AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: BOG PLANET BLUES!

Life behind the scenes on the Dagobah set at Elstree Studios.

As The Empire Strikes Back nears the end of its long and often gruelling filming at Elstree Studios with the ambitious lensing on the bog planet stage during August/September 1979, director Irvin Kershner is secretly a frustrated and at times unhappy man. Due to schedule overruns and escalating money pressures, the inspired visualist has recently seen wholes sequences linked to Yoda and his training of Luke in the Force be cut down to the bare bones or be deleted completely (due to the complex shooting of Stuart Freeborn's one-of-a-kind puppet - just one sixty second scene often taking up to nine hours to successfully complete!), whilst a second unit has had to compete shots that he alone wanted to finish - the director knowing that the completed shots will not be what he ultimately considers 'his own', despite the best intentions of his talented team. There is also a mildly strained relationship between the director and his star Mark Hamill, the lone actor on set missing the previous camaraderie of his castmates whom he'd previously enjoyed working with on the original 1976 movie, and who himself has been on edge whilst his lovely wife, Marilou, prepares to give birth to their first son, Nathan. Health-wise, however, Kershner remains in good spirits, always keeping fit as much as possible and wearing a mask when needed to protect himself from the misty, noxious fumes atmosphere filling the soundstage, whilst George Lucas continues to be a rock steady line of behind the scenes support where possible.

Even Artoo needs a 'stand-in' from time to time!

A memorable special visit from The Muppet Show's Miss Piggy and Kermit hilariously lifts the cast and crew's spirits during difficult filming.

Lucas and Kershner exchange filming details.