I first fell in love with film at the age of seven. It was during the opening of a certain sci-fi sequel and on a certain famously icy make-believe world.

Often praised as the greatest flick of the Star Wars pantheon, 1980’s The Empire Strikes Back treated eager spellbound viewers to the iconic Battle of Hoth snow combat scenes.

An SFX triumph featuring mechanical monstrosities being brought to heel by a rag-tag band of underdog pilots, the sequence remains one of cinema’s most famous, and as with me, holds a very special place in the heart of many a sci-fi fan everywhere.

Though, as I said, this was not the moment I fell in love with science fiction movies, but with film as a whole. 

What mesmerized me was not the fantastical world that George Lucas and Co. had created, but rather, the question of how they had created it. From this moment on, I was drawn to any flick laden with special effects, just hoping to peek behind the curtain and uncover some secrets. The people that made these films were wizards, and with this I was hit by the realisation of what film could be - pure magic.

Movies have a way of bringing our dreams........

© Shropshire Star