BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: DYING WITH A SMILE!

Dying has never been so much fun than when its in the make-believe world of the movie business, as two icons of their respective arts- actor Samuel L. Jackson and Stunt Coordinator Nick Gillard- film the death of Jedi Master Mace Windu for EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH.

Nick Gillard will be at the UK's EMPIRE BIG SCREEN event at the 02 this weekend, and will be giving a talk about his life and career in cinema in the CINEWORLD screen 7 stage at 12.45 pm on the 13th August. Check out more on the event here: A Celebration of Film, A Feast for Fans Everywhere - The Live Movie Event | Empire Big Screen

And read our exclusive interview with Nick here: NICK GILLARD INTERVIEW

SCENES WE WANT ON BLU-RAY 6: JEDI TEMPLE TRAP!

With the phoney recall signal sent by Anakin Skywalker, now Darth Vader, designed to lure Jedi Knights back to Coruscant- and certain death- a Clone Trooper, disguised as a Jedi, gets ready for more killing. In a blue screen scene filmed at the FOX studios, Obi-Wan and Yoda had to navigate their way around some false Jedi so as to get into the Temple and change the signal, but in the end this sequence was deleted and then revised/re-filmed to become the rather cool action sequence where the pair swiftly take on Clone Troopers outside the Temple and Yoda delivers that awesome lightsaber throw, which, though now iconic, Lucas considered such a violent move for a distinguished Jedi like Yoda that he almost cut it!

CLASSIC IMAGE: CONVERGENCE OF GOOD AND EVIL!

On the steps of an abandoned, rain soaked Massassi temple, on the faraway world of Yavin IV, Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker is taunted by the evil Sith wannabe Asajj Ventress in this great image from the second half of the CLONE WARS animated premiere series of 2003.

SCENES WE WANT ON BLU-RAY 2: ANAKIN'S JEALOUSY

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's subtle but deadly turning of Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side of the Force was originally even more multi-layered than what was eventually seen in REVENGE OF THE SITH. Darth Sidious's use of jealousy, like Iago's deliberate and vicious fracturing of Othello and Desdemona's tragic love in William Shakespeare's classic play, was expected to be one of the main dramatic elements to have been seen in EPISODE III. Indeed, a similar sub plot was filmed in which Anakin, meeting Palpatine on the landing pad outside the senate building, is told by his respected father figure leader that Obi-Wan's decisions are being influenced by a "female senator" (whom an anxious Anakin realises is Padme Amidala). An earlier scripted element of jealousy by Anakin was cut from a prior scene in the film just before Padme tells him that she is pregnant. Sadly, though this Palpatine/Anakin scene can be found in script form in J.W. Rinzler's ART OF EPISODE III book, the actual shot scene, which also featured a brief "Hello" cameo from Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks, never made it to the finished movie, though I'm sure we'd all like it to appear on the Blu-ray!

CLASSIC ART: TOONAMI JEDI!

Here's a great piece of UK bus stop/terminal promotional art for the superb animated CLONE WARS series from 2005, shown on CARTOON NETWORK, and brought to life by Genndy Tartakovsky and his talented team of writers and animators.

Somebody PLEASE release this fantastic micro-series and its epic EPISODE III related sequel onto Blu-ray!

CLASSIC IMAGE: DARK SIDE IN TRAINING!

Arriving in Australia several weeks ahead of EPISODE III's filming so as to develop the best fighting skills possible in his duel role of Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader, Hayden Christensen gamely goes through some exciitng Nick Gillard choreographed moves with Count Dooku fencing stand-in Kyle Rowling. A top class Aussie fencer/stuntman, Rowling had previously appeared in EPISODE II as a pony tailed Jedi in the Geonosian Arena battle and was Lee's fighting/body double in that film, too.

CLASSIC IMAGE: SITH SWORDSMANSHIP!

An interesting EPISODE II image used online for a devoted STAR WARS fans desktop wallpaper, showing Christopher Lee as the evil Count Dooku flexing two lightsabers for part of a filmed but ultimately deleted duel sequence between the Sith Lord and Yoda in the Geonosian Hangar. Let's hope that one day the entire action sequence will appear on Blu-ray.

Outside of playing Count Dooku, our best wishes go out to Christopher Lee on his accepting his BAFTA fellowship award for his life and career in movies this weekend in London. It's well deserved and great to see him properly acknowledged.

CLASSIC IMAGE: HERO IN A HALF SHELL!

On a green screen FOX stage in Australia, resident STAR WARS icon Anthony Daniels takes a breather between filming his next EPISODE III scene-where Threepio, Captain Typho and Padme arrive by shuttle at the landing platform housing the latter's Naboo diplomatic craft.

The sequence, which leads into the as seen in the movie moment where Obi-Wan stows away on the vessel as it makes its journey to Mustafar, was ultimately cut from the film.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE EMPEROR'S NEW PLAYGROUND!

Here's a great behind the scenes shot of Ian McDiarmid at the Australian FOX STUDIOS in 2003 filming his scenes within the now familiar and hideous make-up guise of Emperor Palpatine, aka Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith. And the creature who now resides in full charge of the First Galactic Empire...

CLASSIC IMAGE: FIERY FIGHTING!

On the ash debris spewing, volcanic inferno that is the planet Mustafar, and fighting outside without the environmental protection of a deflector shield, veteran Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi goes up against his once Padawan learner: the intense, hate-fuelled Anakin Skywalker, who, no longer a Jedi, has now become Darth Vader- Dark Lord of the Sith, and must be stopped at all costs!

EPISODE III is showing in HD on the UK's ITV1 this Saturday mid-afternoon, but be warned, some of its darker scenes will, once again, most likely be cut for the time slot...

"THE CLONE WARS" COMING SOON: JEDI MASTER EVEN PIELL

Last seen firmly rooted to his chair within the Jedi Council chambers on Coruscant in both the first two STAR WARS Prequels (played by actress Michaela Cottrell), and the CLONE WARS micro-series, its nice to see the Lannik born Master Even Piell come to action packed, green lightsaber wielding life (after a decade of memorable appearances in the DARK HORSE comic universe) in at least one episode during the final half of the new third season of THE CLONE WARS. 

CLASSIC IMAGE: TO SLAY A JEDI!

Poor Jedi Master Shaak Ti, as played by the rather gorgeous actress/model Orli Shoshan, had a bit of a bad time of things in EPISODE III, actaully dying by foul, murderous means twice, and both times cut from the film-fortunately for fans, or unfortunately for Ti, one of her death scenes-the first from the cowardly General Grievous, shot in Australia in 2003- would eventually see the light of darkness on the EPISODE III DVD released at the end of 2005.

For more on Orli Shoshan, check out AFICIONADO's exclusive interview with the model/actress here:
http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/orlishoshan.html

CLASSIC IMAGE: "COMING IN HOT!"

From EPISODE III, a tense time for our Republic Heroes as they try to regain flight control of the surviving section of General Grievous's warship The Invivible Hand for a safe (ish) landing on Coruscant.

CLASSIC ART: MORNING PATROL!

On an unknown alien swamp world, a squad of Clone Troopers begin their morning patrol in this intriguing pre-production conceptual art for what was planned as a major sequence of EPISODE III showing what was going on with the epic Clone Wars across a dozen or so worlds-both familiar and new.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

CLASSIC CONCEPTION: THE BEAUTY OF ALDERAAN

Here's some great conceptual art for EPISODE III of Bail Organa's home planet of Alderaan, an iconic world with strong ideals of peace and admired by many of the peoples living within the once noble Republic. Until its destruction by the first dreaded Death Star battle station, the snow capped mountain planet had been a beacon of hope for the Rebel Alliance and its galaxy wide supporters during the fight against the tyranny of the now established First Galactic Empire.

Recently shown in THE CLONE WARS episode ASSASSIN, we hope to see more of House Organa and its civilisation in later seasons...

CLASSIC IMAGE: TAKING A BREATHER!

One of the EPISODE III behind the scenes crew assists Tarfful the noble and fierce Wookiee leader, played by Australian star Michael Kingma, in a filming break on an ILM green screen stage somewhere between 2003 and 2005 in the US. Much of the footage for the Wookiee battle, albeit seen far too briefly in the finished movie, would be directed by respected animation supervisor Rob Coleman.

CLASSIC IMAGE: FATEFUL FOES

A classic posed image of Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hayden Christensen as Darth Vader, their lightsabers locked for the final battle of the Prequel Trilogy movies. Modern series Stunt Co-ordinator Nick Gillard was responsible for many of the choreographed lightsaber moves initiated for the photo sessions (like the one of Kenobi, Windu and Skywalker on the cover of AFICIONADO double issue 8/9).

CLASSIC IMAGE: GENEVIEVE O'REILLY AS REBEL LEADER MON MOTHMA

Legendary Rebel Alliance leader Mon Mothma makes her first appearance in EPISODE III.

In 2003, fans were overjoyed at George Lucas's plans to integrate more classic elements from the original STAR WARS Trilogy into the final part of the STAR WARS Prequel Trilogy, further bringing in the bridge from one side of the Saga's history to the other. As well as Vader at the films finale, we were to have Chewbacca and the Wookiees, spaceship cameos from what would be one of the Rebel Blockade Runners and the Millennium Falcon. But one of the most important links in III would be the birth of the Rebel Alliance to fight the Empire, shepherded into existence by a core group of players including Bail Organa, Padme Amidala and new (later to be RETURN OF THE JEDI figurehead) Mon Mothma. Originally played in 1982 for JEDI by distinguished British actress Caroline Blakiston, this time around the younger incarnation of Mothma would be portrayed by the lovely actress Genevieve O'Reilly. I met a Miss O'Reilly a while back at a UK collectors show at Cheshunt, and she recalled how, despite the scenes being cut from the film (though later released on DVD), she greatly enjoyed working on EPISODE III, loved hers and the others costumes and seeing the aliens, and liked George Lucas. She also remembered how one scene involving the DELEGATION OF 2000 had to be shot without Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa (Smits had not yet arrived in Australia for the filming), so a double was used saying his dialogue and in costume (with the actor re-filming the scene individually and later superimposed over the long shot).

Mon Mothma, as played by the lovely Genevieve O'Reilly

Having already made a small appearance in both THE MATRIX RELOADED and THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS (as a Xion technician) prior to STAR WARS, Irish born, Australia raised O'Reilly would come to the UK and US and work in a variety of successful film and TV projects (including playing the late Princess Diana in DIANA: LAST DAYS OF A PRINCESS, a regular role as American Operative Sarah Caulfield in the hit BBC spy series SPOOKS (known in the US as MI5) and in the enjoyable political thriller THE STATE WITHIN (with HARRY POTTER's Jason Isaacs). Other film work would include the recent period drama THE YOUNG VICTORIA. She's also had a very good career on the London stage, working with Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic and more recently opposite young star in the making Ben Barnes (THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA) in the hit play BIRDSONG (based on the acclaimed book by Sebastian Faulks), at the London COMEDY THEATRE until January 15th 2011). Below is a nice image of the pair linked to the start of the plays run, in a photo shoot taken for the London EVENING STANDARD magazine in 2010 by Nicky Emerson.

 

STAR WARS AFICIONADO wishes Genevieve continued success in all areas of her acting career.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE MASTER AND AN APPRENTICE!

George Lucas and Hayden Christensen confer on an important scene leading to the fall of Anakin Skywalker in this 2003 image taken at the FOX STUDIOS in Australia for the finale of the STAR WARS movie saga- REVENGE OF THE SITH.

CLASSIC IMAGE: FLUORESCENT YODA!

Yoda's certainly looking a bit brighter these days, as this reference dummy, used by the cast and crew at FOX STUDIOS for EPISODE III in 2003, clearly demonstrates.