User reviews

The closest we'll ever get to being a fly on the wall of Elstree Studios. This documentary is chock-full of behind-the-scenes footage, from carpenters actually constructing the sets, to the puppeteers behind the creatures (even Stuart Freeborn!). The interviews of the cast are informal and relaxed, which is a stark difference from most of the interviews we see today. This is an actual documentary, so the people working on the film don't feel the need to sell you on the movie as ticket-buyers. They're just casual conversations, even going so far as discussing pivotal plot points.

The bottom line is that this is the biggest assemblage of backstage footage seen on the making of "The Empire Strikes Back" (speaking for myself, at least), and it's like unearthing an honest-to-god time capsule. I've seen the movie countless times, but watching this documentary was like peeking at it from slightly different angles and witnessing the rough texture before getting smoothed out in the editing process.

Must-see for Star Wars fans and film fans alike.