A Thousand Stars: Episode V, Part 24
Nov. 6th, 2025 11:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
matrilBack at the Imperial fleet, Vader is widening his net to catch the Falcon by inviting bounty hunters to participate. I've always been intrigued by the set design of Star Destroyers, with those little stations positioned below the main walkways. It creates visually fascinating shots like this one, where the Imperials in the foreground speak scoffingly of the 'scum' blurrily visible in the background. But a slight shift in perspective sets up a hunter far more imposingly looking down at the officers, leaving them just a little spooked.
The costume design is also delightful. With just a few quick shots, we glimpse the varied species or even droids and their motley choice of garb and weaponry. (Confession: I didn't know what a bounty hunter was outside the context of Star Wars, so throughout my childhood I assumed they were just another invention in that universe.)
It's almost hilarious to me that we have scads of action figures, backstories and fan fiction for these one-and-done characters. Boba Fett is the one exception who shows up again, but even he has a whopping four lines in just a handful of scenes. Yet people were fascinated by him, his mask, his terseness, his ability to track down the Falcon when no one else could. There's something that people find inherently engaging here. The contrast between the strict uniformity of the Empire and the widely-varying looks of the hunters? That appeal of roguish mercenaries living on the fringes of the law? It's not really my thing, so I doubt I can fully understand, but it sure thrilled a lot of other fans. What's indisputable is that this scene says a lot more with the visuals than with the brief bits of dialogue. Who needs scads of dull exposition when you have fantastic costumes?
The costume design is also delightful. With just a few quick shots, we glimpse the varied species or even droids and their motley choice of garb and weaponry. (Confession: I didn't know what a bounty hunter was outside the context of Star Wars, so throughout my childhood I assumed they were just another invention in that universe.)
It's almost hilarious to me that we have scads of action figures, backstories and fan fiction for these one-and-done characters. Boba Fett is the one exception who shows up again, but even he has a whopping four lines in just a handful of scenes. Yet people were fascinated by him, his mask, his terseness, his ability to track down the Falcon when no one else could. There's something that people find inherently engaging here. The contrast between the strict uniformity of the Empire and the widely-varying looks of the hunters? That appeal of roguish mercenaries living on the fringes of the law? It's not really my thing, so I doubt I can fully understand, but it sure thrilled a lot of other fans. What's indisputable is that this scene says a lot more with the visuals than with the brief bits of dialogue. Who needs scads of dull exposition when you have fantastic costumes?
