Back in 1980, when The Empire Strikes Back, the second feature film in the Star Wars saga, was released in theaters, its director Irwin Kershner already had to respond to some fans, surprised by the ending of the film.
The Imperial Army is stronger than ever. A terrible revelation. A crushing defeat and a severed arm for Luke Skywalker. Han Solo frozen in carbonite and handed over to his worst enemy…
At the conclusion of The Empire Strikes Back, the second part of the original Star Wars trilogy, all is not well for the heroes of the Rebel Alliance, who celebrated the destruction of the Death Star in the previous episode. And so it’s on a particularly sad note that the feature film ends waiting for Return of the Jedi.
After the lights returned to theaters in 1980, some fans who had not expected such a dark conclusion at all said they were shocked, surprised, and sometimes even a little appalled. What was the reaction of the director of the film, Irwin Kershner, who said at the time In an interview with NBC 5 Never considering an alternate ending to his feature film:
“It was the only ending”Thus, he confirmed in a definitive tone before explaining why, he said, some fans were able to declare themselves upset with the choice.
“If the ending shook them, it was probably only because they saw the first Star Wars, with its triumphant conclusion. Everyone was winning, patting each other on the back, giving each other medals. People were lining up and was honored Because they became heroic figures. Well, the heroic figures from the first film no longer exist in this film. Because in this case, they were just lucky enough to survive this monstrous creature named Darth Vader. The simple fact of survival is sometimes enough in this life.”
Irwin Kershner fully embraced the dark and realistic tone of The Empire Strikes Back, continuing:
“If you don’t expect a triumphant ending, then you’re completely satisfied. And vice versa. It’s like that in life. Things never turn out the way you expect. I always expect the unexpected.”
More than 40 years later, while many other films have joined the Star Wars galaxy, The Empire Strikes Back is today unanimously considered one of the best episodes of the saga.
(Re)discover all the hidden details of the movie…
Source: allocine
Emily Jhon is a product and service reviewer at Gossipify, known for her honest evaluations and thorough analysis. With a background in marketing and consumer research, she offers valuable insights to readers. She has been writing for Gossipify for several years and has a degree in Marketing and Consumer Research from the University of Oxford.
