Originally posted by: Tiptup

First, that scene where Darth Vader reveals that he is Luke's father is meant to be a horrifying sequence. Our hero being the son of someone so evil is not supposed to be a pleasant thought. This is especially true for Luke who has invested so much anger and revenge towards Vader. Luke jumps to escape it all when he peacefully decides that death is better than falling into Vader's hands.

Otherwise, that fall isn't phony looking to me. It looks great. The tube is supposed to be sucking him in like a vacuum cleaner and so the fall isn't supposed to be completely natural.

I've never felt horrified by that scene although to be objective, I can't honestly remember my feelings as a young child when I first saw Empire. I remember my folks put that Empire was one of my favourite films growing up. I'm assuming though that if I felt anything it was awe.

The reason I personally never felt frightened (other than age reasons) is the fact that Darth Vader himself is a compelling character. That moment tacks on another dimension to Vader and the fact that he so easily bests Luke is another thing to just be in awe of. Again it could be just because by the time I saw the scene again as an older and atleast more understand person that shock made me curious of Vader instead of repulsed.....much like when the Return came out I was like "is it true!?" I'm sure had I been able to remember how I took to the films at a younger age I might very well have felt frightened. As for the phony fall, I'm sorry all I can say is just the way they filmed it, him kind of circling it's more comical to me than making me feel "oh shit! He's falling!" I guess that was just a limitation on the way they could do it back then. I'm glad they haven't changed it, it's one less thing for people to complain about but it still does look silly, just to me anyways.