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Info: The Making of The Empire Strikes Back (Michel Parbot) — Page 4

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I'm sure I've said something wrong somewhere in here, if so it's not intended to upset anyone. If someone doesn't agree with this or is angry about this than that's too bad………...


Darth Neo,

I think the only people you'll be upsetting are those who seem to think it's their god given right to be given everything that comes along. This board is typically very altruistic, and a LOT of things are shared freely, which unfortunately has attracted its share of selfish vultures who not only expect - sometimes DEMAND - everything be given to them for free, but they want it yesterday.

Given some of the inexcusable aggressive negative feedback you've received, I'm suprised you've continued to stick around at all.
Glad to see you have though, as I love threads like this, that bring something new and unexpected to the community.

As for info on the documentary, I've done the usual internet searches and unearthed very little. Trying to find contact info for Michel Parbot or Sygma Telelvision seemed like a good place to start, but all I've managed to find so far is Sygma (not even sure it's the same Sygma) was brought out by Corbis in 1999.

Then there's this Which lists - Sygma Television: 2,000 stories about celebrities and the Cannes Film Festival (1983-1989) among their archives

Finally, I came across this site with a video of a 1985 discussion program featuring Michel Parbot
Here's a screengrab of the man himself.
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/elvis2/Michel_Parbot.jpg

Sounds like Ash595 is in a better position to find out more details. At this stage I can't even find out if Michel Parbot is still alive. I think if you're after more info, aim for the top and try to contact him, Sygma Television or even Gary Kurtz directly, and it sounds like you may be in a position to do the latter.


Whilst we're on the subject of Empire rarities, there was an edition of BBC's 'Jim'll Fix It' where a boy got to visit the Dagobah set. Any one else remember this? Or have it on tape?
The only info I can find is here: "... Jim'll Fix It that showed another kiddie being taken onto the Dagobah set and meeting Mark Hamill & R2D2. We can only vaguely remember this from when it was broadcast and even though the passage of time (or maybe a conscious effort) has erased much of it, the mere mention of this "unique" piece of televisual history still sends a shudder up the spine. Still the most staggeringly awful delivery of the terrible line "Hello R2D2, let's go and see Luke Skywalker..." could have stunned a charging rhino."
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Update : Michel Parbot is still alive. A friend of mine has his phone number. I will let you know...
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Originally posted by: Ash595
Update : Michel Parbot is still alive. A friend of mine has his phone number. I will let you know...


Great news! What a resourceful bunch we are!

JD

Creator of Star Wars Begins, Building Empire and Returning to Jedi
Follow me on twitter @jamieSWB. Please support me at - http://www.patreon.com/jamiebenning/

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Darth Neo, first off i ahev to thank you for sharing this with us. I can understand your reason not to release this because after all a promise is a promise.

I can remember around the time of ESB's release that there were 2 different making of programs aried on UK tv. One was SPFX and the other one has never been aired since. The footage you posted does look very familiar though. unfortunately i didn't have a VCR back then but i recorded it (i know this is going to sound pretty sad) by holding my portable cassette recorder next to the TV so i could listen to it over and over again. I definately remember Kirshner talking about the fairy tale aspect. I wish i still had the recordings but thanks to my younger brother using all my old tapes to record his records on when he got his first walkman, they are now long destroyed. I even had a really good copy of the ANH mono mix from the UK TV broadcast from a direct source without the hiss of video tape.

I really hope that you can pursuade your source to let you do a fan release but if not then don't worry.

i look forward to visiting your website


I think i have a snippet of this on tape somewhere that was aired during a Jim'll fix it special. I'll have a look. Also i remember that there was an "Ask Aspel" special that was all about Empire and had mark hamill in the studio. I can clearly remember they showed footage of luke getting into the snowspeeder and i'm pretty sure it had some behind the scenes footage also. i don't think i've seen this program mentioned. hopefully it isn't lost forever.

ANH:REVISITED
ESB:REVISITED

DONATIONS TOWARDS MATERIALS FOR THE REVISITED SAGA

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Originally posted by: Moth3r
I wasn't referring to you specifically, but IMO it's the
Originally posted by: digitalfreaknyc
ME WANTS!!! ME WANTS!!!
attitude that has to go.


uhh..it was a joke.

And like everyone here doesn't want it? Give me a break. Anyone who says they don't is a damn liar.

I seriously don't see how this thread has defamed or insulted Neo in the least.
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I remember seeing this doc being posted somewhere... probably on USENET. It was either in the rec.arts.sf.starwars or one of the video trader groups. I did some searches at groups.google.com, but I wasn't able to weed through all the entries. Maybe someone can narrow it down...

I remember the posting saying that it was an alternate "Making of" special that contained alot more BTS footage of the battle for Hoth. I don't recall if they said it was in French or English, though...

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As for me, I am just glad to find out that this doc really does exist. In recent years, I have been truely worried that I was losing my mind! Finally there is hard proof that it exists. I am really looking forward to yourweb site Darth. Thanks for sharing what you can with us. Seeing that clip brought me back to the star wars addicted kid I was and still is. It's such a great feeling.
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OK, this guy may have it.

CLICK THIS LINK to bring up his web site.

scroll down to specials and it's about halfway down the page. He does trades or pay for discs etc. It just says Making of Empire Strikes Back. Doesn't say SPFX.
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Originally posted by: 20th Century Mark
OK, this guy may have it.


Interestingly he does state that he has "Empire Strikes Back-Spec. Effects (2/81)" as well. Did you contact him?

The bottom of the main page has an interesting comment:

"...Some are people who want to take away our right to trade. It has come to my attention that there are people who work for studios and production companies that pose as "traders" with the sole purpose to trick you into a potential copyright violation situation."

JD

Creator of Star Wars Begins, Building Empire and Returning to Jedi
Follow me on twitter @jamieSWB. Please support me at - http://www.patreon.com/jamiebenning/

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Yes. Not an easy site to navigate, but I found an email address. Waiting patiently for a reply...


I also found this page. Scroll down to 1996 Sat Nov 23 10:00 pm.

Anyone speak Russian?. Traslated version here.
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Originally posted by: 20th Century Mark
Yes. Not an easy site to navigate, but I found an email address. Waiting patiently for a reply...


I also found this page. Scroll down to 1996 Sat Nov 23 10:00 pm.



So did I. But I emailed him about this E.T. special
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Originally posted by: 20th Century Mark
I also found this page. Scroll down to 1996 Sat Nov 23 10:00 pm.

I taped those broadcasts (my first time seeing the OOT in widescreen!), that's SPFX.

I used to be very active on this forum. I’m not really anymore. Sometimes, people still want to get in touch with me about something, and that is great! If that describes you, please email me at [my username]ATgmailDOTcom.

Hi everybody. You’re all awesome. Keep up the good work.

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Originally posted by: ReverendBeastly
Originally posted by: 20th Century Mark
I also found this page. Scroll down to 1996 Sat Nov 23 10:00 pm.

I taped those broadcasts (my first time seeing the OOT in widescreen!), that's SPFX.


OK, thanks. Wasn't sure.
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I just got this from an American friend of mine after asking if he has the non-SPFX version:

"I think I do have the Making of ESB.

It's been a while since I've been into my VHS tape boxes. I will have
to dig them out.

I had a VCR as early as 1980 and I believe I have a tape of a Making
of ESB off of broadcast TV. It probably looks terrible. But I think
I have it. I'll check."

Sounds positive.

JD

Creator of Star Wars Begins, Building Empire and Returning to Jedi
Follow me on twitter @jamieSWB. Please support me at - http://www.patreon.com/jamiebenning/

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Originally posted by: Jambe Davdar
I just got this from an American friend of mine after asking if he has the non-SPFX version:

"I think I do have the Making of ESB.

It's been a while since I've been into my VHS tape boxes. I will have
to dig them out.

I had a VCR as early as 1980 and I believe I have a tape of a Making
of ESB off of broadcast TV. It probably looks terrible. But I think
I have it. I'll check."

Sounds positive.

JD


A bad copy is better than what we have now. Good job, JD! Hopefully he has it.
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Originally posted by: Number20A bad copy is better than what we have now. Good job, JD! Hopefully he has it.


It's entirely possible that it is just SPFX. He is going to dive into his huge VHS collection at the weekend and get back to me.

JD

Creator of Star Wars Begins, Building Empire and Returning to Jedi
Follow me on twitter @jamieSWB. Please support me at - http://www.patreon.com/jamiebenning/

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Originally posted by: Jambe Davdar
Originally posted by: Number20A bad copy is better than what we have now. Good job, JD! Hopefully he has it.


It's entirely possible that it is just SPFX. He is going to dive into his huge VHS collection at the weekend and get back to me.

JD


That's what I started to do. I'm just throwing out all of my VHS that I no longer need and that doesn't have anything substantial on it.

I did find the original NBC promo's for the first airings of Empire and Jedi

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Darth Neo and the community in large let me apologize for my rude behavior last night. I am sorry about my drug addict analogy ( deleted content), and for anything else I said that offended you or anyone else. I was in a bad mood, had a headache, and had had no sleep. While that is no excuse, I still want to apologize, because I acted stupid. Hope you can forgive me, because I am not the kind of person you witnessed last night. And I am sorry you had to see me act like that.

P.S. Jambe that is great news.


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Originally posted by: MarvoloJambe that is great news.


Hey people, lets no give up the search! This is just one possibility but it could equally turn out to be nothing.

JD

Creator of Star Wars Begins, Building Empire and Returning to Jedi
Follow me on twitter @jamieSWB. Please support me at - http://www.patreon.com/jamiebenning/

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Originally posted by: Jambe Davdar

Hey people, lets no give up the search! This is just one possibility but it could equally turn out to be nothing.

JD


[PIETT] But its the best lead we've had [/PIETT]

I'm assuming that nobody has heard back from the guy who had it listed on his geocities website?
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I've managed to get some information from a contact of mine. Originally the plan was to film a documentary encompassing the making of all aspects of The Empire Strikes Back as was done with A New Hope. That is the documentary that is being discussed here. Then the decision was made to focus on the special effects of TESB and that became the documentary that was televised and released. It is unknown whether the original documentary was aired in its entirety or whether footage from it was used as EPK footage for TV shows of the time.
That's all the information I've garnered so far. I have made enquiries elsewhere so watch this space.
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Originally posted by: Number20
Originally posted by: Jambe Davdar

Hey people, lets no give up the search! This is just one possibility but it could equally turn out to be nothing.

JD


[PIETT] But its the best lead we've had [/PIETT]

I'm assuming that nobody has heard back from the guy who had it listed on his geocities website?


Nothing yet.

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a friend of mine talked to Michel Parbot this morning but Parbot has no tape of the documentary himself.
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This thread is very interesting to follow! To bad I cant be of any help myself

Cheers

“Stargazing wizards, stare into the night,
Hurricanes and blizzards, here comes the final fight”