Coming up on Saturday at the described Movies: Star Wars Episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

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From this Saturday at 12am Eastern, that’s 4pm Saturday in NZ, 2pm in Sydney and 5am in the UK, and repeated every four hours throughout the day, it’s the described movies Star Wars Episode 5 The Empire Strikes Back from 1980, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers from 1978.
The Empire Strikes Back (also known as Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back) is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story by George Lucas.
The sequel to Star Wars (1977),it is the second film in the Star Wars film series and the fifth chronological chapter of the " Skywalker Saga".
Set three years after the events of Star Wars, the film recounts the battle between the malevolent Galactic Empire, led by the Emperor, and the Rebel Alliance, led by Princess Leia.
Rebel ally Luke Skywalker trains to master the Force so he can confront the Emperor's powerful disciple, Darth Vader.
The ensemble cast includes Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and Frank Oz.
Following the success of Star Wars, Lucas hired Brackett to write the sequel.
After she died in 1978, he outlined the whole Star Wars saga and wrote the next draft himself, before hiring Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) writer Kasdan to enhance his work.
To avoid the stress, he faced directing Star Wars, Lucas handed the responsibility to Kershner and focused on expanding his special effects company Industrial Light & Magic instead.
Filmed from March to September 1979 in Finse, Norway, and at Elstree Studios in England, The Empire Strikes Back faced production difficulties, including actor injuries, illnesses, fires, and problems securing additional financing as costs rose.
Initially budgeted at $8 million, costs had risen to $30.5 million by the project's conclusion.
Released on 21 May 1980, the highly anticipated sequel became the highest-grossing film that year, earning approximately $401.5 million worldwide.
Unlike its light-hearted predecessor, Empire met with mixed reviews from critics, and fans were conflicted about its darker and more mature themes.
Critics praised the expressive features and characterization of the puppeteered character Yoda, a diminutive creature who serves as Luke's teacher.
The film was nominated for various awards and won two Academy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and a BAFTA, among others.
Subsequent releases have raised the film's worldwide gross to $538–549 million and, adjusted for inflation, it is the 13th-highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada.
Since its release, The Empire Strikes Back has been critically reassessed and is now often regarded as the best film in the Star Wars series and among the greatest films ever made.
It has had a significant impact on filmmaking and popular culture and is often considered an example of a sequel superior to its predecessor.
The climax is often ranked as one of the greatest plot twists in cinema.
The film spawned a variety of merchandise and adaptations, including video games and a radio play.
The United States Library of Congress selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2010.
Return of the Jedi (1983) followed Empire, concluding the original Star Wars trilogy.
Prequel and sequel trilogies have since been released.
Directed by: Irvin Kershner.
Screenplay by: Leigh Brackett, and Lawrence Kasdan.
Story by: George Lucas.
Produced by: Gary Kurtz.
Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and Frank Oz.
Cinematography: Peter Suschitzky.
Edited by: Paul Hirsch.
Music by: John Williams.
Production Company: Lucasfilm Ltd.
Distributed by: 20th Century-Fox.
Release dates: 6 May 1980 (Dominion Theatre), and 21 May 1980 (United States).
File Length: 128 minutes.
Country: United States.
Language: English.
Budget: $30.5 million.
Box office: $538–549 million.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1978 American science-fiction horror film directed by Philip Kaufman and starring Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams,Veronica Cartwright, Jeff Goldblum, and Leonard Nimoy.
Released on 22 December 1978, it is based on the 1955 novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney.
The novel was previously adapted into the 1956 film of the same name.
The plot involves a San Francisco health inspector and his colleague who over the course of a few days discover that humans are being replaced by alien duplicates; each is a perfect biological clone of the person replaced, but devoid of empathy and humanity.
Released in the United States over the Christmas weekend of 1978, Invasion of the Body Snatchers grossed nearly $25 million (equivalent to $117 million in 2023) at the American box office.
It initially received varied reviews from critics, though its critical reception has significantly improved in subsequent years, receiving a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and being hailed as one of the greatest remakes ever, as well as one of the best science-fiction horror films of all time.
Directed by: Philip Kaufman.
Screenplay by: W. D. Richter.
Based on: The Body Snatchers 1954 novel by Jack Finney.
Produced by: Robert H. Solo.
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, Jeff Goldblum, and Veronica Cartwright.
Cinematography: Michael Chapman.
Edited by: Douglas Stewart.
Music by: Denny Zeitlin.
Production Company: Solofilm.
Distributed by: United Artists.
Release date: 22 December 1978.
File Length: 109 minutes.
Country: United States.
Language: English.
Box office: $24.9 million (US).
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Enjoy the movies.