CLASSIC ART: McQUARRIE'S DAGOBAH

Here's some intriguing ideas from the master STAR WARS visualist for a far more unusual and alien environment for Yoda (originally known as Minch Yoda in late 1978) on his sanctuary world of Dagobah. The little Jedi's hut/home would basically stay the same for its eventual on-screen appearance (if a little smaller), though I think its time THE CLONE WARS adapted the rest of the environment for one of its alien planet fall episodes-it would look great.

For even more definitive behind the scenes info on the making of THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, find out how to get hold of our two popular volumes on the film here: STAR WARS AFICIONADO "EMPIRE" BEHIND THE SCENES COMPANION and here: STAR WARS AFICIONADO DOUBLE ISSUE 11/12-THE MAKING OF "THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK"

CLASSIC IMAGE: UNFORGETTABLE VILLAINY

Wearing, in my opinion, the best costume and helmet, from the original STAR WARS, the menacing, lightsaber holding dark vision that is Darth Vader (presumably inhabited by US Don Post employee/ Vader stand-in Kermit Eller?) poses for a promotional image for the LUCASFILM/FOX publicity machine, sometime during 1977-1978.

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: AN "EMPIRE" IN DEVELOPMENT!

On one of the deserted sound stages at ELSTREE Studios in London circa late 1978/early 1979, construction work continues for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK on the Millennium Falcon's cockpit and interiors, whilst a Rebel laser cannon is readied for ultimate shipping to the cold climes of Finse, Norway for its battle against Imperial Walkers.

To check out more on the behind the scenes construction blueprints of the STAR WARS saga's legendary ships, droids, and planets interiors and exteriors, J.W. Rinzler, acclaimed author of THE MAKING OF STAR WARS and EMPIRE books has a lavish, if pricey, new tome out at the end of the year, full of never before revealed info and interviews with some of the top behind the scenes names to have worked on the amazing and influential production design side of the film. Check out the links to STAR WARS: THE BLUEPRINTS here: Star Wars: The Blueprints  and how to get it in Europe here: Star Wars: The Blueprints (Limited Edition Hardcover) @ Forbidden Planet

SATURDAY NIGHT LEIA!

As part of their SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE 70's weekend, SKY ARTS Channel One HD in the UK are showing tomorrow night (Sunday) at 9.10pm the famous 1978 Carrie Fisher edition (originally airing in the US, I believe, a week prior to another STAR WARS comedy event: THE HOLIDAY SPECIAL!), which saw her in character as Princess Leia for several classic sequences/sketches (including her opening audience monologue pictured above) with the likes of comedy greats like Bill Murray and the late Gilda Radner.

Though it's been commercially available on Region One DVD as part of an expensive series box set, it will finally be nice to see the programme in the best quality possible on regular TV, and, if anyone out there can correct me on this please get in touch, I don't recall that episode actually being shown by the UK's ITV channel when it had seventies repeats very late at night in the early eighties...

CLASSIC IMAGE: HELP FROM AN OLD FRIEND...

Here's some great EMPIRE 1978/79 storyboards from artist unknown (possibly the UK's Ivor Beddoes?) showing Luke's capture by the Wampa and his first attempt to retrieve his fallen lightsaber. Click the pic to see a larger version. Note that, in the original sequence as stated on the board, Luke was to have heard Obi-Wan Kenobi's voice telling him to concentrate and use the Force.

With thanks to Ian Trussler for the image.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: JOE JOHNSTON'S FALCON

Here's some intriguing Joe Johnson sketches from September 1978 of the Millennium Falcon interior, and showing where everything was in relation to one another, when the vessel was to be re-built in 1979 on the ELSTREE Studios sound stages in London for the upcoming THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

A very nice piece of design history...

AFICIONADO STAR WARS MYSTERY: CAPTURING THE MAN IN BLACK!

Here's some intriguing pictures of a US (?) photo shot taken of Darth Vader, the true Dark Lord of the Sith. I think its from at least 1977/78 (presumably thats Kermit Eller in the costume) - note the huge size of the Vader mask: it has to be from A NEW HOPE time.

If anyone knows what the shoot was for, if there's any more images in the set, and where and when it first appeared, please get in touch...

"STAR WARS" AT THE 1978 OSCARS

Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels and the remote controlled Artoo at the 1978 Academy Awards. Image: ABC TV/A.M.P.A.S.

With the world enjoying the aftermath of the 83rd Academy Awards last night-and congratulations to Natalie Portman on her Best Actress win for BLACK SWAN (though she'll probably be more determined than ever now to distance herself from any connection to STAR WARS!)-here's a very good quality nostalgia clip from the CINEMATRIX website showing the 50th ACADEMY AWARDS from 1978, where STAR WARS won seven Oscars but failed to win Best Picture (I'm still in shock from that result, even thirty plus years on!). Watch Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels and Artoo Detoo having fun with comedy legend Bob Hope, and presenting Ben Burtt's well deserved OSCAR, at: http://index.hu/kultur/cinematrix/ccikkek/2011/02/26/star_wars_oscar/

CLASSIC ART: TINY WISDOM!

Here's a fun b/w late 1978 or early 1979 storyboard, possibly by the respected UK artist Ivor Beddoes during the time he worked on storyboarding for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK at ELSTREE with the late director Irvin Kershner, showing a wide-eyed and innocent, dreaming of adventure and excitement Luke Skywalker conferring with an early version of Yoda within his hut home on Dagobah.

With thanks to Ian Trussler for the image.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE SOUND COLLECTOR!

Out in the wilderness of sound gathering, the legendary Ben Burtt creates and re-records the iconic noise of the Rebel and Imperial blaster weapons, during some point between 1977 and 1979.

Check out our review of his and J.W. Rinzler's enjoyable new book, published by SIMON & SCHUSTER, on the unique subject of sound design for the saga here: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/the_sounds_of_star_wars.html

NEVER FORGET....

A happy Wookiee family reunited for LIFE DAY! Ahhhh!

THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL aired on CBS this very date way back in 1978. Despite its faults- and there are many!- AFICIONADO still hopes that it will one day get an official release of some kind!

AFICIONADO STAR WARS MYSTERY: KENNY BAKER IN CHICAGO!

Sometime between 1977 and 1978, Kenny Baker, in his US public appearances for the lovable droid Artoo Detoo, took part in what would apparently become a controversial STAR WARS related OLYMPIA beer promotion in Chicago, without the prior knowledge of LUCASFILM, which had the slogan: "The best thing to come out of a can since R2-D2."

Does anyone out there have this advertising image, or more information about the advert in general? Apart from the ONCE UPON A GALAXY BOOK written by Alan Arnold from 1979, and J.W. Rinzler's recent MAKING OF EMPIRE book I'd never previously seen or heard about this.

If anyone can help, please get in touch.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE NET IS CLOSING IN...

Within one of the labyrinth corridors of the Death Star battle station, Chief Bast (as played by UK actor Leslie Schofield (who was referred to as a commander in the official movie cast listing of 1977)) informs Lord Vader (Dave Prowse), aware that the angry Dark Lord's unique interrogation of Princess Leia Organa is not working, that the search of Tatooine's Mos Eisley spaceport for the escaped droids continues apace in this classic STAR WARS deleted scene (of which many stills exist), which was eventually shown, with new re- dubbed dialogue by James Earl Jones and an unknown US actor, for the 1978 STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL.

Clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvSDm8w08-I

However, whether the original, legendary 1976 scene, one of the earliest filmed by Dave Prowse, and which would have been recorded on set with his and Schofield's original voices, ever made it past the post-production editing stage to the later point where James Earl Jones added his unique voice to Vader is not known, but, regardless, and after years of seeing that scene in poor quality form from bootleg HOLIDAY SPECIAL copies, let's hope we get it in the best quality possible on the upcoming Blu-ray.

CLASSIC IMAGE: BOBA ATTACK!

This is a great posed out-take shot of Boba Fett from 1978 (notice how his costume is slightly different to the way it looks in EMPIRE- in particular the gloves), photographed by legendary rock/pop photographer Bob Seidemann for LUCASFILM. Its unknown who's in the costume but in all likelihood its someone who worked at ILM during that period.

Boba was the undisputed visual star/lynch pin of Celebration V. Here's to a long future of captive pursuits for the character in all areas of STAR WARS continuing mythology.

STAR WARS : A NEW VARIATION

This is a very unusual and kinda quirky interpretation of the Tom Jung/ Hildebrandt Brothers STAR WARS poster. It has a very basic but interesting retro simplicity about it, almost like one of those young teenage girl pop art posters from the seventies. I'm assuming its linked to a European release (like Poland or the former Yugoslavia, perhaps?) from the same period, or some kind of merchandising linked poster for something STAR WARS related somewhere across the world.

With so many different posters and variations over the years, does anyone out there have any more info on it-who it was by and which country it was originally used in?

AFICIONADO OPINION: WHAT SHOULD BE THE NEXT ANIMATED STEP...

If ever there was proof needed that the Original Trilogy could be made as a superb animated weekly series, following the success of CLONE WARS, this wonderful image from 1978's HOLIDAY SPECIAL is it!

C'mon, George and the gang, bring these great heroes and villains back to us in an all-new dimension!