The Empire Strikes Back (1980) D+80 1080p UHD BluRay x265 HEVC DTS-SARTRE

The second entry in George Lucas' Star Wars trilogy finds Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the green-as-grass hero from the first film, now a seasoned space warrior. Luke's Star Wars cohorts Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) are likewise more experienced in the ways and means of battling the insidious Empire, as represented by the brooding Darth Vader (body of David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones). And, of course, "The Force," personified by the ghost of Luke's mentor Ben Kenobi (Alec Guinness), is with them all. Retreating from Vader's minions, Luke ends up, at first, on the Ice Planet Hoth, and then the tropical Dagobah. Here he makes the acquaintance of the gnomish Yoda (voice of Frank Oz), whose all-encompassing wisdom comes in handy during the serial-like perils of the rest of the film. Before the film's open-ended climax, we are introduced to the apparently duplicitous Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) and are let in on a secret that profoundly affects both Luke and his arch-enemy, Vader. Many viewers consider this award-winning film the best of the Star Wars movies, and its special-effects bonanza was pure gold at the box office. The commentary is from the 1993 laserdisc and includes director Irvin Kershner, writer George Lucas, sound designer Ben Burtt, visual effects artist Dennis Muren, and actor Carrie Fisher.


Note:This is a theatrically synced reconstruction of The Empire Strikes Back by oohteedee using the 2160p UHD Bluray as its main source. Most of the CGI and other changes have been removed, though not all, so it is not a "pure" theatrical reconstruction. Detailed source notes are in the included nfo file.