Please note that this is an overdue event

ArtScience on Screen: Season of the Force

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Season of the Force is a film programme that accompanies ArtScience Museum's exhibition STAR WARS™ Identities.

Season of the Force illuminates the cinematic universe that inspired the exhibition, through screenings from the series, plus film presentations which explore the storyworlds, ideas and visual styles which influenced George Lucas. The season showcases the timeless appeal of the iconic space opera series, as well as providing insight into the films, directors and aesthetics which shaped George Lucas' art and provided the blueprint for the canon’s universe.

Season of the Force launched in January with the Skywalker saga, and will culminate in May around Star Wars Day with a special presentation of five films – the iconic 1977 Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, Akira Kurosawa’s rousing samurai adventure The Hidden Fortress which was a principal inspiration for the Star Wars saga, Lucas’ directorial debut THX 1138 that is often referenced throughout the Star Wars films, as well as must-see documentaries Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy and Elstree 1976 which chronicle the making of the original trilogy.

Elstree 1976 (2015)

Dir. Jon Spira
97 min | PG
3 - 30 May
Monday - Sunday
1.30pm

In 1976 during the hottest summer on record, Star Wars: A New Hope was shot in suburban North London. Nobody involved had any idea how big the film would become. Yet, for the extras and actors who played aliens, storm troopers, rebels and even Darth Vader — faces hidden beneath rubber masks, plastic helmets or heavy prosthetics — these seemingly insignificant jobs would go on to change their lives forever. A Kickstarter-funded documentary, Elstree 1976 is an affectionate tribute to the individuals who played minor, supporting and background parts in the indomitable franchise.

THX 1138 (DIRECTOR'S CUT)

Dir. George Lucas
88 min | *M18 (Sexual Scenes and Nudity)
3 - 30 May
Thursday
4pm
Friday
6.30pm
Saturday (29 May only)
6.30pm

A chilling exploration of the future is also a compelling examination of the present in George Lucas’ THX 1138, starring Robert Duvall as a man whose mind and body are controlled by the government. THX makes a harrowing attempt to escape from a world where thoughts are controlled, freedom is an impossibility and love is the ultimate crime. Developed from his student film Electronic Labyrinth:
THX 1138 4EB, Lucas’ directorial debut has been cited as a key to understanding Star Wars and explores themes and motifs that seem almost universal to his work.

*Please note that IDs will be checked at the door.

The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Dir. Akira Kurosawa
139 min | PG
8, 15 & 22 May
Saturday
6.30pm

A grand-scale adventure that only venerated director Akira Kurosawa could create, The Hidden Fortress stars the inimitable Toshiro Mifune as a general charged with guarding his defeated clan’s princess (a fierce Misa Uehara), as the two smuggle royal treasure across hostile territory accompanied by two bumbling, conniving peasants.
Acknowledged as a formative influence on George Lucas’ Star Wars, The Hidden Fortress sheds light on the roots of Star Wars’ cinematic vocabulary and is among Kurosawa’s most beloved films.

Star Wars: Episode IV a New Hope™ (1977)

Dir. George Lucas
127 min | PG
3 - 30 May
Sunday - Thursday
10:30am
Friday - Saturday
4pm

The fate of the galaxy is forever changed when Luke Skywalker discovers his powerful connection to a mysterious Force. Mentored by a wise Jedi Master, and opposed by the menacing Darth Vader, Luke takes his first steps on a hero’s journey. Written and directed by George Lucas who assembled a team to form visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), A New Hope revolutionised motion picture production and would go on to capture the imagination of a generation.

Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy (2004)

Dir. Kevin Burns
151 min | PG
3 - 30 May
Sunday - Wednesday
4pm
Friday - Saturday
10:30am

The story of the making of the Star Wars trilogy is as epic and dramatic as the films themselves. Empire of Dreams is the most comprehensive documentary about the production of the original trilogy and its impact on popular culture. It takes audiences behind the scenes to experience the journey that George Lucas and his team went on to create a cinematic mythology few thought could ever be made — charting the beginning of Lucas' career as a filmmaker to the complex production of A New Hope in 1976, as well as the impact of the film and its sequels.

Visitors are encouraged to pre-book their seats online due to limited capacity here.

Seats will be released if you are late for more than 5 minutes for your pre-booked session.

In light of the COVID-19 situation, kindly note that seating will be spaced out to observe safe distancing measures. Seats will be sanitised in between screenings. We thank you for your understanding.

Image Credit: ArtScience Museum