AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: BACK TO THE 'WARS' ZONE!

A space fantasy universe made real by George Lucas and Gary Kurtz.

Despite its fun and fantasy adventure unfolding onscreen to delighted audiences, making the original Star Wars had genuinely proved an ordeal for its creator/writer/director George Lucas, struggling to get his unique and beloved vision for the film to the big screen over two years from 1975/76, ultimately near killing himself with stress right up to the film's effects incorporation and release in the US by May 1977. Thankfully, all the hard work and passion paid off as it became a stellar box office phenomenon light years beyond anything Lucas and the rest of the film's often sceptical cast and crew, and industry naysayers, would think possible.

George Lucas at the effects editing process for The Empire Strikes Back, as seen in 1980.

The idea of doing a series of bigger and universe expanding sequels, potentially twelve films then later reduced to nine by The Empire Strikes Back's release in 1980, was now an enthusiastic reality for Lucas, and a scenario that the original Star Wars backers in Twentieth Century Fox, their vaults swelled with the kind of profits the once-dwindling studio hadn't seen in years, were eager to see happen also (though they'd soon have the distribution profits negotiations turned against them by the strong-willed creator, who hadn't forgiven Fox for numerous problems in 1975). By the Summer of 1977, the sequel was confirmed in the trade press, as Lucas, no longer burning with desire to direct again, began the first ambitious brainstorming/writing for the movie once he'd returned from a well deserved Hawaiian holiday with his wife, Marcia, of which fellow director/friend Steven Spielberg was also happily in tow, a meeting (and sand castle building) of soon cinema legends that launched a further franchise linked to a certain 'fortune and glory' hunter, originally named Indiana Smith!

Gary Kurtz, a talented photographer and co-custodian to the original Star Wars universe. Image: Kurtz/Joiner Archive.

Happily back in his role as producer for the all-important first sequel would be Gary Kurtz, whose meticulous eye for detail, fused with his knowledge of film-making and photography, plus his familiarity with the now conceived Star Wars universe and characters, made him a continued valuable storytelling asset to the new production, which Lucas hoped to start filming later in 1978 (eventually Spring 1979). Relations had been strained between Lucas and Kurtz during the principal photography stage of making Star Wars, primarily because Lucas felt he didn't have enough support from him against then hostile British film workers (including cinematographer Gil Taylor), and the then currently untitled 'Star Wars II' would sadly test that relationship further (Lucas deciding to give Kurtz a second chance), to near breaking point, with all-new problems and production difficulties over what would be a very long three years ahead...