Let Us Not Forget Irvin Kershner, Mmmkay?

Monday, November 29, 2010 8:41:02 PM

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Irvin Kershner was a magnificent movie director. On its own space-opera terms, his Star Wars film, "The Empire Strikes Back," ranks with "The Godfather Part II" and Kershner's too-little-known "The Return of a Man Called Horse" as a sequel that boldly expands on the original. Although "The Empire Strikes Back" never ceases to be a swift and luxuriant sci-fi spectacle, it's more than a bubbly cinematic fun house. Kershner provided visual music for the soul, streaked with anguish as well as humor and a volatile comic-book lyricism. Full of the manic-depressive highs and lows of characters on the brink of maturity, "The Empire Strike Back" is about Growing Up Absurd in a Galaxy Far, Far Away. Kershner's Star Wars episode proved that even gimmickry gets elevated when actors settle into character and a director arranges ingredients for emotional variety and grace.

Kershner went after otherworldy textures and got them right - a "carbon-freeze chamber" shimmers eerily, the eggshell tones of a cloud city are blissfully (if deceptively) lulling, Darth Vader emerges from a mechanical-clam meditation room in a burst of light. But he also gave the characters more solidity and greater opportunities to exploit their quirky humor.

The enduring popularity and growing reputation of "Empire" pleased Irvin. But he was intent on conveying that it was one part of a career that included "The Hoodlum Priest" (1961), "Ginger Coffey" (1964), "Loving" (1970), "Up the Sandbox" (1972), the Man Called Horse sequel (1976), TV's "Raid on Entebbe" (1977) and "Laura Mars" (1978). Whether he was doing domestic dramedy or realistic action, he never tired of tossing his characters into risky dilemmas and using all the tools at his disposal to explore and dramatize them.

With the recent death of the wonderful Leslie Neilsen, it's easy to overlook someone less known like Irvin Kershner. That's why I'm here - to make sure he's not pushed to the wayside. smile Rest in peace, Irvin...you've certainly earned it. heart


Koopa The HuttWhat A Freakin' Douchebag!

Comments

Gavin Tripp-Sheedygarlingmatthews Monday, November 29, 2010 9:17:28 PM

Empire rocked.

KarenNerak Monday, November 29, 2010 9:17:46 PM

Hells yes, it did/does! headbang

d4rkn1ght Monday, November 29, 2010 9:26:45 PM

R.I.P. rip

KarenNerak Monday, November 29, 2010 9:38:20 PM

*bows head*

MConor Monday, November 29, 2010 10:28:49 PM

Leslie died cry Airplane I, II, and all the Naked Guns.... cry heart rip

KarenNerak Monday, November 29, 2010 11:11:06 PM

Yeah, I know. sad So, so sad. rip

Dacotah Monday, November 29, 2010 11:14:43 PM

sad

KimberlySqueakeyCat Tuesday, November 30, 2010 7:38:20 AM

cry rip

KarenNerak Tuesday, November 30, 2010 8:24:44 AM

Yes, Kim...exactly. awww rip

Uncle MickMickeyjoe-Irl Tuesday, November 30, 2010 8:13:07 PM

A real unsung hero. I bet most people you asked would say that George Lucas directed Empire.

KarenNerak Tuesday, November 30, 2010 9:46:29 PM

Oh, definitely. I'd be impressed with someone if they knew who really directed it. smile

MConor Tuesday, November 30, 2010 9:51:49 PM

Oh!! I know! It was that guy! lol

KarenNerak Tuesday, November 30, 2010 9:59:28 PM

rolleyes Does NOT count.

MConor Tuesday, November 30, 2010 10:04:05 PM

cry

KarenNerak Tuesday, November 30, 2010 10:14:26 PM

rolleyes

Ben JaminBeJamin023 Wednesday, December 1, 2010 2:06:25 AM

"Have you ever been in a cockpit before billy?"
"No sire, ive never been in a plane before"
"Billy, have you ever seen a grown man naked before?"

Good times rolleyes

KarenNerak Wednesday, December 1, 2010 2:37:15 AM

lol Hahahahahahahaha...omg, that scene is so effin' funny!

Ben JaminBeJamin023 Wednesday, December 1, 2010 3:32:06 AM

"Creamer? No thanks, I prefer it black...Like my men"

have you ever seen the deleted scene of them talking?

KarenNerak Wednesday, December 1, 2010 4:05:08 AM

I don't think I have. Hmmm. Well, then again, maybe. If it's on the DVD, I have seen it. My Mom owns it. She's a big Leslie Neilsen fan.

KimberlySqueakeyCat Wednesday, December 1, 2010 4:20:27 AM

yuck you and your coffee Karen. Lmao, you can keep it. LMAO

KarenNerak Wednesday, December 1, 2010 5:26:31 AM

lol Okies! You don't have to tell me twice. bigsmile coffee

KimberlySqueakeyCat Wednesday, December 1, 2010 6:08:08 AM

lol

H82typ Sunday, December 5, 2010 7:06:34 AM

whistle Just got notified of this post.
I've now got 111 new items! rolleyes

rip Irvin.

KarenNerak Sunday, December 5, 2010 7:29:04 AM

lol Oopsie!!!

Charles SchlossChas4 Tuesday, December 14, 2010 4:01:05 AM

Mmmkay rip

KarenNerak Tuesday, December 14, 2010 4:28:51 AM

up

H82typ Friday, December 17, 2010 5:35:18 PM

Just lost Blake Edwards(The Pink Panther). sad rip

KarenNerak Friday, December 17, 2010 8:12:52 PM

NOES!!! no That's horrible. cry rip

KimberlySqueakeyCat Friday, December 17, 2010 11:19:17 PM

no way. not right. too many gone already this year.

cry cry cry cry cry

KarenNerak Saturday, December 18, 2010 12:37:21 AM

I agree...tooooo many! cry

KimberlySqueakeyCat Saturday, December 18, 2010 1:06:06 AM

OMG KAREN, YOU'RE GONNA BUST A NUT ON THIS POST

http://my.opera.com/SqueakeyCat/blog/2010/12/18/weird-and-funny-true-existing-holidays

KarenNerak Saturday, December 18, 2010 5:03:59 AM

lol I'll go look right now!....

KimberlySqueakeyCat Saturday, December 18, 2010 3:18:22 PM

Did you read the last "large" link? Thought you'd get a big kick out of that one. LMAO

KarenNerak Saturday, December 18, 2010 10:57:35 PM

Yes! lol Hahaha

Uncle MickMickeyjoe-Irl Saturday, December 18, 2010 11:05:26 PM

Originally posted by H82typ:

Just lost Blake Edwards


Yeah, I'm pretty bummed by that. Growing up it was a special treat to be allowed stay up late and watch a Pink Panther movie on telly. sad

KarenNerak Saturday, December 18, 2010 11:08:21 PM

I hear ya'...Such a loss. sad

MConor Saturday, December 18, 2010 11:17:35 PM

My dad bought the original pink panther videos... sad I love em.

KarenNerak Saturday, December 18, 2010 11:18:04 PM

rip

H82typ Sunday, December 19, 2010 1:10:30 AM

"You must get rid of the mink-key! You cannot 'ave le mink-key without the proper liss-aunse!" lol rotfl

Uncle MickMickeyjoe-Irl Monday, December 20, 2010 12:40:41 PM

There is so much talent in those films - Peter Sellers, Herbert Lom, Burt Kwouk.

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