AN 'EMPIRE' AT 40: SHOOTING VADER!

The moment we'd all been waiting for, as Han Solo quick draw blasts at Darth Vader.

Filmed on the 14th May, 1979, the Bespin Dining Room scene was a hive of action and pyrotechnics. To create the exciting sequence where a surprised Han quickly pulls his gun to fire on Darth Vader, the scene would be filmed from multiple views and required numerous types of practical effects, edited together to look convincing on-screen. 

Rear angle not used in the film.

Firstly, in a full length master shot, Harrison Ford pulls his gun and shoots blanks at Prowse as Vader on the other side of the room, who deflects the bolts (pyrotechnic squibs detonating on his hands to simulate the bolt deflections). 

Then, close-ups were filmed of detonating laser blast explosions on Vader’s hand (performed with Prowse in the costume). This was then followed by a closer-in shot with Han, in front of Leia and Chewie, firing at an off set Vader. When this is filmed, the camera continues rolling, photographing Ford’s gun being pulled out of his hand firstly by a stage hand and then by wire. This is then followed with Ford being filmed with the gun replaced with a strings attached prop that is soon firmly out of his hands. A separate scene is then shot of the gun, photographed on its own, being thrown across the room by studio hands, and then photographed being thrown on a wire towards Vader (taking numerous takes and angles to accomplish). When portions of all these sequences are put together in the editing room the illusion is created that the Dark Lord has used his powers to resist Solo and pull the blaster from the smuggler’s hand and into his own. A tight close-up shot of Solo quickly pushing Leia behind him, as he pulls his gun on Vader, was not used in the film, appearing only in the April 1980 trailer. 

A great outtake image showing the on-set pyrotechnics. Image: The Ben Ageros Collection.

Once again, Han Solo’s blaster during filming was an adapted World War II German Mauser C-96, reduced down and given a new scope and muzzle.