"SOMETIMES HEROES FALL..." 'THE CLONE WARS' SEASON FIVE BEGINS!

No longer seen as an out of the way hologram in the series, the physical embodiment of Darth Sidous is now one very pissed off Sith Lord, out to restore balance to the Dark Side in THE CLONE WARS Season Five.

Revenge, tragedy and betrayal: the evil of the Dark Side of the Force is escalating to a new crescendo of terror in the fifth season of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS, making its stellar animated premiere on the US CARTOON NETWORK from tomorrow morning's new time slot.

And it looks even more of a packed season than anything we've seen previously, if that's possible, and presumably carrying on the multi-episode arcs storytelling of last season. We have the return of the Maul brothers, their alliance with Death Watch and the Black Sun crime cartel to take Mandalore, and the following civil war that branches out from it, a pissed off Darth Sidious out to restore brutal and bloody order to his grand scheme against the Republic, the building beginnings of resentment and bitterness towards the Jedi from the people they've sworn their lives to protect, a great adventure for Artoo and some of his Astro Droid buddies, Ahsoka and Ventress possibly joining forces, Padme reunited with ex-lover Clovis, and facing another assassination attempt, a huge epic battle on the Expanded Universe popular world of Onderon, and lots more angst and emotional struggle for Anakin and Obi-wan, their friendship often challenged in leading their galactic Clone Troopers ever further into conflict, as the war seems out of control and unstoppable leading up to the film events of EPISODE III.

Here's a few snaps from the recent epic, and we do mean epic, trailer: StarWars.com | Star Wars: The Clone Wars Season 5 Trailer

Supreme Chancellor Palpatine confers with the Jedi about the new threat from Darth Maul...

...as Jedi Masters Mace Windu and Yoda listen on.

War on Onderon rages...

A Clone Trooper fights on 'till the last drop of his blood has been spilt!

Artoo and a team of droids are part of an ambitious new Jedi plan. Note the welcome reappearance of Jedi Tera Sinube.

Deadly partnership. Black Sun and the Death Watch plan to attack Mandalore.

Pre Vizsla is one very happy mercenary!

Anakin enters the underbelly of Coruscant's 1313 level in search of his prey.

A re-match between Asajj Ventress and Ahsoka Tano leads to an unlikely partnership...

Obi-Wan infiltrates the Death Watch and gets more than he bargained for.

Anakin gets jealous all over again with Padme and her ex, Rush Clovis.

Mid-air problems for Ahsoka and Anakin in their Starfighters.

Maul and a betrayed Pre Vizsla clash!

Another epic battle awaits our heroes...

Hold tight! Obi-Wan holds dearly on to Duchess Satine.

Death Watch. The new rulers of Mandalore?

Possibly the moment of Season Five? Sidious takes on Maul and Savage!

Some more clips to keep the appetites whetted:

EXCLUSIVE clip from The Clone Wars: Season 5 - Black Sun Arrives! - YouTube

Star Wars: The Clone Wars -- First look at Darth Maul | Inside TV | EW.com

Celebration VI Coverage: Joel Aron and Dave Filoni Q&A and SUDDENLY GEORGE LUCAS | Tosche Station

Comic-Con: Star Wars The Clone Wars Season 5 Exclusive - Meet Obi-Wan's Surprising New Allies - IGN

'Clone Wars': Season 5 Trailer shows Darth Maul and Death Watch | Inside TV | EW.com

‘Star Wars’ reignites - The Daily

'Star Wars: Clone Wars' Season 5: See exclusive trailer | Inside TV | EW.com

Uneasy alliances on tap for new season of 'Clone Wars'

The war continues. And the STAR WARS saga continues...

CLASSIC IMAGE: THE LAST STAND...

Having located the captured Supreme Chancellor, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi prepare to face off against the venomous Sith Lord and Separatist leader Count Dooku for the last time in the opening section of EPISODE III.

CLASSIC ART: HANGAR EVAC!

A Rebel Transport vessel begins evacuating staff and technology from its ice planet base, just as the Imperial Death Fleet enters the Hoth system, in this intriguing storyboard for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK that was sadly never made reality as far as we're aware...

AOTC AT TEN: DESTINY OF EVIL...

In his plush state room office, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine confers with his longtime friend, young Anakin Skywalker, telling him how pleased he is that the boy will soon have his first solo assignment as a Jedi Knight.

Filmed late in the day in post production pick-ups, this scene is one of the best in the film, with subtle hints of the darkness to come...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARK HAMILL!

Best celebratory wishes from all STAR WARS fans to everyone's favourite actor playing the Tatooine farmboy turned super-cool Jedi Knight, Luke Skywalker: Mark Hamill.

STAR WARS AT 35: GOLDEN SUNRISE...

Presumably one of the first official photos of Anthony Daniels in the finally approved and completed costume as See-Threepio, on location in Tunisia for STAR WARS on 22nd March 1976, for the upcoming difficult and very painful first day's filming at the Lars Homestead. Notice the suit's gleam, before it was made dirty and more used looking!

A wonderfully atmospheric image for what would be an incredible, complicated and arduous shoot for the movie.

CLASSIC IMAGE: 'THAT LITTLE DROID DID IT!'

The only survivor of Queen Amidala's Naboo cruiser droid compliment-the others blasted into spacial smithereens-Artoo Detoo races against time to fix the power problems of the damaged craft so as to escape the Trade Federation Blockade. An exciting and heroic Prequel introductory moment for everyones favourite Astro Droid in EPISODE I.

BEHIND THE SCENES: GIVE US A SMILE!

Here's an angle of one of the Imperial Stormtroopers you don't see everyday. I'm assuming it's either from RETURN OF THE JEDI or some later LUCASFILM licensing related work, probably going into the nineties.

CELEBRATING THE 'CLONE WARS' MICRO-SERIES

I've been sorry to recently hear that LUCASFILM have now been kind of disowning the great work that animation giant Genndy Tartakovsky and his team did for the CARTOON NETWORK's CLONE WARS micro-series of a few year back, in favour of their own 2008 onwards show, even going so far as to removing certain elements and characters from it that had been previously recognised and mentioned in their Official Expanded Universe timeline and characters table (I guess any kind of future Blu-ray has also just been shot down in flames, too!).

Check out this interview for more: Genndy Tartakovsky, 'Hotel Transylvania' Director, On The Disappearance Of His Version Of 'Star Wars: Clone Wars'

Those two early series show the excitement, action and adventure of the Prequel STAR WARS saga in its purest form yet during the 2005 lead up to the release of EPISODE III, of which there are a few fans out there who actually prefer them to the movies, and remain as enjoyable as ever. Why both series can't just sit proudly on the LUCASFILM shelf I don't know. STAR WARS AFICIONADO, however, will certainly not forget them, and will continue to celebrate such a brilliantly conceived show, brought to life by a dedicated group of industry professionals who were also tremendous STAR WARs fans...

BEHIND THE SCENES: NORWAY CHALLENGERS

Braving the cold weather of Norway in March 1979, Harrison Ford gets ready for his next scenes as Han Solo on the plains of Hoth, alongside the late director Irvin Kershner, for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

DELETED SCENE: ACCESS DENIED...

Even Dark Lords of the Sith can be made to wait sometimes, as Darth Vader frustratingly discovers when he is blocked access to the Emperor in this deleted scene from RETURN OF THE JEDI, which recently, finally, appeared on Blu-ray.

We were very sorry to hear of the recent car crash involving Vader's one and only incumbent, Dave Prowse-he's been very unlucky over the last few years- and are happy to hear he's on the mend. Check out his FACEBOOK page here: Dave Prowse and a recent interview he gave to YAHOO!: Darth Vader star explains feud with George Lucas - Yahoo! Movies UK

CLASSIC INDY: LONDON CALLING!

UK/London based Indy fans, don't forget-RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK will be playing for a one week engagement in IMAX at the BFI IMAX Waterloo, from tomorrow.

Details here: ODEON - Raiders Of The Lost Ark IMAX - Tickets | Film Trailer | Preview | Release Date

Trailer: INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK - IMAX Trailer (2012) - YouTube

In the US, the IMAX screenings of the film were a huge success, of which its theatrical run prior to its Blu-ray release was extended a further week.

And check out this great deleted scene footage from RAIDERS, coming to the Blu-ray release, about the classic Indy versus Swordsman sequence: Indiana Jones: 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' deleted scene -- EXCLUSIVE | Inside Movies | EW.com

STAR WARS AT 35: FIREPOWER!

Within the long exterior trenches of the Death Star, one of it's mighty laser cannons gets ready to fire on the Rebel snub fighters as they make their last stand against the Empire's deadliest weapon.

DELETED SCENE: A SPEAKER FOR ALDERAAN!...

The original Bail Organa, as played in EPISODE I by Adrian Dunbar.

Bail Organa of Alderaan, later to become Bail Antilles, adds his name in support to an investigation into the Trade Federation invasion of Naboo, in his short but sadly excised scene/s from EPISODE I, recently unearthed on the THE COMPLETE SAGA Blu-ray from last year.

Bail Organa and his aides watch the drama unfold in the senate chamber.

Dunbar makes his entrance. Note the Princess Leia lookalike to the left.

For the full story on Adrian Dunbar's involvement on the film, as the original adopted father of Princess Leia, check out out Ian Trussler's blog feature here: THE FORGOTTEN BAIL

For more on Bail Antilles, check out the great James Luceno novel set prior to EPISODE I: CLOAK OF DECEPTION. Visit our archive on the tale here:
http://www.starwarsaficionado.com/f/CLOAK_OF_DECEPTION_ARCHIVE_2010.pdf

AOTC AT TEN: A TIME FOR TRUTH...

Padme finally reveals to Jedi Knight protector Anakin Skywalker her true feelings for him in this important scene from the near climax of EPISODE II: ATTACK OF THE CLONES, as the Geonosian Death Arena awaits the young couple.

CLASSIC IMAGE: PARTY ANIMALS!

Jabba the Hutt's party loving entourage enjoying watching Han Solo and Princess Leia suffer at the grubby hands of their big boss, in this gallery of the grotesque from RETURN OF THE JEDI. Note the Tauntaun head hanging up on the right side wall.

STAR WARS AT 35: BIGGS 'THE SHOOTING STAR'

Garrick Hagon poses inside his X-wing fighter cockpit as Biggs Darklighter-Red Three of the attack force against the dreaded Death Star-and longtime friend of Luke Skywalker from his Tatooine farm boy days. Most of Biggs scenes were sadly cut from the original release of the film, bar an early couple of mentions by Luke as well as the space battle finale, but the later, eventual SPECIAL EDITION and Blu-ray release have gone a long way to giving us more restored material of the actors fine work in the first classic movie.

Before STAR WARS, Hagon had appeared in another kind of sci-fi, this one british based, as the heroic figure of Ky in the classic six-part 1972 DOCTOR WHO adventure The Mutants, alongside Jon Pertwee in the title role. He returns to the series modern incarnation, with Matt Smith headlining, in tonight's BBC 1 screening episode- a sci-fi western hybrid titled A Town Called Mercy, in which he plays a quirky character called The Undertaker.

Hagon as The Undertaker in the new DOCTOR WHO series. Image: BBC.

A veteran supporting actor in films, TV, theatre and radio, including such notable theatrical projects as A BRIDGE TOO FAR, the first Tom Cruise MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE adventure and Brad Pitt/Robert Redford combo SPY GAME, Mister Hagon is an all-round nice guy, a talented actor and much loved by the STAR WARS fan community worldwide. Check out his credits packed website here: Garrick Hagon and the Biggs Darklighter page: Biggs Darklighter [ RED 3 ]

CLASSIC IMAGE: JEDI TO THE RESCUE!

On a bold rescue mission, Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker will need all their piloting skills to penetrate the huge Separatist space armada gathered around the kidnapped Supreme Chancellor, held aboard General Grievous's flag-ship, the Invisible Hand.

CLASSIC INDY: WHIP-CRACK AWAY!

On the Elstree backlot circa 1980, Harrison Ford gets in a little practice time with his whip during the filming of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

And here's the list of special features for the upcoming Blu-ray release, from the LUCASFILM/PARAMOUNT studio combo, of Indy's complete adventures...

Order the film here: Indiana Jones The Complete Adventures Blu-ray 1981 Region Free: Amazon.co.uk: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas: Film & TV

AOTC AT TEN: JEDI SWINGER...

Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi gets ready to film his prequel cantina moment, slicing off the hand of sneaky bounty hunter Zam Wesell, played by Leeanna Walsman, in this exciting scene from EPISODE II, filmed at the FOX STUDIOS in Australia in 2000.

This image has appeared before on the main site, but this is in slightly better quality for re-use.

CLASSIC IMAGE: SKI-SKYWALKER!

A happy Mark Hamill takes a break between filming to smile for the stills photographer in this 1979 promotional image for THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, taken on the Rebel Base set at Elstree Studios, London.

With thanks to Chris Baker for image restoration work.

STAR WARS AT 35: TAPED HISTORY...

One of the first and best documentaries ever chronicling the behind the scenes making of George Lucas's original STAR WARS movie, and hosted by Anthony Daniels as Threepio no less (with the remote controlled three-legged Artoo Detoo), first shown on US television in 1977 and a sure fire hit on its original VHS debut in the birth of the rental/sale commercial tape market. I remember loving the programme so much, which also received a prior UK premiere screening on the UK's LWT channel back in the day, so much that my dad actually bought me the quite costly tape as a present circa 1979. The version pictured above is a later US version/release of the tape, which I don't recall ever seeing, with a preview for the then upcoming THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.

More STAR WARS on classic VHS: check out this fans great collection: World of Blackout: 199: V is for Vastidity

And here's some vintage VHS STAR WARS trailers up to the mid-nineties:

Star Wars VHS (1990) Collector's Preview - YouTube

"Star Wars Saga 1994 Digitally Remastered" VHS Opening Trailers UK Retail Cassette - YouTube

STAR WARS AT 35: KITCHEN-SINK DRAMA

In her version of a Habitat kitchen within the Lars Homestead (designed by John Barry), Aunt Beru (played with quiet but warm dignity by the late Shelagh Fraser), gets a milky brew ready for her husband Owen and their adopted son Luke in this brief deleted scene from the original STAR WARS filmed in April 1976. The set would be re-built with almost exact authenticity for Beru's later, well...earlier, appearance in EPISODE II.


With thanks to Chris Baker for the above image.

Below is a close-up look at the Beru Kitchen set at Elstree Studios in April 1976, courtesy of Continuity Polaroids from the original film's Script Supervisor, Ann Skinner, which were showcased as part of a special exhibition at London's BFI in late 2014.

One image not seen in the exhibition, but held in the BFI's Special Collection, shows the actual dining table for the Sidi Driss location used for the Lars dining area sequence, bearing a circular food dish holding a brown pizza or casserole-like substance and several smaller dishes, plastic Tupperware, blue milk cups and a container.

Skinner's hand written costume notes for Beru reveal that she wears a wedding ring, and that her outfit is "blue sachet with pink collar". In Skinner's early 1976 character notes based from a pre-shooting script, she describes her as a "Warm, motherly woman. Luke's Aunt."

With thanks to Ann Skinner and the BFI.

CLASSIC IMAGE: DESERT STORM!

In the hostile climes of the desert wilderness outside Mos Espa, an even more threatening force of nature awaits our Jedi Knight hero Qui-Gon Jinn, when he quickly defends himself from a deadly surprise attack from a mysterious tattooed face warrior, who might, just might, be a long believed extinct Sith Lord...

CLASSIC ART: THE BONDS OF EPIC STORY-TELLING...

Three great poster art concepts by the late, great artist John Berkey for the original Classic Trilogy in 1977, 80 and 83- for STAR WARS, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK and RETURN OF THE JEDI- all skillfully presented in a terrific art piece compilation in 2009, then available at the San Diego Comic Con.

2019 UPDATE: The middle poster art for TESB has also been circulated in other merchandise, notably as one of a 1999/2000 US postcard set, and crediting Roger Kastel as the artist. If anyone can ultimately re-confirm the artist's name on that piece, please get in touch.