AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: INSIDE THE OLD/NEW FALCON!

                                 

With the original sets destroyed soon after the filming of Star Wars at Elstree Studios, the interior of the Millennium Falcon is painstakingly recreated for Empire, from John Barry’s designed original, on Stage 8, with its previous “missing wall” in the main hold now finished. In fact, all the walls on the ship became “wild” this time- removable for cameras access. More of the Falcon’s interior, linked to the main hold, is also built onto the plans of the original set, including a small medical bed area (where, later in the filming schedule, Luke is treated for his injuries), a machine room where Han and Leia get intimate (filmed in early April), and two maintenance access areas - one a pit in the floor of the main hold section (the set being built off the studio floor so Han can try to fix the hyperdrive), the second in the set’s ceiling (where Chewie also works on the ship). 

Built on Stage 5, the reconstructed Falcon cockpit is fundamentally the same as the original, though slightly larger for greater access by the camera within its confines. Chewie’s hanging dice from the first film is gone and the instrument panels along the sides and the back of the cockpit have numerous additional lights and other hang-ons. Another new feature is a sliding door entrance, operated via pulleys by off set stage-hands. Recalls Kershner of filming: “If you look at the scene in the asteroid field, when we shot it, I had a board with buttons that set off a lot of flash bulbs outside the cockpit. The cockpit was on a rocker, but the movement was very slow. I said, "Forget it, it won't work. Forget the rocker." I worked it out that we could use a hand held camera-a Panaflex. I'd say "Right!" and the camera would go left and they would throw themselves to the right. "Left!"- and it would create the sense of movement. And I would be setting off flashbulbs, which were supposed to be explosions. Where the flashbulbs were, ILM then showed asteroids hitting. We worked backwards." 

Knowing that in many fantasy films the cameras rarely move because they must be locked in position for the special effects, Kershner plots subtle camera adjustments for EMPIRE’s effects photography, to provide an illusion of fluidity and sweep. 

"George wanted the Millennium Falcon to be like the old family station wagon - beat up, battered, complete with oil drips, dents and tootsie roll wrappers scattered on the floor." 

Mark Hamill - Questor magazine interview - August 1980 

Image: via Star Wars Archives website.