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.

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

CLASSIC IMAGE: IMPERIAL TAKE-OVER!

Now aboard the captured Blockade Runner, the ever threatening Darth Vader (Dave Prowse) cannot control his anger at Captain Antilles (Peter Geddis) for his stubborn refusal to co-operate regarding the location of the stolen Death Star data tapes, in this classic image from the opening scenes of STAR WARS.

STORMTROOPER WARS: THE CASE CONTINUES...

The seemingly neverending and complex legal/copyright battle between the UK's SHEPPERTON DESIGN STUDIO and LUCASFILM over the Stormtrooper masks rages on...

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3451228/Attack-of-the-clone-helmet-war.html

With thanks to Veronica Weller for the heads up on the article...


UPDATE: 27/7/2011. In the High Court today, SHEPPERTON DESIGN STUDIOS won their ruling against LUCASFILM so as to commercially produce Imperial Stormtrooper costumes in the UK merchandise market. Here is the YAHOO!/SKY NEWS story with video link: Empire Strikes Back In Stormtrooper Row - Yahoo!

CLASSIC IMAGE: BUNKER SNARE!

On the forest moon of Endor, captured by a legion of Imperial troops, Han, Leia, Chewie and the Rebel commando team are unable to carry out their destructive mission against the shield generator protecting the Death Star. Soon enough, though, the tide will turn...

RETURN OF THE JEDI is showing today on the UK's ITV 1 HD channel this mid-afternoon.

CLASSIC IMAGE: FALCON STORMTROOPER VIGIL

"Hey down there. Can you give us a hand with this?"

In the gargantuan hangar bay of the dreaded Death Star, two unsuspecting Imperial Stormtroopers stand guard over the seemingly empty captured starship, the Millennium Falcon

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

CLASSIC ART - "STAR WARS" : FRENCH STYLE!

This is a nice piece of MARVEL related STAR WARS art, for a French comic imprint which, I'm assuming, was from the time of RETURN OF THE JEDI (the Luke image looks like its from JEDI, whilst Leia is from STAR WARS). With the Stormtroopers at the bottom of the image, it looks like they either copied or transplanted from the Al Williamson/Carlos Garzon art used for the 1980 EMPIRE adaptation.

I don't know who the overall artists for this piece were, but if anyone can help with more info or other covers that the TITANS magazine had to STAR WARS, please get in touch.

Here's a few more French covers (any more information on them would be most welcome):

The French JEDI adaptation from 1983

One of the earliest TITANS STAR WARS covers from 1978

Obi-Wan vs Vader, with Threepio an unwilling observer!

Carmine Infantino and Gene Day's original MARVEL US comic cover artwork gets a bit of a make over from an unknown artist for the inside DOOMWORLD strip, in which Luke and the droids are trapped on a water world.

A MARVEL UK STAR WARS WEEKLY comic cover gets a make-over for the French comic compilation for STAR WARS in 1978

Its always fascinates me the way each country that has STAR WARS related books, merchandise, etc, all have different interpretations to one another in the way they promote and represent the films and their characters, and not always in regard to the way they look in the films.

READY FOR THEIR CLOSE - UPS! "STAR WARS" AND DON POST.

Above and below are some specially shot 1977 test reference pictures taken by DON POST STUDIOS of the original STAR WARS 1976 filming masks loaned out to them by LUCASFILM (or THE STAR WARS CORPORATION, which was part of it) / FOX of Darth Vader, Chewbacca, an Imperial Stormtrooper and C-3PO that would be used as visual research information in the construction of their STAR WARS masks for general sale when the film hit the stratosphere at the box office (these images were sold by an eBay dealer a couple of years ago. The seller wanted, and probably got, his desired astronomical fee for them!).

Note how the Stuart Freeborn created Chewbacca mask has begun heavy deterioration after only a year since filming (Kay Freeborn told AFICIONADO that the suit was kept under lock and key by Lucas at that time. It would be re-used only for certain key reference (as seen in Dave Berry's ILM home movie footage), promotional photos and appearances)). At least two new Chewbacca costumes and masks would later be created for EMPIRE in 1978/79.

With thanks to Chris Baker for his help with the Stormtrooper image.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE DENZIENS OF MOS EISLEY

Here's a great piece of McQuarrie artwork-I believe conceptual from STAR WARS early pre-production between 1975/76- that's rarely seen, showing another side of the streets of Tatooine's infamous Mos Eisley spaceport, where aliens of dubious distinction and morality mingle seamlessly with the evil tyranny of the Imperial Stormtroopers.

In my mind's eye, amongst the alien noises and Stormtroopers crackling voice mikes, I can just hear John Williams atmospheric Cantina Band music playing away in the far distance!

With thanks to Colin Kenworthy for the image.

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: EMPIRE EVOLUTION

Early 1976 costume concepts for Darth Vader and a Stromtrooper by British talent John Mollo. Note the insignias on both helmets-this concept would be around as an idea for a short while during UK post-production, and, at one point, Vader's helmet would even have additional little satanic-type horns (as seen in early storyboards in his duel with Kenobi). The black Stormtrooper would obviously become a TIE fighter pilot later down the line.

As for the costumes colour scheme...well, they say black is the new...black!