Monday 9 September 2019

THE 'PHANTOM' AT TWENTY: THE HUTT RETINUE!


When it comes to star power in launching the Boonta Eve Classic, there's surely no one greater or more powerful on Tatooine than the Hutt clan, and especially their main planetary resident, the repulsive Jabba, seen here with his 'Major Domo' in Bib Fortuna, clearly enjoying the crowd adulation whilst the female Gardulla the Hutt lurks in the background. As with his cameo appearance in the 1997 Special Edition of A New Hope, Jabba would be CGI rendered for his few scenes in EPISODE I, though looking much better here thanks to technological improvements in ILM creature-making several years on.

A longer view of Jabba's retinue, which includes several well known ILM staffers in the background.
CGI render of Jabba with snack!

Resident Lucasfilm employee Matthew Wood, a sound designer who started off as a games tester for the company, played Fortuna for this sequence, shot at ILM. Originally, Fortuna was played by Alan Ruscoe in UK scenes linked to the later set in the film Republic senate, but those never made the final cut and Fortuna instead returned to Jabba on Tatooine.

Danny Wagner and colleague go to work on Wood's transformation at ILM. Note the earlier British made facial appliance of Alan Ruscoe's face mould as Fortuna in the right corner.



Wood hams it up in this fun behind the scenes image.

Matthew Wood Interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8Wb9lHDSgw

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