SCENES WE WANT ON BLU-RAY 5: REBEL INFILTRATION!

General Han Solo and Princess Leia, with Chewbacca and their Rebel Commando squad, continue their uneasy journey into the dark and dangerous corridors of the Imperial energy shield bunker so as to find and neutralise its command and control area for the incoming "surprise" fighter attack on the Death Star II.

This action sequence, which involves the group accidentally running into a Stormtrooper patrol and getting into a firefight, is probably one of the most desired deleted scenes from RETURN OF THE JEDI, after the infamous Tatooine Sandstorm, that I hope will be included on the Blu-rays. So far, those talented people at ORIGINAL TRILOGY.COM have found a foreign Blu-ray/DVD classifications source (FSK - FSK Suchergebnis) confirming that the deleted/extended scenes for both trilogies will have a running time of up to 45 minutes each, so it looks like we'll get a worthy selection of material to enjoy...

Here's an early look at the box sets from a LUCASFILM STAR WARS MEDIA DAY press event last week: A Destiny Revealed: Star Wars Media Day Brings Blu-ray and More to New York City: BigPictureBigSound

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!

BEHIND THE SCENES IMAGE: A BATTLE TO COME!

An unknown UK film clapperboard man signals the start of a new scenes filming at ELSTREE for the sequence where brave but ultimately doomed Rebel Blockade Runner soldiers attempt to hold off a boarding party of overwhelming Imperial Stormtroopers, in a sequence filmed during July 1976. According to Gary Kurtz, lots of action footage was shot for the sequence, as well as other parts of later scenes on the Blockade Runner corridor sets, and not all of it made the finished film.