CLASSIC McQUARRIE: SENTINELS OF HOTH!

With their heavy weaponry and regular Tauntaun patrols, the Rebels maintain constant vigilance across the blue-tinted Hoth landscape, ready for action, in this lovely Thailand poster art from 1980 promoting The Empire Strikes Back, using the great Production Painting work of Ralph McQuarrie that helped make the film such a uniquely different entity to the original Star Wars.

It was an image that was also adapted and used in the Al Williamson and Carlos Garzon Marvel Comics adaptation of the iconic saga entry.  

CLASSIC INDY: ON A CLIFFHANGER!

Indy and friends may have managed to evade the evil Irina Spalko as they enter the final stage of their wet and chaotic journey to Eldrorado, but the Russian villainess will soon catch up with them, despite her current predicament!

Acclaimed Australian actress Cate Blanchett was a fine addition to the adventure that was Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

EPISODE VII: FISHY WARRIOR!

His experiences in tactical combat helped bring down the Galactic Empire, now Admiral Ackbar's resolute services have been recruited anew by General Leia Organa to fight the rising menace of the First Order, as the Calamarian becomes a vital part of the Resistance in The Force Awakens, the beloved character once more inhabited by Tim Rose.

EPISODE I: 'WESA GOIN' HOME!'

A battle to liberate Naboo from its Trade Federation captors looms, but that doesn't mean Jar Jar Binks can't enjoy the notion of returning home, watched by an amused Anakin Skywalker and Artoo on Coruscant, in a great behind the scenes moment from Episode One.

GOODBYE, BRIAN JOHNSON...

Brian Johnson at work for ILM with the impressive Star Destroyer model newly built for The Empire Strikes Back.

STAR WARS AFICIONADO was sad to near of the passing (this past May) of the legendary British special effects talent, and Academy Awrd winner, Brian Johnson. Having worked for the likes of Gerry Anderson (on his beloved Supermarionation series) and the legendary Stanley Kubrick (on 2001), Brian was contacted in 1975 by George Lucas and Gary Kurtz to handle the effects work on the original Star Wars but was then unavailable due to his ongoing epic commitment to the visually iconic Space:1999 TV series. Thankfully, he would be available to work on the practical UK effects (and be at ILM supervising model filming duties/adding various contributions) for The Empire Strikes Back, where his long-time experience would surely prove invaluable to Lucas (whom Johnson greatly admired at that time) and his team. 

It was extremely disappointing that Johnson's work on the saga was overlooked in Lawrence Kasdan's documentary series chronicling ILM and its evolving team/s several years back, but his quality work, not just on Star Wars but all the other productions he so importantly contributed to, lives on.

At the ILM model shop with Lorne Peterson, Marc Thorpe and others.

CLASSIC ART: A MYSTERY POSTER!

An intriguing poster shot that we believe was from the original Star Wars release internationally. It's a shame they got the Star Destroyer upside down here, because otherwise it's a truly lovely and evocative fantasy piece showcasing our star heroes.

If anyone knows more about this piece and its artist, please get in touch.

CLASSIC INDY: 'TRUST HIM!'

UK quad poster art, possibly incorporating art by Tom Jung.

No matter how tight the spot, no matter how much danger he and Marion Ravenwood find themselves in whilst fighting the dreaded Nazis over the Lost Ark of the Covenant, you can always rely on the courageous and inspirational hero that is Indiana Jones to save the day. And if there's some fortune and glory to be had along the way, then so much the better!

Happy Forty-Fifth Anniversary this year to Indiana Jones and Raiders of the Lost Ark!

THE CLONE WARS: JEDI ON THE EDGE!

His robot hand lost, his quest for revenge against the evil Wat Tambor and his associates on Nelvaan about to be unleashed, Anakin Skywalker's path to evildom and the eventual hands of the Sith continues, in this great scene from the near finale of the Genndy Tartakovsky The Clone Wars animated series.

EPISODE IX: LANDO LEADS THE CHARGE!

Back with a smooth vengeance against the First Order and the resurrected Empire, the ever cool space hustler Lando Calrissian has no plans to retire anytime soon, especially when proving himself yet again as an effective leader capable of saving the day. A great image of our hero from The Rise of Skywalker - it was great to see Billy Dee Williams back again in the role he was born to play - he'd been absent for far too long in the Sequel Trilogy!

EPISODE III: THE NEXT STEPS...

Count Dooku is dead and the kidnapped Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has been safely returned to Coruscant by his Jedi rescuers. Now, the time must come for the reassembled senate to work out the next steps in the Republic's ongoing battle against the Separatists, in this group shot moment from Episode III.