THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK What the Critics Didn't Tell You
Jeff Calkins
Never have two movies made the kind of deep lasting impression as have Star Wars and its sequel, The Empire Strikes Back. Many viewers have gone back again and again- some literally hundreds of times. People waited - without complaining - for hours in long lines to see Star Wars. And by the time The Empire was to be released, people were waiting in line for days. One movie critic - John Simon of the National Review - observed that Star Wars and its sequel have turned into a religious cult. What could cause such a fanatic devotion? The Star Wars movies are probably the best science fiction films - from a technical point of view -ever made. And yet other movies have had special effects almost as good. Other movies have had many of the same dramatic elements, and perhaps better acting. Yet they have not had even a fraction of the impact. Why?
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