ARCHIVE BLOG: BACK TO BASICS

UK movie poster art for the (so far) one and only THE CLONE WARS movie. Image: LUCASFILM/WARNER BROTHERS.

Well, the new CLONE WARS trailer officially aired in the US and on STARWARS.COM this weekend (Summer 2008)-though I'm sure many readers probably saw it when it was leaked from Poland several weeks ago. And it's a terrific trailer, too, packed with action and imagination. My favourite moments are still the Anakin on a Stap, and Ahsoka deflecting laser blasts with her lightsaber whilst atop of an AT-AT as it's going uphill into battle. It's also nice to have the story confirmed, which, in an effective saga binding nod to events in JEDI, sees the return of Jabba the Hutt and his den of vice (great to see the Niktos back as well!!). Additonally, there was other great new stuff on display-the Clone Tropers in action, Asajj Ventress once more fighting Obi-Wan Kenobi, a small bit of Artoo and Threepio, Sam Jackson as Mace Windu (yes, I was right. It WAS Sam the Man!!) and a return to the wonderous vistas that only a STAR WARS film can evoke-no other film or TV series does planets and empires the way STAR WARS uniquely does.

Also launched with the trailer was the theatrical poster proper, and I really like it's simplicity. It's a return to the past, and very reminscent, to me anyway, of the first STAR WARS art poster done by Howard Chaykin back in 1976/77. It's dynamic and exciting, and I love the Republic Destroyers almost blasting outwards above our four Jedi heroes. You may think I'm wrong to say this, but I also like the fact that this film doesn't have an EPISODE number in it's title- like the orignal first STAR WARS it has a unique one off look to it (though, whether that really will be the case is unknown-if it takes off at the box office, I can't believe there won't be more CLONES WARS animated films).

August isn't too far off, people....