CLASSIC IMAGE: EMPEROR UNBOUND!

With the Jedi fire extinguished from the galaxy, the first Galactic Empire is now fully established, as its newly crowned Emperor makes his first speech to the galaxy's now leashed and controlled leaders. Deformed and more evil than ever, he declares his intentions for a "safe and secure" society...

CLASSIC IMAGE: BAD DREAMS

On Coruscant, Padme Amidala tries to console worried husband Anakin about the dark and terrible dream he has just ordealed concerning her and their upcoming babies future...a prediction that the young Jedi is determined will not become a reality!

CLASSIC IMAGE: PADME'S MISSION...

Here's a great shot of Padme (Natalie Portman) in what I call her Green Riding Hood outfit, during a deleted scene from EPISODE III, where she speaks to the DELEGATION OF 2000 on Coruscant about what can be done about ending both the Clone War and the all-too powerful rein of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine...

The deleted scenes may have already appeared on the 2005 DVD of REVENGE OF THE SITH but for completism they should be added to the upcoming Blu-rays regardless.

ILM CLASSIC IMAGE: GLAMOUROUS SPACE-FARER!

A lovely ILM composite image for ATTACK OF THE CLONES showing Senator Amidala's FLASH GORDON-esque silver chrome Naboo cruiser departing the city world of Coruscant.

CLASSIC IMAGE: CHAMBER OF HELL!

In a dark and smokey medical chamber of horrors buried deep within the hidden realms of Coruscant, the damaged, deformed and brutalised body of Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, is worked on by a group of droid surgeons and technicians, to be re-imagined as an evil new form of artificial life support systems and heavy metal armour of the blackest, bleakest kind. A rampaging, hate fuelled force for evil will soon emerge, in this classic image from EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH...

CLASSIC IMAGE: COLLISION!

Racing past in their Jedi Starfighters to rescue Chancellor Palpatine, Anakin and Obi-Wan don't have time to witness the warfare going on around them-in this case an under fire Republic cruiser crashing into a Separatist ship, in this superb effects shot image seen only in the briefest of seconds during the incredible visual feast that is the opening battle of EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH.

CLASSIC IMAGE: DEPARTING FORCES!

Here's a shot that has only been shown briefly in one of the early CLONE WARS episodes opening narration moments and was, as far as I'm aware, not fully part of an actual story itself (I reckon its an unused shot from the first CLONE WARS theatrical movie from 2008), showing Republic Warships and fighter escorts leaving Coruscant and soon going into battle.

It's a fantastic image from a great series...

CLASSIC IMAGE: "THE BOY'S DANGEROUS"

On Coruscant, before their return to Naboo and partaking in its liberation, Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi has a frank and argumentative discussion with his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, about whether it is wise to look after and oversee the destiny of young Anakin Skywalker, a boy whose future is clouded with uncertainty and possible danger...

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE CLUE!

In the dark alleyways and side streets of Coruscant's lower levels, the EPISODE II detective spree continues for Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, as he discovers the poisonous dart used by an unknown flying assailant to kill the bounty hunter Zam Wesell just as she/it is about to provide him and Anakin with critical information on who's behind the assassination attempt on Senator Amidala.

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE UNAVOIDABLE TRUTH...

Still in hiding on Coruscant, Obi-Wan Kenobi, now aware of Padme's pregnancy by Anakin, also knows that she's hiding the truth about Darth Vader's location on Mustafar, in this nicely played scene between Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman from EPISODE III.

With thanks to Chris Baker for the image. 

CLASSIC IMAGE: LITTLE GREEN WARRIOR!

One of the last surviving Jedi, and one of its greatest, Master Yoda, enters into fierce lightsaber battle with the evil Sith Lord, Darth Sidious, within the Republic's mighty office for the Supreme Chancellor on Coruscant. It can only be a moment from EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH...

CLASSIC IMAGE: JAR JAR'S BIG ADVENTURE!

In one of the first live action scenes shot for THE PHANTOM MENACE at the UK's LEAVESDEN STUDIOS, Ahmed Best settles into his role as Gungan representative Jar Jar Binks in a corridor waiting area within Senator Palpatine's office on Coruscant. A brief sequence where Anakin (Jake Lloyd) and Jar Jar try to eavesdrop on Queen Amidala's first conversation with Palpatine about the invasion of Naboo was filmed but cut for time reasons from the finished film.

CLASSIC IMAGE: CLONE ARMIES

A great image seen only briefly in several early episodes of Season One of THE CLONE WARS, showing the legions of battle ready troops in their special staging area on Coruscant- a brilliant recreation of one of the closing iconic scenes of EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES

CLASSIC IMAGE: TO RESCUE A JEDI!

Navigating Coruscant's dangerous and traffic heavy commercial air lanes, Jedi Padawan Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) pilots his speeder in a fast downwards acceleration to rescue his friend and master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, from free-fall death, in this classic scene from EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES.

CLASSIC IMAGE: GENEVIEVE O'REILLY AS REBEL LEADER MON MOTHMA

Legendary Rebel Alliance leader Mon Mothma makes her first appearance in EPISODE III.

In 2003, fans were overjoyed at George Lucas's plans to integrate more classic elements from the original STAR WARS Trilogy into the final part of the STAR WARS Prequel Trilogy, further bringing in the bridge from one side of the Saga's history to the other. As well as Vader at the films finale, we were to have Chewbacca and the Wookiees, spaceship cameos from what would be one of the Rebel Blockade Runners and the Millennium Falcon. But one of the most important links in III would be the birth of the Rebel Alliance to fight the Empire, shepherded into existence by a core group of players including Bail Organa, Padme Amidala and new (later to be RETURN OF THE JEDI figurehead) Mon Mothma. Originally played in 1982 for JEDI by distinguished British actress Caroline Blakiston, this time around the younger incarnation of Mothma would be portrayed by the lovely actress Genevieve O'Reilly. I met a Miss O'Reilly a while back at a UK collectors show at Cheshunt, and she recalled how, despite the scenes being cut from the film (though later released on DVD), she greatly enjoyed working on EPISODE III, loved hers and the others costumes and seeing the aliens, and liked George Lucas. She also remembered how one scene involving the DELEGATION OF 2000 had to be shot without Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa (Smits had not yet arrived in Australia for the filming), so a double was used saying his dialogue and in costume (with the actor re-filming the scene individually and later superimposed over the long shot).

Mon Mothma, as played by the lovely Genevieve O'Reilly

Having already made a small appearance in both THE MATRIX RELOADED and THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS (as a Xion technician) prior to STAR WARS, Irish born, Australia raised O'Reilly would come to the UK and US and work in a variety of successful film and TV projects (including playing the late Princess Diana in DIANA: LAST DAYS OF A PRINCESS, a regular role as American Operative Sarah Caulfield in the hit BBC spy series SPOOKS (known in the US as MI5) and in the enjoyable political thriller THE STATE WITHIN (with HARRY POTTER's Jason Isaacs). Other film work would include the recent period drama THE YOUNG VICTORIA. She's also had a very good career on the London stage, working with Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic and more recently opposite young star in the making Ben Barnes (THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA) in the hit play BIRDSONG (based on the acclaimed book by Sebastian Faulks), at the London COMEDY THEATRE until January 15th 2011). Below is a nice image of the pair linked to the start of the plays run, in a photo shoot taken for the London EVENING STANDARD magazine in 2010 by Nicky Emerson.

 

STAR WARS AFICIONADO wishes Genevieve continued success in all areas of her acting career.

CLASSIC IMAGE: CORUSCANT- A CITY WORLD OF WONDER!

One of the great things that the STAR WARS Prequels did so well, and what continues to make them stand out and be so pioneering in comparison to so many other modern sci-fi films and TV programmes out there, is the incredible worlds of wonder that George Lucas and his team of artists and digital/model makers would think up and create over the space of three movies. And especially so for EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH - from the volcanic and dangerous Mustafa to the lush, tropical Wookiee world of Kashyyyk, and to here, in this picture, the incredible and beautiful capital and Senate District of the sadly corrupt Republic, and the later birth place of its Imperial Empire- Coruscant- as seen in this terrific ILM image - a true testament to the films amazingly talented artists and model makers.

We look forward to seeing these incredible vistas once again on both the small screen (with pristine quality Blu-rays next year) and, even better, the big screen, and in 3D, in the hopefully not too distant future...