Here's a great shot you don't see often - the ILM constructed model of the Millennium Falcon as it originally looked, conceived by Colin Cantwell and refined by Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston. This version of Han Solo's lovable and eccentric smuggling vessel - "the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy!" - would be scrapped by Lucas due to its familiarities with the Eagle Transporter craft then being shown on 1975 TV screens worldwide in the hit Gerry Anderson sci-fi show SPACE: 1999 (created by later TESB British effects man Brian Johnson), necessitating a design replacement that had to be done very quickly - though it would keep the already planned for UK set construction cockpit and the idea of the top and bottom gun placements - for what would be the vessel's ultimate, and best, visual appearance - the one that we know and admire today - by the end of the year and going into 1976. Meanwhile, the abandoned version of the Falcon would ultimately transform into the Rebel Blockade Runner model seen at the spectacular beginning of STAR WARS in 1977.
The big question I have about the original version of the Falcon model is, was any test footage of it filmed by ILM prior to its shelving? And, if so, might we see it one day?
With thanks to Chris Baker for the above image.
UPDATE: Fans of both STAR WARS and SPACE: 1999 have joined forces to create the ultimate hybrid craft in visual celebration of the two space series, the Millennium Eagle. Check it out in all its impressive visual glory here: sci-fi-air-show | Millennium Eagle
1 comment:
That's one ronky ponky model!
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