SCENES WE WANT ON BLU-RAY 10: "LUKE'S RESCUE"

It's an oldie but a goodie-first picture released by LUCASFILM in 2000. We really want to see the footage of the safety tethered Lando Calrissian's dramatic rescue of the injured Luke Skywalker, after he collapses onto the Falcon from the under vane of Cloud City. It may have been only partially completed at the time due to Mark Hamill's sprained thumb injury during EMPIRE's long and arduous filming at ELSTREE, but it'd be nice to one day see the blue screen background scene, possibly one day replaced with an exciting new ILM Bespin vista behind it, too, for an upcoming Blu-ray release...

LANDO'S RETURN?

A classic image of Billy Dee Williams as he films a deleted Cloud City scene against blue screen for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

So, is something coming up on the STAR WARS front for Billy Dee Williams, who played our favourite Cloud City administrator, Baron Lando Calrissian?

Regular AFICIONADO contributor Chris Baker sent me this intriguing info regarding his recent Phoenix Comic Con Q & A appearance:

A younger fan asked a Q of Billy -

"if he had ever made any or been offered any cameo's in the PT"

- Billy says "ahh, no"

They confer for a moment then his handler/assistant/manager further states that he has to look something up on the Internet but he would like to expand on (or add to) the answer for that fan's Q

A couple of Q's later (in his follow-up) the assistant states that "Sadly, we can't actually say anything because it's a confidentiality thing and it hasn't been announced yet .. But!, if you all keep your eyes on star wars .com you will get what I'm saying in about 30 days I'd imagine.”

Lando would only be in his teens with the onset of the Clone Wars, so might Billy be voicing the characters father in the animated series? Or even a new character? Interesting possibilities to think about. With the new Live Action TV series (when it happens) pretty much removed from the core characters of the six films, it's either THE CLONE WARS or perhaps Seth Green's new animated SW comedy series for LUCASFILM. Time will tell.

Regardless of who he plays, it's just nice to have another Classic Trilogy actor back in action within our favourite saga...

 

CLASSIC IMAGE: SUPER-COOL LANDO!

New Star Warrior, Billy Dee Williams, poses for a James Bond-like image as the suave Lando Calrissian, Baron/Administrator for the Bespin mining colony, in a 1979 promotional shot for his upcoming characters premiere appearance in THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

"THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK" - AN IMAGE EXTRAVAGANZA

Left to right: Irvin Kershner watches Ford, Fisher and Billy Dee Williams in a break before filming our heroes infamous dinner with Darth Vader. One of many great rare images in THE MAKING OF THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK book, out now in the UK from AURUM PRESS.

VANITY FAIR have a lovely picture gallery of rare colour and B/W behind the scenes images from the new THE MAKING OF THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK book by J. W. Rinzler, which is in bookstores now.

Check out the gallery (which includes the great above image) here:

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/features/2010/10/the-making-of-the-empire-strikes-back-201010?currentPage=10

LANDO CALRISSIAN: BLACKSTAR WARRIOR!

Newly discovered, having laid deep down for years amongst some of Mark Hamill's flared trousers in the seventies section of Rancho Obi-Wan, is the previously top secret, and unseen, Lando Calrissian adventure vehicle BLACKSTAR WARRIOR, starring HEROES then little known actor Leonard Roberts, who's priceless in the role of the dashing adventurer and ladies man- a fine tribute, in EMPIRE's anniversary year, to Billy Dee Williams.

We know you're gonna dig it!

Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NATeU-r0GDU

Thanks to Linda Pellerito for the heads up.