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starwarsmania

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Join date
26-Mar-2007
Last activity
30-Aug-2011
Posts
48

Post History

Post
#528650
Topic
Star Wars coming to Blu Ray (UPDATE: August 30 2011, No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/528650/action/topic#528650
Time

Adywan, I've seen several versions of Jedi (Blu-ray/laserdisc) where you can see the actors eyes through the Ewok eye lenses and I think the Blu-rays are showing this in much greater detail than before. It'll be the same with Vader from the original Star Wars where there were several times you could see Prowse's face behind Vader's darkened red eye lenses in the Blockade Runner and the Darth Star War Room scenes. 

Post
#528008
Topic
Star Wars coming to Blu Ray (UPDATE: August 30 2011, No! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!)
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/528008/action/topic#528008
Time

I contacted the BBFC two weeks ago about the head but and whether it would finally be in the UK version of AOTC. They got back to me and said they were in the process of going through all the films and materials and couldn't tell me, suggesting I keep an eye on their website. So far, zip. I'm wondering if they'll put anything up for it. Doesn't LUCASFILM want to keep a lid on some of the so-called surprise extras materials on the Blu-ray that have so far not officially been listed? It looks like there's going to be at last one easter egg linked to the HOLIDAY SPECIAL... 

Post
#385010
Topic
CARRIE FISHER IN UK TV PRODUCTION OF FRANKENSTEIN-CIRCA 1984
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/385010/action/topic#385010
Time

Hi everybody,

I don't recall anybody mentioning this on the site previously, but just to let you know that UK STAR WARS fan Robin Haggett has put onto YOUTUBE his VHS copy of the 1984 UK YORKSHIRE TELEVISION production of FRANKENSTEIN, starring a post JEDI Carrie Fisher, and which also stars a very young Robert Powell, and, as the Creature, the always excellent David Warner.

The production is a little dated now and feels quite stagey (and is, in fact, based on one of the stage productions of the book), but I gather from FRANKENSTEIN purists that its a pretty good adaptation. Its fun to see Carrie in a role just after completing JEDI. And it may not be the WOOKIEE LIFE DAY song, but-be happy or scared by this!!- she does get to do a brief bit of musical warbling, and looks very cute.

The TV special is in eight parts. Here's the link to the first part and you can take it from there...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1rJ-Zf6jUo


If you like the original SUPERMAN movie with Christopher Reeve, Robin's also put some nice behind the scenes DVD material in his playlist section also.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=302vwkRaj10

Cheers,

SCOTT

www.starwarsaficionado.com

 

 

 

Post
#368400
Topic
New interview with JEDI Producer Howard Kazanjian (includes discussion of a deleted scene).
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/368400/action/topic#368400
Time

Hello,

Happy 4th July to everyone in the US!!

Just to let you know that STAR WARS AFICIONADO has an exclusive new interview with RETURN OF THE JEDI Producer Howard Kazanjian, who talks about his career and his involvement in our favourite iconic films.

The interview contains lots of fascinating new information and includes a discussion on one of JEDI's famous lost scenes-Luke building his lightsaber on Tatooine, that I think you guys will find very interesting.

Head over to: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/howardkazanjianinterview.html

Happy reading,

SCOTT

Post
#359407
Topic
MARK HAMILL ON BBC TV- ASK ASPEL SHOW- MAY 1980-AUDIO RECORDING ON YOUTUBE.
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/359407/action/topic#359407
Time

My good friend Robin H. recently let me and the STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE know of an audio recording he did of Mark Hamill talking to BBC TV presenter Michael Aspel for the children's TV clip request show ASK ASPEL-which was transmitted on EMPIRE DAY- May 20th 1980-Hamill, Ford, Fisher and the main cast were in London that week to promote the film and attend it's Royal Premiere.

Robin has very kindly put his terrific audio recording in three segments on YOUTUBE, accompanied with lots of picture/visual content, and you'll really enjoy it-Mark is as fun and spontaneous as ever during the time of the making of the Classic Trilogy, and there's the first mention I think, at least on UK TV, of REVENGE OF THE JEDI!!! It's also a nice piece of classic 80's UK TV nostalgia.

Pt 1

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehrzvwaz3SU

 

Pt 2


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW92Cce2eCc

 

Pt 3

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnti2qa3XjI

 

Enjoy!!

Best,

 

SCOTT

www.starwarsaficionado.com

 

Post
#350896
Topic
Star Wars Prequels lost scenes-Nick Gillard STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE interview...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/350896/action/topic#350896
Time

Hello all!!

Just to let you all know that we've got a great interview with Nick Gillard on the STAR WARS AFICIONADO website. It's the most definitive interview with Gillard done yet about his work on the STAR WARS Prequels, which I think you'll all find very interesting, especially regarding cut scene info..

Click here to go straight to the interview: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/nickgillardinterview.html

Enjoy!!

SCOTT

Post
#339428
Topic
<strong>The Clone Wars</strong> (2008 animated tv series) - a general discussion thread
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/339428/action/topic#339428
Time

Hi,

Have to correct you, I'm afraid. Kershner WAS offered RETURN OF THE JEDI but turned it down-he was exhausted after two years on EMPIRE and was unhappy with the JEDI early storyline he was shown. Don't forget, Lucas also wanted Spielberg for JEDI but couldn't get him due to his problems with the US unions. Lucas isn't afraid of using talented people, though there are a lot more YES men in his organisation these days.

I think the CLONE WARS animated series is one of the best things on TV.Period. You can take your Dark Edged BATTLESTAR GALACTICAs and THE DARK KNIGHTs (Yep, EMPIRE was dark but still very audience accessible). STAR WARS has a unique feel, Prequel and Original, and this is a fine series which treads a delicate line with style and imagination-and an animation quality that is unique, too. Don't forget this series is going to evolve the longer it's on. Stick with it or not but theres been some STAR WARS/Lucas bashing recently that I feel has become waaayyy too over the top on the site, especially with people's incorrect information...

SCOTT

www.starwarsaficionado.com

Post
#314716
Topic
JEDI CON 2008-BEHIND THE SCENES CAST AND CREW INFO ON STAR WARS FILMING, DVDS AND OTHER BITS...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/314716/action/topic#314716
Time
Hi Everybody,

STAR WARS AFICIONADO MAGAZINE just came back from Germany's JEDI CON 2008, and I thought I'd share some information that we got from numerous people that you might like to be aware of, especially on future DVD cut scenes info.

Here it is...

STEVE SANSWEET

He’s tried on one of the surviving Darth Vader costumes at LUCASFILM-one of the originals first worn by Dave Prowse.

With regards to some of the props sold recently in auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christies, Sansweet and LUCASFILM are very dubious as to whether the items being sold, especially from the first STAR WARS are genuine. For a start, a lot of the items sold, if they are real, were stolen from the STAR WARS film set, whilst things like the recent Obi-Wan cloak may be fake-Sansweet revealed that the stitching of the cloth in the cloak that they have at LUCASFILM is different to the one sold in auction. LUCASFILM do check the items and warn the auction houses about selling possible fakes but beyond that there isn’t much they can do about it. Prop buyers beware!!

Despite it’s thirtieth anniversary, the STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL DVD will never, ever be released on DVD or any format, according to Sansweet. It’s just too awful-Sansweet hasn’t seen it for a while. Lucas apparently tried to watch it recently but gave up-he said it was just too awful to watch as well.

Asked by me whether we’ll ever see any Original Trilogy cut scenes on DVD, Sansweet replied that they are working on them at the moment-an archivist is finding them, cataloging them, and they are being restored for an eventual release (they are waiting to see what happens with BLUE-RAY and other advances in technology before they make any future decisions on STAR WARS DVD releases). Sansweet says that there are cut scenes that even he wasn’t aware of.

The upcoming CLONE WARS animated movie is indeed the first three episodes put together-though there is a special beginning section newly created to launch the story-originally it was planned that you would start in the TV series in the middle of an adventure (a la STAR WARS) but this was changed by Lucas for the theatrical versions. As well as standalone episodes, there will be two and three part episodes. There will not be future CLONE WARS animated films as far as Sansweet is aware-it is a one off to help launch the 22 episode series. They are currently projecting three seasons of the animated show, of which work has already begun on three to four episodes of Series Two already.The current projection for the live action series is still 100 episodes, of which it is hoped the third series of the CLONE WARS will be airing at around the same time.

JEREMY BULLOCH

Though the original armour was heavy on set for filming, his shoe wear was very soft, allowing him to move/glide along the floor quite easily whilst playing the part.

Some time ago he visited LUCASFILM to see his original Boba Fett costume (which, though created for EMPIRE, was later given a new paint job for his appearance in RETURN OF THE JEDI).

BARRIE HOLLAND

Holland, got his part in JEDI after having worked with Richard Marquand on a scene that was eventually altered cut from the director’s previous film, EYE OF THE NEEDLE (Holland liked Marquand very much). Filming the “You Rebel Scum” scene, Holland also enjoyed working with David Tomblin, the First Assistant Director, who helped to choreograph with him the way that his character’s stood and how he held his gun towards Han and Leia. Holland also found Ford and Fisher to be very nice off set. Originally, the seven Stormtroopers alongside him (though only six are seen on screen) took out a black Rebel sentry by the main door, but the scene was cut-the finished film just shows them running into the small Bunker command room. Holland’s line of dialogue is apparently him speaking-he says he wasn’t dubbed, and saw the British sound editor at ELSTREE manipulating his voice recording. It took two days to film the now classic “You Rebel Scum” scene, with Holland having to specially rehearse his body movements and the way he held/moved his gun for the moment where he captures Leia and Han. He is also in the line up of officers when Vader arrives at the DEATH STAR for the first time.

According to Holland, British support artist Michael Leader played the Stormtrooper who banged his head in A NEW HOPE.

He also appeared in the Obi-Wan Night Club scenes at the beginning of INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM, playing one of the party guests. His scenes were sadly cut, though his foot can be seen on screen-he’s the one that kicks the vial away from Kate Capshaw on the dance floor, just as she is about to get hold of it. The scene had to be carefully choreographed so that Kate didn’t get hurt on set.

OFFICIAL PIX

The company now has access to 2,000 new images from the STAR WARS movies, of which they select the images directly from the LUCASFILM vaults- a vast majority of these new images being black and white, which they will be making available very soon. More black and white behind the scenes image portfolios ARE planned, including the special MEN BEHIND THE MASK set, with very rare images (including two main tasters I saw involving Prowse and Bulloch behind the scenes un-helmeted at ELSTREE, and a shot of Chris Parson in his protocol Droid costume on the Rebel Command Centre set for EMPIRE)- from what we’ve seen as a little taster, this set is going to be very cool indeed, and Jeremy Bulloch is most looking forward to signing for these new pics at the Denver convention (where, we believe, he’ll also be wearing THE DENTED HELMET’s specially built new Fett at the event.).The future for purchasing STAR WARS photos is starting to look even rosier....

Apparently, there is less black and white photography on JEDI than the others films. Ben Stevens reckons that there were about 8 to 9 photographers on STAR WARS, around 5 on EMPIRE, and 2 on JEDI (the information on JEDI is incorrect; at least four were present- we know that Frank Connor, Ralph Nelson Jr. and Keith Hamshere took pics).

OFFICIALPIX have the license for CLONE WARS ANIMATED SERIES and the LIVE ACTION SERIES, as well as trusty old INDY.

ROBERT WATTS

In Pre-Production for STAR WARS, Watts visited the Van Nuys warehouse to see John Dykstra about the upcoming visual effects. When an excited Dykstra, explaining the technology involved, had finished speaking he was perplexed by the lack of excitement shown by Watts. When Dykstra asked why he wasn’t excited, Watts replied that he didn’t know what he had been talking about!! Such was the then complexity of the motion control set-up!!

On all of the three STAR WARS films he worked on, Robert Watts’s kids often visited the sets and filming on certain days. When they were 11, 9 and 6 they visited the STAR WARS Cantina Set and saw some of the filming.

For EMPIRE, it was Watts who initiated the critical decision of getting Harrison Ford to Finse. Originally, it was planned to shoot the blizzard scene at ELSTREE, but with a real blizzard taking place at the Finse location, and knowing that it will be difficult to make a believable blizzard work in a studio, Watts makes new arrangements.

The lost interior scene in JEDI of Luke building his lightsaber was never filmed, according to Robert Watt’s knowledge.

The filming in the restrictive Sail Barge interior was so hot, it was warmer than any filming in Yuma.

The scene of him and Richard Marquand playing officers in the Imperial Scout Walker in RETURN OF THE JEDI was an insert filmed at ILM, and took about an hour to shoot. It was a very enjoyable experience for them. The Ben Burtt scene of him as an Imperial Officer in the Bunker was also shot and added onto the film as an insert in the US.

At the end of filming, Watts was given an original Ralph McQuarrie painting of Vader, Luke and Imperial Dignitaries in the DEATH STAR Docking bay. In real terms today, according to Steve Sansweet, if sold it would probably fetch $100,000.

Of the six films that he worked on for Lucas, Watts favourite filming experience was on RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. He loved the whole adrenaline rush of getting the movie done and that energy is clearly visible on screen. Having not worked with Spielberg previously, Watts was originally shocked when the director had him half the shooting day allocation (as Spielberg didn’t want to over-run on filming as he ha done on his flop movie 1941)-a surprised Watts asked Lucas if this was all okay and Lucas said fine-to let Spielberg have free rein.


MIKE EDMONDS

The Ugnaught masks were quite interchangeable, so Mike Edmonds is not always the same character during the ELSTREE filming of the Bespin scenes. The actor found operating Jabba’s tail on JEDI to be an enjoyable experience and didn’t feel restricted in the costume at all-he thought there was plenty of space to operate in.

TIM DRY

The original costume for the Whiphid creature for film testing was also worn by Dry on a very cold January day in 1982, at 6am in the morning. Adjustments to the face mask were later made by the creature shop to the creature we saw in the final film.

In all, Dry was on the film on and off for four weeks, with four days on the Sail Barge interior set and about 2 weeks on the Jabba Throne Room set. Though it’s a well known fact that the actor is bored of people asking him if it was hot in the costume, Dry was the first to tell this writer that it was hot in the costume whilst filming!! A victim of his own paradox!! A part of the eighties group TIK ‘N TOCK, he and music partner Sean Crawford, also one of the Puppet actors in the Throne Room/Sail Barge interior scenes, would practice movements and rehearse music in between breaks. In the ELSTREE dressing room they would also play practical jokes on fellow cast and crew mates.


GUS LOPEZ PROPS TALK

Early weapons for use in STAR WARS, that weren’t actually adapted real weapons (bought in from the Baptize armourers company in the UK (of which sixteen props were discovered un-catalogued several years back at the company in their original condition), were made from Resin moulds, like the Rebel blasters seen in the opening sequence on the Blockade Runner.

General Madine’s beard, worn by Dermot Crowley in JEDI, was fake and, having been sold off by Stuart Freeborn previously, currently exists in private hands.

Darth Vader’s decapitated hand and lightsaber from JEDI currently resides in the vast prop collection of American film fan Bob Burns, a friend of Lucas’s since the 1970’s.

MARK DERMUL HOTH TALK

In Finse, a stuntman was injured when he fell from the grappling hook lifted by a helicopter representing the moment where Luke leaps up into the belly of the Walker. The injured stuntmen recovered quickly enough to do the stunt a successful second time.


Hope this info helps to generate further interest and debate.

Best wishes,

SCOTT

www.starwarsaficionado.com
Post
#299475
Topic
Did anyone catch the three PETER SERAFANOWICZ SHOW STAR WARS Darth Vader comedy sketches...
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/299475/action/topic#299475
Time
..that were on TV this Thursday on his comedy show? I thought the Darth Vader in love sketches were very funny, and the recreation of the DEATH STAR Conference Room set was very good. I wasn't even aware he was doing any skits until they were literally on air!!

Hopefully, the programme, for anyone who has NTL DIGITAL CABLE, might be on their CATCH UP TV service this week. He also has sketches on YOUTUBE so keep an eye out there also...


STARWARSMANIA
Post
#298196
Topic
&quot;Lucas can't find home for Star Wars spin-off&quot;
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/298196/action/topic#298196
Time
Having seen the footage on the big screen at CELEBRATION IV, the new CLONE WARS is crying out for release on the cinema screen and would fill a big gap in the hearts and minds of those people, like me, that miss the STAR WARS SAGA as a big screen experience. With all the SHREKS, MONSTER HOUSE'S, RATTATOUIE (or whatever it's called or spelt!!!) light relief/comedy anmation, how about some good old fashioned, really loud THX quality, digital picture, kiss ass dramatic STAR WARS stuff (I mean, that shot of the animated Anakin with his lightsaber, mid-air in the clouds of a pink skyed alien world, leaping from STAP to STAP destroying them, on the BIG SCREEN, would make it worth my £6.00 for a cinema ticket, I can tell ya!!).

Post
#297066
Topic
Recycled Prequel Music!?
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/297066/action/topic#297066
Time
From what I'm aware, sections of music from EPISODE I were re-used in EPISODES II and III, and some parts of EPISODE II music in EPISODE III in action sequences either because the finished effects sequences were not ready for Williams to compose music to or there were extended/new sequences created after the music score had already been completed that needed music (i.e. the Droid factory scene in EPISODE II using parts of the earlier Coruscant/Zam chase). Williams normally redorded STAR WARS music with the LSO at the beginning of the year the film was to be released (i.e. with EPISODE ONE, I believe it was January 1999).

I personally like some of the re-use of the music in the later Prequels-to me, it gives the film continuity
Post
#296602
Topic
IMPORTANT BEHIND THE SCENES INFO ON THE ORIGINAL TRILOGY FROM LONDON FILM AND COMIC CON-SEP '07
Link
https://originaltrilogy.com/post/id/296602/action/topic#296602
Time
Hi everybody!!

My good buddy Ian (known on this site as MISTER T!!) and I attended the LONDON FILM AND COMIC CON event this weekend and met Gary Kurtz and many supporting cast members from the Original Trilogy. Numerous first timers to the STAR WARS convention circuit were present and revealed some amazing new behind the scenes info. I thought I'd jot our notes down for everybody to see, as it doesn't seem that TITAN/THE OFFICIAL STAR WARS MAGAZINE could be bothered to send anyone to the event to interview any of them!!

Here it is. Enjoy!!

GARY KURTZ (PRODUCER-STAR WARS AND THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK)

The Producer revealed that, as well as his Second Unit work on the Blockade Runner for STAR WARS at ELSTREE, he also directed shots of Imperial officer/Stormtroopers on alert during the DEATH STAR attack and recalls filming the scenes where one of the gun emplacements blows up from Rebel fire. He may also have directed the scene where the TIE pilots rush to their fighter bays, but he can’t confirm for sure.

He re-confirmed that, due to lighting, film and technical difficulties, the JABBA THE HUTT/ DOCKING BAY 94 scene, despite no problems with the actor’s performances, was scrapped shortly after filming, and after three attempts to shoot the footage had been done with Ford, Mayhew and Declan Mulholland. This confirmation tells us that Lucas never planned to go back and have a stop motion puppet added on after filming. The footage had already been scrapped and the important plot info about the relationship between Han and Jabba passed on to Greedo in Post Production. Kurtz does not like that scene put back in the SPECIAL EDITON, finding it irrelevant.

Kurtz thought that the recent JW Rinzler MAKING OF STAR WARS book was okay for an “official” book-was surprised by some of the photo choices, however. He also revealed that at least half of the original on set photography negatives for the film shoot, including his and John Jay’s work, went missing/were lost, and that many of the photos we see in the magazines even today were first printed from the surviving high quality proof sheets!! The stolen duplicate transparencies from the STAR WARS offices in April 1977 were also never recovered.

For the re-mastering of STAR WARS for the SPECIAL EDITION, Kurtz recalls that scenes on the negative were so badly scratched that they had to use the best quality material possible from the remaining worldwide theatrical prints used in cinemas twenty years early. It was a difficult job finding good quality prints and Kurtz was heavily involved in this work-even loaning LUCASFILM his own personal print of the movie for one scene which was heavily damaged on the original.

Before RETURN OF THE JEDI, Kurtz had looked at the idea of the spacecraft visual effects for STAR WARS being done with early computer rendering, but in the mid 70’s, it just wasn’t possible and there wasn’t enough memory storage space in those early machines. Additionally, Kurtz cannot recall any experiments with Japanese Bakuru puppet-something that has previously been mentioned in STAR WARS lore.

Some of the end cast credits for the film are incomplete due to mistakes via the film’s original UK production office in 1976, which is why some actors aren’t mentioned (like who the actor was that portrayed Red Ten) and why some actors have incorrect spellings.

Backing up some of what George Roubicek revealed at CELEBRATION IV US, Kurtz confirmed that more incidental material on the Blockade Runner, for the beginning of STAR WARS, was shot during the Imperial attack than what appeared in the final film. What exactly that all was he can’t remember but more material was shot.

Kurtz is currently working on a new character drama set during WORLD WAR II, which he is very excited about and which should start filming next year. He’s also working on a new STAR WARS project, concerning the unsung heroes behind the scenes who worked on the first film, including John Barry, ILM and other people who haven’t received the credit they should have for the success of the original film. This will not be available commercially, but will be available to fans (probably as a DVD) at some point in the next few years. A book of Gary Kurtz’s on set photographs for STAR WARS and EMPIRE hasn’t been ruled out, though this is not a priority to Kurtz at the moment.


The REVENGE OF THE JEDI original storyline was a several page outline born from events that had been created from Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan’s screenplay for EMPIRE. It was never more than outline before he and Lucas had their falling out over the ROLLERCOASTER ADVENTURE movie that Lucas wanted the finale film to be, and which he perceived audiences would want to see, rather than the bitter sweet ending that Kurtz had originally planned for with Lucas. Kurtz also didn’t like the fact that the film was starting to be a giant toy movie/promotion.

PAUL JERRICHO (IMPERIAL AT-AT PILOT-EMPIRE)

The actor confirmed that he played the part for four days at ELSTREE on a full 360 degrees built set. As ever, the Stormtrooper costume was extremely hot and heavy to wear. And, as ever, the actors reacted to nothing on the view screen. His scenes were directed by Kershner.

CHRISTOPHER MALCOLM (ZEV-EMPIRE)

A really nice guy, at his first convention, the actor revealed that the replacement VISTAVISION camera used for Snowspeeder cockpit filming had previously been used on GONE WITH THE WIND- such was the film’s status that people on set would often come by just to touch the legendary camera that had filmed the movie!! As previously mentioned in STAR WARS AFICONADO, it took a long time to film scenes in the cockpit due to blue screen lighting problems. Malcolm also confirmed that actor Eugene Lipinsky did indeed play a Rebel Snowspeeder pilot whose scenes were cut from the film, but that’s all he could remember on that score (any one out there got any ideas as to who he would have played?). Malcolm may also have had a scene showing how he got his facial injury before being felled by a Walker, but, again, he can’t recall for sure anymore.

DEEP ROY (WALKING YODA-EMPIRE, NUMEROUS ALIENS-JEDI)

Not much info apart from the fact that he just loved working on EMPIRE and RETURN OF THE JEDI and had a great time with everybody. Adored working with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp on WILLY WONKA, which was one of the most demanding parts he’s ever played and also liked working with Gillian Anderson on THE X-FILES.

AL LAMPERT (COMMANDER JIR-STAR WARS)

Another really nice guy. When asked why it’s taken so long to attend a convention, he replied that he had never been asked!!! As far as he was aware, all of his scenes filmed were in the final movie and nothing was cut. His part in STAR WARS was just after he had competed work on SPACE:1999. Lampert was aware of the time pressure to try and finish the movie, recalled the slightly flimsy Blockade Runner corridor set, and remembered when George Lucas had to pull the pug when they run out of off money. Even at that time, the film had certainly not been finished in Lucas’s eyes.

VASS ANDERSON (REBEL TECHNICIAN-STAR WARS)

Only appeared as a Rebel technician in STAR WARS, he did not appear on EMPIRE. Was on set for a week’s filming.

SYD WRAGG (IMPERIAL OFFICER-STAR WARS)

Playing the officer who talked to Tarkin briefly before Princess Leia is brought into the war room, Wragg revealed that he did have a line of dialogue that he said to Peter Cushing before being motioned away. The line was something like “All Imperial ships are ready” he recalled. Wragg, having greatly enjoyed working with Ford, Fisher, Hamill and Peter Cushing, would also go on to work on several James Bond films, including the epic THE SPY WHO LOVED ME-released in 1977. Having taking up Karate, he also taught Gareth Hunt how to fight as Mike Gambit in THE NEW AVENGERS, as well as Joanna Lumley as Purdey (Wragg recalled that, being her first major TV role, Lumley was very shy at first). He also worked on THE SWEENEY teaching fighting moves to Dennis Waterman, who would later go on to MINDER, with George Cole, as well) and THE PROFESSIONALS TV series, again teaching the leads how to do Karate.

Wragg is also seen walking the corridors of the DEATH STAR in some scenes, like where Han and Luke escort Chewie, whilst disguised as Stormtroopers.

RALPH BROWN (RIC OLIE-EPISODE ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE)

Unaware that his friend, Ray Winstone, had also auditioned for the part of Ric Olie and was considered for the pilot by Robin Gurland after previously thinking of him for several insect like creatures (??) for EPISODE ONE. Though he liked the filming experience (especially being in the fighter cockpit for the space battle scenes), and working with Jake Lloyd, who he thought was fun, Brown was not a fan of the finished movie or of the experience of working with George Lucas.

Prior to the release of THE PHANTOM MENACE, Brown, who had a film premiering at the SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL, when asked by a journalist about working on STAR WARS told reporters that Lucas was “a man lacking in human decency.” When this quote ended up in the NEW YORK TIMES, Lucas and LUCASFILM were immensely unhappy with Brown, who would not be invited to the film’s London premiere.

QUENTIN PIERRE (NUMEROUS ROLES –STAR WARS, EMPIRE AND JEDI)

Having previously worked at PINEWOOD on both seasons of SPACE: 1999, which he found boring, Pierre would be hired to work on STAR WARS by Stunt Co-Ordinator Peter Diamond, and would also be Billy Dee Williams stand in on EMPIRE, and playing a Bespin security guard (one of the two who escorts the carbonised Han Solo to SLAVE ONE). For STAR WARS, Pierre would do a lot of stunt work as a Stormtrooper (there was, at first, some film scheduling problems with the SPACE: 1999 production office, but eventually things were sorted out). Pierre was also hired specifically by LUCASFILM for JEDI, and was also one of the Royal Guards for the film (he was one of them for the deleted scene in JEDI with Vader Force-choking Moff Jerjerrod as well). The Emperor’s Royal Guard costume was difficult to walk in and all the actors in the red robes had to make certain that there spacing between them so that they didn’t fall over each other. Pierre hinted that with his likeness on one of the action figure cards that there was a bit of a stink over the use of his image- it looks like he or his agent may have tried to get extra money for the use of his face.

MAROLYN TURK (BEEDO-RETURN OF THE JEDI)

A former double for actress Glen Close on British filmed movies including the two 10
1 DALMATIONS movies and HAMLET AND, and with 300 feature film credits to her name as a background artist, Marolyn, playing the Rodian Beedo, would strike up firm friendships with the majority of other actors in the masked costumes on the Jabba’s Palace set and would go on over the years to correspond with many of them regularly. Sadly, one close friend of Turks, who had worked on JEDI, sadly died.

The Rodian costumes, and several others, were originally built for men but the size 10 frame better suited the female form. To avoid claustrophobia, Turk would often push the eyes of her mask. Both Turk and the numerous other actors in the monster make ups got on extremely well with the main cast and, in between takes, Turk, with Mark Hamill, would come up with mind games to ease the boredom of setups.

STEPHEN SPEIRS (CAPTAIN TARPALS-EPISODE ONE: THE PHANTOM MENACE).

Impressed with his work in the London National Theatre’s production of GUYS AND DOLLS, Speirs filming duties as Captain Tarpals were very lengthy and in a manner not unlike the process that was used to film Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks on set (in those dark days before CGI characters had been firmly cemented on screen). Additionally, the voice over/adr work for the character also went on for a lengthy period, with new lines of dialogue and other character ideas for the character coming up. Steven enjoyed working with George Lucas.

WILLIAM HOYLAND (IMPERIAL COMMANDER IGAR-ENDOR GARRISON AT-AT-RETURN OF THE JEDI)

Hoyland recalls that he and Mark Hamill, in costume, got stuck for three hours in the specially built elevator in the studio soundstage to take the actors/crew to the walkway/gantry next to the AT-AT. The scene where Luke has handed himself over to the Imperials, with Hoyland presenting his lightsaber to Vader, was filmed by Richard Marquand. Due to the delay with the lift, however, the days filming was in serious danger of going over schedule, resulting in Marquand being a bit sharp with some of the other actors on the scene in the rush to get things completed. Hoyland recalls that Mark Hamill was extremely nice to work with.

JIM DOWDALL (STORMTROOPER IN STAR WARS, BESPIN GUARD IN EMPIRE STRIKES BACK).

Dowdall, whose work includes numerous JAMES BOND films, A BRIDGE TOO FAR (made after his STAR WARS filming at ELSTREE), and DOCTOR WHO, the stuntman/actor remembers how uncomfortable the Stormtrooper outfits were. Braving the rain on the 1977 Saturday morning of the UK cast and crew screening of the movie, Dowdall, almost reluctant at going, travels there on his new Harley Davidson and is soon amazed by the film, recalling that, with the opening shot, all of the cast and crew got up and applauded the incredible sequence. Unfortunately, he could not recall any of the possible scenes of Stormtroopers taking away/ killing the Bespin residents when they evacuate in EMPIRE.

ROBERT ENGLUND (WILLIE IN “V THE SERIES” AND FREDDY IN THE “NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET” FILMS)

As seen in a photograph in the MAKING OF STAR WARS book, Robert Englund visited the ILM team in San Fernando Valley, and was a friend of effects man Dennis Irving, the brother of Amy Irving-who would later marry, and divorce, Steven Spielberg. Englund would bring food over to the ILM team during their hard work at the Thanksgiving holidays, and was also a friend of Hamill- he and his girlfriend would let the young actor stay over at their apartment from time to time, as Hamill’s was in such a bad state.

Englund, auditioning for the part of the surfer character in APOCALYPSE NOW, turned up unshaven and wearing a tight military shirt, where, though passed on for APOCALYPSE with Francis Ford Coppola, was recommended to Lucas to try out for the Han Solo role as the actor looked quite tough.

JOHN FORGEHAM (THE OFFICER AT THE BEGINNING OF STAR WARS WHO, SEEING THE ESCAPE POD, SAYS: “THERE GOES ANOTHER ONE”)

Forgeham, whose career as an actor spans nearly forty years, got the part of the Imperial gun officer when his agent called him saying that there was a small part on STAR WARS. Knowing it was only a days work, and living in nearby Borehamwood at that time, Forgeham takes on the part arriving on the specially built set and reacting to blue screen, The scene, which was shot with another actor (whom Forgeham thinks he knew from working on the UK soap opera CROSSROADS (someone named David?)) was not shot by Lucas-Forgeham thinks it was Second Unit (probably the Monday after the July filming of STAR WARS was halted). After the filming, Forgeham was happy to frequent the well stocked ELSTREE STUDIOS bar!!!

Forgeham also confirmed that his friend Ken Hutchison was indeed in the movie-playing one of the Imperial officers in the conference room scene with Vader and Tarkin. Hutchison is also listed, according to Pablo Hidalgo as being present on the call sheets for the Blockade Runner filming-could he have played the same Imperial Officer in one of the cut scenes? As happened with other actors on the filming of STAR WARS, he may have been on the call sheet for that filming but might not have appeared that day (which was several months after the Cushing filming), replaced with another actor (like Al Lampert?)

At the convention, Forgeham went over to meet and shake hands with Gary Kurtz and was amazed by the worldwide STAR WARS fans in attendance to see him.

TRACEY EDDON (STUNT WOMAN-RETURN OF THE JEDI)

As well as being Leia and Threepio’s stunt double as Yuma, Eddon also unhappily played an Imperial Stormtrooper for one of the Endor battle scenes filmed at the Redwoods. She was coerced into doing it as they had run out of stunt men to occupy the suits, and, when putting it on, said she looked ridiculous.

Tracy Eddon’s father was the late Ed Eddon, who appeared in the Blockade Runner scenes in STAR WARS-Ed (Eddie) Eddon was the silver haired Rebel trooper with blue eyes who had two close ups before he was killed by Stormtroopers. Tracy’s mother is Sadie Edon, also a stunt woman, who was in STAR WARS, playing the cantina alien Reegesk.

Eddon, still a working stunt actress, enjoyed being on JEDI, working with the cast, and was impressed with the specially built Sail Barge set on location. She doesn’t recall playing an Endor Rebel Commando when I asked her-it may well have been Wendy Leech in the posed group photo taken on the DEATH STAR set with Mark Hamill.

Colin Skeaping played Luke for the scene where he and Eddon, as Leia, swing over to the Sand Skiff.

SADIE EDON (REEGESK-THE CANTINA ALIEN-IN STAR WARS)

Sadie, whose surname is spelt Edon, previously a regular stunt woman on the JAMES BOND films, remembers that the filming of her scenes on STAR WARS were one day only on the cantina set. None of the regular background artists wanted to wear the suit and Edon braved the extremely hot costume (she really couldn’t wait to get out of it by the end of the filming). She also recalled, however, that she was paid a good sum of money at the time for wearing the costume.

Sadie, now retired, thinks Harrison Ford is gorgeous!!

Cheers,


STARWARSMANIA!!