This year marks the 30th anniversary of “The Empire Strikes Back” one of the greatest films to date in the Sci-Fi / Fantasy genre’. George Lucas even created the label “Space Fantasy” to avoid the ridged and unrealistic explanations that the science fiction purist had come to required. The films were only movies not text books. “Empire” was the second installment released in the most endearing and puzzling of franchises known to film goers; ” Star Wars”. Within the “Star Wars” series Lucas created three remarkable films and three that were sadly disappointing. An artist and creator should always be judged by their best work and Lucas remains in a very small fraternity of extraordinary master film makers.
Lucas has used and taken every element of film and expanded them to phenomenal levels; effects, sound, editing, character and story. This includes the end results as well as the actual “nuts and bolts.” The dialogue from “Empire” alone is repeated in countless movies and writings to this day. The mythology and mystery of film is much vaster because of the mind and heart of George Lucas. “The Empire Strikes Back”; his opus.
Lucas has used and taken every element of film and expanded them to phenomenal levels; effects, sound, editing, character and story. This includes the end results as well as the actual “nuts and bolts.” The dialogue from “Empire” alone is repeated in countless movies and writings to this day. The mythology and mystery of film is much vaster because of the mind and heart of George Lucas. “The Empire Strikes Back”; his opus.
R2-D2 and C-3PO were the “Laurel and Hardy” of the serials and are as loved and ubiquitous as any creations of fiction. The pair was originally intended to be the center of the series and the story would unfold from their unique points of view. They represent Lucas and his vision very well and I chose a photo from another “American Master”; Annie Leibovitz to animate.
Her portrait of Artoo in a shipping crate which first appeared in Vanity Fair was my inspiration and the only source material for my short piece “Artoo in Box”. The original portrait was part of a spread depicting a behind the scenes look at “Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones” the fifth “Star Wars” film to be released. The other stills featured here are all by Leibovitz.
"Artoo In A Box"
Many thanks to you George and Annnie. I hope “Artoo in a Box” brings you a smile.
