Not that we’re taking a definitive stand on the matter, but we could argue — like the majority of well-informed fans before us have — that The Empire Strikes Back is the best film in the Star Wars canon. There’s the super-dark tone, the introduction of Yoda, the expert direction by Irvin Kershner and one of the best plot twists in cinematic history. Lucasfilm – ahead of the Star Wars Celebration convention in Orlando in August — has released a spate of behind the scenes images from arguably the best loved chapter in George Lucas’ opus. And while the pressure was on the filmmaker to repeat the success of the first Star Wars film (now appended with the subtitle Episode IV: A New Hope), the following captivating images — some taken from the book The Making of the Empire Strikes Back by J.W. Rinzler — show the cast in a light mood as production began in 1979. (And yes, we realize the last photo is taken from The Return of the Jedi – we’d recognize that gold bikini anywhere.) via: Daily Mail
