WIL WHEATON dot NET

50,000 Monkeys at 50,000 Typewriters Can't Be Wrong

The Empire Strikes Back (1950)

  • WWdN in Exile

I think this may be the most impressive Star Wars parody/tribute/whatever I've ever seen, and I've seen some truly great ones.

This makes me want to do a 13 episode webseries, probably serialized 3 minutes at a time, that's entirely done in the 1950s Sci-Fi style, with locations at Vasquez Rocks, sets that look like the inside of a submarine, with square-jawed heroes and bullet-bra'd heroines. 

  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window) Reddit
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Bluesky (Opens in new window) Bluesky
  • More
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related


Discover more from WIL WHEATON dot NET

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

19 May, 2010 Wil

Post navigation

the obligatory phoenix comicon schedule post → ← From the Vault: “Foster is down!”

62 thoughts on “The Empire Strikes Back (1950)”

  1. Hellafax says:
    19 May, 2010 at 3:27 pm

    hee! Thats awesome! AND, yes – serial Wheaton would rock 🙂

  2. DerekHardy says:
    19 May, 2010 at 3:29 pm

    That is the most wonderful idea I have heard all day. I would certainly give an amount of dollars greater than zero for this.
    Also, you should have Scott Kurtz do the voice of the robot.

  3. JeffHarbert says:
    19 May, 2010 at 3:37 pm

    You would totally have Streamy material on your hands.

  4. Hdibner says:
    19 May, 2010 at 3:42 pm

    I”d hope your opening sequence would be along the lines of Space Patrol with a cheesy announcer saying something like, “Wil Wheaton, commander in chief of the Kosmic Kazoooooooo!”
    ..or, you know, something that makes more sense.

  5. Macogma says:
    19 May, 2010 at 3:44 pm

    Absolutely Awesome! Definitely have to have the long echo for Radio Free Burritoooooo!

  6. www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1171267621 says:
    19 May, 2010 at 3:56 pm

    Can we make rocket ships out of rolled up paper plates and light the back ends on fire to simulate thrust?

  7. karohemd says:
    19 May, 2010 at 3:58 pm

    That … is … awesome!
    Yes, your idea is, too. Do eet!
    I’d even pay for being able to see it.

  8. Riaz Ali says:
    19 May, 2010 at 4:22 pm

    How about a 1950’s version of Whose Line Is It Anyway?

  9. beth9133 says:
    19 May, 2010 at 4:23 pm

    just make sure you claim all rights to any future merchandising material.

  10. Wil says:
    19 May, 2010 at 4:24 pm

    I believe you mean "moichendising", right?

  11. Rebeccainthewoods.wordpress.com says:
    19 May, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    Sweet! I got a mite distracted by the use of Forbidden Planet clips (IT’S MORBIUS! Oh no, wait, it’s supposed to be Vader!) but that doesn’t make it any less amazing.

  12. Annika says:
    19 May, 2010 at 4:28 pm

    This is one of the best things I have ever seen. Today is my Star Wars-obsessed son’s fourth birthday and he just made me watch it with him twice.
    I am dying to do something like that out at Vasquez Rocks, though I was thinking of making westerns…

  13. Jim Seymour says:
    19 May, 2010 at 4:32 pm

    Also, check out his frame-by-frame comparison between his version and the “real” version. Much fun!


  14. Wil says:
    19 May, 2010 at 4:38 pm

    Remember to talk to your son about the Star Wars prequels, because if you don't … someone else will.

  15. beth9133 says:
    19 May, 2010 at 4:43 pm

    seein' how I'm from Texas, I believe that would be merchindizin', bidness stahle!
    Sent from Theresa's iPhone

  16. Wil says:
    19 May, 2010 at 4:44 pm

    Oh, and the happiest of birthdays to him! May the Force be with you all.

  17. twitter.com/Kathy_Porter says:
    19 May, 2010 at 5:01 pm

    OMG this is GREAT!!!!!
    hugs to yoiu Wil 🙂
    Kathy Porter

  18. Mike McNamara says:
    19 May, 2010 at 5:14 pm

    I have seen, now that I think about it, surprisingly few Star Wars parodies/tributes/whatevers, but I do think this one is currently in the running for ‘most favorite thing ever’ (this is a traveling trophy that travels a lot, but it’s still pretty rarified air)
    Your serial idea is pretty awesome too. Now that you mention it Wil Wheaton is actually a pretty awesome 50s sci-fi name… though Wil Windsor or Willard Wheaton would be better.

  19. SirenProduction says:
    19 May, 2010 at 5:25 pm

    Do the whole thing in “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid” style?

  20. Kevin Hanson says:
    19 May, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    That was rather amazing. It could not have been cheap.

  21. Wil says:
    19 May, 2010 at 5:27 pm

    It's not a parody; it would be sincere. It would just be made in the style of those 1950s Sci-Fi matinees that I love so much.

  22. Annika says:
    19 May, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    I have already failed him. He… (and please imagine me saying this with my eyes closed in shame and horror) …he thinks the podrace is totally wizard.

  23. Sara says:
    19 May, 2010 at 5:34 pm

    You are going to have to search far and wide to find an actor who can scream like the heroine did in this reel. I mean being able to do the ‘pause, prepare to scream, deep breath, high pitch scream’ and in a way is so very non convincing. That kind of scream is not something that comes naturally. That takes practice.

  24. Wil says:
    19 May, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    Oh God. I'm … I'm so sorry.

  25. Dave@NASA says:
    19 May, 2010 at 6:17 pm

    That is completely cool. Thanks for sharing!
    And I am certain, Wil, that you could make something MUCH cooler. That is, if it wouldn’t be, you know, too much of a challenge. We wouldn’t want you to have to, you know, stretch your talents or anything. It would be quite a challenge. But, that’s OK… sometimes maybe we expect too much from you.
    (You see what I did there?)

  26. 58limited says:
    19 May, 2010 at 6:33 pm

    Brilliant!

  27. stand says:
    19 May, 2010 at 6:37 pm

    The only thing missing is the Wilhelm Scream

  28. Alex Pope says:
    19 May, 2010 at 6:42 pm

    Wil Wheaton Presents Adventures in Spaciness 2: the Search for More Money!
    Btw, I’ve got dibs on the flamethrower.

  29. Alex Pope says:
    19 May, 2010 at 6:46 pm

    Win. Pure win.
    Oh, and… is he dead, Jim?

  30. Jay Epps says:
    19 May, 2010 at 6:48 pm

    The serial is a brilliant idea. Just don’t let it turn into “Sky Capitan and the World of Tomorrow”

  31. Alex Pope says:
    19 May, 2010 at 6:50 pm

    Make it so.

  32. Lancelot J Mallia says:
    19 May, 2010 at 7:12 pm

    Here is a Star Wars Parody we did a while back:
    Boba Fett and the Raiders


    This was when Boba Fett had just established his own recording label “The Electric LightSaber Orchestra”

  33. Antiavenger says:
    19 May, 2010 at 7:37 pm

    I’m echoing any sentiments that would encourage you to do such a thing. That was awesome and I’m sure any webisode idea ya got will be pretty damn good.
    My only question is, besides current commitments you may already have, what’s keeping you from doing a web series like you wanna do?

  34. beth9133 says:
    19 May, 2010 at 7:47 pm

    However, this is still nothing compared to “Hardware Wars”! Now there’s a classic!

  35. Evelyn Johnson says:
    19 May, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    I have stage management, lighting, sound and sewing skills and can scream like a Portland liberal locked in a closet with with Glenn Beck.

  36. beth9133 says:
    19 May, 2010 at 7:50 pm

    oh, btw, i sent you an email re: “getting a book signed” a couple of days ago. Or was it yesterday? I forget. Anyways, lemme know if you want me to retype it here…

  37. Monica Starling says:
    19 May, 2010 at 8:08 pm

    Amazing. My hubby just squealed with glee!

  38. Sircaliban says:
    19 May, 2010 at 8:26 pm

    Wil,
    You just made my day. That video is pretty awesome. And yes, I agree you should do a webseries in 1950s SciFi style!
    Cal

  39. Alex Pope says:
    19 May, 2010 at 8:30 pm

    One of my fav SW related bits, Getting Old:

  40. Stacey says:
    19 May, 2010 at 11:34 pm

    it’s simply awsome! It makes it better that’s it’s in the 1950’s style.

  41. Darwinev0lved says:
    20 May, 2010 at 5:08 am

    Has anybody else looked at the list of films that went in to making this? Unbelievable. Every now and then I’m just staggered at how much geekier than me it’s possible to be. Truly humbling. I mean has he actually watched all of these? Sat through (in fact, found) Invasion of the Animal People or Man Beast.
    Man do I have some catching up to do.

  42. Chris Cowan says:
    20 May, 2010 at 6:18 am

    mmmmmm…… bullet-bra’d heroines.

  43. simpleton says:
    20 May, 2010 at 6:51 am

    i recently tracked down “Radar Men From The Moon” great stuff!
    some of the episodes star a pre-Trek Leonard Nimoy. the leather jacket/rocket suit is classic. your show needs a rocket suit!
    http://bbbms.blogspot.com/2003_11_02_archive.html

  44. twitter.com/byseanferrell says:
    20 May, 2010 at 7:52 am

    I don’t get it. It’s just clips from The Empire Strikes Back. Hey… wait a minute…

  45. I. Khider says:
    20 May, 2010 at 8:22 am

    No way, THIS is the best star Wars parody:



    James Earl Jones!

  46. twitter.com/RizzRustbolt says:
    20 May, 2010 at 8:47 am

    A micro-series based on a Lucasarts property? It’ll never happen.
    Again.

  47. wwphx says:
    20 May, 2010 at 10:01 am

    I so loved the Luke Starkiller reference!

  48. Fish! says:
    20 May, 2010 at 11:02 am

    Nice find! Off to go re-read the original SW scripts.

  49. Npdemers says:
    20 May, 2010 at 11:23 am

    That is totally awesome. I adore the AT-AT. Or was that the probe?

  50. Ryan Mitchell says:
    20 May, 2010 at 1:57 pm

    Isn’t that Brock Peters from the Empire Strikes Back Radio Dramas doing Vader’s voice? That’s awesome!

Comment navigation

Newer Comments →

Comments are closed.

Related Posts

from the vault: the autumn moon lights my way

I wrote A LOT about my sons, and our relationship, during this five year mission. It's rewarding and special to look back at those posts, now, knowing everything I know.

WIL WHEATON dot NET is open for business

After a long Exile, I returned home this weekend. Until the heat death of the universe or I stop blogging (whichever comes first), I'll be back at WWdN.

Treat her like a lady, and she’ll always bring you home.

This is the second to last post I made at WWdN:in Exile. I’m copying it here for completion’s sake. In 2001, blogs were very new things. In fact, as much more time was […]

Treat her like a lady, and she’ll always bring you home.

This weekend, after way, way too many years in exile, I’m finally returning home. Wow. Typing that made me feel all the feels. I wasn't expecting that.

Recent Posts

catching halos on the moon

catching halos on the moon

I had such a good time with my garden last season. It was the first time I had ever capital-t Tended a garden in my life, and it was a […]

More Info
in the heat of the summer better call out a plumber

in the heat of the summer better call out a plumber

Back in the old days, the good old days, when it was generally accepted that Fascism and Nazis were bad, bloggers would write these posts that were sort of recaps […]

More Info
lift every voice and sing

lift every voice and sing

Lift every voice and sing,‘Til earth and heaven ring,Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;Let our rejoicing riseHigh as the listening skies,Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.Sing a song [...]

More Info
it picks me up, puts me down

it picks me up, puts me down

I’ve been open and unashamed about my mental health struggles and triumphs, always willing to talk about my CPTSD, always willing to supportively listen when someone chooses to share their [...]

More Info

 

  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Member of The Internet Defense League

Creative Commons License
WIL WHEATON dot NET by Wil Wheaton is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at http://wilwheaton.net.

Search my blog

Powered by WordPress | theme SG Double
%d