'STAR WARS' AT 45: THE CHASM - PART ONE: THE SWING ACROSS!

Rushing to near disaster!

Separated from Han and Chewbacca by stormtroopers during their flight to the docking bay, Luke and Leia are soon cut off once more in a chasm area of the labyrinth Death Star. Holding back further stormtroopers, the pair ultimately make an improvised swing across the vast expanse to evade capture, in one of the film's, and the saga's, most memorable moments.

With thanks to Chris Baker for selected imagery.

Shot of the original studio set that would be enhanced with a later matte painting in post production by acclaimed artist Harrison Ellenshaw.

Matte painting areas for the sequence.

The wide shot scene where the pair of heroes realize that they “must’ve took a wrong turn” was enhanced in the studio by mirrored floors, so as to give the impression of their being a greater distance underneath them, and which needed to be kept constantly clean by studio technicians so as to avoid the trick being noticeable on screen. This sequence was ultimately enhanced further in 1977 post production with a matte painting created by Harrison Ellenshaw. The close-up over head foreground piping that Luke’s grappling hook would later attach to would be a combination of foreground specially built props, and budget-saving background photo card cut-outs.

As seen in the finished movie.

Assessing their environment.

A specially posed image later used in the film's 20th Century Fox marketing.

Rear attacking Stormtroopers (two played by resident stunt players Colin Skeaping and Reg Harding) are soon held back by a shield door - one of the four has already been felled by Luke's blaster in a deleted moment.

Luke blasts the door controls and unfortunately damages the shield bridge control operating between the two alcove points.

Note that Carrie Fisher is clutching her hand. A mild sprain on set or a deleted scene moment linked to Leia?

When Stormtroopers attack!

Surprise attack from above!

Luke fights back in these specially posed images.

Classic TOPPS card as Luke prepares to fire again.

On set action taken during filming. Image: The Ben Ageros Collection.

The action sequence with Leia and Luke holding off an opposite above level squad of Stormtroopers, was shot on platforms of varying levels across the specially built all-purpose set. Some shots of Hamill and Fisher were shot six foot off the floor, others, of them firing at the Stormtroopers, achieved on a level six to eight feet off the floor, and the final swing across shot on a level thirty feet off the floor.

Peter Diamond would be the first Stormtrooper shot by Luke to fall down the shaft. A tricky fall to accomplish safely, Diamond, wearing the heavy Stormtrooper costume (which also had a lack of flexibility), would have to fall straight, but, as he was doing so, also find a way of turning his body and shoulders just before hitting the box and mattress supports on the floor below, so that he could land un-injured. 

His death would be accompanied by a Post Production “Wilhelm” scream, taken from the 1953 movie Charge on Feathered River, humorously added in by sound designer Ben Burtt. This would go on to be a sound effects tradition that would accompany a specific death scene in each proceeding Star Wars film.

Peter Diamond takes a fall as a Stormtrooper, twisting his body as he does so, so as not to injure himself.

Landing on a mattress.

The stormtroopers are temporarily repelled by Luke as Leia takes up the fight.

Luke pulls out the grappling hook from his stormtrooper utility belt.

Leia returns covering fire, with behind the scenes adapted weapons firing loud blank rounds live on set for the action moments.

An iconic posed image of Leia.

Terrific action images.

The firefight continues. Image: Star Wars Archives.

An unused angle on the higher alcove of the set, also perfect for a great action image composition.

Getting ready to swing.

Another great posed image that wouldn't ultimately be published until 2007!

Preparing to swing.

A kiss for luck alternate scene.

Getting ready as the shield door continues to raise.

As originally shot, it takes a second attempt by Luke for his grappling hook to attach, whilst Leia continued providing cover fire.

Stunt Coordinator Peter Diamond's arranging of the the chasm swing, on Elstree Studios Stage 2, is designed to be straightforward and can be achieved by Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher without the need for doubles, swinging across whilst wearing concealed harnesses within their costumes. On the day of actual shooting, however, both actors are worried about the possibility of the stunt going wrong (especially as they would be swinging thirty feet above the studio floor). To allay their fears, Diamond, with fellow stuntman Reg Harding, would perform the stunt for them beforehand in a rehearsal. However, as they successfully achieve the sequence, and Harding and Diamond swiftly travel from one side to the other, there is a terrible ripping sound echoing through the set - Diamond’s harness had unclipped, with his having to hold onto Harding for the swing across. Hamill, hearing the harness rip, would nervously query the sound, to which Diamond, telling a little white lie, would respond with the news that it was his trousers that had actually ripped and not the harness, showing him an actual tear in them (resulting from earlier in the day, when Diamond had been supervising lightsaber rehearsals with Dave Prowse and Alec Guinness). Believing his story, Hamill, with Fisher, would agree to doing the exhilarating stunt a short time later (shot on Friday 30th April, 1976).

The classic scene begins.

Alternate angle from the opposite alcove of the swing, as the shield door with the Stormtroopers begins to ascend further on the other side.

Destination reached!

Uncoupling with their arrival.

Our heroes turn to see the opposite Stormtroopers about to attack them.

Of seeing the final sequence on film, Carrie recalled in 1978: “It was 30 feet, and what is so annoying is that ultimately you can’t see that it is me!” The swing, which was actually very brief, would be extended with the use of alternate angles, and made longer in the post production editing process.

Re-enforcement stormtroopers shoot at the opposite escaping heroes.

Note the two Stormtroopers in front now felled (presumably from Leia, still holding the blaster onscreen with the swing across), likely a deleted scene moment rather than a specifically posed image.

The classic sequence was the combined idea of the film's talented production designer John Barry (a lover of swashbuckling adventure movies of the past) and conceptual artist Ralph McQuarrie, added to the script by the end of 1975/start of 1976, developed for filming at Elstree Studio in April, 1976. Being one of the first scenes shot by a nervous Carrie Fisher for Star Wars, and being a surely notable action sequence, the filming would garner a huge amount of photographic coverage by on-set photographer John Jay and producer/cameraman Gary Kurtz. Interestingly, the 1976 book adaptation of the film by Alan Dean Foster has the chasm scene and Luke and Leia's swing across but not the opposite attacking Stormtroopers aspect.

The swing sequence would be covered by three cameras (officially documented) angled at varying positions on set, though Mark Hamill would recall four ultimately being used in a 1980 UK BBC TV interview.

The famous 1975 Ralph McQuarrie conceptual painting of Luke Starkiller (with grappling hook) and sister Leia Starkiller trapped in the chasm.

The scaffold area built to cover all angles and levels of the filming in April 28th and 30th, 1976.

Filming "I think we took a wrong turn!"

During busy filming activity, the half circular set's reflective mirror floor is lined with cardboard so as to keep its surface as clean and shiny as possible.