ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: BALANCE TO THE FORCE!

Here's a few great effects reference storyboards (presumably from Joe Johnston, though David Carson and Nilo Rodis-Jamero also worked in that area for the film), circa December 1982, that we weren't able to incorporate for space reasons in our MAKING OF RETURN OF THE JEDI issue of a few years back, showing some of the previously filmed classic scenes of Luke's conflict against Darth Vader when he discovers the truth about his daughter and uses the knowledge against his son, plus the all-time classic emotional moment where Vader, back to the good side as Anakin Skywalker (of which we're all now cheering him on), throws the Emperor down the shaft (referred to in the boards as "The Pit of Death"!).

Classic material, and we look forward to seeing more storyboard goodies and incredibly rare and unseen pre and post production art of all kinds when J.W. Rinzler's MAKING OF book comes out in 2013.

Meanwhile, in the long two year wait for the official book, head over to our back issues area and find out how to get out pretty exhaustive, and reader acclaimed, MAKING OF RETURN OF THE JEDI issue: BACK ISSUE PDF CATALOG

SETH'S UNIVERSE: THE RETURN OF "STAR WARS: ROBOT CHICKEN"!

Vader goes 1978 MECO in STAR WARS: ROBOT CHICKEN EPISODE 3. Image: ADULT SWIM.

Good news for UK Fans: Seth Green's latest STAR WARS: ROBOT CHICKEN, EPISODE 3, has a DVD only release date of July 2nd from REVOLVER ENTERTAINMENT. Let the laughter return to a galaxy far, far away...

Brilliant clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx8bZLwRyJo

"How come no one says "Wizard!" anymore?!"

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

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: COSTUMED EVIL!

No doubt about it, British thespian Ian McDiarmid was one of the greatest bonuses to the STAR WARS saga that you could ever get, especially for the Prequels when playing the almost Shakespearian dual roles of the vicious Darth Sidious and the benign, ever so friendly Supreme Chancellor Paplatine. Here's a great posed shot of him taken for EPISODE III of his Palpatine character wearing a terrific costume by Trisha Biggar for a scene ultimately deleted, where the evil ruler of the universe sows the seeds of doubt and loyalty into Anakin about his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the rumours/possibility that he is under the corrupting influence of the young Jedi's secret wife, Padme. This OTHELLO-like dramatic situation, full of lies and false whispers, would have been a great little bit of extra angst for Anakin in his final push to the Dark Side-and for his fateful, soul destroying meeting with Padme on Mustafa. Its a shame we never saw it in the final cut, or on the DVD release.

Blu-ray, please, Mister George!