BEHIND THE SCENES: IMPERIAL HEAD WEAR!

Here's a couple of helmet scale/costume reference images of a distinctive and menacing Imperial TIE fighter pilot, though I'm not sure from which Classic Trilogy film (probably JEDI, as a lot more costume reference photo material exists for that one compared to the original STAR WARS).

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: IMPERIAL LINE-UP!

A posse of Imperial Snowtroopers assemble inside the abandoned Echo Base in this atmospheric behind the scenes image from April 1979, on the ELSTREE STUDIOS set of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: REBEL CAPTURE!

Feisty heroine Princess Leia finds herself in a tough spot with some Imperial Stormtroopers in this specially posed publicity image for Carrie Fisher from 1979 (probably April, during the first batch of filming of Bespin scenes) for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

For more info on the making of the classic film, check out our comprehensive Behind the Scenes issues from 2006 and 2010, containing much behind the scenes information not available within the pages of the recent Rinzler book.

2010 ESB Behind the Scenes companion.

Exhaustive Making of ESB Special Issue from 2006.

Available here: BACK ISSUE PDF CATALOG

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: WAMPA IN THE WILDS!

Inside the huge Stuart Freeborn costume for the fearsome snow beast, the Wampa, Des Webb gets ready for filming opposite the dead Tauntaun carcass. Sadly, the majority of the creatures location scenes, filmed in totally inhospitable climes at Finse, Norway, were deemed unusable and re-filmed, replaced with a new ILM insert of the creature's face and also with new material shot towards the end of the film's Principal Photography, on a partial snow filled backlot at ELSTREE.

Life's hard when you're a Wampa!

To find out more about the making of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, check out our immensely detailed behind the scenes specials here: BACK ISSUE PDF CATALOG

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: AN "EMPIRE" IN DEVELOPMENT!

On one of the deserted sound stages at ELSTREE Studios in London circa late 1978/early 1979, construction work continues for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK on the Millennium Falcon's cockpit and interiors, whilst a Rebel laser cannon is readied for ultimate shipping to the cold climes of Finse, Norway for its battle against Imperial Walkers.

To check out more on the behind the scenes construction blueprints of the STAR WARS saga's legendary ships, droids, and planets interiors and exteriors, J.W. Rinzler, acclaimed author of THE MAKING OF STAR WARS and EMPIRE books has a lavish, if pricey, new tome out at the end of the year, full of never before revealed info and interviews with some of the top behind the scenes names to have worked on the amazing and influential production design side of the film. Check out the links to STAR WARS: THE BLUEPRINTS here: Star Wars: The Blueprints  and how to get it in Europe here: Star Wars: The Blueprints (Limited Edition Hardcover) @ Forbidden Planet

CLASSIC IMAGE: A SPIRITED TEACHER

On the jungle world of Dagobah, the in-exile Jedi Master Yoda begins his training of the boy with no patience, Luke Skywalker.

A triumph of effects, puppetry and acting by the talented Frank Oz, check out this link to a great behind the scenes feature, full of rare images, on the little green Jedi's practical on-set realisation, from the British puppeteer who assisted Oz on EMPIRE (as well as being an important part of Jabba the Hutt in JEDI), Dave Barclay: Dave Barclay

CLASSIC IMAGE: HELP FROM AN OLD FRIEND...

Here's some great EMPIRE 1978/79 storyboards from artist unknown (possibly the UK's Ivor Beddoes?) showing Luke's capture by the Wampa and his first attempt to retrieve his fallen lightsaber. Click the pic to see a larger version. Note that, in the original sequence as stated on the board, Luke was to have heard Obi-Wan Kenobi's voice telling him to concentrate and use the Force.

With thanks to Ian Trussler for the image.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A WORLD OF ARTOO'S!

Highly regarded UK Special Effects boss Brian Johnson has a little sit down with the wide variety of Artoo Detoo's constructed for studio floor filming use in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Also pictured inside one of the shells is that cheeky droid operator himself, Kenny Baker.

Check out a great interview by Brandon Alinger with Johnson on the making of the film, and other career greats including ALIEN, here: Interview With Brian Johnson, Special Effects Artist (Special to the OPB) : The Original Prop Blog – Jason DeBord's TV and Movie Prop Memorabilia Resource

CLASSIC IMAGE: A SMUGGLER'S SEARCH

From his vantage point astride a Tauntaun, things don't look too good for Han Solo in the search for his missing friend Luke Skywalker, somewhere trapped in the deadly snowy wastelands of the ice planet of Hoth, in this classic scene from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

CLASSIC IMAGE: CARBON CONFLICT!

Within the smoke filled, heat fuelled scenario of the Bespin Carbon Freezing Chamber set at London's ELSTREE Studios, here's a terrific shot from EMPIRE of Mark Hamill showing his exhaustive sword fighting/training skills in action (Note the un-rotoscoped carbon rods attached to the lightsabers) against Darth Vader (presumably played by Bob Anderson, though Dave Prowse did do a small part of the epic action sequence), in what many fans still regard as the ultimate STAR WARS lightsaber duel of choreography and dramatic impetus.

CLASSIC IMAGE: SUPER-COOL LANDO!

New Star Warrior, Billy Dee Williams, poses for a James Bond-like image as the suave Lando Calrissian, Baron/Administrator for the Bespin mining colony, in a 1979 promotional shot for his upcoming characters premiere appearance in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

CLASSIC CHEWBACCA: THE RUSS MANNING ADVENTURES

In the UK, STAR WARS fans get to see the new two-part Chewbacca/Ahsoka CLONE WARS episodes on SKY MOVIES HD a few weeks prior to their US cousins, so, in celebration, this week I'll be putting up a few more blogs linked to our favourite Wookiee species, and their number one son.

First up, here's a few scans of a classic 1979 Russ Manning Los Angeles Times Syndicate Wookiee related strip: THE DEPTHS OF KAZHYYK. I loved Manning's colourful tales set just after the first STAR WARS (I wish LUCAS BOOKS could have collected all of them in their original state and put them up as a glossy set of hardcover books rather than the DARK HORSE comic compilations of the nineties)- look out for the use of Ralph McQuarrie's Wookiee tree dwellings from THE HOLIDAY SPECIAL, and, long before the CLONE WARS, and like early MARVEL SW comics, see the Stormtroopers without helmets: as individual soldiers rather than Clones. Let's hope that some of the Kashyyyk environments and creatures seen here make it into the animated series...

Check out our archive on another classic 1979/80 STAR WARS Russ Manning adventure, THE FROZEN WORLD OF OTA, guest starrring Boba Fett, below: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/theforzenworldofota.html

CLASSIC ART: TINY WISDOM!

Here's a fun b/w late 1978 or early 1979 storyboard, possibly by the respected UK artist Ivor Beddoes during the time he worked on storyboarding for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK at ELSTREE with the late director Irvin Kershner, showing a wide-eyed and innocent, dreaming of adventure and excitement Luke Skywalker conferring with an early version of Yoda within his hut home on Dagobah.

With thanks to Ian Trussler for the image.

CLASSIC IMAGE: "EMPIRE"s UNSEEN SEEKER DRONES

An intriguing design of one of the seeker drone balls (similar to the one from STAR WARS) used by Yoda in training Luke Skywalker on Dagobah during THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. Sadly, these scenes, in which the Jedi Master would use them against his Padawan in unsuspecting moments, were cut from the script shortly before filming on the ELSTREE Dagobah sets, so as to keep the scenes on the planet tight story-wise, and to further help reduce the already escalating production budget. As far as we're aware, neither of the two seeker drones were ever constructed.

WAMPA: SAVAGE BEASTS OF HOTH!

Our penultimate feature celebrating the Thirtieth Anniversary of EMPIRE can now be found on the main site, this time linked to the filming of the Wampa ice creature sequences.

Check out the rare photo feature here:

http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/the_wampa_beasts_of_hoth.html

And don't forget, for all other things behind the scenes related to the film, our two EMPIRE special issues (from 2005 and our current BEHIND THE SCENES COMPANION) are still available as PDFs from the main site's BACK ISSUES area.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the above image.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE SOUND COLLECTOR!

Out in the wilderness of sound gathering, the legendary Ben Burtt creates and re-records the iconic noise of the Rebel and Imperial blaster weapons, during some point between 1977 and 1979.

Check out our review of his and J.W. Rinzler's enjoyable new book, published by SIMON & SCHUSTER, on the unique subject of sound design for the saga here: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/the_sounds_of_star_wars.html

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: WALK LIKE AN AT-AT!

Two Imperial Walkers prepare to penetrate the Rebel ground defenses and destroy the enemy shield generator in this great stop motion image from 1979/1980-the Walker battle is still one of the greatest scenes in any film, let alone a STAR WARS one.

Check out this early EMPIRE trailer, too, to see the Walkers when, in early footage, they fired blue lasers instead of red: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH9z8se3Aho

REVIEW: THE MAKING OF "THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK"



Mark Hamill poses for the camera at ELSTREE STUDIOS in 1979 - one of the many wonderful rare images in THE MAKING OF THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK book by J.W. Rinzler, from AURUM PRESS


What did we think of J. W. Rinzler's new book? Hit the link to find out.

http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/making_of_esb_book.html

AN "EMPIRE" MAKES THE "SHORTLIST"!

The latest issue of the UK's biggest circulated free giveaway men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, SHORTLIST (number 149, on sale date 28th October 2010), has a special cover and feature on the new THE MAKING OF THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK book written by J.W. Rinzler (published in the UK from AURUM PRESS), and is packed with photos from it.

If you can't get hold of a printed copy, here's a link to its web edition:
http://magazine.shortlist.com/1I4cc5a837dab10012.cde

BACK TO BOBA!

EMPIRE stand in/Bossk performer Alan Harris dons an uncoloured prototype costume for Boba Fett at ELSTREE during the films 1979 pre-production.

Our anniversary celebrations for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK continue on our main site, this time with a photo feature on the king of the STAR WARS bounty hunters-Boba Fett.

Check it out here: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/fett_evolution.html