SPECIAL EDITION CLASSIC IMAGE: THE "CAPTURED FREIGHTER"

Here's another SPECIAL EDITION image from George Lucas' revised universe of 1997 that I think works very well-a shot of the captured Millennium Falcon in one of the Death Star hangar bays. The expanse of the hangar bay is better realized, the Falcon, though a little longer at its front end, is more detailed, the floor pattern tilings match better from left to right and the bay's right side wall has continuity to Imperial design from later films in comparison to the one originally created in 1977 by effects legend Harrison Ellenshaw. No disrespect intended to the brilliant Ellenshaw, though, as, at the time his original painting was done, no real design continuity for the saga had yet been mapped out.

CLASSIC IMAGE: TATOOINE TOURISTS!

Awaiting news from their scout team entering the wild confines of Mos Espa, Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi and Naboo Captain Panaka patrol the desert environs of Tatooine around their damaged, secretly landed Royal Cruiser in this scene from EPISODE ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE.

BEHIND THE SCENES: IN THE SHADE!

The towering figure of Liam Neeson stands near STAR WARS film visionary George Lucas: the pair taking a break from the sun whilst on location in Tunisia for the exterior Tatooine filming of EPISODE ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE.

SPECIAL EDITION CLASSIC IMAGE: CLOUD CITY LANDING

Another lovely ILM image to enjoy from the 1997 SPECIAL EDITION's, this time from THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, expanding the locations and beauty of the universe that is the STAR WARS saga, and showing the Millennium Falcon confidently making its way towards one of Bespin's numerous outdoor landing platforms. Not enough was seen of Cloud City's exterior in the final quarter of EMPIRE and this moment/extension is one of several additions that opens things up a bit more.

Could a few more picturesque sequences like this be appearing on the upcoming Blu-ray disc/special features for the film?

SPECIAL EDITION CLASSIC IMAGE: BANTHA TREK!

Our celebration of great scenes/imagery from THE SPECIAL EDITIONs continues with this fun shot from RETURN OF THE JEDI showing a Bantha herd in its natural habitat within the Dune Sea prior to Jabba's Sail Barge being seen heading to the Pit of Carkoon. It's a lovely little moment/add on to the film which shows us a bit more of these intriguing creatures, often used for transport by Sandpeople, as well as adding another bit of evocative mystery and beauty to the landscape of Tatooine.

CLASSIC IMAGE: "THE BOY'S DANGEROUS"

On Coruscant, before their return to Naboo and partaking in its liberation, Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi has a frank and argumentative discussion with his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, about whether it is wise to look after and oversee the destiny of young Anakin Skywalker, a boy whose future is clouded with uncertainty and possible danger...

SPECIAL EDITION CLASSIC IMAGE: DEATH STAR APPROACH!

Before the onslaught of the love them or hate them Prequels, I recall that wonderful and nostalgic brief period in 1996-1997 when the world received the return of the STAR WARS Original Trilogy, restored and souped up with CG and other then digital trickery as THE SPECIAL EDITIONS, with bated breath and a great euphoria of excitement and joy that, after twenty years, it was finally coming back to the cinemas. STAR WARS destiny had come full circle, returning to the big screen where it rightfully belonged, and it looked like it was now never going to go away into limbo ever again, and we were all happy for that. Since the original releases, however, and going into the 2000's, there has been an upsurge in fan grumblings and moans about the changes made to Lucas's new visions of the film (some opinions I fully agree with: I always consider that Han shot first! It's in the original scripts!), as well as anger and frustration at the lack of Anamorphic versions of the original unaltered, pre-SPECIAL EDITIONS, being being released on DVD and, so far, Blu-ray, and a general mild but growing dissent, criticism and hatred of the SPECIAL EDITIONs in all forms, especially with the further changes made to them with the first DVD releases of the Trilogy in 2004. It seems that Lucas, considering the most recent versions of the Original Trilogy to be definitive in his eyes (surely until the Blu-rays in September!), can't win any artistic respect these days with a lot of the fans whatever he does linked to the originals.

With next year being the fifteenth anniversary of THE SPECIAL EDITIONS, I thought it might be nice, instead of talking about the things that don't work (as everyone else seems to do online), for AFICIONADO to do an occasional series on the moments, large or small, considered improvements by Lucas to the films, that do actually work and which should be applauded and appreciated, starting off with this terrific image of the Rebel X and Y-wing fighters in space heading towards the Death Star. This new shot is great (I love the original 1977 scenes, too) and I particularly liked the faster movements of the ships and the camera panning with them, adding to the excitement of the film's final decisive conflict.

Look for more great SPECIAL EDITION shots in the not too distant future...

CLASSIC IMAGE: QUEEN TO A CAPTURED WORLD!

Queen Amidala of the Naboo (Natalie Portman) can only look on helplessly as the city of Theed is surrounded and then ruthlessly occupied by the Battle Droids of the unscrupulous Trade Federation, in this hauntingly beautiful frame shot on location at the Caserta Royal Palace in Italy for EPISODE ONE.

CLASSIC IMAGE: SUN, SAND AND 'SABERS!

Here's a shot I had never seen before, so I thought I'd put it up on the blog. A head shaved Ray Park (you just have to look at his fighting stance to see that its him!) and Obi-Wan double Andreas Petrides (who did the leap shots of the character for the duel) make the most of the good weather on an empty part of the outdoor Mos Espa set in Tunisia to practice their lightsaber skills and rehearse the next stage of the epic finale duel for EPISODE ONE action scenes, choreographed by Nick Gillard, filmed at LEAVESDEN STUDIOS in the UK.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

CLASSIC IMAGE: JAR JAR'S BIG ADVENTURE!

In one of the first live action scenes shot for THE PHANTOM MENACE at the UK's LEAVESDEN STUDIOS, Ahmed Best settles into his role as Gungan representative Jar Jar Binks in a corridor waiting area within Senator Palpatine's office on Coruscant. A brief sequence where Anakin (Jake Lloyd) and Jar Jar try to eavesdrop on Queen Amidala's first conversation with Palpatine about the invasion of Naboo was filmed but cut for time reasons from the finished film.

CLASSIC IMAGE: TUSKEN TRIUMPH!

The dangerous and distinctive desert nomads of Tatooine, the Tusken Raiders, celebrate their enjoyment of the regular Boonta Eve Pod Race, having shot at its many contestant racers as they twist and turn through the various sand swept canyons of Mos Espa.

CLASSIC ART: A DIFFERENT KIND OF JEDI...

An intriguing image by Doug Chiang showing his idea for the Jedi Knights of the Old Republic (this is presumably Obi-Wan with the Battle Droids) rendered probably sometime between 1996 and 1997 (note the braids idea which would be tried on Ewan McGregor as seen in THE BEGINNING documentary, before only one was decided on, and at a shorter length), before the attired look was eventually pinned down to resemble Sir Alec Guinness's Obi costume from the first STAR WARS movie in 1977. During that period, Chiang's early design for the Jedi would also make its way into several of his pre-production conceptual paintings for EPISODE I.

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: BEFORE THE RACE!

Respected British author/actor Andrew Secombe may not have appeared on screen to deliver his excellent vocals as the greedy Toydarian Mos Espa junk dealer, Watto, for the Prequels, but he certainly was filmed delivering those lines to the actors during the principal photography of EPISODEs I and II at LEAVESDEN, and then in Tunisia - and he was a vitally needed presence there, too, so that the actors could respond correctly to where the flying character was going to be CGI placed by the animators at ILM. Note in this shot that Secombe is wearing a hat-this visual idea for the character was dropped for EPISODE I, but it came to eventual fruition for his outdoor cameo scene for EPISODE II seveal years later.

With the Toydarian race in general back in the new season of THE CLONE WARS, and, from a brief trailer snippet, what looks like a possible return to Tatooine and Mos Espa, might we also see the return of the wheeler dealer? Let's hope so.

CLASSIC IMAGE: DROID PREPARATIONS

An unknown technician manipulates the Threepio puppet, whilst the ever reliable Artoo prop stands ready for filming the next scene, in this image taken within Anakin's room on the soundstages of LEAVESDEN STUDIOS in 1997, for the then titled EPISODE ONE: THE BEGINNING.

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: BEING OBI-WAN, AND LOVING IT!

At LEAVESDEN Studios in 1997, during the filming of EPISODE ONE's intense finale lightsaber duel between Darth Maul, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, a giddily excited and enthusiastic Ewan McGregor, having been stunt kicked onto a safety mat, turns round and happily exclaims to Stunt Co-ordinator Nick Gillard, and all within earshot...

"They said, "Do you wanna be in STAR WARS?" I said, "Too f+++ing right!""

Classic behind the scenes STAR WARS history, and classic Ewan McGregor!

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: IF YOU GO DOWN IN THE WOODS TODAY...

Summer 1997-in the UK's Whippendell Woods, not far from LEAVESDEN STUDIOS, the cast of EPISODE ONE have fun (especially young Jake Lloyd) in between shooting Queen Amidala's plea for an alliance to Boss Nass.