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showtimesofficial sitesmiscellaneousphotographssound clipsvideo clipsStar Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) More at IMDbPro »
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Overview
User Rating:
Director:
Writers:
Leigh Brackett (screenplay) and
Lawrence Kasdan (screenplay) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
21 May 1980 (USA) more
Tagline:
The Adventure Continues... more
Plot:
While Luke takes advanced Jedi training from Yoda, his friends are relentlessly pursued by Darth Vader as part of his plan to capture Luke. full summary | full synopsis
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 10 wins & 12 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(63 articles)
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User Comments:
A worthy second (or 5th??) Star Wars installment, might be the best of the bunch. more (663 total)
Cast
(Cast overview, first billed only)| Mark Hamill | ... | Luke Skywalker | |
| Harrison Ford | ... | Han Solo | |
| Carrie Fisher | ... | Princess Leia | |
| Billy Dee Williams | ... | Lando Calrissian | |
| Anthony Daniels | ... | C-3PO | |
| David Prowse | ... | Darth Vader | |
| Peter Mayhew | ... | Chewbacca | |
| Kenny Baker | ... | R2-D2 | |
| Frank Oz | ... | Yoda (voice) | |
| Alec Guinness | ... | Ben 'Obi-wan' Kenobi | |
| Jeremy Bulloch | ... | Boba Fett | |
| John Hollis | ... | Lando's Aide | |
| Jack Purvis | ... | Chief Ugnaught | |
| Des Webb | ... | Snow Creature | |
| Clive Revill | ... | Emperor (voice) |
Additional Details
Also Known As:
Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back (USA) (video box title)
The Empire Strikes Back (USA) (short title)
more
MPAA:
Rated PG for sci-fi action violence. (special edition, DVD version)
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
124 min | USA:127 min (special edition)
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
2.20 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | DTS (special edition) | Dolby Digital (special edition) | SDDS (special edition) | Dolby (35 mm prints)
Certification:
USA:PG (certificate #26034) | Iceland:12 (original rating) (theatrical release) | Iceland:12 (special edition) | Iceland:LH (original rating) (video release) | Germany:6 (video rating) | Malaysia:U | Canada:G (British Columbia/Quebec) | South Korea:All | Brazil:Livre | South Africa:PG | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Canada:G (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Nova Scotia) (special edition) | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Chile:TE | Denmark:11 (special edition) | Denmark:12 (original rating) | Finland:K-10 (special edition) | Finland:K-12 (original rating) | France:U | Hong Kong:I | Ireland:G | Netherlands:AL (video rating) (special edition) (1990s) | New Zealand:PG | Norway:11 (re-rating) | Norway:12 (original rating) | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG (special edition) | Spain:T (special edition) | Sweden:11 (special edition) | Sweden:15 (original rating) | UK:U | West Germany:12 | Mexico:AA
Filming Locations:
Fun Stuff
Trivia:
When running inside the Millennium Falcon and getting ready to get out of the asteroid-worm Leia is arguing with Han over his choice of action. Han tells her that there's "no time to discuss this in a committee!". In 'The Phantom Menace' Queen Amidala (or one of her doubles) says "I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee!" while presenting the situation on Naboo for the republic senate. She then suggests that "new leadership is needed" and moves for a vote of no-confidence in chancellor Valorum. more
Goofs:
Continuity: Just before Han Solo is put into carbon freeze, he's wearing a tunic-style shirt. After he's frozen, his outline in the block of carbonite depicts him wearing the shirt he wore in Star Wars (1977). Then, when he's unfrozen in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983), he's wearing a double-breasted shirt. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
Luke:
Echo Three to Echo Seven. Han, old buddy, do you read me?
Han Solo:
Loud and clear, kid. What's up?
Luke:
Well, I finished my circle. I don't pick up any life readings.
Han Solo:
There isn't enough life on this ice cube to fill a space cruiser. Sensors are placed. I'm going back.
Luke:
Right. I'll see you shortly. There's a meteorite that hit the ground near here. I want to check it out. It won't take long.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Family Guy: Don't Make Me Over (#4.4)" (2005) more
FAQ
Is it true that the Wampa ice creature attack was added to explain Mark Hamill's injuries?When does Obi-wan tell Luke about Yoda?
Did George Lucas direct any of this movie?
more
more (663 total)
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My five children were all pre-teens when 'The Empire Strikes Back' came to the theater. While there had been other Sci-Fi movies with a theme of conflict in outer space, the 'Star Wars' trilogy filled our imaginations like no other movies before them. The fantastic, strange worlds were presented almost like we were there too. Aliens sitting around a tavern, enjoying drinks and speaking in all sorts of languages. Nothing before had approached the sheer size of the space ships depicted here, huge cities traveling all over the galaxy. And how about the jump to hyper speed, then disappearing from the screen as the speed exceeds light speed! And the light sabres of the Jedi Knights. The Jedi Knights, a striking parallel to the Japanese Samurai.
It is fruitless trying to argue 'which is best' in a trilogy, because the first one, in this case 'Star Wars', starts it all and has to be the 'father'. However, an argument can be made that 'The Empire Strikes Back' (now on DVD called Episode V) is overall a better-made movie which has more excitement, and grabs your imagination,than the other two original installments (now called parts IV and VI). The DVDs finally came out last month, and they are near perfect, as we should expect from Lucas Films and THX. The bit rate is high, and the picture is nothing short of superb. As is the Dolby EX surround track.
My wife and I watched all three of the movies on DVD this week -- Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi -- compliments of our local public library. It was an appropriate reminder how good these movies are, and still ahead of their time. Nothing else has been made to compare to them.