BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: JABBA'S SAIL BARGE

The superb Sail Barge set was one of the many visual highlights of RETURN OF THE JEDI. As seen here in this reference image, its front side fully constructed in Buttercup Valley in Yuma, Arizona in April 1982 (alongside one of the smaller prisoner skiffs), it was the last major-league prop built for the Classic STAR WARS Trilogy, though it remains forever immortalised on the big screen with its incredible design and dedicated realisation.

For more on the Classic Trilogy's Production Design, look out for J.W. Rinzler's epic book on the subject, packed with blueprints and interviews with the films production designers and set decorators. see the trailer here: Star Wars: The Blueprints Trailer | Video | MTV

CLASSIC IMAGE: MINE'S A LARGE ONE!

On the Sail Barge, amongst the riotous entertainment cooked up by Jabba the Hutt, the Trandoshan Bounty Hunter, Bossk, enjoys the revelries prior to the planned execution of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Chewbacca the Wookiee at the legendary Sarlaac Pit.

This image from the then filming of REVENGE OF THE JEDI may have been taken during an on-set rehearsal-note the large reptile hand outside of the costume.

CLASSIC IMAGE: FIGHTING TALK!

On location at the desert of Yuma, Arizona, RETURN OF THE JEDI director Richard Marquand confers with Mark Hamill and Boba Fett (played by either stuntmen Dickey Beer or Glenn Randall, both of whom inhabited the suit for various sequences during the exterior filming) over the duo's upcoming confrontation.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

CELEBRATION V: DICKEY BEER - DELETED SCENES ACTION MAN!

One of the nice things about Celebrations is the chance to meet and get autographs from many of the people who worked in front of and behind the cameras of the STAR WARS films, and to find out more about them and their work. Dutch Stuntman and Second Unit director Dickey Beer is one of the most recent new signees in the STAR WARS world and I had the chance to talk to him about some of his work on the final classic STAR WARS film: RETURN OF THE JEDI.

Its well known that he played one of the hired thugs at Jabba's Court (including the alien Barada, doubling for Boba Fett (for a part of his demise) and playing Luke on the skiff (at one point in the films editing Beer fights himself as both Luke and Boba!) during the exterior Sail Barge battle filmed in Yuma, Arizona during April 1982, was one of the Rebel Commando squad members on Endor, and an ILM filmed biker scout, but what you might not know is that he also played an Imperial Stormtrooper for a deleted action scene at ELSTREE, which we hope will be on the eventual Blu-ray. Getting into the Endor Bunker and reaching the shield control room wasn't as easy as it looked in the original cut of the movie, as Han and his commando squad literally walked into, and have to face off, with a squad of Stormtroopers. Beer recalls the scene started off with two Stormtroopers by a wall, which was obscured from Han and his party. Then the fireworks start and Beer's Stormtrooper, who was nearest to the wall, would be felled by an explosion. Beer doesn't recall the scene listed in the novelisation book where Chewbacca grabs a section of door and brings it down on the rest of the Stormtroopers (and I haven't seen any photo documentation for this, either), but does recall it was one of many sequences that he was involved in for JEDI that was cut. In location filming at the Redwoods, Beer, as well as being one of the Rebel commandos nearest Solo, Leia and Chewbacca when they are escorted out of the bunker (and seen below in this behind the scenes shot), would also be the Scout Walker captain shot by Leia when all hell breaks loose with the Ewoks surprise attack.

Beer, who has also had the privilege to work with three James Bonds and battle Harrison Ford in a deleted scene from INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM (playing a Thugee guard who fights Indy on the sacrificial scaffold chamber (which previously housed Willie and lowered her into the volcanic pit), but Indy hits him with a long staff!), was an extremely pleasant and highly likeable person, and I look forward to seeing him again at future STAR WARS related events.

Above top image: Han - once again - walks into trouble in this deleted scene. With thanks to Lou Tambone from his STARWARZ.COM site.

BEHIND THE SCENES: HAPPINESS IS BEING WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND!

On the top deck of the amazing Sail Barge exterior set, Carrie Fisher smooches up with an unknown extra inside a Gamorrean Guard suit, in this great image from 1982's US location shooting for REVENGE OF THE JEDI (before it became RETURN) in Yuma, Arizona.