second unit director John Barry died suddenly in early June; Harley Cokeliss replaced him

22908-414: The star systems that make up each sector — keeping the spaceways safe , maintaining open and accessible communications , assuring that tax revenues are properly levied and allocated to improving the infrastructure . The plan which Palpatine ultimately had implemented in its entirety contained three main principles: territorial consolidation, rapid communication, and coercive diplomacy . Tarkin's concept

23074-581: The start of filming in January 1979 loomed, a fire on Elstree's Stage 3—where The Shining (1980) was being filmed—destroyed the space planned for Empire ' s sets. The impact was significant, resulting in the Empire production being forced to give up two stages so The Shining could continue filming. Sixty-four sets had to be moved through nine stages and the filming schedule had to be altered. Poor weather delayed construction of necessary sets, props, and

23240-534: The station is attacked by Rebel starfighters who have come into possession of the station's blueprints. The battle ends with the Death Star's destruction at the hands of Luke Skywalker , which is the Rebel Alliance's first major military success against the Empire. Politically, Alderann's destruction was a watershed moment for most Imperial Loyalists, many whom would later defect to the Alliance; it revealed

23406-881: The success of Star Wars , Lucas hired Brackett to write the sequel. After she died in 1978, he outlined the whole Star Wars saga and wrote the next draft himself, before hiring Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) writer Kasdan to enhance his work. To avoid the stress he faced directing Star Wars , Lucas handed the responsibility to Kershner and focused on expanding his special effects company Industrial Light & Magic instead. Filmed from March to September 1979 in Finse , Norway, and at Elstree Studios in England, The Empire Strikes Back faced production difficulties, including actor injuries, illnesses, fires, and problems securing additional financing as costs rose. Initially budgeted at $ 8   million, costs had risen to $ 30.5   million by

23572-414: The tauntaun special effect was criticized, audiences liked Han's reply of "I know" to Leia's confession of love. Lucas was unimpressed by the scene, believing it was not how Han would act. Because the magnetic soundtrack could flake from the film reels, Kurtz hired people to watch the film reels 24 hours a day to identify defects; 22% were defective. Shortly after the film's theatrical release, Lucas decided

23738-461: The three began conceptualizing the Hoth battle in December. By this point, the budget had increased to $ 10   million. Lucas wanted a director who would support the material and accept that he was ultimately in charge. He considered around 100 directors, including Alan Parker and John Badham , before hiring his old acquaintance Irvin Kershner in February 1978. Kershner was reluctant to direct

23904-418: The title The Empire Strikes Back . He said they avoided calling it Star Wars II because films with "II" in their titles were seen as inferior. Brackett completed her first draft in February 1978, titled Star Wars sequel, from the adventures of Luke Skywalker . The draft contained a city in the clouds, a chase through an asteroid belt, a greater focus on the love triangle between Luke, Han, and Leia (who

24070-469: The war , but rampant self-interest, which left the body politic feckless and corrupt. Consider the self-interest of the Core Worlds, unwavering in their exploitation of the Outer Systems for their resources; the Outer Systems themselves, undermined, by their permissive disregard of smuggling and slavery; those ambitious members of the Senate who sought only status and opportunity. By partitioning

24236-517: The war effort. He intentionally prolonged and exploits the Clone Wars to amass unprecedented political power, using his apprentice Darth Tyranus , Head of State of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, as a pawn to keep everyone distracted and focused on ending the war. By the time of Episode III , he is effectively a dictator who overstayed his term limits; he exploits the people's fears, systematically rewrites constitutional laws and crushes

24402-526: The war ends. These senators set into motion plans that will eventually lead to the creation of the Rebellion . The film eventually reveals that Palpatine and Sidious are one and the same, and Palpatine engineered the conflicts as a false flag . Palpatine reveals himself as a Sith Lord to Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, promising to save Padmé, Skywalker's secret wife, from dying in childbirth as Anakin has foreseen. Skywalker reports Palpatine's true identity to

24568-433: The war, with GAR liberators occupying every known Star system, Palpatine orders them to permanently annex planets, suppress the sectors and subjugate the people. Secured in his power and position, with no one left stop him, Palpatine reorganizes the Republic into the Galactic Empire, with himself as Emperor for life. He moves on to his final political opposition, the Senate; rather than dismantling it outright, he reduces it to

24734-551: The works of the Trojan War Cycle . In classical literature, epics are considered works focused on deeds or journeys of heroes upon which the fate of many people depends. Similarly, films described as "epic" typically take a historical character, or a mythic heroic figure. Common subjects of epics are royalty , gladiators , great military leaders, or leading personalities from various periods in world history. However, there are some films described as "epic" almost solely on

24900-627: The world, such as India where it's flourishing Bollywood industry produced the landmark Mughal-E Azam (1960), which is widely considered as one of the greatest films of all time and a milestone in Asian epics. This boom period of international co-productions is generally considered to have ended with Cleopatra (1963), The Fall of the Roman Empire (1964) and Doctor Zhivago (1965). Nevertheless, films in this genre continued to appear, with one notable example being War and Peace , which

25066-585: Was Gone with the Wind (1939), also an epic, with ten awards. Galactic Empire (Star Wars) Leader of the Contingency: Legislative: Executive: The Galactic Empire , also known simply as the Empire , is a fictional autocracy featured in the Star Wars franchise. Introduced in the 1977 film Star Wars , it is the main antagonistic faction of the original trilogy , which also includes The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of

25232-406: Was $ 30.5   million. Kurtz blamed inflation , which had increased resource, cast, and crew costs significantly. Lucas blamed Kurtz for lack of oversight and poor financial planning. Watts said Kurtz was not good with people and never developed a working relationship with Kershner, making it difficult for him to temper the director's indulgences. Kurtz had also given Kershner more leeway because of

25398-447: Was a symbol of unity and non-confrontation; Palpatine would pervert this peaceful symbol by removing two spokes from the wheel; similar to how Hitler took the swastika from ancient Eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism . The Senate, now known as the Imperial Senate, nominally continues to exist, though it is virtually powerless. Palpatine dissolves the Senate (off-camera) in A New Hope after discovering that several members of

25564-524: Was also allergic to most makeup. Her overuse of hallucinogens and painkillers worsened her condition, as did the anxiety she experienced while performing her speech to the rebels. Stress and personal traumas led to frequent arguments among Hamill, Fisher, and Ford. Ford and Hamill fell ill or were injured at different times. Hamill was depressed by his isolation from human cast members, as his scenes required him to interact mostly with puppets, robots, and actors whose voices would be added later or dubbed over. He

25730-462: Was available for this role, so Kurtz had him quickly change out of the Fett costume to stand in. John Morton portrays Fett in the same scene. There was no extensive casting for the Emperor. Lucas chose Clive Revill to provide the character's voice, and actress Marjorie Eaton physically portrayed the Emperor in test footage. The footage proved unsatisfactory, and special effects artist Rick Baker created

25896-426: Was born, aggravated by the salt-laden setting, and exhausted, he angrily chastised Kurtz for not using a double for the scene. Kershner's hands-on directing style, which included him acting out how he wanted a scene performed, agitated Hamill; Kershner, for his part, was frustrated that Hamill was not following his advice. The life-size hangar set was dismantled in mid-June to allow the construction of other sets around

26062-509: Was compensated with a donation to the Norwegian Red Cross . To film the Imperial probe landing, eight sticks of dynamite were placed on the glacier and set to explode at sunrise, but the demolitions expert in charge knocked the battery out of his radio and received the message too late to capture the intended shot. The opening sweeping shot of the area was captured by flying a helicopter to 15,000 feet (4,600 m) and performing

26228-607: Was confident in the film and spent little money on advertising, taking out small advertisements in newspapers instead of full-page spreads. The studio's market research showed 60% of those interested in the film were male. Lucasfilm set up a telephone number allowing callers to hear a message from cast members. Fox demanded a minimum 28-week appearance in theaters, although 12 weeks was the norm for major films. Estimates suggested Empire needed to earn $ 57.2   million to be profitable, after marketing, distribution, and loan interest costs. As with Star Wars , Lucas wanted to place all of

26394-460: Was considered but, determined to recruit him, Lucas agreed to a deal in late August 1979 which gave him a more limited role. Guinness was paid 0.25% of Empire ' s box office gross for his few hours of work. Billy Dee Williams was cast as Lando Calrissian, making him the first black actor with a starring role in the series. He found the character interesting because of his cape and Armenian surname ; Williams believed this gave him room to develop

26560-592: Was introduced in Timothy Zahn 's then- canon novel Heir to the Empire . It made its film debut in the special edition of Return of the Jedi . Inspiration for the world-spanning city came from 1940s science fiction works, especially Isaac Asimov 's Trantor . Visually, it resembles the Art Deco skyscrapers of Manhattan . Star Wars Battlefront II (2017) depicts Palpatine as intentionally having no clear line of succession, desiring either immortality or

26726-403: Was meant to use an earpiece to hear Oz's Yoda dialogue, but for various reasons this did not work, and he struggled to form a relationship with the character. The Dagobah set was liberally sprayed with mineral oil, which caused him physical discomfort for long periods. Hamill called it a "physical ordeal the whole time   ... but I don't really mind that". At one point, Oz cheered Hamill up with

26892-448: Was released in the former Soviet Union during 1967–1968. Epic films continue to be produced, although since the development of CGI they typically use computer effects instead of an actual cast of thousands. Since the 1950s, such films have regularly been shot with a wide aspect ratio for a more immersive and panoramic theatrical experience. Epic films were recognized in a montage at the 2006 Academy Awards . The enduring popularity of

27058-683: Was responsible mainly for crafting the Yoda puppet. Various techniques, including miniatures , matte paintings , stop motion , articulated models and full-size vehicles were used to create Empire ' s many effects. Industry professionals expected comedies and positive entertainment to dominate theaters in 1980 because of low morale in the United States caused by an economic recession . This generally increased theatrical visits as audiences sought escapism and ignored romantic films and depictions of blue-collar life . A surge of interest in science fiction following Star Wars led to many low-budget entries in

27224-457: Was scripted with both of them admitting their feelings for the other. Kershner felt this was too "sappy". He had Ford improvise lines repeatedly until Ford said he would do only one more take; his response to Leia's confession of love in the final take was "I know". By the end of the month, cast and crew morale was low. Hamill returned in early July to film his climactic battle against Darth Vader, portrayed by stunt double Bob Anderson , who said

27390-412: Was shipped immediately to ILM to begin effects work. A rough cut resembling the finished film (minus special effects) was put together by mid-October 1979. Lucas provided 31 pages of notes about changes he wanted, mainly alterations in dialogue and scene lengths. Jones recorded Vader's dialogue in late 1979 and early 1980. In early 1980, Lucas changed the long-planned opening of Luke riding his tauntaun to

27556-441: Was that rule could be established and maintained "through fear of force rather than force itself", and he believed grand displays of power—when combined with oppressive means of terrorizing communities—could suppress dissent and crush any would-be rebellion. This Doctrine became the Empire's core military doctrine of peacekeeping , internal security , counter-insurgency , and state terrorism -philosophy. The instrument of this power

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