US (1980): Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Action/Adventure

The second film produced in George Lucas's enormously popular Star Wars science fiction series is a darker, more somber entry, considered by many fans as the best in the series. Gone is the jaunty swashbuckling of the first film; the rebellion led by Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) suffers before the superior forces of the Empire, young hero Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) faces his first defeats as he attempts to harness the Force under the tutelage of Jedi master Yoda (voiced by Frank Oz), and cocky Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is betrayed by former ally Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams). In the tradition of the great serials, this film is left with a hefty cliffhanger.

The leap in special effects technology in the three years since Star Wars (1977) results in an amazing array of effects, including a breathtaking chase through an asteroid field and a dazzling, utopian Cloud City, where Luke faces the black-clad villain Darth Vader (David Prowse, voice of James Earl Jones) in a futuristic sword fight and learns the secret of his Jedi father. Veteran director Irvin Kershner took the directorial reins from creator and producer Lucas and invested the light-speed adventure with deeper characters and a more emphatic sense of danger. The series is concluded in Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). (Lucasfilm/20th Century-Fox) (Sean Axmaker, Amazon.com)

 View the theatrical trailer for this film on YouTube.com.

· Best Sound 1980: Bill Varney, Steve Maslow, Gregg Landaker, Peter Sutton
· Special Achievement Award 1980: Brian Johnson, Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren, Bruce Nicholson - Visual Effects

· Art Direction/Set Decoration 1980: Norman Reynolds, Leslie Dilley, Harry Lange, Alan Tomkins - Art Direction; Michael Ford - Set Decoration
· Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1980: John Williams

4 nominations, 1 Award, 1 Special Achievement Award