Irvin Kershner - Empire Strikes Back director - dead at 87

[skelter]

http://www.popeater.com/2010/11/29/irvin-kershner-dead-empire-strikes-back-director/

'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back' director Irvin Kershner has died in Los Angeles at age 87, the Agence France-Presse reports. Goddaughter Adriana Santini said Kershner had faced an illness for some time.

In addition to directing what many regard as the pinnacle of the 'Star Wars' saga, Kershner helmed 'Never Say Never Again' and 'Robocop 2.'

The onetime George Lucas collaborator taught courses in film and photography at the University of Southern California. In an interview later in his life, Kershner spoke of teaching Lucas in the 1960s. "Even then, I could see that he was a very special student," Kershner said. "Not that he had a great eye, but he had vision."

Kershner was born in Philadelphia in 1923; he was a musician and photographer before delving into documentary and eventually feature filmmaking.

Reflecting on the 30-year legacy of 'Empire Strikes Back' in October, Kershner told Vanity Fair: "I think the critics felt that they were going to see an extension of 'Star Wars.' In other words, they wanted another 'Star Wars.' I decided that the potential was much greater than a rerun of 'Star Wars.' When I finally accepted the assignment, I knew that it was going to be a dark film, with more depth to the characters than in the first film. It took a few years for the critics to catch up with the film and to see it as a fairy tale rather than a comic book."

[Jaimoe]

Best Star Wars movie.

[bouche]

so I guess we're never going to get The Empire Strikes Back 2?