Despite possessing an array of obsessively nerdy proclivities, I'm not a Star Wars guy. I like the series just fine and all, but I don't genuflect at the altar of George Lucas like so many of my nerdy brethren. In my opinion, almost every other popular sci-fi franchise runs circles around the galaxy far away. My ambivalence for Star Wars notwithstanding, I do have to concede that Star Wars Episode V is a masterpiece of early blockbuster filmmaking. The pacing, reveals, and cinematography in the Empire Strikes Back still hold up today- which is fitting because today is the movie's 42nd anniversary.
On this day in 1980, Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back was released, and the world of cinema changed forever. Irrespective of the trilogies in the franchise, Empire Strikes Back is considered the gold standard for Star Wars films. And with Disney limping to the barn with Star Wars lately, I doubt that designation will change in the future.
