'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - The Radio Drama' Episode Review: 'The Millennium Falcon Pursuit'
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| (C) 1980 Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) |
Cast:
- Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill)
- Han Solo (Perry King)
- Chewbacca
- Princess Leia Organa (Ann Sachs)
- See-Threepio (Anthony Daniels)
- Artoo-Detoo
- Darth Vader (Brock Peters)
- Tarrin
- Wedge Antilles (Dan Scardino)
- Transport
- Admiral Piett (David Rasche)
- General Veers (Gordon Gould)
- Imperial Pilot (Jay Sanders)
- Narrator (Ken Hiller)
Reviewer's Note: All quoted material is from the 1995 Del Rey book Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - The National Public Radio Dramatization. This edition contains Brian Daley's complete radio play, which differs slightly from the version of the Radio Drama which aired on National Public Radio in 1983 and the original 1990s HighBridge Audio cassette and compact disc editions. The version in Daley's script was recorded, but as with the original 1981 Star Wars Radio Drama, edits were made at the request of NPR due to the needs of the radio format. The longer version is available in HighBridge Audio's more expensive Limited Edition CD collection of Star Wars: The Complete Radio Drama Trilogy.
Announcer: OPENING CREDITS.
Music: Opening theme.
Narrator: A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, there came a time of revolution, when Rebels united to challenge a tyrannical Empire.
Sound: Battle, wild lines, etc.
Narrator: Now, it is a dark time for the Rebellion. Darth Vader, with an Imperial starfleet, has attacked the Rebels' fortress-base on the ice planet Hoth. Stormtroopers, assaulting the base in "walkers," enormous, armored war machines, are about to breach their defenses. The Rebels rush to evacuate the base, but within the lead walker, the Imperial ground commander prepares for a final assault.
SCENE 5-1 WALKER COCKPIT
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| "Have all walkers redirect their fire at the power generators, maximum power." (C) 1980 Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) |
Veers: Pilot, what is the distance to the Rebel power generators?
Pilot: One seven, decimal two eight, General Veers.
Veers: Very good; we're within range. Have all walkers redirect their fire at the power generators, maximum power. And open a comlink channel to Lord Vader's ship.
Pilot: Yes, sir.
Sound: Comlink.
Veers: Lord Vader, General Veers here. The Rebel defensive shields will be down presently. You may begin your landing approach.
Sound: Walker fades.
The Millennium Falcon Pursuit is the fifth of 10 episodes in Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - The Radio Drama. Based on the screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, it was directed by John Madden and adapted for National Public Radio by sci-fi author Brian Daley.
Like Fire and Ice, this episode is incredibly action-packed. It opens on a suspenseful, sinister note as General Veers (Gordon Gould) orders his squad of All-Terrain Armored Transports to target the Rebels' power generators, then advises Darth Vader (Brock Peters) that he may begin his landing.
As the Dark Lord prepares for his arrival on Hoth, the situation in Echo Base is becoming dire, especially for Han Solo (Perry King), Chewbacca the Wookiee, Princess Leia Organa (Ann Sachs), and the always-nervous protocol droid See-Threepio (Anthony Daniels). Chewie is aboard the balky Millennium Falcon awaiting Han's arrival so the two ex-smugglers can leave Hoth, while the cocky Corellian is taking the Princess to one of the last Rebel transports.
SCENE 5-2 HOTH CAVERN TUNNEL
Sound: Hoth cavern tunnel comes up. Distant, muffled explosions. Han and Leia running, approaching.
Leia: (APPROACHING) Han, will you kindly stop trying to yank my arm off? I'm hurrying!
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| (C) 1980 Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) |
Han: (APPROACHING) Nice, Princess. I just want you to get down this tunnel and outta this base. Try and do somebody a favor and what d'you get -
Sound: Huge explosion, closer.
Leia: Ohh!
Sound: The ceiling ice cracking.
Han: Look out! Get back! Leia!
Leia: SCREAMS AS THEY BOTH FALL.
Sound: Cave-in, as the ice gives way and the tunnel collapses, blocking their way.
Han: Are you okay? Here, get up -
Leia: I'm fine - just let go! (BEAT) Um, are you all right, Han?
Han: Yeah. The tunnel's never gonna be the same, though. They must've hit the power generators.
Sound: Comlink.
Han: Transport, this is Solo.
Transport: (OVER COMLINK) Transport here, Solo.
Han: Y'better take off right away, boys. The south tunnel's collapsed and we can't get to you. I'll get the princess out in the Millennium Falcon.
Transport: I copy, Solo! Move fast! You're only one step ahead of the stormtroopers! And good luck!
Sound: Comlink deactivates.
Han: Always gets me nervous when people start wishin' me luck. Awright; the last bus is loadin' now, Princess.
Leia: (SIGHS) Looks like I'm with you, flyboy.
Threepio: (APPROACHING) Your Highness, thank you so much for waiting! I - what's happened to the tunnel?
Leia: (MOVING OFF) Threepio, follow us! Hurry! There's no time!
Threepio: (FOLLOWING AFTER) But, but, but - where are you going? Come back!
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| "Chewie, hey, partner, is she ready for liftoff?" (C) 1980 Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) |
As the title clearly infers, the fifth episode of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - The Radio Drama depicts the heroes of the Rebellion - Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Han Solo, Princess Leia Organa, See-Threepio (Anthony Daniels) and Artoo-Detoo at a dark crossroads in their war against the Empire.
With the destruction of the Rebels' power generator, Imperial stormtroopers in arctic combat gear and led by Darth Vader arrive on Hoth and join the assault against Echo Base already in progress. Outgunned and hopelessly outnumbered, the battered band of freedom fighters is forced to evacuate and head for the vast reaches of space.
Now, the six Heroes of the Rebellion that struck a heavy blow against the Empire at Yavin three years earlier are splitting up. Luke and Artoo escape from Hoth aboard his X-wing fighter as the Battle of Hoth comes to its tragic end; however, instead of heading for the Rebel fleet's rendezvous point, young Skywalker leaves his comrades behind and heads off for the Dagobah system.
Aboard the battered Millennium Falcon, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and See-Threepio are being chased by elements of the Imperial starfleet, including the Star Destroyer Avenger and its wing of TIE fighters. Eager to elude their Imperial pursuers, Han and Chewie try to take the Falcon to the relative safety of hyperspace - only to find out the ship's hyperdrive is damaged. As Threepio says, "It's impossible to go to light speed!"
Meanwhile, an angry and obsessed Lord Darth Vader, convinced that Luke is aboard the Falcon, orders his fleet to pursue the fleeing starship no matter what the cost - or face his lethal fury!
My Take
Once again, the creative team behind Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - The Radio Drama proves that the power of good storytelling is almost limitless. Writer Brian Daley, who penned all three of the Star Wars radio dramas, clearly understood that George Lucas's modern space-fantasy saga transcends its origins as an extremely visual movie; Luke Skywalker's hero's journey from humble farmboy to Jedi apprentice is a tale that can be told well in books, comics, and radio dramas.
Daley - who got the radio drama gig because one of Lucasfilm's vice presidents had approved of the way he treated Star Wars material in a trilogy of Han Solo novels set before the events of A New Hope - also had a great love for the characters and situations created by George Lucas. Not surprisingly, his favorite character is the cocky Corellian captain of the Millennium Falcon; Perry King's Han Solo is given many of the best - and funniest - lines in the 10-part radio serial.
Now, the six Heroes of the Rebellion that struck a heavy blow against the Empire at Yavin three years earlier are splitting up. Luke and Artoo escape from Hoth aboard his X-wing fighter as the Battle of Hoth comes to its tragic end; however, instead of heading for the Rebel fleet's rendezvous point, young Skywalker leaves his comrades behind and heads off for the Dagobah system.
Aboard the battered Millennium Falcon, Han, Leia, Chewbacca, and See-Threepio are being chased by elements of the Imperial starfleet, including the Star Destroyer Avenger and its wing of TIE fighters. Eager to elude their Imperial pursuers, Han and Chewie try to take the Falcon to the relative safety of hyperspace - only to find out the ship's hyperdrive is damaged. As Threepio says, "It's impossible to go to light speed!"
Meanwhile, an angry and obsessed Lord Darth Vader, convinced that Luke is aboard the Falcon, orders his fleet to pursue the fleeing starship no matter what the cost - or face his lethal fury!
My Take
Once again, the creative team behind Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back - The Radio Drama proves that the power of good storytelling is almost limitless. Writer Brian Daley, who penned all three of the Star Wars radio dramas, clearly understood that George Lucas's modern space-fantasy saga transcends its origins as an extremely visual movie; Luke Skywalker's hero's journey from humble farmboy to Jedi apprentice is a tale that can be told well in books, comics, and radio dramas.
Daley - who got the radio drama gig because one of Lucasfilm's vice presidents had approved of the way he treated Star Wars material in a trilogy of Han Solo novels set before the events of A New Hope - also had a great love for the characters and situations created by George Lucas. Not surprisingly, his favorite character is the cocky Corellian captain of the Millennium Falcon; Perry King's Han Solo is given many of the best - and funniest - lines in the 10-part radio serial.
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| TV and film actor Perry King played Han Solo in the Star Wars Radio Drama trilogy. |
Interestingly, King was one of the many young actors who auditioned for the role of Han Solo when George Lucas and producer Gary Kurtz were casting the original Star Wars film in 1976. Of course, Harrison Ford ended up getting the part, but the future Riptide co-star earned a chance to show fans how he would have played the iconic character when Ford was unavailable for the first radio drama. King gives his version of Han a slightly edgier personality - more rough around the edges and quicker with a sardonic quip - than Ford's take on the space pirate with the heart of gold.
Of course, The Empire Strikes Back features the Star Wars saga's best romantic subplot - the love story of the Princess and the scoundrel - and no retelling of it in the Radio Drama trilogy would be complete without the chemistry between King and actress Ann Sachs, who plays Princess Leia Organa.
Sachs is a stage actress and drama coach based in New York City. In 1981, when she played Princess Leia in NPR's first Star Wars radio adaptation, she was best known for her performance in the play Dracula. Her voice is similar but not identical to Carrie Fisher's, but she plays a very sassy, take-charge Rebel freedom fighter who despite herself shows a sweet, feminine side as she slowly comes to terms that she is in love with Han. The Millennium Falcon Pursuit explores this aspect of the saga in a way that will please most Han-and-Leia fans.
Of course, The Empire Strikes Back features the Star Wars saga's best romantic subplot - the love story of the Princess and the scoundrel - and no retelling of it in the Radio Drama trilogy would be complete without the chemistry between King and actress Ann Sachs, who plays Princess Leia Organa.
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| Arye Gross, Ann Sachs, and Perry King in a 1996 photo taken during the recording sessions for HighBridge Audio's Return of the Jedi radio serial for NPR. (C) 1996 Del Rey Books |
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| Concept art for the "Gone with the Wind" A-poster for The Empire Strikes Back by Ralph McQuarrie. (C) 1980 Lucasfilm Ltd. (LFL) |
Director John Madden (Shakespeare in Love, Captain Corelli's Mandolin) also gets great performances from Star Wars film vets Mark Hamill (Luke) and Anthony Daniels (See-Threepio), as well as the Radio Drama's Darth Vader, the late (and great) Brock Peters (To Kill a Mockingbird) and various guest voices, including David Rasche. Jay Sanders, Dan Scardino, and Gordon Gould.
The finishing touches, of course, were added in post-production by Tom Voegeli, the sound mixer and post-production engineer responsible for the radio drama's sound mix. Voegeli and his team spent months in the editing room mixing the voice actors' tracks with Ben Burtt's sound effects from The Empire Strikes Back and the musical score composed and conducted by John Williams.
The result? A thrilling, chilling audio adventure that takes listeners to a galaxy far, far away that is perhaps more vivid than the familiar and more visual version fans know from the films.
So if you haven't yet heard The Millennium Falcon Pursuit or any of the other episodes in this landmark radio series, you haven't fully explored The Empire Strikes Back. As the radio series' creative team liked to say, if you think you've seen the movie, wait till you hear it!
The finishing touches, of course, were added in post-production by Tom Voegeli, the sound mixer and post-production engineer responsible for the radio drama's sound mix. Voegeli and his team spent months in the editing room mixing the voice actors' tracks with Ben Burtt's sound effects from The Empire Strikes Back and the musical score composed and conducted by John Williams.
The result? A thrilling, chilling audio adventure that takes listeners to a galaxy far, far away that is perhaps more vivid than the familiar and more visual version fans know from the films.
So if you haven't yet heard The Millennium Falcon Pursuit or any of the other episodes in this landmark radio series, you haven't fully explored The Empire Strikes Back. As the radio series' creative team liked to say, if you think you've seen the movie, wait till you hear it!
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