Thursday, 10 November 2022

'STAR WARS' AT 45: THE CHASM - PART TWO: BEHIND THE SCENES

Flying around on set - Hamill and Fisher are kept on the Kirby wire, watched by Lucas (above level, far left) and, from below, a crew including Peter Diamond, Ann Skinner, Anthony Waye and Gary Kurtz.

One of the film's ambitious live action studio bound scenes is also amongst Carrie Fisher's first scenes shot for Star Wars in April 1976. Slightly apprehensive and intimidated by the scale of the production now that's she arrived in the UK, Carrie Fisher almost immediately gets into a tense moment with the British crew, someone describing an upcoming scene with her as - “The girl crossed the room and exits stage left. The camera operator will have to pan to keep her in frame slightly.” Irritated, Fisher immediately asks whether she was to be 'the girl' or 'the camera operator'. Getting the idea – and Fisher's intellectual bite – the UK crew proceed to make her an honorary camera operator!

Though the nerve-wracking swing was successfully achieved - amazingly in one take, captured with multiple cameras at different angles (including several at floor level and one stationed inside the alcove on the other side of the chasm) and with the floor beneath the actors covered with cardboard boxes to break any potential fall - Fisher would prove insecure throughout the ordeal, worried that she would look over-weight on camera and concerned she could be replaced by another actress (like Jodie Foster), whilst also afraid that her 'buns' hairpiece might fall off during the swing.

Feeling like her body had been ventilated from the inside once the swing was successfully realized, and  having been unhooked from her harness first, Fisher mischievously tells the Kirby wire supervisor that Mark Hamill would’ve liked to have done a few more takes (something that she herself secretly would have liked the chance of as well), resulting in the hilarious cue for the wire team to haul her surprised co-star up and fly him around the stage. They would then call “lunch” and deliberately leave the young actor hanging 30 feet in the air whilst the rest of the crew disappeared!

Below, a selection of behind the scenes images captured across the two days of filming the chasm sequence.


Lucas directs Hamill on his chasm surprise reactions.

Going through the positions of the stormtroopers.

Lucas points to where the other opposite attacking stormtroopers will be.

Conferring with Lucas.

Rehearsing blaster action.



Luke takes aim.

Lucas positions Carrie for the action scenes.

A break between action.

Some close-up candid shots of Carrie Fisher during filming.




Getting used to the new 'buns' look!

Serious with a blaster!




Four images taken during rehearsals.




Contact sheet of Mark and Carrie, with images never before reproduced.

Carrie points the blaster on herself in a fun shot.

Carrie gets to enjoy herself some more.

More camaraderie between the duo.

Ready to swing!

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