NEW BLU-RAY DELETED SCENE CLIP: CHASM CLASH!

Another welcome little deleted scene snippet from the upcoming Blu-rays has turned up online: this time its a slightly different version of the chasm battle from STAR WARS (Episode IV), incorporating the famous, for years debated, was it or wasn't it filmed moment in which Luke throws the grappling hook and misses the first time around.

Here it is:  STAR WARS Blu-Ray New Deleted Scene‬‏ - YouTube

We're sure there will be more hotly debated scenes like this to come on those shiny discs!!

UPDATE 2/8/2011: Turns out it was all just a clever hoax from the YOUTUBE poster. But, I'm sure you'll agree a nicely done one at that!

Also, here's an apparent Russian trailer for the Blu-rays. We don't think it's the real deal, though it's well put together: ‪Star Wars Blu Ray HD [Russian]‬‏ - YouTube

DELETED SCENES GALORE COMING ON BLU-RAY!

A Treadwell droid watches Luke as he looks to the heavens in a classic deleted scene from STAR WARS.

Finally, LUCASFILM opens the vaults and shows us some of the Classic Trilogy Deleted Scenes goodies coming up on Blu-ray, and they're all the ones we want to see, as witnessed in this trailer: StarWars.com | Comic-Con 2011 Star Wars Blu-ray Deleted Scenes Teaser

Artoo escapes a carnage wielding Wampa in the caverns of Echo Base in EMPIRE.

Luke looks at the space battle overhead in STAR WARS.

Lando helps an injured Chewbacca to the Falcon in JEDI's famous Sandstorm sequence.

A shot of the Millennium Falcon and Princess Leia's Y-wing on Tatooine.

Luke conceals the damage to his mechanical hand in JEDI...

Luke makes his way to his X-wing during the Sandstorm.

A Mon Calamari pilot joins the Death Star II battle in JEDI

General Solo and his team come under Imperial attack in JEDI

The Bunker battle continues...

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.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: DEATH STAR PATROL

A patrol of TIE fighters tear across the equatorial channel of the fearsome Imperial Death Star battle station in this terrific piece of conceptual art by ILM's Joe Johnston from 1977, as seen in the STAR WARS SKETCH BOOK of the time.

Its a great image and you can just imagine Ben Burtt's brutal sound design for the craft as they race by...

CLASSIC IMAGE: USED DROIDS FOR SALE!

Outside on the vast landscape plains of the Owen Lars moisture farm/household, those pesky but lovable Jawas begin to gather their odds and ends droids for possible sale, including two recent acquisitions: See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo!

Truly another magical scene from the original STAR WARS!

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: TO FILM A T.I.E.!

In a small ex-garage in Van Nuys, California, sometime during late 1976/early 1977, where an unsuspecting world outside of it has virtually no idea that STAR WARS is on the way, ILM Visual Effects Technician/icon Richard Edlund makes an adjustment to a TIE fighter model prior to blue screen filming.

CLASSIC ART: FIRE IN THE SKY!

Here's a terrific and evocative piece of art by the late sci-fi talent John Berkey-a favourite illustrator of George Lucas- from sometime between 1976 and 77, showing Rebel X-wing fighters making their attack runs in, out and around the mighty planet killer, the Death Star, from the original STAR WARS. Sadly, this image from Berkey (whose other great film work would include art for KING KONG (1977) and SUPERMAN III (1983)), which was created as part of his commissioned work for the STAR WARS poster campaign, was not eventually used, though one other piece of character/action art (featuring the towering figure of Lord Vader with a defiant Luke, Leia and the droids underneath him) would make the grade as the iconic cover of the UK SPHERE BOOK edition of the movies adaptation in 1977. This Death Star battle art is yet another fine example of the incredible artistic work done for the saga over the last thirty-four years, and its stunning depiction remains indelibly iconic....

Check out more of Berkey's brilliant sci-fi work here:  John Berkey Image Gallery

CLASSIC IMAGE: BATTLE READY REBELS!

A group of loyal Rebel soldiers prepare to meet heavy Imperial resistance cutting its way into the Blockade Runner in search of the stolen data tapes of the Death Star. In the original script (and comic book), the Stormtroopers blast downwards from the ceiling and into battle-an intriguing image. Though what was finally seen on screen in 1977 with their explosive entrance would prove more than exemplary!

CLASSIC CHEWBACCA: THE BOWCASTER.

Continuing our celebration of our favourite Wookiee's return to the STAR WARS saga with THE CLONE WARS, here's a great behind the scenes reference image of the Bowcaster, the distinctive crossbow/laser weapon hybrid which Chewbacca has but ultimately doesn't use in the first STAR WARS, though he soon proves an excellent shot with it in a very cool moment from RETURN OF THE JEDI, when he skillfully takes down an accelerating Speeder Bike pilot within the forests of Endor.

I'm not sure if the Bowcaster was a specially made prop for the films or an adapted weapon from a British armourers (I'm assuming the latter), so if anyone has any more info on it, please get in touch...

"THE ANATOMY OF "STAR WARS""

Image: KURTZ/JOINER ARCHIVE

Great news for UK STAR WARS fans in the celebrations run up to the Blu-ray launch, as the website Lightsaber Rattling has this great news on a new event taking place in May- THE ANATOMY OF STAR WARS weekend- involving Producer Gary Kurtz (above, in 1976, with Kenny Baker as Artoo) and 20^TH CENTURY FOX executive, Sandy Lieberson.

Check out the details here:

http://lightsaberrattling.blogspot.com/2011/03/star-wars-event-news-anatomy-of-star.html?m=1

If any UK readers get a chance to attend the event, please get in touch with AFICIONADO and tell us about all the info learnt from it!

UPDATE: 20/5/2011. Ian Croft sent a detailed synopsis of the event to THEFORCE.NET. Read it here:
TheForce.Net - Latest News - The Anatomy of Star Wars Class - Reviewed

CLASSIC CHEWBACCA: ONE MAN AND HIS WOOKIEE!

In his workshop at ELSTREE, legendary British make-up artist Stuart Freeborn brings the Classic Trilogy Chewbacca mask to reality.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

Fans of Stuart's work on the three STAR WARS films, and the rest of his spectacular career, including such notables as 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and the SUPERMAN films, check out AFICIONADO's exclusive interview with him and his wife Kay in our exhaustive MAKING OF "RETURN OF THE JEDI" special issue from 2008, which is available here: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/catalog/item/6975337/8512430.htm

CLASSIC IMAGE: WOOKIEE LEGEND!

To celebrate the welcome return of Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca in THE CLONE WARS two part Season Three finale, here's a great pic you don't see much of these days of the legendary 200 year old Wookiee from the original STAR WARS, from the characters first filmed scene at Docking Bay 94.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: Y-WING CLOSE-UP!

Here's a great scale reference photo from ILM for the iconic Y-wing fighter seen in Death Star trench running action from the original STAR WARS filming of 1976/77. Note the tremendous model kit detail on the craft. Love the little Astro droid companion!

CLASSIC IMAGE: WIOSLEA THE SPEEDER DEALER!

Would you buy a used Landspeeder from this alien?

A close-up shot of the barely seen Landspeeder dealer Wioslea, working within the Mos Eisley spaceport, whom Luke sells his speeder to for much needed currency. In the STAR WARS Expanded Universe, the alien is a she from a race called the Vuvrian. Though at least one close image was photographed showing Luke and Obi-Wan with the creature (below), it's unknown so far (though I might be proved wrong by the upcoming Blu-ray cut scenes!) as to whether any extra footage was filmed with it, played by UK extra Barry Copping, bar the long shot moment ultimately seen in the film. Obviously, dialogue for the bartering scene would eventually be created by the late Brian Daley's for his acclaimed NPR dramatisation of the film.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the main image.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: SPACE STORMTROOPER

At ILM, Joe Johnston suits up in one of the then surviving UK built Stormtrooper costumes (with extra air piping) for an additional insert scene for STAR WARS filmed in 1977, showing one of the soldiers out on the Death Star surface watching as the captured Millennium Falcon is tractor beamed into one of its Docking Bays. The scene would be supervised and directed by George Lucas and quickly added onto the model work.

One of the key creative people at ILM to have worked on the Original Trilogies design front since 1975, Johnston was a storyboard artist, model maker, matte painting assistant, actor (check out his cameo in the Hoth Base Rebel Crusier Bay in EMPIRE) and puppeteer. Since departing ILM (of which he had worked on other non STAR WARS projects including Indiana Jones), he would become an acclaimed director of such interesting, wide ranging genre fare as THE ROCKETEER, JUMANJI and JURASSIC PARK 3, as well as family friendly films like the enjoyable horse race adventure HIDALGO (with LORD OF THE RINGS Viggo Mortensen), and horror films like the under-appreciated HAMMER HORROR-esque THE WOLFMAN (starring Benecio del Toro, Emily Blunt and Anthony Hopkins), of which Johnston took over the directing reins at the last minute from someone else who had departed the difficult project. Now, expectations are high for his next major production, currently filming in Manchester, England: the big budget film adaptation of MARVEL COMICS ground breaking superhero CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, with Chris Evans in the title role, and a strong supporting cast that includes Hugo Weaving (as the villainous Red Skull), Hayley Atwell, Richard Armitage and Tommy Lee Jones. The insider buzz on CAPTAIN AMERICA, to be released next Summer, is very positive, and lets hope that it propels Johnston ever further as a top name director of high quality and exciting movies, having gained so much top experience from his time working at LUCASFILM...

Check out the MTV website feature on CAPTAIN AMERICA here: http://splashpage.mtv.com/tag/captain-america/

LOOKING BACK: OBI-WAN LIVES!

Obi-Wan Kenobi makes the ultimate sacrifice for his escaping friends in STAR WARS.

Prior to March 1976, Sir Alec Guinness, playing the wise and noble Jedi Knight, Ben "Obi-Wan" Kenobi, thought he was going to survive his duel with Lord Darth Vader and go on to the Rebel Base on Yavin IV to provide both support for Princess Leia and encouragement to Luke Skywalker whilst piloting his ship against the Death Star. Here are the late 1975/ early 76 storyboards by famed UK artist Ivor Beddoes of the original sequence, which culminated in a shield door cutting the devil horned, helmeted Vader off from Kenobi (injured in battle, the Jedi is then helped back to the Millennium Falcon by Luke Skywalker):

George Lucas, however, had other ideas, and didn't want Sir Alec as an actor and Kenobi as a character having very little to do but stand in the background for the films final act. So, in advice and consultation with wife Marcia, he took the brave step of killing Kenobi off- a wise move that added drama and sadness to the film and gave it a harder edge-that main characters, despite their abilities, could be killed off unexpectedly in the STAR WARS saga- though it was a decision that Lucas struggled with right up to the start of the films shooting in Tunisia and which worried Guinness. Fortunately, Lucas also had a little plan of having Kenobi come back as a spectral Force voice at the end victory, which meant that a return of some kind for Guinness/Kenobi, in person or in voice-over, for the future (if the film was a hit) was possible.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CARRIE FISHER!

Still the greatest as the Stormtrooper blasting, Rebel leading, Scoundrel loving, Wookiee hugging, medal giving, bun wearing, Bikini stunning babe of the Original STAR WARS saga.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

CLASSIC IMAGE: A LEGEND IS BORN!

In early 1976, on one of the biggest sound stages available at London's ELSTREE studios, the huge wooden/metal supported prop of the partial Millennium Falcon, and the Mos Eisley Docking Bay 94 interior around it, is under construction by the British carpenters and builders, supervised by Production Designer John Barry and assistant Norman Reynolds for filming in April that year.

RETURN OF A COMICS LEGEND: HOWARD CHAYKIN'S "EMPIRE"!

Kudos to the team at STAR WARS INSIDER for its slightly improving issues recently. There's been a few new bits of information filtering through about the behind the scenes, attempts at a few more interviews, here and there rare or rare-ish pictures and some special commissions linked to the film series and the new CLONE WARS. Today's news that legendary comics artist Howard Chaykin has contributed a brand new cover for STAR WARS INSIDER's December issue (pictured above), is an excellent new step in the right direction. I have long been fascinated by Chaykin's art for the early STAR WARS comic adaptation, he was specially selected by Lucas due to his work on his sci-fi epic CODY STARBUCK- and gamely visualised a universe in 1976 and 1977 that was still in flux production wise. The adaptation of STAR WARS, one of the very few early clues to the public as to what the film was going to be about, may not look like the universe that was later recreated by Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon for their movie adaptations of EMPIRE and JEDI, but it has a wondrous comic book hybrid feel about it that, thirty four years on, is still ambitious and exciting to look at, and which, with its exciting style, inspired the dreams and ambitions of many young artists who would follow in Chaykin's large foot-steps.

Chaykin's original poster art which appeared at the San Diego COMIC CON in 1976

"Enter Luke Skywalker - will he save the galaxy or destroy it?" Chaykin's adapted poster, now a cover for the launch of the STAR WARS US MARVEL comic.

This new EMPIRE art, of which Chaykin has taken his cues from what he originally did for the limited edition San Diego COMIC CON poster of 1976 (which was then adapted for the cover of STAR WARS MARVEL COMIC number 1) is very nicely done, and I'm sure this issue of INSIDER, with an accompanying behind the scenes feature about Chaykin at MARVEL for STAR WARS, will be a huge success.

CLASSIC IMAGE: DEATH STAR BATTLE STATIONS!

As alarm lights blaze and sirens fill the air within the corridors of the Death Star, elite TIE fighter pilots rush to their ships, ready to engage the attacking Rebel X and Y-wing ships, in this deleted scene from STAR WARS, filmed by Gary Kurtz's second unit at some point in July 1976 at ELSTREE. A partial clip from the deleted footage would later be used in RETURN OF THE JEDI.

I'd have love to have seen a sequence where we see the pilots actually get into their TIE ships and take off. In the film we see Vader and his wing men depart the docking bay, but there's a great moment in the MARVEL comic strip adaptation of the time (above image) where we see Vader actually getting into his ship.

I wonder if that was just writer Roy Thomas/artist Howard Chaykin's visual idea, or whether there was a scripted scene that was possibly filmed? Or perhaps the scene was planned for but unfilmed due to time and money pressures. Perhaps the Blu-ray will solve the many mysteries once and for all...