Pulp Empire

I have viewed this edit multiple times and have updated my review to provide a more unbiased critique.

I loved this edit simply for it's refreshing idea, originality and uniqueness. My initial viewing was done on Vimeo as individual chapters were released. After viewing the entire edit in one sitting, I would recommend breaking it up into chapters.

During multiple viewings, I found myself becoming bored anytime Luke or Vader weren't on screen. The entire plot of Han and Leia in Cloud City became tedious and repetitive. There's an over reliance on slow motion, Tarantino uses slow motion but this edit has it in a large abundance.

There is also an over reliance on music. The edit is almost filled end to end with musical cues. Much like the slow motion, there is a large abundance present and sometimes the music overpowers the dialogue being spoken. Dialogue is a very important part in Tarantino movies and rarely uses musical cues during those scene and if he does they appear near the end for dramatic effect.

From a narrative aspect, the story is told in a non-linear fashion similar to Tarantino's style. However, during the final act there is a flashback to the Cave of Evil where Luke chops Vader's head off revealing his own head in the helmet, which doesn't make any sense. During the actual scene in the movie that scene was replaced by an animated segment from the original Clone Wars cartoon. So having a flashback to a scene that never took place was confusing.

All that being said, I still thoroughly enjoy this edit. The Luke and Yoda scenes are very enjoyable and are perfectly scored, even the training montage. The Vader introduction is masterly executed and the final fight is a joy to watch. I would recommend it to anyone who likes Tarantino movies, likes Star Wars, or is just looking for something that is fresh and unique. The sound overpowering the dialogue is why I gave the audio editing a 9 and the flashback is why I gave the narrative a 9.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

BRAVO!

As a fan of both Tarantino and Star Wars, I found this concept both entertaining and fascinating. It was great to see Empire in a new light, and with such damn style too! Great inclusion of the animated scenes from "Clone Wars", and Vader's montage introduction was stunning (of course, each montage was pretty damn impressive). Soundtrack was great, although I could see one or two songs that Tarantino would never touch himself. This edit is definitely going to stay in my collection!

This edit was everything I could have hoped for. I really enjoyed the beginning and end of the movie. The middle felt a bit like empire was just re-organized but the audio effects reminded you that you're watching an edit. I thought the animated scene was a good touch, the introductions to all of the characters was fantastic and the ending was spectacular. Overall this edit was amazing and I highly recommend watching it.

The opening of this edit really surprised me. Opening a Star Wars movie in medias res is a new one - and it fits the Tarantino style perfectly. I actively felt myself wondering how we got here. Even though we already know, the movie forces you to look at the narrative in a new way. Probably the best opening scene to a fan edit I've seen yet.

The majority of the film is pure QT style. The music choices and editing style are a near perfect match, and provide a take on Empire that's equal parts humorous and legitimately cool. Some portions of the film feature an abundance of slow motion and montage - the purpose appears to be to maintain sync with the musical choices. It may be a tad jarring in places, but the artistry of these sequences is very good. They may disrupt the pacing a but, but in and of themselves, they're quality. The use of title cards and a nonlinear narrative really complete the experience. The way Yoda was handled was nothing short of inspired.

But the real standout of this edit is the ending. The Empire Stikes Back has one of the most powerful endings in the history of cinema. I like this version better. I don't say that lightly. The way in which it is presented here adds a tremendous emotional punch that surpasses the original film. I was amazed. I sat in silence, jaw agape as the credits rolled.

You're doing yourself a disservice if you don't set some time aside to watch Pulp Empire.

So right off the bat I want to say that this edit is utterly incredible and such an intensely cool way to reimagine a classic and make it fresh and interesting again. Pretty much every positive thing I could say has been said already.

There were just a couple of choices that really jolted me. First, and this is the more minor one: why didn't Lando get a cool funked-out montage? I mean, Fett gets one and Lando doesn't?

Second, and this was the bigger deal to me, was the way the final scene played out. The Neil Young song felt more than a bit on the nose, while at the same time not quite hitting the appropriate note musically or lyrically. What was meant, both in the original film and in the edit, as a moment of utter despair, ends up just feeling like...not much, really, because all we have is this sort of lazy, plodding classic acoustic-rock track. And lyrically, it seems simultaneously like an extremely obvious choice (old man/young man, father/son, etc.) and like an incorrect one. After all, it's Vader pointing out that the two men are father and son, that the two men are not dissimilar, not Luke.

I also might have liked to see some reference to the Dark Side cave in this scene. I understand not including it in the Dagobah chapter, but I kept expecting some form of flashback to it. Without any indication that Luke experienced anything other than a hallucination of his father as a young man, Yoda's request that he not bring his weapons with him, and his subsequent disappointment, don't make a lot of sense.