ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: IMPERIAL MATTE!

One of ILM's distinguished Matte artists during 1982/83 post-production of RETURN OF THE JEDI makes some last minute work to the Death Star docking bay long shot showing the now parked Imperial Shuttle escorting Darth Vader.

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BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: BIG SET, BIG SHUTTLE!

Here's a great, rarely seen image from 1982's filming of RETURN OF THE JEDI showing the specially built Imperial Shuttle full size prop (minus wings, of course-if built they'd break through the ELSTREE studio roof!), located on the Death Star II hangar set- all put together on the then mammoth STAR WARS STAGE (now demolished and home to a TESCO supermarket!). It was an incredible set at the time (note UK Stunt Co-ordinator Peter Diamond talking to a Stormtrooper extra at the far bottom right corner), and was still considered too small to hold everything required for filming. The shuttle prop would be redressed twice-firstly as a spick and spam, gleaming transport for both Darth Vader and then the Emperor, and then grubbed up and dirty greyed to become the stolen vessel used by Han and his Rebel commando squad to penetrate Imperial defenses above the forest moon of Endor.