Star Wars –
Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

Released: May 21, 1980

Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox

Genre: sci-fi

Box Office (numbers in millions):

Domestic: 290.50 Worldwide: 538.40

Adjusted for Inflation:

Domestic: 962.51 Worldwide: 1736.00

Directing: Irving Kershner

Screenwriting: Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, James Earl Jones, Billy Dee Williams

Review:

The follow-up to the massively successful Star Wars “offers more fluid storytelling and is a much better film” ^RS thanks to George Lucas’s decision to shift his attention to “the technical wizardry [while] Irvin Kershner handled the direction.” ^FS “The result is a smashing display of action, special effects and drama, all tied together by the darkest and best-written script of the series” ^TV which features “great characters and a rich, comic-bookish storyline).” ^FS

Once again, the story follows the rebels in their battle against the evil empire led by Darth Vader (Jones). When the Rebel Alliance is attacked on the ice planet Hoth, Princess Leia (Fisher) and Han Solo (Ford), who are falling in love, head to Cloud City for help from Lando Calrissian (Williams), an old friend of Han’s. Meanwhile, Luke Skywalker (Hamill) heads off to Dagobah to be trained by Yoda, a gnome-like Jedi master. “The film culminates with a show-down between Luke and Darth Vader” ^FS and “one of the neatest twists in one of the top sequels ever made.” ^TV

“Film is known as a risky investment, so when a filmmaker takes a gamble on himself, it's a big deal. Lucas didn't want to share creative rights with a studio, so he self-financed the movie, putting the whole $18 million up, using profits from Star Wars and a bank loan. It paid off. Lucas was able to recoup his money within three months of the film's release.” ^MSN