May 21st, 1980: Empire opens to luke-warm reviews

The Hobbit opens in a few weeks and reviews are already coming in. Some are really positive, while others are only luke warm. The thing with reviews is that you have to take them with a grain a salt. Even "The Empire Strikes Back", (what I consider the greatest film of all time) had some fairly bad reviews:

Fans line up for "Empire"

"The Empire Strikes Back" has no plot structure, no character studies let alone character development, no emotional or philosophical point to make. It has no original vision of the future… But the total effect is fast and attractive and occasionally amusing. Like a good hot dog, that's something of an achievement in a field where unpalatable junk is the rule.” ~Washington Post 

“This fan has one big objection to the film. There is a new character introduced called Yoda. It is a combination of Mickey Rooney and a gray fox but the voice is handled by Frank Oz . Oz is known for his work for Miss Piggy and Fozzie the Bear on the Muppet Show. The voice is too close to the other characters and loses some believability,” ~Kentucky New Era

“The characters are only slightly more developed than in the original. Han remains cocky and the princess is still ever aloof. Luke Skywalker, though, seems a bit more sensitive and C3PO is definitely headed for a severe case of paranoia” ~Observer Reporter

Other reviews were mixed:

“A new puppet, representing a great guru but looking like an elderly, Eastern rodent, is a success; an invented beast of burden that looks like the rear half of a cheap camel costume is not.” ~Washington Post

Ad for Dolby Stereo Sound

And of course there were some reviews that were a little more representative of my feelings towards the film.

"The Empire Strikes Back" is a worthy sequel to Star Wars, equal in both technical mastery and characterization, … Only box office question is how many earthly trucks it will take to carry the cash to the bank.” ~Variety Reviews

“And unlike other blockbuster movies, you don’t feel ripped off with the $1.50 children’s admission price” ~Montreal Gazette

“Lucas knows Once Upon a Time the way Hugh Heffner knows bachelor dreams.” ~The Victoria Advocate

“… one of the most significant surprises in The Empire Strikes Back comes with the opening titles, when the movie’s name is preceded by the tag ‘Chapter V’ ” ~St. Petersburg Times

"Episode V" may have surprised or confused fans

Just remember that reviews can be a great tool, but do not let them spoil the movie for you. Remember that one man’s opinion is just that. Classic films don’t always get good reviews, and some highly reviewed movies are easily forgotten about the next year.

Empire Strikes Back didn’t win many Oscars, but it is in the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress (only 575 films can say that). The film “Ordinary People” that won Best Picture the year Empire came out has been largely forgotten. Here are a few films from last decade that received rave reviews that have quickly been forgotten:

Crash

Million Dollar Baby

Shakespeare in Love

The Departed
American Beauty

I just can’t imagine my future children seeking out a copy of these films and appreciating them. Have you watched any of these since their release? My kids will probably grow up watching Harry Potter or the Matrix films (The Matrix sequels probably aren’t as bad as you remember them being).

Next Time: The Making of Jedi