Tuesday 19 December 2017

'STAR WARS' AT 40: FRIENDS BEYOND THE FORCE!


To say the original Star Wars didn't have the greatest of starts during early filming in March and April 1976 would be a colossal understatement. There was all-changing weather conditions (from rain to snow to heat), flooding, ropey accommodation, poor food leading to dysentery at the Tunisian location, and the production itself had malfunctioning robot props alongside barely tested and complex costumes (notably for C-3PO), plus early disagreements between George Lucas and his second choice cinematographer Gil Taylor. Yet, despite all this, the presence of Sir Alec Guinness, intrigued by the film and assured by the quality of its director in the young and shy visionary Lucas, brought with him a welcome sense of relief and trust. Always down to earth and a veteran of many difficult location shoots, the wise actor, playing the wise Jedi of Ben 'Obi-Wan' Kenobi, inspired people, especially his young co-star Mark Hamill, already in awe of the acting legend but nonetheless striking up a great friendship that ultimately lasted beyond the completion of the Classic Trilogy...

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