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Celebs Share Empire Strikes Back Memories
To celebrate the 30-year anniversary of AT-ATs, tauntauns, wampas, and Yoda hitting the big screen, here are some of our favorite quotes from celebrities and bands interviewed in Star Wars Rocks who shared their favorite memories of The Empire Strikes Back.
Sean Lennon — musician:
The scene where Yoda describes the Force to Luke is the closest thing I can remember to a religious experience in my childhood.
Milo Ventimiglia — Heroes actor:
The Empire Strikes Back was the first movie I ever saw in a movie theater. I remember waiting in line with my family when I was a little kid. We had pizzas and waited there for what felt like days. We went inside the theater — the Cinedome in Orange County which was like a stadium-seating kind of theater. I remember sitting down and staring at the big red curtain thinking that people were going to come out onto the stage and perform. I had no idea what to expect. Then the curtain parted and I saw the Twentieth Century Fox logo and heard the trumpets, and I got chills. Darth Vader scared the hell out of me!
Because I’m kind of a Star Wars purist I’d say Empire made the biggest impact on me as a fan. It’s so dark, and it’s hands down the best out of all six films. Darth Vader isn’t inA New Hope all that much, but in Empire he was such a sinister character. And at the time there were no real twists at the end of most films like Empire. Overall, it was an impeccably shot, directed and written film.
Hal Sparks — actor/comedian:
I love the scene where Yoda eats his food stick and for a moment you are wondering what exactly he’s eating. Because of that I thought in the future all we’d eat would be candy bars. And so I’m a firm believer that while Star Trek is probably responsible for cell phones, Star Wars is most certainly responsible for Power Bars.
The Empire Strikes Back is my all-time favorite because it’s so well-written and exciting. Of course, having Han end up in carbonite at the end was so unthinkable that it kind of scarred me for life — but in a good way. I learned that things don’t always end up the way you expect them to, but if you stick with it will end up okay.
Nick Harmer — Death Cab For Cutie:
I’ve seen them all and I find things to like about all of them, but even to this day I still think Empire is the best one. When I first saw it as a kid, it seemed so desperate. There’s a certain darkness in that one that’s not really in the other films so much even though the dark side is always looming. There were so many struggles that as a kid it made the film seem so real. I always knew the Star Wars stories were made up and didn’t really exist, but there’s an element to Empire that made me think that was really happening somewhere in the universe at that point. It had a weight to it that was great.
The film I love the most, and stands the test of time, is The Empire Strikes Back. It’s in many ways a piece of genius art in the fact that it defies any logic in a children’s movie because the hero doesn’t win at the end. It goes against the traditional Hollywood values in its movies. It’s still one of my top 10 films of all time.
Jane Wiedlin — The Go-Gos:
Empire, to me, is by far the finest of the six films. It is so exciting, so dramatic, and so full of pathos. Harrison Ford, as Han Solo, totally stole my heart and no one has ever outdone him in the scoundrel-as-hero role.
I do have a particular fondness for Yoda. I especially liked his Tai Chi moves. And his ears and wise face, and basically everything he says I found somewhat appealing.
Bill Hader — Saturday Night Live cast member, actor: The first movie I remember seeing in a theater was The Empire Strikes Back with my dad. And when the movie got to the part with the tauntaun dying and he’s cut open and I saw all that rice-like innards, I freaked out. I was probably about 3 years old and that scene scared the crap out of me.
Chris Jericho — pro wrestler:
I cried when Han Solo was frozen in the carbonite. But the worst thing about it was the junior high bully was in the theater at the same time I was and saw me crying. So he made sure to tell everybody in the school and for the next three years the girls and guys made fun of me which totally ruined my street cred for awhile. However, later I used the frozen Han Solo scene as inspiration to freeze my own soul and become a tougher person and conquer all bullies in pro wrestling.
Seth Green — Robot Chicken co-creator, actor: The first toys that I got were R2-D2 and C-3PO, but I was super excited when I got my Boba Fett in the mail; then being really confused and furious when I got that letter that his rocket pack didn’t fire because some kid shot himself in the face, though it wasn’t exactly worded that way. I was so mad. At first, I thought it I was the only one who got that letter, so I called all my friends to complain about it. I think the original Boba Fett that I got as a kid is still my favorite. I mean there were like six different versions of him that came out on different cards, but the very first one from the mail away was special. I still have one of those and I love it.
Matt Greene: Los Angeles Kings hockey team: The Empire Strikes Back is awesome. I loved the Imperial Walkers! They are my favorite vehicles in the movies. I like that Empire is the middle of the story, and you get to see your favorite characters come back.
Milo Ventimiglia — Heroes actor: In Empire Strikes Back, everything was about Luke seeking to find about himself and so he had to go on this path of discovery where he met Yoda and really found out about the teachings of the Jedi. There was just something about it that was so fascinating to me as a kid. Given my background of the path I was put on at a young age and the family I was raised in, I really connected to it. Plus as a kid you want to be dazzled, so a big epic space battle is totally entertaining and fun to watch. The great part about movies is that you can relive that experience over and over.
Corey Taylor — Slipknot: Empire was by far my favorite. When A New Hope came out I was still kinda young, but when Empire came out, I was old enough to really be into it. My friends and I went like every weekend until they were refusing us at the door. The movies were an instant way to find friends. There were two categories of people then: those who loved Star Wars and those who LLLLLLOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEDD Star Wars. I was firmly planted in the latter.
Bill Kelliher — Mastodon: My favorite scene has to be the Hoth scene with the AT-AT walkers and snowspeeders. Just the sheer size of those things coming over the horizon destroying everything in sight was amazing! They had no chance against those things. It looked as though the Rebels were done for.
Mark Osborne — Kung Fu Panda director: I remember when I was seven years old trying to use the Force. I would lie in bed and try to move stuff; especially after Empire Strikes Back. They really explain how to do it. I should be able to do it because I heard everything Luke was told!
Greg Puciato — The Dillinger Escape Plan: The Empire Strikes Back is the one that I, like most people, seem to like the most. The movies resonate for the same reasons that they affect so many other people. They touch on timeless themes, the classic tragic hero structure, good vs. evil, resolution of paternal conflict, themes of religion and spirituality. They are also arresting visually, and for me the music of a movie is very important, and you don’t get much better than the classic themes John Williams composed for the original trilogy.
Sam Endicott — The Bravery: I can’t remember a time when I didn’t have Star Wars figures lying around. I had everything. My favorite was the AT-AT because it was like having another pet around the house. We would pretend to leave food out for it, and my cat would get really jealous.
