BEHIND THE SCENES: OF DESTINY AND INHERITANCE...

Image: Ann Skinner/BFI.

As Luke Skywalker finishes repairs to C-3PO (and, in a deleted moment, decides not to put the restraining bolt back on the grateful droid), Ben Kenobi inspects the little R2-D2, whose bold actions have brought them all together, in a scene captured on Polaroid script/continuity reference by Ann Skinner, filmed on the small Stage 7 at Elstree Studios during April 1976.

On the set of Ben Kenobi's home at Elstree Stage 7.

Rehearsal for a classic scene. Note the partial costume on Threepio.

A studio technician prepares to patch-up Anthony Daniels costume with tape.

Luke at work repairing Threepio.

Getting ready for another take.

An interesting unused angle, showing the partial Threepio costume.

Two other Polaroids not seen in the BFI exhibition of Miss Skinner's work from 2014 reside in their Special Collection: a colour image of Artoo solo on the set (not too dissimilar to the one presented here) and a B/W taken behind Ben's large case (containing Luke's inherited lightsaber), showing the unseen back table and equipment (created from old aircraft part junk), alongside some kind of redressed Tupperware.

Outtake Guinness footage used in EPISODE III trailer of 2004: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005) - Teaser Trailer [HD] - YouTube

The clapperboard to filming.

A selection of unused angles from the classic sequence.

As a side note, Miss Skinner's handwritten notes indicate that Scene 42- Leia's hologram speech- would be later re-filmed with her costume's hood up.

Seen here for the first time, Set Decorator Roger Christian created the iconic lightsaber handle quickly and inventively from an old Graflex flashgun camera bulb handle (with some additional pieces added on to it) during London pre-production, for as little as twelve dollars!

With thanks to Ann Skinner and the BFI.

STAR WARS AFICIONADO WEBSITE: AFICIONADO REVIEW: 'THE ELSTREE EMPIRE DAY' - 5TH MAY 2012