Since we're on the topic of Star Wars Archives, the first post in this thread over at the RPF(Replica Prop Forum) is a must read. Looks like there's more stuff in Lucas' archives than any of us could have ever imagined:

http://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=23946&highlight=vader

Those are some really beautiful shots taken by Mr. Kurtz. A most excellent site I think you have, Darth.

I've only just started going through the site, and it really is an absolute joy. It's the sort of things you wish Lucasfilm should be doing for the 30th (or any) anniversary, but I guess they're so entrenched in the official corporate version of things, that it needs an outside perspective to really do this stuff justice.

Just being able to see so much 'new', or at least, previously unseen vintage content is a real treat - so thank you Darth Neo for creating the site, and for free and avaiable to all. Hyperspace should take note.

Magic

I am sure it's absolutely true that Gary Kurtz is the unsung hero of Star Wars.

If you look at Lucas' work - from American Grafitti through to Empire, you can see the maturity and quality - everything from Jedi onward - after he fired Kurtz - clearly has a more uniform look and feel, and it's a poor one. It seems clear that Jedi is the first film that is the pure creative expression Lucas, doing everything he wanted exactly the way he wanted - no collaboration, no input from anyone, and being surrounded by "yes men."

Gary and probably his ex-wife Marcia Lucas had far more input and say than any of us will ever know.

I really wish Kurtz would do a podcast commentary for Star Wars and Empire so we can hear who really contributed what.

A girl I know who went to school with Kurtz's daughter told me how she would talk about how upset her father was after George fired him. A quote from her attributed to Lucas was that (in refernce to Empire) "He and Kershner stole my movie from me."

Here's what I think happened: It's well documented that, after finishing Star Wars, Lucas was miserable and (according to a friend who was in contact with Lucas duing the making of SW) even suicidal. He hated directing. George's definition of directing was "coming to work with 100 problems every day and being able to solve 50 of them." He didn't enjoy it and swore he would never direct again.

He was so disenchanted with making SW that he PURPOSELY took a back seat and let Kurtz, Kersh, Leigh Brackett and Kasdan do most of the work. But, part way into the film, once Lucas had physically and emotionally recovered from SW, the train that was making Empire was moving full steam ahead and he realized it was mostly moving along without him. Everyone knows Lucas is not a very forceful guy; shy and quiet has always been his trademark. He probably didn't have it in him to step up and tell everyone to take a hike and do things HIS way - so he quietly steamed about it, did what he could, and when it came to Jedi, he fired everyone he felt threatened by (his wife and his producer) and from then on just hired people who would take orders.

There are MANY recountings of Lucas on set for ROTJ basically countermanding what Marquand was telling people - Lucas practicaly directed the film behind Marquand's back, but unfortunately Mr. Marquand isn't around to tell us more about it.

Anyway, this is my take on things, and I think it's obvious because of the downward spiral that started with Jedi and has remained the status quo for Lucas ever since.

I'm sure Kurtz doesn't want to sound like sour grapes and start saying "this was my idea, that was my idea" but I think fans would really like to hear more about the process of making SW and Empire and get a better idea of how it went wrong from there to Jedi.

Where?

I've been researching interview material for the MAKING OF RETURN OF THE JEDI STAR WARS AFICIONADO magazine coming out at the end of the year. So far in my interview perusals, only Carrie has talked about George Lucas giving different direction from Marquand on one days filming of the Jabba Palace set. There are rumours that Alan Hume, Marquand's long time cinematographer, left filming at ELSTREE because he was annoyed at the way Marquand was being treated-there are pics of Hume's assumed replacement, Alec Mills, filming scenes with Marquand in March 1982 during the Emperors throne room scenes but, as far as I'm aware, Hume was part of the filming team that went to Yuma and the Rdwoods from April, working alongside an additional American cinematographer (due to US filming rules).

Marquand DID direct that film, and Lucas was HEAVILY involved with him on it, especially on the effects side which Marquand was not used to. Marquand did his first cut of the film with longtime film editing colleague Sean Barton. Then Lucas worked with him-Lucas insisted that they worked together on the editing- on a refined version which became the film we know now, working with Duwayne Dunham with extra help/trusted editing advice from Marcia Lucas Text

I remember reading in Starlog when the film was released about a specific incident where Marquand told the actor inside the Gamorean Guard costume how to act, and shortly afterwards Lucas gave him entirely different direction.

Although I can't say that Marquand, if left to himself, would have done a great job anyway. I specifically remember an interview with him where he said he "wasn't going to make the same mistakes Kershner made." His example was Darth Vader holding his lightsaber with one hand when he began fighting Luke on Bespin. "Everyone knows a lightsaber is too heavy to hold with one hand!" That is a Marquand quote.

Even at 15 years old, I knew he wasn't getting it - Vader was holding the saber with one hand to demonstrate that he was being cocky and UNDERESTIMATING Luke - later in the fight, when he realizes Luke is a greater foe than he realized - he's not just holding the saber with two hands, but he's feverishly fighting for his life!

THAT is brilliant direction. All hail Kersh/Kurtz.

JangoxFett, I don't think anyone has released the edit you refer to. Someone may have completed such an edit, but I don't recall it having ever been released.
Wouldn't the difference in quality between the deleted scenes really, really, contrast with the rest of the film?

I don't know HOW I missed this in the past, but I'd like to thank you for making my day TOTALLY unproductive!

Bantha Tracks . . . ah, sweet memories. I wonder where mine are now.