REMEMBERING "THE TUNES" VADER ADVERT...

Stephen Calcutt as Vader in the classic nineties advert for TUNES cough lozenges.

One of the best STAR WARS related commercials I've seen on British television was from the late nineties when the cough sweet manufacturer TUNES, deciding that Darth Vader needed some throat lozenges, brilliantly recreated the Motti strangling scenes from the original STAR WARS (right down to the sets and costumed extras), though with a more friendly advice giving Imperial officer going just a little bit too far...

Here's the advert: Star Wars Tunes Advert - YouTube

A terrific recreation of the DEATH STAR briefing room set.

British Classic STAR WARS TRILOGY stand-in/background actor Stephen Calcutt (doubling on set for Peter Mayhew and Dave Prowse) played Vader in the commercial and was very proud of his work in the costume. He recalled to AFICIONADO contributor Ian Trussler a few months back, during a UK convention, that he got paid more money for that one advert than he ever got working on all the original three films combined!

For more on this commercial and some of Vader's greatest film and non-film moments in multi-media, check out the picture/info packed feature here: DARTH VADER LIVES!!

Another Imperial bites the dust!

SPECIAL EDITION CLASSIC IMAGE: THE "CAPTURED FREIGHTER"

Here's another SPECIAL EDITION image from George Lucas' revised universe of 1997 that I think works very well-a shot of the captured Millennium Falcon in one of the Death Star hangar bays. The expanse of the hangar bay is better realized, the Falcon, though a little longer at its front end, is more detailed, the floor pattern tilings match better from left to right and the bay's right side wall has continuity to Imperial design from later films in comparison to the one originally created in 1977 by effects legend Harrison Ellenshaw. No disrespect intended to the brilliant Ellenshaw, though, as, at the time his original painting was done, no real design continuity for the saga had yet been mapped out.

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

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 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: CHASM CHALLENGED!

Here's a great shot from one of my favourite scenes of STAR WARS: the exciting, and classic, chasm swing with Luke and Leia. This image has an interesting composition, presumably taken during rehearsal, and, as you can see, it shows our heroes at the other end of the junction they've just swung to (or has photographer John Jay gone round the other side of the set so as to shoot from a differing angle?).

Though used for several pieces of pre-release promotion (including a lavish FOX colour brochure spread within their FILMS FOR 77 booklet (presumably, at the time the booklet was being formulated in mid to late 1976, this was one of the very first colour images released for the blockbuster that no one really saw coming), you don't really see this pic used much nowadays, and I'd like to see it appear in the future by way of an official magazine or book in a much higher res, and in a nice double page spread, too!

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

SPECIAL EDITION CLASSIC IMAGE: DEATH STAR APPROACH!

Before the onslaught of the love them or hate them Prequels, I recall that wonderful and nostalgic brief period in 1996-1997 when the world received the return of the STAR WARS Original Trilogy, restored and souped up with CG and other then digital trickery as THE SPECIAL EDITIONS, with bated breath and a great euphoria of excitement and joy that, after twenty years, it was finally coming back to the cinemas. STAR WARS destiny had come full circle, returning to the big screen where it rightfully belonged, and it looked like it was now never going to go away into limbo ever again, and we were all happy for that. Since the original releases, however, and going into the 2000's, there has been an upsurge in fan grumblings and moans about the changes made to Lucas's new visions of the film (some opinions I fully agree with: I always consider that Han shot first! It's in the original scripts!), as well as anger and frustration at the lack of Anamorphic versions of the original unaltered, pre-SPECIAL EDITIONS, being being released on DVD and, so far, Blu-ray, and a general mild but growing dissent, criticism and hatred of the SPECIAL EDITIONs in all forms, especially with the further changes made to them with the first DVD releases of the Trilogy in 2004. It seems that Lucas, considering the most recent versions of the Original Trilogy to be definitive in his eyes (surely until the Blu-rays in September!), can't win any artistic respect these days with a lot of the fans whatever he does linked to the originals.

With next year being the fifteenth anniversary of THE SPECIAL EDITIONS, I thought it might be nice, instead of talking about the things that don't work (as everyone else seems to do online), for AFICIONADO to do an occasional series on the moments, large or small, considered improvements by Lucas to the films, that do actually work and which should be applauded and appreciated, starting off with this terrific image of the Rebel X and Y-wing fighters in space heading towards the Death Star. This new shot is great (I love the original 1977 scenes, too) and I particularly liked the faster movements of the ships and the camera panning with them, adding to the excitement of the film's final decisive conflict.

Look for more great SPECIAL EDITION shots in the not too distant future...

CLASSIC IMAGE: TARKIN'S TYRANNY!

Its amazing to see just how the kindest and most gentlest of people can play on screen baddies in film and TV so effectively. The much missed Peter Cushing being a particular case in point with his fine performance as Grand Moff Tarkin in STAR WARS. His acting and character were so great that, despite his demise with the destruction of the Death Star at the end of the first STAR WARS movie (which Cushing regretted as he wasn't able to come back for any sequels), he would return as a younger man for a brief appearance at the end of 2005's REVENGE OF THE SITH, and now, as well as his cruel and nasty adventures continuing in the Expanded Universe of books and comics, can shortly be seen as Captain Tarkin for the upcoming episode of THE CLONE WARS Season Three: The Citadel.

It looks as if evil is indeed everywhere!

CLASSIC IMAGE: FALCON STORMTROOPER VIGIL

"Hey down there. Can you give us a hand with this?"

In the gargantuan hangar bay of the dreaded Death Star, two unsuspecting Imperial Stormtroopers stand guard over the seemingly empty captured starship, the Millennium Falcon

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image.

CLASSIC IMAGE: "FIRE AT WILL, COMMANDER"

Under orders from The Emperor, Moff Jerjerrod (Michael Pennington) prepares to use the Death Star II battle stations primary weapon against the trapped Rebel fleet in this rare RETURN OF THE JEDI image, previously supplied to KENNER TOYS in 1982/3 in scratched reference form so that it couldn't be copied.

For more on Moff Jerjerrod's lost scenes in JEDI, head over to our previous article here: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/raceagainsttime.html

And don't forget, our comprehensive MAKING OF RETURN OF THE JEDI special issue is available in PDF form here: http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/backissuepdfcatalog.html

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!

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: GOING IN FOR THE KILL!

Above the Death Star planetoids surface, two deadly TIE fighters move speedily to intercept a Rebel X-wing fighter (possibly Luke's, from looking at the Fourth Draft script) in a lovely ILM 1976/77 storyboarded image by artist unknown (presumably Joe Johnston).

With thanks to Chris Baker for the 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/

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: 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...

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: "RED FIVE STANDING BY"

A great ILM STAR WARS 1976/77 storyboard of Luke Skywalker in the cockpit of his X-wing, at some point during the Death Star attack. We assume the illustration was brought to life by Joe Johnston, and based around the earlier July 1976 filming of the fighter pilot cockpit scenes at ELSTREE.

AFICIONADO STAR WARS MYSTERY: ART ATTACK!

Does anyone know anything about this lovely piece of art, from 1977, of STAR WARS' classic Death Star attack? Its apparently by Eddie Jones.

Was it unused promotional art for LUCASFILM or FOX? Or possibly unused art for MARVEL, perhaps?

If anyone can help, please get in touch...