Empire Minute 48: Eating the Stick

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Date

March 19th, 2014

Summary

Mysteriously standing right in front of Luke is a strange, bluish creature, not more than two feet tall. The wizened little thing is dressed in rags.

Guests

Tony Thaxton

Notes

Film

• Starts with Luke eating a stick; ends with some guy that we've just met eating the stick.

Podcast

• What are they eating? Space carrots; naked Twix.
• Luke says that Dagobah is familar for some reason. This is never explained or revisited - it must be an implanted memory from Obi-Wan.
• Did Obi-Wan ever visit Yoda on Dagobah while they were both alive?
• Referenced: Lost (the TV series) - in the context of not explaining absolutely every detail.
• The hosts experiences with Star Wars EU content and how this content compares to the prequels.
• Luke gets interrupted by some green guy puppet. What was Luke about to say?
• R2-D2 doesn't detect Yoda approaching, or he does and just doesn't say anything to Luke.
• Does R2-D2 know where they are and who Yoda is?
• The droid's memories are constantly being erased.
• If you watch the movies in order then you know that this is Yoda.
• Was Yoda revealed or spoiled before the movie? (See 8-DAY-GREEDO call below - same question.)
• Episode 4 is the only movie that doesn't include Yoda AND the Emperor.
• Could a motion picture get away with physical puppets today?
• Tony is a huge Muppets, Jim Henson and Frank Oz fan. This is why he wanted these minutes in the podcast.
• The quality of the various Yodas across the different movies.
• The lower quality lighting and cinematography in RotJ versus Star Wars and ESB.
• When CGI Yodas were used and when the puppet Yoda was replaced across the movies.
• Lucas and Oz have both taken credit for Yoda's way of speaking.
• Tony recommends the ESB hardcover book (available via Amazon - search for "The Making of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back").
• According to the book, Lucas partially wrote Yoda's dialogue the way it is in the movie and then Lawrence Kasdan made it work. Clearly Yoda is a collaborative effort.
• Quotable Yoda lines. In this minute - "Wars not make one great".
• Could Luke have shot Yoda if he fired? The hosts say no - Yoda would have blocked or avoided the shot and Luke would have instantly failed the "Jedi test".
• The role of Yoda was originally offered to Jim Henson. He turned it down and recommended Frank Oz instead.
• The relationship and fondness between Lucas and Henson. Both are amazingly creative people.
• Jim Henson as Yoda - what character voice would he have used? Ernie, Rolf, Dr. Teeth. (The characters that Henson is credited with performing are listed here - Henson Muppet performance credits.)
• David Prowse gets no attention or recognition as Vader; every other physical actor - even the puppeteers - are well known.

Meta Minute

• 27:37 podcast episode length.
• Cold-open: 8-DAY-GREEDO call - Was Yoda revealed before ESB came out, or was it top secret?

Quotes

• Alex: This is Yoda's house; it's his Dojo. Pete: His Yojo!
• Pete: Alex and I were talking about RotJ the other day - because we talk about Star Wars when we're not talking about Star Wars.

Link

http://www.starwarsminute.com/2014/03/19/empire-minute-48-eating-the-stick/

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